Car Shipping Cost Calculator
Budget door-to-door car shipping from miles and trailer type. Click any i for detail.
Transport
Miles
i
Miles
Door-to-door driving distance, not as-the-crow-flies. Brokers quote lanes, not just miles. |
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|---|---|
Trailer
i
Trailer
Open is the volume product. Enclosed costs more and is common for collectibles. |
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Your state
i
Your state
Scales midpoints for typical state-level labor and material costs versus the U.S. average. Not a local contractor bid. |
How to use this calculator
- Enter one-way miles.
- Pick open, enclosed, or expedited open.
- Toggle a peak-season surcharge if you are shipping in winter or a holiday rush.
- State scaling is a coarse labor/fuel stand-in — brokers also price by lane demand.
Results explained
Miles × trailer $/mile, plus optional 10% peak surcharge, then × state multiplier (using the origin/destination-ish state you pick).
Quick reference: auto transport midpoints
Door-to-door broker midpoints, U.S. average.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Open (default) | $0.90/mile |
| Enclosed | $1.50/mile |
| Expedited open | $1.20/mile |
| Peak / winter | +10% |
| Typical cross-country | 1,500–2,800 miles |
Terminal-to-terminal can be cheaper than door-to-door. Operable vs inop is a binary fee at many carriers.
How the estimate is built
Total ≈ miles × trailer $/mile × (1 + peak%) × state multiplier.
Example scenario
1,500 open miles at $0.90 is about $1,350 before surcharge and state scaling.
FAQ
Is this insured?
Carriers carry cargo coverage with deductibles — not modeled here.
Two cars?
Double the miles job or get a multi-car quote; this page is one vehicle.
Moving household goods too?
See the moving cost calculator.