Minnesota Car Shipping

The cost to ship a car to or from Minnesota is typically $450 on a short regional run and up to $2,100 coast to coast, on an open trailer, and takes between 1 to 7 days in transit time. Fargo is about 235 miles from the Twin Cities. Los Angeles is about 1,930 miles. Your quote gives the real figure for your dates.

We publish a route price once real Minnesota loads stand behind it. Until then, each row shows our national range for that distance, and your quote gives the exact figure. An honest range beats a number we cannot stand behind.

Distance comes first. Then the size of the vehicle, whether it runs, open or enclosed, the time of year, and how easily a truck can reach your street. A wider pickup window helps the most, because it gives us more trucks to fit your car onto.

Most Minnesota moves take 1 to 7 days on the road. The Dakotas, Iowa, Wisconsin and Chicago are 1 to 2 days. Texas and the Southeast are 3 to 5 days. Florida and Arizona are 4 to 6 days. Los Angeles is 5 to 7 days.

Pickup happens inside a window that starts on the date you ask for. Standard service is a 6-day window. Expedited service is a 3-day window. The Twin Cities usually fill early in the window. Duluth and the far north take more of it.

Ship in the shoulder of the season. Southbound books up from October through December, and northbound from March through May. September or early October, and late May, are the easiest weeks.

About 4 to 6 days on the road. Phoenix and Mesa are about 1,630 miles from the Twin Cities. Book two to three weeks ahead in the fall rush.

About 4 to 6 days on the road. Tampa is about 1,500 miles from the Twin Cities and Fort Myers about 1,620.

Sometimes by a day, rarely by more. Carriers run Minnesota all winter. Clear a loading spot, brush the snow off the car, and leave a few days in your pickup window.

Yes. Duluth sits at the north end of I-35, about 155 miles from the Twin Cities. Give us two to three weeks of notice and a window of dates, and we fit you onto a truck already heading that way.

Open is the right call for most cars. Plan on about 80 percent more than open for enclosed. A $1,000 open move is roughly $1,800 enclosed. A hard-sided trailer holds two to six cars where an open one holds ten, so each car carries more of the cost. Worth it for a classic, an exotic, fresh paint, or a car too low to clear a ramp. For a daily driver, open is the right call.

Yes. Your car is covered by the carrier's Carrier Cargo Insurance from pickup to delivery. Once your order is assigned to a truck and carrier, we can send you the certificate of insurance right away.

Smart Auto Move is. We place your car with a carrier we have vetted and worked with, and we stay with the move from pickup to delivery. We will get your car moved, or your money back.

Usually yes, within reason. Most drivers will take a few things as a courtesy. Keep it under about 100 pounds, pack it neatly, and keep it out of sight from outside the car. Think a few boxes in the trunk rather than a carload. The one thing to know is that you are paying to move the vehicle, so the carrier's insurance covers the car itself. Keep anything you would hate to lose with you.

Yes, wherever a 75-foot carrier can safely reach. Most suburban streets are fine. Tight streets, low trees, lake roads and snowbanks are where we meet at a nearby lot instead. It costs nothing extra.

Wash it so the inspection is clear. Take photos from every side. Leave about a quarter tank of fuel. Take out toll tags, garage openers and loose valuables. Tell us about any leaks or problems with starting. Then hand over one key.

One to two weeks is enough for most routes. Give two to three weeks for Duluth, the far north and the snowbird weeks. Booking earlier does not cost more. It gives us more trucks to choose from.

We take a deposit when you book and the balance is due at delivery. Drivers usually take a cashier's check, money order or cash. You can also put the full amount on a credit card, but only at the time of booking, so the funds are ready for the carrier.

Cancel any time before we assign a carrier and your deposit comes back to you. Once we assign one and send you the driver's details, that money is spoken for. It is not gone, though. You can push the move back and use it on a later shipment.

Check its USDOT and MC numbers on the FMCSA site, and read its reviews on the BBB and Google. Smart Auto Move is USDOT 2887232 and MC 969368, with a BBB A+ rating. Be careful of a quote far below the others. Ask that company if the rate is confirmed, then look for complaints about the price going up later.

A deposit means we only work with committed customers, and it shows we are confident we can book a carrier at the price we quoted. A company that takes nothing up front is often not sure it can. Those are often the ones that come back later with a higher rate.

New residents have 60 days to register a passenger vehicle. Bring your insurance company, policy number and policy dates. Minnesota has no emissions test and no regular safety inspection.

Yes. A non-running car needs a winch or a carrier with a lift, so it usually costs $200 or more above the same car running. Tell us when you book. We will talk it through and give you an accurate price.

You get the driver's phone number for calls or texts, plus email updates from us. GPS tracking is there when the carrier and the truck support it. We will tell you which applies once your carrier is assigned.

Yes. Chicago is about 410 miles from the Twin Cities and 1 to 2 days on the road. If the car runs and you have the time, driving it is a fair choice. Ship it when it does not run, when you have two cars and one driver, or when nobody can make the trip.

Our closest staffed office is in Chicago at 742 E 87th Pl. It handles dispatch and coordination for Minnesota moves. Your car is picked up at your address or a nearby lot and goes straight onto the carrier.

The driver calls ahead with a time. You walk around the car together and compare it with the pickup report. You note anything new on the Bill of Lading, sign, and pay the balance. Then the car is yours.