The Best Way to Move Your Vehicle
One of the first things you should do when preparing for a long-distance or cross-country move is to determine how exactly you want to move your vehicle. There are several options available for moving your car to your new home, but which way is best? This post is designed to help you identify the best way to move your vehicle for your unique circumstance.
Should you decide to use a service to help you move your vehicle, it is important to get it scheduled as early as possible, as prices tend to increase dramatically the closer you get to the move date. So, how exactly can you transport your car across the country? Let’s check out these common options for moving your vehicle.
Tow Your Car
If you plan to move yourself using a Penske moving truck rental, towing your car may the best option for your move. Penske Truck rentals have the capability to tow a vehicle behind the bed of the truck. When making your moving truck reservation, you simply need to add on a car trailer.
The car carrier will connect to the Penske rental truck and you will be able to move everything in one fell swoop. You can also pack the car with additional belongings to have on hand when you arrive at your new home!
Towing your car behind your rental truck makes for the ultimate DIY move. However, this option is cheaper for a reason: it is a LOT of work. You must drive carefully with all that weight and operating such large equipment is not for everyone. Moreover, the risk of theft is much higher with this option, so we always recommend securing your rental truck with a lock.
Drive Your Car on Your Own
If towing your car isn’t an option, another easy way to transport your car is to simply drive it to your new home yourself. Depending on how far you plan to move, this can be the most cost-effective way of moving your vehicle. Driving your vehicle has many benefits beyond cost. Road trips are an amazing way to see the country and can be a fantastic sendoff for your move. Depending on your vehicle, you can also add on a tow dolly and bring along additional items that you want to keep a closer eye on during the move.
This is also a convenient way to move pets and children; instead of dealing with the chaos of air transportation, you can take your time and enjoy stops along the way. However, the road can make you restless. If your destination requires more than 3-4 driving days, it may be worth looking into an alternative to driving your car. Between the cost of hotels, gas, food, and your time, a different option for moving your car may be the most valuable.
Hire a Professional Driver to Move Your Vehicle
Hiring a car transportation service by a professional driver is one of the more unusual ways to move your car. Hiring a professional driver to move your car across the country is like having your own personal valet to bring your car to your new home. Similar to using a valet at a restaurant, this option is a fast, convenient way to get your car where it needs to go. The auto transporter will drive your vehicle to wherever you like.
You can also pack items into your vehicle so you will have them upon the car’s arrival at your new home. However, this option can be on the more expensive side of moving your car, as you will be responsible to cover the driver’s meals and hotel stays throughout the journey.
Ship Your Car
There are a variety of auto transportation companies available to move your vehicle. There are two common ways to ship your car using a car shipping company, the first is in an open carrier and the second is in an enclosed carrier. With both options, you will need to prepare your car for shipping and minimize the number of items inside the vehicle itself and trunk area. Because you will be shipping your car along with other people’s vehicles, this option does end up taking some time.
You are at the mercy of the auto shipping company for when your vehicle arrives and there can be some lag time between when you load your car and when you receive it. If you need a car immediately upon arrival, you will need to secure a rental car for at least a week if you plan to use this method. It’s important to factor in this additional cost when weighing all your options.
Shipping your car on an open-air container is one of the most common ways relocation companies move cars. As soon as you have a moving date, it is important to schedule your car to be shipped. There are several companies that specialize in shipping cars and the average cost to ship a car in an open-air container ranges from around $600 and $1200.
The price of shipping a vehicle ranges depending on the shipping distance and size of the vehicle. Because of this, shipping a car in an open-air container can be the best bang-for-your-buck (and time) in moving your car.
If you want to add some additional protection to your car, you can choose to ship it in an enclosed case. While the cost of this method is more than the open-air container, there is a significant value added. The cost in using an enclosed transport container is around $800 – $3000 more than an open-air container. This is one of the safest ways to move your car across country and can be especially valuable if you are transporting a classic car or high value vehicle. Depending on the value of your vehicle, this could be the best option for both your car and your own peace of mind.
Use the Amtrak Auto Train to Move Your Vehicle
Did you know you can take your car for a ride on the train? Convenient for both moving and vacations, the cost of transporting your car via train is surprisingly affordable, around $200-300 per vehicle. Simply reserve tickets for your traveling party and your car, and you’re off! You can even pack items into your car for even more flexibility on your arrival.
Since you arrive with your car, this option requires adapting fewer timelines; you simply take off to your new home upon your arrival. This option will not work for those moving with pets, as carry-on animals are not allowed on the train. Moreover, travelers are limited to the routes managed by Amtrak and may end up needing to drive a bit to get to their actual destination. Still, this is a phenomenal option for those who can work within its limitations.
Unconventional Ways to Move Your Vehicle
Lesser used option for transporting your car are by boat or air travel. Both options will run you a hefty traveling fee, but in certain circumstances, such as international travel, this may be your only option. Pricing for both boat and air moving widely varies; your best bet is to work directly with a relocation professional to get a quote on each.
Moving your car via boat will be significantly cheaper than moving your vehicle by air travel, but it will also take your car several days longer, if not weeks, to arrive.
