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How Much Does it Cost to Ship a Car from Florida to California?

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Home  |  Car Transport   |   How Much Does it Cost to Ship a Car from Florida to California?

If you find yourself in a situation where you need to get your vehicle from Florida to California, you might consider the idea of driving it yourself. However, there are a lot of things to consider before deciding to hop in the car and drive across the country. Not only will such a long drive put tremendous wear and tear on your car, but it will also put quite a strain on your budget. When you factor in all of the expenses such as gas, food, and lodging, you will soon find that shipping your car can be a cheaper and much more convenient option. Rather than making the grueling trip yourself, an auto transport company can ensure your car arrives quickly and safely at its destination. Reputable auto shipping companies should provide you with a free shipping quote for transporting your car from Florida to California. Keep in mind, however, that the following factors will impact the cost. 

Size of the Car

Auto carriers have limited space and capacity. Therefore, the larger the car, the more expensive it will cost to transport. Sedans and compact cars will be cheaper than SUV’s and trucks. 

Weight of the Car

The weight of your car can also impact the shipping price. There are transportation guidelines that specify weight limits for carriers. This means that a carrier shipping heavier cars can ship less cars, and might charge a higher price as a result. 

Distance and Location

As one might expect, the farther the distance the higher the cost. That said, the exact location of your pick-up and drop off also matters. If your vehicle is being shipped between two major cities on a popular shipping route, the cost would be less than if your vehicle is being shipped to a rural location that is not commonly traveled by a carrier. The price can also be impacted based on door-to-door delivery versus terminal-to-terminal delivery. While door-to-door shipment is more convenient, it also tends to be more expensive. 

Type of Carrier

When you decide to ship your car, you will have the choice between open car transport and enclosed car transport. While enclosed transport provides additional protection for your vehicle, this is a more expensive option than open transport. This option is recommended for luxury, antique, or collectible cars. 

Flexibility and Seasonality

If you require and expedited delivery, you can expect to pay a higher price. If you are flexible with your shipping dates, you can save yourself some money. The time of year can also impact the price. Expect to pay more during peak months in the summer. Rates can increase as much as $200-$300 per trip. You can expect to find more discounts and lower rates in the offseason. 

The average cost to ship a car within the continental Unites States is between $950-$1200. You can expect to pay somewhere in that range, but keep in mind that these factors can impact the final price. Your best bet is to shop around and compare prices. Do be careful, however, if you notice a price that is significantly lower than the rest. This can be a red flag that the company is either not reliable, or they might tack on additional fees and charges at the end. Be sure to read reviews and do your research to find an auto shipping company that is both affordable and reliable. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Honest Answers to Your Car Shipping Questions

Yes, we always ask for your specific pickup and delivery addresses, if the carrier can get right to the addresses you provide, they will. If the addresses that you give us are not safely accessible for a Multi-car carrier, however, you will need to make arrangements with the driver to meet at a nearby location where the carrier can safely get in and out.

People do it all the time (rarely for free) but the official answer is no.

Not what you wanted to hear, we know, but that is the honest answer.

We are not licensed to broker the shipment of household goods and, likewise, no car carrier that operates in the USA is licensed to transport them from state to state either. Despite what you might be being told by other car shipping companies you may speak with.

Remember, at the end of the day we're all salespeople, and the true answer to this question is not a great selling point.

You will hear a lot of companies tell you that you can put up to 100 pounds of items in the trunk, but that is not entirely true. That fact is that items of that amount are fairly common and the department of transportation is probably not going to split hairs and fine the trucker over items of that amount, provided they are not over their weight limit. They could fine them, however, if they see a vehicle stuffed full of personal items so the car carrier will most likely try to negotiate something with you to cover themselves against any costs they could incur. It's not something we can build into your contract though.

We have a short and helpful video on this topic in our user videos.

Only in rare cases and car carriers will usually charge a premium to make it happen.

All dates given by car carriers are typically estimates and projections.

For this reason (and to keep your cost down) we ask that you build in some flexibility and give us the earliest possible date you would be WILLING to release the vehicle, even though it may not be your preferred date.

We'll put you in direct contact with your car carrier and the driver will also typically call you the afternoon or evening before your pick up and delivery (they won't just show up unannounced, and if they do we want to hear about it). However, car carriers are out on the road battling traffic, weather and any number of other factors that can and do throw them off of their pickup and delivery projections from time to time.

If the projected dates we give you come and you are unable to make contact with your carrier, please call our office immediately so that we may help resolve the situation.

The average transit time from pick up to delivery on any vehicle going coast to coast will average 7 to 10 days. From there you can figure your transit time based on how far your vehicle is traveling, i.e. from either coast to the Midwest might average 3-7 days.

Yes!

Even better, we do not even ask for payment until we have you confirmed for pickup by a safe, reliable, fully insured, direct car carrier. If for any reason you do not ship your car with the carrier that we arrange for you, there is no fee.

The fees paid directly to the carrier however, (in most cases, their fees are not paid until your vehicle is delivered) are not directly controlled by us, so any requests for a refund of the carrier's portion would need to be addressed with the carrier directly.

Of course! And you are always backed by our Damage Free Guarantee policy.

Part of what you pay us for is to verify that the car carrier that we put you on is covered by the proper amount of insurance and that everything is up to date.

There is never any additional cost to you for this coverage, and their insurance is always primary.

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