One of the hardest parts of an interstate move can be shipping cars across country. Driving two or three cars from, say, Portland to Tallahassee can be a tremendous strain on even several drivers. In addition, such a trek has a number of more tangible costs, including fuel, wear and potential repairs, not to mention the cost of feeding and housing the drivers for several days. Rather than driving cars to a new destination, relocation experts recommend for movers to consider shipping cars across country. The process is inexpensive, fast and highly reliable.

The first step in shipping cars across country is obtaining price quotes for the transport. The handy calculator at the top of this page will help you solicit competitive estimates from the auto transport companies serving your desired route. Shippers base their fees off of the weight of the vehicles being moved, as well as the distance of the move. The cost for shipping cars across country on a car hauler, generally, will be close to or even less than the cost of driving yourself and loved ones over a long distance.

Once you’ve selected an automobile transport service to meet your needs — and your budget — you need to book the car hauler. Haulers will pick up your car or cars from your old address and drop them off at your new address. Based on the distance and the car hauler’s route, the company will provide an estimated drop-off date, which will often be guaranteed as the date of delivery. Auto transport companies will have different requirements for advance notice before shipping cars across country, but generally, no less than a week of notice should be provided before the anticipated pick-up date. If you need to leave town sooner, some transport companies can hold your car in a secure lot or garage until a car hauler is available.

Before the car hauler is scheduled to arrive, there are important rules to follow before shipping cars across country. Because the hauling company is insured against any damage that might occur to your car before it arrives at the destination, you need to complete a thorough inspection of your car before pickup. The driver of the hauler should provide a detailed inspection sheet for you to record any existing damage, including bumps, scrapes or scratches. You’ll also need to remove any personal items, such as cargo stored in the trunk of the car, from the vehicle as the auto transport company may otherwise refuse to transport it and any personal items in the car may not be covered by the company’s insurance policy.

When the car is scheduled to arrive at your new destination, the auto transport company will contact you. Once they are finished shipping cars across country, the company will ask you to complete a new inspection and compare this against the pre-shipment inspection that was previously completed. Once the car arrives and payment is confirmed, the transaction is finished and you’re ready to begin life in your new location. Avoid a long road trip and use our easy quote tool at the top of this page to get your estimate and book your car transport today.