Open vs Enclosed Car Transport: Cost Difference & When It Matters

Shipping a car coast to coast on an open trailer runs about $700 to $1,200. Enclosed transport for that same route? You’re looking at $1,100 to $2,000. That’s an extra $400 to $800 for a covered trailer, and the real question is pretty simple: is your car worth the upgrade?

For most people, the answer is no. And that’s totally fine. But if you’re shipping a classic Corvette, a brand-new Porsche 911, or your late grandfather’s restored Mustang, that extra few hundred dollars starts looking like cheap insurance.

This guide breaks down exactly what you get (and don’t get) with each option, so you can make the right call without overpaying. If you want a broader look at pricing, check out our car shipping pricing guide for the full picture.

Open vs Enclosed Transport: Side-by-Side Comparison

Before we get into the details, here’s the quick snapshot of how these two options stack up against each other.

When Open Transport Is Perfectly Fine

About 85% of all vehicles shipped in the United States travel on open carriers. That’s not because people don’t care about their cars. It’s because open transport works great for the vast majority of situations.

Think about it this way: your car already drives on highways every day. It sits in parking lots during rainstorms. It catches bugs on the windshield and deals with the occasional rock chip. An open carrier isn’t meaningfully different from driving the car yourself, except someone else is doing the work.

If your car is a daily driver worth under $50,000, open transport is almost certainly the right move. We’re talking about your Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Ford F-150, Hyundai Tucson, or even a nice Audi A4. These are solid cars, but they don’t need the white-glove treatment.

And here’s something most people don’t realize: dealerships ship brand-new cars on open carriers all the time. That shiny new BMW sitting in the showroom? It rode across the country on an open truck, exposed to the same weather and road conditions as every other car on that trailer. If open transport is good enough for a dealer’s $60,000 inventory, it’s good enough for your used Subaru.

The money you save, that $400 to $800, is better spent elsewhere. Put it toward a detail job when the car arrives. Use it to cover registration fees in your new state. Or just keep it in your pocket. Moving is expensive enough already.

One more thing worth knowing. Open carriers are way easier to book on short notice. Because there are so many of them on the road, you can often get a pickup within a week or even less. Enclosed trailers have far fewer spots and higher demand, so last-minute bookings get tricky.

When Enclosed Transport Is Worth Every Penny

Some cars just need the extra protection. Not because the owner is being precious about it, but because the math genuinely works out.

Take a rock chip. On your daily driver, that’s a $50 to $75 repair at Safelite. Annoying, but not a big deal. Now put that same rock chip on a Ferrari 488 with a custom Rosso Corsa paint job. You’re looking at $1,500 to $3,000 for a proper color-matched repair at a specialized body shop. Suddenly, paying an extra $500 for enclosed transport sounds like a bargain.

Enclosed transport makes sense for:

• Cars worth $75,000 or more. Porsche 911 GT3, Mercedes AMG GT, Tesla Model S Plaid, BMW M5, anything in this tier or above.
• Classic and collector cars. A 1967 Shelby GT500 or a restored ’69 Camaro Z/28 can’t just be repainted. Original finishes have real value, and any damage tanks the car’s worth.
• Show cars. If the vehicle needs to arrive spotless for a Concours event, Barrett-Jackson auction, or car show, open transport is a gamble you don’t want to take.
• Fresh paint or custom bodywork. You just spent $8,000 on a full respray at Maaco’s premium tier (or $20,000+ at a high-end shop). Don’t let road grime and bug splatter ruin it during transit.
• Low-ground-clearance exotics. Lamborghini Huracans, McLaren 720S, Ferrari F8 Tributo. These cars sit so low that loading and unloading on a standard open carrier can scrape the front splitter or undercarriage. Enclosed carriers typically use hydraulic lift gates or low-angle ramps built for these cars.
• Irreplaceable sentimental vehicles. Your dad’s old truck that you inherited. The car you drove in high school and fully restored. No insurance check replaces that kind of value.

Enclosed carriers also offer a much smoother ride overall. Because they carry fewer vehicles (typically 2 to 6 instead of 7 to 10), each car gets more secure positioning and less shifting during transit. For fragile or highly tuned suspension setups, that matters.

The Insurance Angle Most People Miss

This is the part that catches people off guard.

Open carriers typically carry insurance coverage of $100,000 to $150,000 per vehicle. For most cars, that’s plenty. But if you’re shipping a vehicle worth $200,000, you’ve got a massive coverage gap. And no, your personal auto insurance probably doesn’t cover damage during third-party transport.

Enclosed carriers usually carry $250,000 to $1,000,000 or more in per-vehicle coverage. Some high-end enclosed transporters, like Reliable Carriers or Intercity Lines, carry policies specifically designed for exotic and collector vehicles with coverage that matches the car’s actual value.

But here’s the part nobody talks about: filing a claim against a carrier is slow, frustrating, and often results in a lowball settlement. The process can drag on for months. You’ll need photos, documentation, and probably a third-party inspection. And the carrier’s insurance company will fight you on every dollar.

Also ask about deductibles. Some carrier policies have $500 to $1,000 deductibles, which means minor damage (the most common type) comes entirely out of your pocket anyway. Enclosed transport drastically reduces the chance of those small-but-annoying incidents.

How to Save Money on Enclosed Transport

Enclosed doesn’t have to break the bank. There are real ways to bring that price down.

Book 3 to 4 weeks early. Last-minute enclosed bookings carry a premium because capacity is tight. Carriers know you’re desperate, and they price accordingly. Planning ahead gives you use and more options to compare.

Be flexible on pickup and delivery dates. If you can give the carrier a 3 to 5 day window instead of demanding a specific date, you’ll almost always get a better rate. The carrier can fill the truck efficiently and pass some of those savings to you.

Use terminal-to-terminal instead of door-to-door. Dropping off and picking up your car at a shipping terminal saves $100 to $200 compared to having the enclosed trailer come to your house. Not every enclosed carrier offers terminal service, but it’s worth asking.

Ship during winter months. Snowbird season aside, the car shipping industry slows down from November through February. Demand drops, prices soften, and you’ll find enclosed carriers more willing to negotiate. Summer is peak season and the worst time to get a deal.

Get at least 5 quotes. Prices for enclosed transport vary wildly. We’ve seen quotes for the same route differ by $600 or more between companies. Use brokers like Central Dispatch, uShip, or Montway Auto Transport to gather multiple bids quickly. Don’t just go with the first number you see.

Cost by Route: Open vs Enclosed Pricing

Shipping costs depend heavily on the specific route. Distance matters, but so do demand, seasonality, and how many carriers run that corridor. Here’s what you can expect on some of the most popular routes in 2025 and 2026.

These numbers shift with the seasons. Shipping into or out of Florida gets more expensive in fall and winter when snowbirds head south. California routes tend to stay busy year-round. For more specific pricing in those states, see our breakdown of California car shipping costs and Florida car shipping costs.

Notice that the enclosed premium stays pretty consistent at 40 to 60% regardless of the route. That’s because the extra cost isn’t really about distance. It’s about the truck itself (enclosed trailers cost more to build, maintain, and operate) and the reduced capacity. An open carrier hauling 9 cars splits fuel and driver costs 9 ways. An enclosed hauling 4 cars splits it 4 ways. Simple math.

How to Choose a Transporter

Finding the right carrier matters just as much as choosing between open and enclosed. A cheap enclosed transporter with bad reviews is worse than a reputable open carrier with a solid track record.

Check broker and carrier reviews on Central Dispatch and the FMCSA website. Central Dispatch is the industry’s main load board, and it has a review system that carriers actually care about. The FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) lets you verify a company’s operating authority and complaint history.

Verify the USDOT number. Every legitimate carrier has one. If a company can’t provide it, walk away. You can look it up at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov and check their safety rating, insurance status, and any violations.

Ask about loading and unloading procedures. This matters more for enclosed transport. How do they secure vehicles? Do they use wheel nets or tire straps? Do they have hydraulic lift gates for low-clearance cars? A good enclosed carrier will happily walk you through their process because they’re proud of it.

Get the insurance certificate in writing. Not a verbal promise. Not “we’re covered, don’t worry.” An actual certificate of insurance with your vehicle’s value listed. Call the insurance company directly to verify it’s active. This takes 10 minutes and can save you thousands in headaches.

Read the contract carefully. Look for damage liability exclusions, cancellation fees, and what happens if the carrier misses the delivery window. Some contracts have fine print that limits the carrier’s liability to laughably low amounts.

Reputable companies in the enclosed space include Reliable Carriers, Intercity Lines, Passport Transport, and Plycar. For open transport, Montway, AmeriFreight, and Sherpa Auto Transport consistently get solid reviews. But always do your own due diligence regardless of the company name.

The Bottom Line

For 85% of people shipping a car, open transport is the right choice. It’s cheaper, faster to book, and perfectly safe for everyday vehicles. Your car will arrive in the same condition as if you’d driven it yourself.

For the other 15%, enclosed transport isn’t a luxury. It’s a smart financial decision. When your car is worth six figures, or when it carries irreplaceable sentimental value, the 40 to 60% premium is pocket change compared to a potential repair bill or the gut-wrenching feeling of seeing damage on a car you love.

Don’t overthink it. Know what your car is worth, compare that against the cost difference, and you’ll make the right call in about 30 seconds.

Related Guides

More from TheHowMuch that you might find useful:

• How To Avoid Moving Scams