
Shipping Distance
The further away your new car is, the more expensive the shipping will be to have it brought home. Carriers base their quotes on the number of miles that get traveled between the pick-up and drop off location. The longer the transport distance, the higher the carrier’s costs are, and they pass that on to you. Another consideration is how out of the way the locations are. Remote locations require a special trip by the carrier, which can increase transport costs. Adjusting your pickup and drop off locations to be in a major city can streamline the process and reduce your overall cost.

Car Make & Model
The bigger and heavier your vehicle is, the more expensive it will be to ship. This is because it takes the carrier more effort to haul your new car to its destination. Bigger vehicles also take up more room on the trailer, limiting the carrier’s ability to load more vehicles. If you’ve bought a modified or custom car online, then expect it to require additional care when shipping. These vehicles have lower ground clearances or extra tall heights that require special accommodations.

Snowbird Transportation Method
There are two primary car shipping methods, open or enclosed trailers. An open trailer is more affordable but offers a lower level of protection. These are the trailers you see pulled by a semi on the highway with one row of vehicles stacked on top of the other. An enclosed trailer offers more protection but is also more expensive. You have probably driven alongside these trailers and never knew it.

Seasonality
If you’ve recently bought a car, then you’ll want to have it shipped to you as soon as possible. However, this could result in paying peak season rates. Buying a car during the summer means you’re buying a vehicle during the car shipping season. If you wait until winter to ship your vehicle, then you could enjoy off-season rates. The best time of year to buy a car is during late fall and winter, which you can combine with winter shipping to enjoy the greatest financial discount.

Timeline
If you buy a car online and want it delivered right away, plan to pay for expedited shipping services. Car carriers can take weeks to transport a vehicle, so fast delivery is a premium service. If you want your vehicle delivered on or by a specific date, this is also an additional service.

The Car Shipper or Carrier
Each car carrier has its own method for determining rates. You will find that each quote request will return a different answer. Requesting these quotes can become time-consuming as you repeatedly fill out the same information on form after form. Working with SAKAEM saves you this effort. Our advisors will find out the information once and then go to work requesting and comparing rates for you.