Car Shipping Service: How seasons affect price rates?


When you are looking for a car shipping service, generally you want to have your vehicle delivered as soon as possible. In some cases, postponing a car delivery is not possible, but if you do not need your vehicle to be shipped urgently, it makes sense to be flexible with the time window.


The time of the year is one of the primary factors that weighs in as far as your car shipping price is concerned. Along with the size, the weight and the model of the vehicle, the season when you ship a car affects your final price. Knowing how weather can affect your bill and delivery as a whole is essential to better planning.


In this informative guide, you will find some advice on how to plan and enjoy a smooth car shipping experience. Additionally, you will learn how to distinguish the specifics of car shipping based on the season.


How seasons affect price rates?

Shipping a Car In The Summer

As you know, shipping a car in spring and summer is much easier. Warmer weather makes logistics run much more smoothly. Most of the household moves are also performed during the months of May to September. That is because movers want to avoid dealing with harsh weather elements. And that is true especially for the northern states.


One disadvantage is that as with other industries, higher demand drives higher overall car shipping rates. A lot of people will pay the higher price rate just to get their vehicle shipped from point A to point B as soon as possible. Obviously, for some people price is not a limiting factor. Unfortunately, this high demand squeezes availability and many truckers will increase their car shipping quotes and bids. That way they can compensate for the slow times during the winter.


Shipping a Car In Winter

Undeniably, car shipping can be less expensive in the fall and winter when the demand is lower. As businesses are competing to fill their trucks, car shipping prices are getting decreased. As it is not profitable for car carriers to have unoccupied space on their trailers, in order to fill up the trailers, they will take vehicles for a lower price.


One big drawback of shipping your vehicle in the winter is that bad weather slows down traffic. Slippery roads require maximum attention and caution. Truck drivers need to be extra careful with their speed to avoid possible accidents.


Furthermore, roads get closed when there is severe snowfall and drivers need to wait for the roads to be cleared and operational. Generally, shipping a car takes more time during winter, as when roads get closed, particularly in the northern states, drivers need to take longer routes to reach their destinations.


Shipping a car in winter


Nevertheless, if you are moving and need to ship your vehicle during winter, it is recommended to use the service of a professional car shipping company. If you are an inexperienced driver, it will be much safer to hire an auto transporter. Professional long distance drivers have taken extra training to deal with different road conditions and severe weather elements. They know alternate routes and know how to react to changing conditions.


Shipping a car via an open car carrier in the winter will expose the vehicle to bad weather elements such as ice and hail. Keep in mind that the latter are more likely to cause some damage to antique or exotic supercars. If you need to ship a vehicle in the winter, consider choosing an enclosed car shipping carrier. That way your vehicle will be completely protected from all possible weather hazards. 


How to prepare for car shipping

Consider taking your car to the mechanic for a maintenance checkup, unless you have had it serviced in the last couple of months. You should also have an extra key lined up prior to pickup day. Remove all valuables that you usually store in your car. These include custom stereos, DVD players, or GPS systems. Secure loose parts such as antennas and custom spoilers.


Ideally, your car’s gas tank should be no more than a quarter full. Another good idea is thoroughly washing your vehicle’s interior and exterior. Take high quality photos with timestamps to have evidence on the real condition of your car. As a safety precaution, you can also make a record of the mileage. Another preparation task includes adjusting your tire pressure for the temperatures your car will encounter. It is said that your tires gain or lose 1 PSI of pressure for every 10-degree change in temperature.


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A car shipping cost estimator usually does not give you a binding offer. The estimating tool aggregates mostly historical data and preset values to figure out what your vehicle shipping cost might be. You should use it only as preliminary guidance, rather than as a final bid.

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How Much Does It Cost To Ship A Car?

Main Factors That Affect Car Shipping Costs

If you are shipping a vehicle coast-to-coast, logically the cost would be higher than the cost of shipping the same vehicle just a few hundred miles away. Longer distances usually cause a higher car shipping price, but eventually a lower cost of shipping a car per mile.

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How do seasons affect car shipping rates?

The auto shipping industry is a seasonal industry. Тhe time of the year greatly affects how car shipping quotes are calculated. There can be great price drops and increases in auto shipping rates based on the current time of the year and the season.


During spring and summer, you will have to pay more money to ship a vehicle, especially on a short notice or when the pickup and delivery locations are already overcrowded. With some major routes and interstates, there are more vehicles that need shipment, respectively more demand. As a result, price rates go up.


How do seasons affect car shipping rates

During wintertime, if you want to ship a vehicle to some southern state, prices go up because of the snowbird season. Many retired people who live in northern states relocate to states like Florida, Texas, Oklahoma and Arizona to enjoy the warmer weather and better living costs. The greater demand is again a precondition for increase in prices.


During cold weather and severe snowfalls, car carriers would rather avoid the shortest routes if roads are hazardous. Force majeure weather events will also have an impact on your shipping price. If your delivery happens to coincide with a hurricane, flood or blizzard, there may be extra charges and delays. Note that gas prices are greatly affected by the season and current economy state. That also impacts the price of vehicle shipping. 

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