A returning customer called our team again to get a quote for his 2020 BMW X7. The pickup was at a dealership in Rollinsford, New Hampshire. The destination was a residential address in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. Total distance came out to 1,430 miles and the shipment was booked at $1,600.
This kind of route is one we handle regularly. It also brings up questions that come up often so understanding what goes into pricing on this corridor is worth walking through in detail.
What Information You Need Before Requesting an Enclosed Carrier Quote
Most customers lead with “how much will it cost?” That’s fair but the answer depends on specific details before any number is accurate.
For the BMW X7, the customer had the year, make, and model ready. That helped since the X7 is a full-size luxury SUV with weight and dimensions that affect how it fits on a trailer. The 2020 X7 weighs around 5,174 lbs and stretches over 203 inches in length. Not every enclosed hauler can fit a vehicle that size without careful planning around the other units loaded.
Beyond vehicle specs, carriers need to know the pickup and delivery addresses. They also need to know whether the car runs under its own power and whether any modifications affect the ground clearance. For enclosed quotes specifically, vehicle dimensions matter more than with open transport. Enclosed trailers carry fewer vehicles so every inch on the deck counts.
Timing also affects the quote. A pickup window of 3 to 5 days gives carriers more flexibility to plan. Tighter windows can push the price up depending on how much capacity is available on the route.
Why Dealer Transport Is Priced Differently
There is a difference between picking up at a dealership versus picking up at a residential driveway. With a dealership, there is less space to stage. There is also a release process that has to take place. The vehicle has to be cleared by a point of contact before it is picked up by the driver. Both the broker and the carrier have to document the status of the vehicle at the time of pickup.
In this particular load, the pickup at the dealership in Rollinsford was coordinated. The driver performed a standard inspection on the Bill of Lading before the X7 was picked up. This is to protect both the carrier and the customer in case of damage claims at a later time.
There is an additional consideration that has to take place with residential deliveries. Indian Rocks Beach is a Gulf Coast community. It is a barrier island, and there are narrow roads in that area. Narrow roads mean that a full-size carrier truck is not able to pull up to the residence. In that case, the driver would arrange to meet at a convenient spot to allow the customer to safely disembark from the truck. This is common in coastal communities.
See a Real Dealer Shipping Example
- Ferrari F12 Cross Country Shipping: Riviera Beach, FL to Fontana, CA
- Shipping an EV from a Dealer in Aurora, IL to a Private Buyer in Tallahassee, FL
Shipping a Car from New Hampshire to Florida: Route Overview
The distance between Rollinsford, New Hampshire, and Indian Rocks Beach, Florida, is approximately 1,430 miles. Most carriers will take I-95 South as the main route because it connects the Northeast region directly with the Central region of Florida, with the route diverging further south to the Gulf region.
New Hampshire is at the northern end of an important southbound shipping route, and Florida is an important destination for auto shipping services throughout the year. This makes it easy to find a southbound carrier to transport your vehicle. This is because there is constant activity in the region, especially during the winter season.
The estimated time to transport your vehicle along this route is between 3 to 6 days. However, the weather is the only factor that can affect the time it takes to transport your vehicle. Indian Rocks Beach is in Pinellas County, but the pickup is usually from the Tampa or Clearwater region.
At an estimated cost of $1,600 for 1,430 miles, that comes out to an estimated cost of $1.12 per mile. This is within the standard range to transport your SUV either in an enclosed or open carrier from the Northeast region to Florida.
SUV vs Sedan Price Difference on this route
The X7 requires more deck space than a regular mid-size sedan, and this is the reason why SUVs are more expensive to transport. When the carrier is hauling 8 or 9 vehicles on an open trailer, the size and height of the vehicle are factors in the overall weight of the vehicle and the overall height of the loaded vehicle, which must not exceed the legal limit.
For a trip of approximately 1,400 miles, the cost of hauling a compact sedan will be between $1,000 and $1,400. A full-size SUV like the X7 will add another $200 to $400 due to the additional deck space required for the vehicle. Fuel consumption is another factor in the overall cost of hauling the vehicle, and this is factored in as well.
When hauling from New Hampshire to Florida, the type of vehicle is one of the major factors in the overall cost of the trip, after the distance. A full-size SUV will realistically be in the $1,400 to $1,700 range for the trip, depending on the time of year and the available carrier capacity at the time of booking.
Price Estimate for Shipping a Luxury SUV from New Hampshire to Florida
Shipping Summary
- Direction: Rollinsford, NH to Indian Rocks Beach, FL
Rollinsford, NH → 95 South through MA, CT, NY, NJ, DE, MD, VA, NC, SC, and GA → merge onto Interstate 4 West → connect to Florida State Road 688 West → Indian Rocks Beach, FL - Vehicle: 2020 BMW X7
- Condition: Runs and Drives
- Service: Enclosed Auto Transport
- Vehicle type: Full-Size Luxury SUV
- Shipping price: $1,600 ($1,11 per mile)
