Why should you compare car shipping companies?

• Licensing: An active USDOT number and MC authority on FMCSA SAFER
• Insurance: Cargo coverage that matches your vehicle's value
• Price and what it includes: Door-to-door service, insurance and fuel in one all-inclusive number
• Payment terms: How much is due at booking and when the balance is due
• Reviews: Recent reviews on Google, BBB and TransportReviews
• Communication: How quickly they answer and whether you'll get carrier details after dispatch

Quotes far below the market often mean no carrier will accept the job at that price, which leads to delays or a price increase later. The best value is a realistic quote, locked at booking, from a licensed company with good reviews. Our average cost to ship a car guide shows what fair prices look like.

Use our auto transport carriers directory to look up company details, and read how to choose the best car shipping company for a full checklist.

When you have two or three quotes, line them up against the same points:

• License: An active USDOT or MC number you can verify on FMCSA SAFER.
• Price type: A firm price in writing, or an estimate that can change.
• What's included: Fuel, carrier insurance, door-to-door service.
• Payment terms: How much is due upfront, and when the balance is due.
• Pickup window: How many days, and what happens if no carrier is found.
• Cancellation policy: Free before a carrier is assigned, or a fee regardless.
• Communication: A named contact you can reach during transport.

A company that scores well on all seven is worth more than one that's simply $50 cheaper.

Reviews are useful, but read them carefully:

• Look for detail. Reviews that mention a route, a driver or a specific problem are more reliable than one-line praise.
• Watch for clusters of five-star reviews posted in the same week.
• Read the negative reviews and see how the company responded.
• Remember that a broker's reviews reflect how it handles problems, not only how often they happen.

Use our 5-point quote scorecard to score each company, and learn the difference between a broker and a carrier in why an auto transport broker is your best choice. You can also browse public USDOT and MC details in our auto transport carriers directory.