How Does Car Shipping Cost Calculator Work? Is it Accurate?

How Does Car Shipping Cost Calculator Work? Is it Accurate?
Published on May 25, 2022

Car transportation has never been easy; many operations and factors are included in the shipping process, making it remarkably complicated. Therefore, it is pretty confusing to calculate the cost without understanding what variables will affect the shipping pricing.

Fortunately, car owners won’t have hard times identifying each variable and estimating the cost themselves. car shipping cost calculator is a great solution that can help both companies and clients save their time and effort, allowing people to find out how much they will pay for shipping service to decide whether they can afford to book the service or not.

What is a Car Shipping Cost Calculator?

It is a tool that generates shipping quotes instantly. Leading auto transport companies offer this tool for free on their websites so customers can get quotes for their vehicle’s transporting process.

All auto transporters request the same information to estimate the shipping cost. However, the estimator collects present data and predetermined values ​​to estimate how much the transporting cost will be. Therefore, it is recommended to use this tool for introductory pricing rather than a binding offer.

How Does the Car Shipping Cost Calculator Work?

Auto transport companies build car shipping cost calculators especially for their customers to use through the company website. The calculator can provide a free quote depending on specific information the customers enter about their vehicles, what type of vehicle shipping services they are looking for, and the shipping time and distance.

The cost calculators differ from one company to another. However, all of them may ask the customers to enter the following information:

  • The general customer information, including name, email address, and phone number
  • The vehicle pickup and delivery locations.
  • Required transport type (open auto transport, enclosed auto transport)
  • The vehicle information such as its type, model, year of manufacture, and operational situation.
  • The predicted pickup and drop-off dates.

Car shipping cost calculator uses all details provided by the clients and presents data to generate an initial bid; and usually the company will set the price within one hour or day maximum.

The Main Factors that Affect the Shipping Cost

There are some crucial factors to evaluate when someone decides to transport their car; those are variables that will affect the final price:

The shipping method

Auto transport companies offer two shipping methods; open auto transport is an economical type of vehicle moving service; it is operated using open trailers, so the ship. Enclosed auto transport, which provides total protection, is more expensive than open trailers.

Read about When to Choose an Enclosed Auto Transport.

The vehicle type and model

The shipping price varies depending on the car model; large vehicles cost more than small ones because they weigh more and need more space to fit on the trailer; moreover, if the carrier adjusted the car by adding some large tires, it will increase the final transporting cost. 

The car’s current condition

Vehicle operating conditions is essential in calculating the auto shipping price; operable cars mean a better quote. However, if the vehicle is inoperable, the auto transport company will use specific equipment to apply the loading and unloading operations which means the car owner must pay more for this extra service.

Fluids leak and mechanical problems require more attention and special treatment during shipping. Therefore, it is necessary to inform the transport company about any current issue they need to be wary of.

Pickup and drop-off date and location

Pickup and drop-off locations play a significant role in the price estimation process; first, the carrier will determine the distance an auto transport trailer travels, the arrival time, and the fuel cost. Furthermore, driving in rural areas means going far from main routes resulting in more fuel and time consumption.

The predicted delivery time also affects the cost; the shorter the duration, the more it will add to the bill. Add to this, bad weather and holiday seasons significantly impact the shipping quote.

Other complimentary services

Auto transport companies offer many services, and the leading shipping service, such as tracking and delivery options, adds extra cost to the equation.

Is the Car Shipping Cost Calculator accurate?

It is essential to know that a cost calculator is a convenient tool to save time; it can provide an approximate price depending on the car owners’ existing values, data, and information.

Although it requires comprehensive information about the vehicle statute, shipping distance, and date, the calculated quote shouldn’t be accepted as a final price. Many unpredictable events may accrue during the shipping process, making it extremely difficult to determine the exact cost. However, the quote offered by the car shipping cost calculator is not entirely accurate, but it is pretty reliable.

Find out How Much does Car Shipping Cost in 2022.

Conclusion

When anyone looks for an auto transport service provider, they consider the cost first; they will decide whether to book the service or search a bit more for other available choices.

This reason prompted companies to think of an easy method to help their customers. Car shipping cost calculator is a great tool offered by shipping companies that generate reliable free quotes within a few hours.

If you are looking for a reasonable and affordable vehicle transport quote, visit Tempus Logix and use the cost estimator on the website.

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