Is Driving Your Car Cheaper Than Shipping It Across the Country?
People ask this all the time. They think driving saves cash. Fuel costs. A tank or two. Easy math, right? Wrong. Cross-country trips hide ugly truths. Fuel is just the start. Wear and tear piles up. Time vanishes. Risks lurk on every mile. I've seen it as a logistics manager at AMG Transport Co. We broker nationwide vehicle shipping door to door. Let's break it down. No fluff. Real numbers.
The Real Costs of Driving Your Car Cross-Country
Take Houston to Los Angeles. About 1,500 miles. Average sedan. 25 mpg highway. Gas at $3.50 a gallon.
Fuel: 60 gallons. $210. That's one-way. Round trip? Double it.
Wear and Tear: Tires degrade fast. Oil changes. Brakes. Transmission stress. Expect $400-$600. High-mileage trips kill parts. Repairs later? Thousands.
Time Lost: 22 hours driving. Three full days with stops. If you earn $25/hour, that's $550 gone. Plus family time. Sanity.
Lodging and Food: Two nights hotel. $300. Meals on the road. $200. Tolls and snacks. Another $100.
Total Driving Cost: $1,560 minimum. Per car. That's solo. Family? Multiply by vehicles.
Roads are brutal. Breakdowns in nowhere. $1,000 tow. Accidents? Insurance spikes. Medical bills.
What Does Professional Auto Transport Cost?
Now, shipping. How much does it cost to ship a car cross country? Open car carrier transport cost from Houston to LA: $1,100-$1,400. Sedan. Standard.
Enclosed auto transport for luxury cars? Add $400. Worth it for exotics.
Door-to-door car shipping how it works: We pick up at your spot. Deliver to the door. 72-hour pickup window at AMG. Vetted insured carriers only.
No driving. No hotels. Your time stays yours. Fly instead. Cheaper than driving delays.
Fuel? Zero for you. Carriers haul multiples. Efficient.
Total Shipping Cost: $1,200 average. Includes insurance. Tracking.
Head-to-Head: Driving vs. Shipping Comparison
Here's a quick table. 1,500-mile trip. Average car.
| Cost Factor | Driving | Shipping (Open Carrier) |
|----------------------|------------------|--------------------------|
| Fuel | $210 | $0 |
| Wear & Tear/Depreciation | $500 | $0 |
| Time/Opportunity Cost| $550 | $0 |
| Lodging/Food/Tolls | $600 | $0 |
| Insurance/Risks | $200+ (extra) | Included |
| Total | $2,060+ | $1,200 |
Shipping wins. By $800+. Multi-car transport for families? Discounts. SUV vs sedan cost difference: Minimal.
Hidden Risks You Can't Ignore
Driving risks: Fatigue crashes. 13% of fatal accidents from drowsy drivers. Theft at rest stops. Weather wrecks undercarriages.
Shipping? Carriers trained. GPS tracked. Enclosed carrier benefits for exotic cars: Protection from rocks. Debris.
Non-running vehicle? No issue. Open carrier car shipping pros & cons: Cheaper. Exposed. Still safe.
Brokers like us handle fraud. Industry full of it. We do VIN scans. Stripe deposits. Honest quotes. No bait-and-switch.
Carriers avoid direct deals. Non-payers burn them. Brokers buffer. Negotiate rates. Keep costs reasonable.
Most folks can't book carriers anyway. No capacity. No systems. Brokers required.
Why AMG Transport Co. Makes Shipping a No-Brainer
Texas based auto transport broker nationwide. Parent: AMG Endeavors carrier. We know both sides.
Stronger customer experience. Guiding light in fraud mess. Vetted carriers. Full insurance.
Auto transport safety record and reputation: Top tier. 72-hour pickups. Door pick-up and delivery car transport service.
Relocating to Florida? Ship car from Texas. Vehicle transport Texas to California expert broker.
Cross-country car transport from coast to coast. Affordable car shipping without hidden fees.
Compare quotes? Easy. We beat games.
Driving sounds cheap. Math says no. Shipping smart. Saves money. Sanity. Time.
Ready? Get a free quote today.
Written by Mike Matthews, Logistics Manager at AMG Transport Co.