Car Shipping That Saves Time, Miles, and Stress
Car shipping can save you from the fuel stops, hotel nights, extra mileage, and schedule juggling that come with a long drive. AutoStar Transport Express helps you ship your car with a clear quote, helpful phone support, and transport options built around your route.
Trusted Car Shipping - We've Been Doing This a Long Time!
- Since
- 2007
- Vehicles Shipped
- 300,000+
- Vetted Carriers
- 25,000+
- Years in Business
- 18+
Shipping a Car Should Not Become Your Second Job!
Maybe you bought a car out of state. Maybe you are moving and one more long drive sounds like a punishment. Maybe the car needs to get to college, a new duty station, a seasonal home, or a buyer across the country.
Whatever the reason, the goal is simple: get the car picked up, transported, and delivered without turning your calendar into a road-trip spreadsheet.
AutoStar coordinates car shipping for everyday vehicles, online purchases, relocations, student moves, military moves, snowbird routes, dealer transfers, and specialty vehicles that need a little more planning.
When Car Shipping Makes Sense
Common car shipping situations usually start with a calendar, a route, and a vehicle that needs to be somewhere else.
You Bought a Car Out of State
Shipping the car can help you avoid a last-minute flight, a long drive home, and the mileage that comes with it.
You Are Moving
Shipping a car lets you focus on the home, the family, the boxes, and the timeline while the vehicle gets coordinated separately.
You Are Sending a Car to a Student or Family Member
When the car needs to get somewhere but no one has time to drive it there, transport can be the cleanest answer.
You Are Protecting a Specialty Vehicle
Enclosed transport may be the better fit for higher-value, classic, exotic, or carefully kept vehicles.
You Are Managing a Seasonal Move
Snowbird routes can fill quickly during busy seasons, and shipping the car helps avoid a long drive when weather or distance works against you.
Common Use Cases
Car Shipping for Moves, School, Family, and Seasonal Travel
The same service can solve several different logistics problems: family relocation, student vehicle handoffs, seasonal routes, online purchases, and other situations where driving the car yourself is not the best use of time.
Decision Guide
Ship It or Drive It?
Driving may make sense for short trips, flexible schedules, or a car you do not mind putting miles on. Shipping may make more sense when distance, timing, weather, mileage, or personal logistics start turning the drive into a project.
| Attribute | Driving the Car Best for short simple trips | Less Hassle Shipping the Car Best for planned distance |
|---|---|---|
| Time | Requires your travel time | Winner: Carrier handles the road time |
| Mileage | Adds miles and wear | Winner: Avoids long-distance mileage |
| Planning | Fuel, hotels, meals, weather, and route | Winner: Pickup, transport, delivery, and inspection |
| Best fit | Short, simple routes | Long-distance moves, purchases, seasonal moves, and tight schedules |
- Time
- Driving the Car: Requires your travel time
- Shipping the Car: Winner: Carrier handles the road time
- Mileage
- Driving the Car: Adds miles and wear
- Shipping the Car: Winner: Avoids long-distance mileage
- Planning
- Driving the Car: Fuel, hotels, meals, weather, and route
- Shipping the Car: Winner: Pickup, transport, delivery, and inspection
- Best fit
- Driving the Car: Short, simple routes
- Shipping the Car: Long-distance moves, purchases, seasonal moves, and tight schedules
Here is What Our Customers Are Saying
Top-Rated Across Every Major Platform
Based on 7,609 reviews
BBB Top Rated for Over 19+ Years
Inc5000 Accredited
FMCSA MC: 600908
U.S. DOT 2239014Typical Car Shipping Options
Choose the transport setup that matches the vehicle, route, budget, and timeline.
Open Car Transport
Open transport is the most common car shipping option and is usually the most cost-effective choice for standard vehicles.
Enclosed Car Transport
Enclosed transport is often chosen for classic, luxury, exotic, low-clearance, or higher-value vehicles.
Door-to-Door Car Shipping
The carrier gets as close as safely and legally possible to your pickup and delivery locations.
Expedited Car Shipping
When timing is tight, expedited shipping can help prioritize pickup when route and carrier capacity allow.
Transport Options
Open or Enclosed: Match the Trailer to the Vehicle
Open transport works well for many everyday vehicles. Enclosed transport adds covered trailer protection for classics, luxury vehicles, exotics, or carefully kept cars that need extra separation from weather and road debris.
What Affects Car Shipping Cost
Car shipping prices vary because every route and vehicle is a little different. The best way to get accurate pricing is to request a quote for your specific shipment.
Distance, route popularity, and pickup or delivery access all influence carrier availability and price.
- Pickup and delivery distance
- Route popularity
- Urban or rural access
Vehicle size, weight, condition, and whether the vehicle runs can affect the equipment and carrier needed.
- Vehicle size and weight
- Running or non-running condition
- Loading requirements
Open or enclosed transport, standard or expedited timing, season, and weather patterns can all affect the final quote.
- Open or enclosed transport
- Standard or expedited timing
- Season and weather patterns
Pricing Factors
A Quote Should Match the Route, Vehicle, and Timing
The cheapest quote is not always the safest plan. A clear quote should help you understand the route, service type, timing, and what happens next before you commit.
Want Route-Specific Pricing?
Call AutoStar to talk through your pickup city, delivery city, timing, vehicle type, and transport preference, or request a quote online.
What to Prepare Before Pickup
Remove personal items and loose accessories.
Make sure the vehicle is clean enough for inspection.
Check tire pressure and basic vehicle condition.
Keep the gas tank low, usually around a quarter tank.
Disable toll tags or parking passes.
Have keys available for the driver.
Confirm pickup and delivery contact information.
Safety and Support
Safety, Insurance, and Carrier Vetting
Shipping a car means trusting someone with a valuable vehicle. The process should include clear carrier coordination, documented pickup and delivery inspections, and straightforward communication.
AutoStar works with vetted carriers and helps coordinate the transport details from quote through delivery. Vehicles are handled by licensed and insured carriers, and the pickup and delivery inspections help document vehicle condition at both ends of the shipment.
AutoStar Transport Express is:
FMCSA Licensed - MC-600908
DOT Registered - USDOT-2239014.
Why Drivers Choose AutoStar
Phone support from people who understand vehicle transport.
Open and enclosed transport options.
Door-to-door coordination when access allows.
Nationwide car transport support.
No upfront payment required.
No hidden fees.
No spam calls or sold information.
Clear steps from quote to delivery.
Common Questions
Car Shipping Questions, Answered
Answers to the questions customers usually ask before shipping a car.
Car shipping cost depends on distance, route, vehicle size and condition, transport type, timing, season, and carrier availability. A route-specific quote is the most accurate way to price the shipment.
You provide the pickup and delivery details, vehicle information, and preferred timing. AutoStar helps coordinate the quote, carrier assignment, pickup, transport, and delivery.
Timing depends on distance, route, carrier availability, weather, and scheduling. Shorter routes may move faster, while cross-country shipments need more transit time.
Vehicles are transported by licensed and insured carriers. Pickup and delivery inspections help document the vehicle condition before and after transport.
Open transport moves the vehicle on an open carrier and is the most common option. Enclosed transport moves the vehicle inside a covered trailer and is often used for classic, luxury, exotic, or higher-value vehicles.
Yes, door-to-door service is available when the carrier can safely and legally access the pickup and delivery locations. If access is limited, the driver may meet you at a nearby safe location.
Personal items are generally discouraged because they can add weight, create liability concerns, and may not be covered during transport. Remove loose belongings before pickup.
Clean the vehicle enough for inspection, remove personal items, check basic condition, keep the fuel level low, disable toll tags, and have keys ready for the driver.
Someone should be available at pickup and delivery to release or receive the vehicle and complete the inspection. If you cannot be there, ask about acceptable alternate contact arrangements.
You can receive updates during transport. Your coordinator or carrier contact can help with timing questions as the shipment moves toward delivery.
Booking earlier gives more room to coordinate carrier availability and timing. If your shipment is urgent, expedited options may be available depending on the route and schedule.
Non-running vehicles may be shipped when the proper equipment is available. Tell AutoStar the vehicle condition upfront so the right carrier and loading method can be planned.
Ready to Ship Your Car Without Making the Drive?
Call AutoStar to talk through your route, timing, and transport options, or request a quote online when you are ready.