When you reach out to car transport companies for estimates of the cost of your next car shipment, you’ll get very different responses. Have you ever wondered why that might be and what changes those quotes? At El Paso Car Transport, we give people auto shipping quotes all the time. As a result, we know all of the things that can affect the cost of your shipment. Here’s how our company (and others) calculate the cost to ship your car:
Different Car Transport Companies Use Different Formulas
The reason why every quote you get is different is because every company you talk to is different. No car mover has the exact same formula for calculating the cost of a shipment. That’s because every company weighs certain risks and challenges differently. This is simply the nature of doing business; every company is going to have a slightly different cost-benefit analysis when it comes to shipping a vehicle.
However, that doesn’t mean that there are some things that stay constant across all car hauling companies. While every company weighs things differently, they’re mostly weighing the same cost-affecting factors.
What Do All Car Transport Companies Consider?
Service
Most auto shipping companies offer a few different services that can affect your bottom line in the end. The most affordable service is generally open transport, which many consider to be the standard, basic car shipping service. If you need your car immediately, you can usually expedite your shipment to make sure it gets there in no time. And, if you want increased security, enclosed shipping is always an option. These last two services will typically add to the cost, and each company you get a quote from will calculate that change differently.
Distance
The distance that you have to travel also affects your cost, and every company calculates this differently. Some companies prefer to make their money on shorter shipments, so they’ll give people more of a discount on longer shipments. However, some companies will do the opposite; they’ll charge you a lot more for longer distances. This is why it’s important to get a variety of quotes, as certain companies work better for certain situations.
Vehicle Size and Weight
The last thing that all companies consider is the weight of your vehicle. This is a little more luck-based, as it can vary even within the same company. The size and weight of your vehicle affect what other vehicles we can haul. Therefore, the amount this affects the cost of your shipment depends on what other orders we have in the pipeline. Generally, though, you’ll have to pay more to ship a larger vehicle. In that way, car transport is just like other kinds of shipping.
