Car shipping service
Enclosed vs. Open Car Shipping
Compare Enclosed Car Transport with the alternatives on price, protection, availability and the vehicles each option suits.
- Estimates clearly labeled
- Independent company rankings
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Enclosed Car Transport at a glance
- Cost per mile
- $0.91–$3.02 per mile
- Typical total
- $1,140 – $3,780
- Transit time
- 3–5 days
- Best for
- Luxury, classic and exotic cars
Free · No obligation · About a minute
Get a enclosed car transport quote
Extra protection
Enclosed transport
$0.91–$3.02 per mile
- Covered from weather and debris
- Liftgate loading on many trucks
- Fewer vehicles per trailer
- Often higher cargo limits
Most popular
Open transport
$0.70–$1.89 per mile
- Lower cost
- Widely available
- Suitable for most vehicles
- Faster to schedule pickup
Quick comparison
Feature | Enclosed transport | Open transport |
|---|---|---|
| Average cost | Typically 30–60% more | Lower |
| Protection | Fully covered trailer | Exposed to weather and road debris |
| Best for | Luxury, exotic, classic cars | Everyday cars, SUVs, trucks |
| Availability | Limited, fewer trucks | High, most trucks on the road |
| Pickup timing | Book 1–3 weeks ahead | Usually faster to schedule |
| Vehicles per trailer | About 1–7 | About 7–10 |
| Loading | Liftgate or low-angle ramps | Ramps, sometimes a winch |
| Insurance | Carrier coverage, often higher limits | Carrier cargo coverage |
Choose enclosed transport if:
- Your car is high-value, classic, exotic or custom
- Your car sits very low to the ground
- You want it covered for the whole trip
Choose open transport if:
- You're shipping an everyday car, SUV or truck
- Keeping the cost down matters most
- You need the widest choice of pickup dates
Our recommendation
Choose enclosed transport when a scratch or stone chip would be costly to fix. For everyday vehicles, open transport is safe and usually saves several hundred dollars.
Ready to ship your car with enclosed car transport?
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