Shipping a car across the country used to mean calling a handful of brokers and waiting days for quotes that never quite matched. This car shipping calculator from Smekys gives you an instant, transparent estimate built on the standard US auto-transport pricing model: a per-mile base rate for the carrier you choose, a flat door-to-door fee if you want pickup and delivery at your curb, and a fuel surcharge that reflects real diesel costs. Adjust the distance and the carrier type, and the total cost plus estimated transit time update on the spot.
The numbers below reflect typical national averages for a standard sedan running and operable. Classic, exotic, lifted, or non-running vehicles usually cost more, and busy seasons can shift prices by 10–20%, but this estimate is a reliable starting point for budgeting and for comparing the real offers you receive.
How to Use
- Enter the Shipping Distance — the one-way driving miles between your pickup city and delivery city. Google Maps distance is a good enough estimate; carriers bill on dispatched route miles, which are usually within 5% of it.
- Choose your Carrier Type. Open transport (the truck you see on every highway) costs about $0.60 per mile and moves the vast majority of vehicles. Enclosed transport costs about $1.10 per mile and protects your car from weather, road grime, and stone chips, which is worth it for luxury, classic, or low-mileage vehicles.
- Pick your Service Level. Terminal shipping means you drop off and pick up at secure yards, the cheapest option. Door-to-door adds a flat fee of about $200 and has the carrier come to your driveway or apartment complex, subject to local truck-access restrictions.
- Set the Fuel Surcharge if your quote mentions one. It defaults to 15% of the base mileage cost, which is the most common industry range (10–25%). Leave it at 15% unless a carrier quotes you a different number.
- Read the result card. It breaks the price into the per-mile rate, base mileage cost, door-to-door fee, and fuel surcharge, then shows the Estimated Total Cost and the Estimated Transit Time in days.
How Car Shipping Pricing Works
Almost every US auto transporter prices the trip the same way, and once you know the model you can sanity-check any broker quote on the phone:
- Base mileage rate. Open carriers run around $0.60 per mile; enclosed carriers run around $1.10 per mile. Short hauls cost more per mile (there are fixed loading and dispatch costs), while very long hauls cost less per mile, but the flat per-mile model this calculator uses is the cleanest way to compare routes.
- Door-to-door fee. Premium service where the driver meets you at the curb rather than at a terminal adds a flat $200 or so. In dense cities where the truck cannot reach your building, drivers still meet at a nearby lot, so ask before paying for it.
- Fuel surcharge. Carriers pass diesel volatility through as a percentage of the base cost, typically 10–25%. This calculator applies it only to the mileage base, not to the flat door fee.
- Transit time. Drivers average roughly 500 road miles per day. A 1,000-mile trip is about 2 days in transit; a 3,000-mile coast-to-coast move is about 6 days. Add a day or two for loading, matching, and weather.
Worked example on a 1,000-mile open, terminal shipment: the base mileage cost is 1,000 × $0.60 = $600, no door fee, 15% fuel surcharge of $90, for a total of $690 and about 2 days in transit. Switching the same car to enclosed, door-to-door service on a 1,500-mile route: 1,500 × $1.10 = $1,650, plus the $200 door fee, plus a 20% fuel surcharge of $330, for a total of $2,180 and about 3 days.
Examples
Example 1 — A standard cross-country move. A family drives from Chicago to Phoenix for a new job and ships one sedan instead of driving it. The route is about 1,750 miles on an open carrier, terminal-to-terminal, with a 15% fuel surcharge. The base cost is 1,750 × $0.60 = $1,050; fuel adds $157.50; the estimated total is about $1,208 with roughly 4 days in transit. That is far less than the cost of a one-way flight, hotels, and wear on the car.
Example 2 — Shipping a luxury car in an enclosed trailer. Someone moving a leased luxury SUV from Los Angeles to Miami wants protection from desert dust and salt. The 2,750-mile enclosed, door-to-door quote with a 15% fuel surcharge works out to 2,750 × $1.10 = $3,025, plus the $200 door fee, plus $453.75 fuel, for an estimated total near $3,679 and about 6 days. The open version of the same trip would be closer to $1,900.
Example 3 — A short local haul. Bringing a newly purchased used car 120 miles between cities on an open, terminal shipment costs 120 × $0.60 = $72 base, plus about $10.80 fuel, for roughly $83 and a same-day or next-day pickup. Short hauls carry more fixed overhead, so per-mile they look expensive, but the all-in number is still low.
FAQ
How much does it cost to ship a car?
For a standard sedan on an open carrier, plan on about $0.60 per mile, plus a 10–25% fuel surcharge. A 1,000-mile open shipment typically lands around $650–$750; a coast-to-coast 2,800-mile move runs roughly $1,900–$2,200. Door-to-door service adds about $200, and enclosed transport roughly doubles the per-mile rate.
Is open or enclosed car shipping better?
Open transport is the default for 90% of shipments and is perfectly safe for everyday cars, SUVs, and trucks. Choose enclosed transport — about $1.10 per mile — for luxury, classic, exotic, or low-mileage vehicles where protection from weather and road debris matters more than saving money.
How long does car shipping take?
Carriers average about 500 road miles per day. A 500-mile trip takes 1–2 days, a 1,500-mile trip about 3 days, and a cross-country 3,000-mile trip about 6 days. Add 1–2 days for loading, broker-to-driver matching, and weather delays.
Does door-to-door shipping really pick up at my house?
Usually, yes, but large enclosed trucks cannot reach narrow residential streets, gated communities, or older downtown blocks. In those cases the driver meets you at a nearby parking lot or large road. The convenience fee is typically a flat $200; ask whether your address is directly accessible before paying for it.
When is the cheapest time to ship a car?
Prices rise in the summer moving season (May–August) and around snowbird routes to Florida in fall. Book 2–4 weeks ahead, stay flexible on pickup dates, and avoid the last two weeks of the month, when carriers are busiest. Open, terminal-to-terminal shipping is always the cheapest combination.
Do I need extra insurance when my car is shipped?
Every licensed carrier is required to carry cargo and liability insurance, and you should confirm the coverage amount and deductible in writing before booking. Check whether your own auto policy or credit card offers any additional coverage; you generally do not need to buy extra insurance unless you are shipping a vehicle far above the carrier's stated cargo limit.
Disclaimer
This car shipping calculator is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute a binding quote, logistics, or insurance agreement. Estimates use average national per-mile rates and may not reflect actual carrier pricing, which varies by season, vehicle type, operability, route demand, and availability. Always confirm the final price, insurance coverage, and pickup window directly with a licensed, insured auto-transport carrier before booking.