Table of contents
Quick answer
Usually it means no carrier would take your car at the original price. Many car shipping companies are brokers: they offer the job to carriers, and if none accept, they come back and ask for more. Before a carrier is assigned you can normally decline and ask for any deposit back, depending on the terms you agreed to. Before paying more, get the new price in writing as a firm price, ask which carrier has accepted, and keep the paperwork. After the move, federal rules let you see the broker's record of the transaction, including what it was paid.
Why the price goes up
A broker does not move your car. It arranges the move and offers the job to independent carriers at a price. Carriers pick the loads that pay enough for the route, the season and the space on their truck. If the price offered for your car is below what carriers will accept, the job sits unclaimed, and the broker has two choices: wait, or ask you for more so the job attracts a truck.
This happens most often when the first quote was well below the others. A low quote wins the booking, but it does not change what carriers are willing to accept.
When it happens changes your options
- Before a carrier is assigned: this is when most increases come. You can usually say no, and many companies refund a deposit or take none until dispatch. Check the terms you agreed to.
- After a carrier is assigned: the price should already be set. An increase now deserves a clear reason, such as a change you made to the dates, the vehicle or the pickup address.
- At pickup or delivery: be very careful. A demand for more money with your car on the truck is a known scam pattern, not a normal price adjustment.
What to ask before you agree to pay more
- Is the new price firm?Ask for it in writing as the final price for the move, not another estimate that can rise again.
- Has a carrier accepted the job?Ask for the carrier's name and USDOT or MC number, and look it up. A higher price with no carrier attached is only a higher guess.
- What exactly is changing?Pickup window, transport type, door-to-door or terminal. Make sure the higher price is for the same service you booked.
- What happens if you say no?Ask whether you can cancel at this point and whether any deposit comes back, and get the answer in writing.
Your right to see the broker's record
Federal rules require a broker to keep a record of every shipment it arranges, and they give every party to that shipment the right to see it. That record includes which carrier moved the car and what the broker was paid.
You do not need to use this right to get a fair outcome, but it is worth knowing it exists. If you were told the increase was needed to pay the carrier, the record shows how the money was split.
When to walk away
- The price has gone up more than once, with no carrier named.
- You are pushed to pay today, or the offer expires in minutes.
- The extra money has to be paid by wire transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency or a payment app.
- The company will not put the new price and terms in writing.
- More money is demanded before your car will be released.
Related reading
How to avoid it next time
- Compare quotes for the same dates, vehicle and transport type, so you are comparing like with like.
- Be wary of the quote far below the rest. It is the one most likely to rise.
- Ask whether the price is an estimate or a guaranteed price, and get the answer in writing.
- Ask when the deposit is charged, and whether it is refundable before a carrier is assigned.
- Give yourself a flexible pickup window. It makes your car easier to place on a truck at the quoted price.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal for a car shipping company to raise the price after booking?
It depends on what you agreed to. If you booked an estimate, the price can change before a carrier is assigned, and you can usually decline. If you booked a guaranteed price, an increase without a change on your side goes against the agreement. Read the terms you accepted.
Can I get my deposit back if I refuse the higher price?
Often, if no carrier has been assigned yet, but it depends on the company's terms. Ask in writing and keep the reply.
Deposits and paymentWhy was my first quote so low?
Quotes are often estimates of what a carrier might accept. A quote well below the others may win the booking without being enough to attract a truck, which is when increases happen.
Why quotes differCan I find out what the carrier was actually paid?
Yes. Federal rules give every party to a shipment the right to review the broker's record of it, which includes what the broker was paid.
The driver wants more money before unloading my car. What do I do?
Don't pay by wire, gift card, cryptocurrency or a payment app. Call the company you booked with, keep everything in writing, and if the car is being held for money you did not agree to, report it to the FMCSA.
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Sources
Written and reviewed by the Haulwide editorial team. Editorial policy
