If you need to ship your vehicle from your old home to your new one in Canada, you may want to discover the cheapest way to ship a car. However, car transport cost fluctuates more often and are generally unique to every shipping company.
Although many companies provide their customers with an initial quote, the price is still possible to change due to additional charges. Thus, knowing how much vehicle shipping costs is a bit tricky.
What is the Cheapest Way To Ship A Car?
Generally, The cheapest way to ship a car would be by train. The second most affordable option is by open truck followed by an enclosed transport. The fourth cheapest auto shipping option is the expedited trucks. In contrast, air shipping mode would be the most expensive one.
Terminal-to-Terminal Car Shipping
Among all the options available for car transport, the cheapest way to ship a car is via terminal-to-terminal. However, this option’s downside is that the shipping process is often slower and significantly less convenient than other car shipping methods. Nevertheless, it remains a handy way to ship your car.
Most major cities in Canada have at least one relatively secure and safe terminal where you can drop off your vehicle. If you choose terminal-to-terminal, be reminded that you need to leave your car there for a few days or even weeks, which is a bit risky at times. But according to federal law, all transporters are insured at $750,000, which is the least amount of truck insurance.
If you are not comfortable enough to leave your vehicle at the terminal, it is not the perfect option for you to ship your car across the country. Maybe door-to-door shipping using an open transport truck will work best for you.
Door-To-Door
Door-to-door shipping on an open transport truck is the standard method of shipping a car to Canada in the industry today. It is considered the best way to send a vehicle at a very reasonable price in terms of standards. We recommend door-to-door shipping if you ship a standard car that you drive daily.
Same with terminal-to-terminal shipping, all transporters in door-to-door are insured at a federally-mandated minimum of $750,000 with up to $1 million worth of insurance on trucks. Open transport vehicle shipping is the cheapest way to safely and securely ship a car within and across Canada.
If you are interested in shipping your car within or across Canada, whether you need terminal-to-terminal transportation or door-to-door transportation services, RoadLINX can help you. Contact us right away to get a free vehicle shipping cost estimate from us.
The RoadLINX brokers are well versed in all our company’s service offerings and will provide recommendations and price quotes to help you make the right decisions about your shipping requirements. If you have questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact us at 905-760-1141.
Cheapest Way to Ship a Car That Does Not Run
If you have a nonoperational vehicle or cannot be driven onto the carrier, you might need to select an auto shipper that can load it for you. Depending on the type of auto carrier you have chosen to ship your non-running car, these options can be used:
Open Auto Transport
If you choose an open auto shipping, a hand-cranked or manual winch will be used to load your non-moving car onto an open carrier. Then, the carrier will also use the attached chain to pull your vehicle onto it.
Enclosed Auto Transport
Usually, enclosed auto carriers use a liftgate to load the nonoperational vehicles onto the auto transport carrier. This car shipping option comes in handy, particularly for low clearance vehicles, as enclosed car carriers protect cars from damage while limiting the movement when loading and unloading your vehicle.
Related article: Flatbed Freight Shipping: The Best Way to Ship Tall and Wide Items
How Much Does Car Shipping Cost?
Shipping a car to Canada can be both inexpensive or costly depending on what shipping method you will choose as well as the timeline you need your vehicle to be shipped on.
Several factors that influence shipping prices include:
- Where in Canada you’re shipping to; where in the U.S. you’re sending from?
- The time of the season you plan to ship your vehicle.
- The type of shipping method will also affect the shipping cost.
- Other uncontrollable factors such as gas prices, import duties and regulatory fees.
Canada’s average car transport costs are between $700 and $2,500, but the price is subject to change and increased for shipments sent furthest away. The shipping cost also depends on some factors such as your transport type, size of your vehicle, and distance.
Factors that Determine Car Transport Costs
If you may want to discover the cheapest way to ship a car, it is crucial to know some of the significant factors that may affect your car shipping’s total cost. Below are some of the things to consider:
Location
The distance and location that has to be covered in the shipping process can determine the price of moving your car in Canada. The area where the vehicle needs to be transferred also affects the cost. Shipping your vehicle to some popular auto transport routes like major cities such as Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, or New York is more cost-effective.
On the other hand, shipping your car to rural areas or smaller towns may require the truck driver to turn aside the main route resulting in driving additional miles. It will make you spend more time and gas to deliver your vehicle, which adds to the overall shipping cost.
Season
Seasons of the year may also influence the car transport cost. Typically, transporting your car during the summer season is less expensive than the winter season. The Winter season is when retirees return to Texas, Arizona, and other Southern states to escape low temps.
It means the shipping process can experience more traffic than usual. Aside from that, the winter season might cause slow shipping time due to sloppy and soggy roads. It makes driving more dangerous than usual on summer days.
Shipping Mode
Generally, the mode of shipping significantly affects the overall shipping cost. An enclosed shipping option where your car is fully covered and protected against weather elements is more expensive. The cheapest way to ship a car is through an open transport shipping option where your car is uncovered and exposed to the road conditions and the other elements.
Delivery Time Frame
Just like other things made in a rush hour and other express shipping services, the more urgent the car shipping service you ask for, the more expensive its price as well. It is costly because it requires proper route planning to be delivered in the fastest way possible. Rush car transport service also make the vehicle shipping company rush their delivery planning.
Car Modifications and Specs
To get the cheapest way to ship a car, you should also note your vehicle’s modifications and specs. Some car models and units need special shipping and handling, which may require more work for the specific vehicle, causing you to pay extra charges, too. Besides, the larger and heavier your car is, the higher the shipping service cost is.
Ways You Can Save Money On Your Auto Shipment to Canada
You can follow several tips if you want to get the cheapest way to ship a car to/from Canada. Here are a few of the most common ones that can save you money on your next car transport needs:
- Ship your vehicle during the offseason. It means that instead of shipping your car in a peak season like holidays or Christmas break, it’s most convenient to send it during those unusual days of the year. Remember, low demand for auto-shipments will allow you to find the best and most affordable prices possible.
- Skip paying for the ground transport cost by delivering your car to the nearest port yourself.
- Provide at least ten days or more for your documents to get processed by Transport Canada before shipping your car.
- Save more money by not rushing your car delivery time frame. Give extra days for your targeted day of shipping, so you don’t have to rush the delivery process.
- Choose the terminal-to-terminal shipping method using the open truck option as it is less expensive than enclosed auto transport.
Final Thoughts
Car shipping costs vary day by day from company to company. In fact, when you ask an automobile transport company for a shipping quote, the amount you receive isn’t necessarily the final price.
One of the best ways to get the cheapest way to ship a car in Canada is to gather all quotes from several auto shipping companies. We recommend contacting more companies and try to evaluate and weigh their shipping rates and features.
If you are still looking for a shipping company that transports cars, you may consider visiting RoadLINX. We have flatbed truck trailers available for a variety of options that allow you to transport larger items such as your vehicles safely and securely. You may contact us at 905-760-1141.
