How to Transport a Car for Your Cross-County Move

25% of Americans have reported moving in the last five years. And you might be one of those embarking on a big move: across the country. Depending on where you’re moving, you’ll most likely want to take your car with you.

We’ll go over some of the options available to you to make that cross-country move and ensure that you have your car at your new home.

Read on for more information on how to transport a car cross-country.

Drive Your Car

An obvious way you can transport your car is to drive it yourself. This is perhaps the cheapest way if you factor in shipping costs and the additional money you’d spend on airfare.

Driving your car isn’t necessarily the cheapest way, however, as not only will it take days on the road, but it will also mean you’ll have to spend nights in hotels along the way. This, as well as the cost of gas to get you there, can add up quickly.

Driving your car across the country can also add a lot of unnecessary mileage to your car. Depending on what point you’re driving from and to, it could be over 3,000 miles.

You should also consider the time of year you’ll be driving your car and through which states. In some cases, this may include severe weather that you may not want to drive through.

If you’re transporting a lot of things, this can be a good way to get some of your essentials into your new home immediately.

For some families who have more than one car, however, this would mean that you might have to drive separately or to drive one car and ship the other.

How to Transport Your Car: Shipping It

You can ship your car from one end of the country to the other at surprisingly affordable rates. It might even be comparable to the price you’d spend on several nights in hotels and gas if you drive the car yourself.

If you’ve ever seen a truck drive along the highway with several tiers of cars attached to it, these trucks are transporting cars. Some of them may be for individuals, like yourself, who are moving long distances. Other cars might be to transport between destinations to sell or lease.

Many people discount shipping their car right off the bat because they assume they’ll get sticker shock. In actuality, it’s only about $1,000 to $1500 in order to have the car shipped.

If you’re interested in having your car shipped, you can read more about it here.

It might just turn out to be your best bet.

Hauling Your Car

This DIY route works best for those who are trying to transport more than one car at a time or have a motorhome.

With this route, you’ll attach your car to your trailer, motorhome or another vehicle. You can simply have your other car tag along behind you as you make your way across the country.

Economically, this is perhaps the friendliest route, as you might even be able to save on hauling your things across the country as well. If your motorhome, trailer or other car is large enough, you may be able to get everything you need into the cars and make your way to your new home.

Things to Consider

In addition to the price of shipping your car, there are a few things to consider when deciding which is the best way for you. There isn’t a definitive across the board way that works for everyone, so it is something you’ll need to decide with your family.

One thing to consider is the age of your car. Can your car actually handle being driven across the country? In some cases, if your car is newer, you won’t really have a problem with this. But what about cars that are older or those you’ve purchased second-hand. In those cases, it might be better to try to haul or ship your car.

Additionally, if your car is of incredibly high value, you may want to consider having it shipped. This is because you never know where you’ll end up when you’re driving across the country, and a high-value car can be subject to theft. No matter where you stay or what route you take, you’ll have to stop at some point for gas or to park your car overnight. For many people, that’s not a risk they’re willing to take.

You should also consider the gas prices in your area and across the country. In doing so, think about the type of gas your car will need and how much gas it uses. Some cars are gas guzzlers, while others are much more efficient. If your car will require lots of expensive gasoline, it’s probably a better idea to have it shipped than to worry about emptying your pocket every few hours.

Physically Making the Drive

You should ship your car, as opposed to hauling it or driving it, if you’re concerned that you cannot physically make the drive. Driving in itself is a dangerous activity, and if you don’t trust yourself or your family members or roommates to drive across the country, it’s probably a good idea not to attempt to do it.

Your life is more important than your wallet and should always take first priority.

Getting Your Car Across the Country

In this article, we’ve gone over how to transport a car. You and your family will ultimately have to decide which works best for you and your financial situation.

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