How much does it cost to move a car?

Driving a car can be the most efficient way of travelling. However, moving or freighting a car sometimes becomes a necessity when you cannot drive it yourself from one location to another. For example, it can cost you anywhere from $600 to $1,000 to move a car from Brisbane to Melbourne or $700 to $1,300 from Sydney to Perth.

Car transport price list

Car transport service providers quote differently based on several factors. Here’s a quick cost guide for transporting a 4WD car to and from various suburbs or interstate destinations.

Factors affecting car transport costs

Car shipping services can vary from transport via carrier vehicles to freight cargo or freight cargo via air travel. The type of service you need to avail of will depend on your specific needs. 

A car that needs to be moved overseas will most likely require air travel and cost more than having a car transported on land. Car transport companies offer different services. The most common factors affecting the cost of relocating a car are the following:

1. Transport distance and location

The longer the distance, the more fuel it consumes for the shipping company. Fuel costs will also affect the cost of transport. Moving your car to rural or hard-to-reach places might also cost more than in cities or metropolitan areas. Interstate car transport costs 50-70 cents per kilometre.

2. Car size and weight

This will dictate how many vehicles can be loaded in a transport carrier. The fewer the vehicles, the more expensive the service. Heavier vehicles also cost more to ship. This might apply to electric cars, which are heavier than their gas-powered counterparts because their batteries are bulkier.

3. Carrier type

For carrier vehicles, you can choose between an open trailer or an enclosed transport. Open trailers are more popular because they are less costly. Enclosed transports are usually reserved for higher-value vehicles, like luxury, custom, and vintage cars. 

4. Car condition

If your car is inoperable and needs to be strategically loaded or unloaded by the transport company, they will charge a higher fee. It’s easier to transport a working car that can be driven to a carrier.

5. Transport route and speed

The road conditions of the route, including closures and anticipated traffic jams, will also affect the price of shipping your car. Expedited car transport will cost higher, much like other delivery services.

6. Transport date

The peak season for car shipping is summer. Car moving during major holidays, like Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, can be difficult and expensive.

Other common factors that affect car transport costs are insurance fees and labour shortages. Luxury or vintage vehicles might have higher transport fees due to the extra care required to handle them. Their insurance fees will also be higher.  

Getting ready to hire a car transporter

When posting a task, it’s important to communicate all of your needs. Here’s what you can share on the request form:

1. Pick-up and drop-off location
2. Date of pick-up
3. Target drop-off date
4. Car make and model
5. Car state and condition
6. Budget
7. Preferred route
8. Mode of travel: trailer or driven

Preparing your car for pick-up 

It’s a good idea to have your car cleaned or waxed before handing it off to a car transporter. Debris and bugs on the road are less likely to stick on a freshly waxed car. You can also find car cleaning services through Airtasker.

Take pictures of your car before pick-up and take note of its current condition, like existing dents and scratches. Inspection during pick-up and drop-off can ensure accountability during car transport.

Finally, remove your personal belongings from the car. Your car must also be in top running condition if it will be driven, and the fuel tank should be at least 25% full. 

Post a task for car transport

Ultimately, it might be cheaper to drive your car yourself for shorter distances. However, you need to consider fuel, food, and lodging. These costs rack up the longer you are on the road. And what if you can’t physically drive the car due to logistical challenges? Hiring a car transport service can be easy with Airtasker. 

Our platform removes the need to talk to different companies who will direct you to third-party carrier services, which may or may not be legitimate. Airtasker ratings and reviews can enable you to find the best car transport service provider with a good reputation.