{
  "slug": "cost-to-ship-a-car-calculator",
  "title": "Cost to Ship a Car Calculator",
  "heading": "Cost to Ship a Car Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/cost-to-ship-a-car-calculator",
  "summary": "Per-mile carrier pricing by distance, route, season and open vs enclosed.",
  "description": "Auto transport is priced per mile on a curve, not a flat rate: the first few hundred miles cost $1.50–2.00 each, and a coast-to-coast run drops toward $0.50–0.70 because the truck is already going. On top of the distance, four things move the quote — whether the route runs between major metros or into a rural pickup, whether the car runs and drives, whether you want an enclosed trailer, and the season, because snowbird routes to Florida in November and college moves in August price like airline seats. This calculator applies the distance curve, then each adjustment, and shows the per-mile rate so you can compare broker quotes on the same basis. Worked assumption for the defaults: a running sedan, 1,800 miles metro to metro on an open carrier in shoulder season — about $1,120, or $0.62 per mile.",
  "formula": "Base per-mile rate falls with distance; total = miles × base rate × vehicle size × open/enclosed × route × season + inoperable surcharge.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-06",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=cost-to-ship-a-car-calculator",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "miles",
      "label": "Shipping distance",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1800,
      "unit": "miles",
      "min": 100,
      "max": 4000
    },
    {
      "id": "size",
      "label": "Vehicle size",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "1",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "0.85",
          "label": "Compact car — 0.85×"
        },
        {
          "value": "1",
          "label": "Sedan — 1.00×"
        },
        {
          "value": "1.2",
          "label": "SUV or crossover — 1.20×"
        },
        {
          "value": "1.4",
          "label": "Pickup truck or large SUV — 1.40×"
        },
        {
          "value": "1.75",
          "label": "Dually, van or lifted truck — 1.75×"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "trailer",
      "label": "Trailer type",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "1",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "1",
          "label": "Open carrier — standard"
        },
        {
          "value": "1.55",
          "label": "Enclosed carrier — +55%"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "route",
      "label": "Route type",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "1",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "0.92",
          "label": "Major metro to major metro on an interstate lane — 0.92×"
        },
        {
          "value": "1",
          "label": "Typical door-to-door — 1.00×"
        },
        {
          "value": "1.18",
          "label": "Rural pickup or delivery — +18%"
        },
        {
          "value": "1.4",
          "label": "Remote, island or mountain access — +40%"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "season",
      "label": "Season",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "1",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "0.92",
          "label": "Slow season (late winter, spring) — 0.92×"
        },
        {
          "value": "1",
          "label": "Shoulder season — 1.00×"
        },
        {
          "value": "1.2",
          "label": "Peak (summer moves, snowbird season) — 1.20×"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "inop",
      "label": "Vehicle condition",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "0",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "0",
          "label": "Runs and drives"
        },
        {
          "value": "175",
          "label": "Inoperable — winch loading: +$175"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "expedite",
      "label": "Expedited pickup premium",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 0,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 800
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "total",
      "label": "Likely shipping cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "perMile",
      "label": "Effective cost per mile",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "low",
      "label": "Low end of broker quotes",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "high",
      "label": "High end of broker quotes",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "baseRate",
      "label": "Base carrier rate for this distance",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "line",
      "label": "Transport line haul",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "driveYourself",
      "label": "Rough cost of driving it yourself",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Shipping distance: 1800 miles",
      "Vehicle size: Sedan — 1.00×",
      "Trailer type: Open carrier — standard",
      "Route type: Typical door-to-door — 1.00×",
      "Season: Shoulder season — 1.00×",
      "Vehicle condition: Runs and drives",
      "Expedited pickup premium: 0 $"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Likely shipping cost: $1,116",
      "Effective cost per mile: 0.62",
      "Low end of broker quotes: $949",
      "High end of broker quotes: $1,339",
      "Base carrier rate for this distance: 0.62",
      "Transport line haul: $1,116",
      "Rough cost of driving it yourself: $651"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter shipping distance (miles).",
      "Enter vehicle size.",
      "Enter trailer type.",
      "Enter route type.",
      "Enter season.",
      "Enter vehicle condition.",
      "Enter expedited pickup premium ($).",
      "Read your likely shipping cost on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "miles": 1100,
        "size": "1",
        "trailer": "1",
        "route": "1",
        "season": "1",
        "inop": "0",
        "expedite": 0
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "miles": 1800,
        "size": "1",
        "trailer": "1",
        "route": "1",
        "season": "1",
        "inop": "0",
        "expedite": 0
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "miles": 2900,
        "size": "1",
        "trailer": "1",
        "route": "1",
        "season": "1",
        "inop": "0",
        "expedite": 0
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "Why do brokers quote so much lower than the final price?",
      "a": "Because a broker quote is a listing price, not a contract. If no carrier accepts the load at that rate, the price rises until one does. Ask whether the quote is dispatch-guaranteed and read the cancellation terms before paying a deposit."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is enclosed transport worth the premium?",
      "a": "For a classic, exotic or freshly painted car, yes — no road debris, no weather, and usually a more experienced driver. For a daily driver worth under about $40,000, open transport is what nearly everyone uses, including dealers."
    },
    {
      "q": "How is the driving-it-yourself comparison figured?",
      "a": "Fuel at roughly 28 mpg and $3.60 a gallon plus a $140 hotel night for every 550 miles. It ignores your time, wear and the risk of a breakdown, which is why the gap is often smaller than it looks."
    },
    {
      "q": "Why show a range instead of one price?",
      "a": "Because two honest shops quote the same job 20–30% apart on parts sourcing alone — OEM versus quality aftermarket, remanufactured versus new, and whether the flat-rate book hours match what the job actually takes on your vehicle. The range is the band most real quotes land inside; the midpoint is what to expect."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/cost-to-register-a-car-calculator",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/cost-to-paint-a-car-calculator"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Cost to Ship a Car Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/cost-to-ship-a-car-calculator)"
}