Should I Ship My Car or Sell it and Buy a New One?

When you are moving across the country, you may be wondering how to get your car there without having to drive it. Better yet, you may be wondering if it’s more convenient and cost-effective just to sell it and buy a new one. While there are pros and cons to both options, it ultimately comes down to a few important factors. Here we will take a closer look at your options as well as specific factors that may determine which decision is right for you.

Option #1: Shipping Your Car

Moving across the country is stressful enough, and thinking about the logistics of getting your car there can make things all the more overwhelming. The good news is that auto shipping is a convenient, simple, and safe option for transporting your car thousands of miles. If you choose to ship your car, you can easily schedule the pickup and delivery of your car and you can rest easy knowing that your car will be safely delivered to your new home. That said, you may be wondering if it’s worth the cost to ship your car. In most cases, shipping a car is significantly cheaper than buying a new one. There are several factors that will determine the exact price but the average cost to ship a sedan across the country is around $1200-$1500. When you consider the cost of purchasing a new car, it’s easy to see that shipping is far more cost-effective.

Option #2: Sell Your Car and Buy a New One

Your second option is to avoid the hassle of shipping your car altogether and selling it instead. Then, you can buy a new car when you arrive at your new location. In some circumstances, this might make sense if you were planning to upgrade your car anyway. This might also be a feasible option if you are in need of cash right away to help with moving expenses. Keep in mind, however, that you will need to figure out transportation until you purchase a new car.

Things to Consider:

Personal Plans for the Car: Is your current car older and in need of several repairs? If so, you might feel like the time is right to simply sell that car and purchase a new one. After all, it won’t make much sense to pay shipping costs for a car that you plan to turn around and sell in a couple of months anyway.

Convenience: There is no doubt that shipping a car is an easy and convenient way to transport your car across the country. Once you do your research and find a reputable shipping company, you simply call to schedule your pickup and delivery. You can even arrange to have your car picked up and delivered right to your door. This can be a much more convenient option than fussing with finding a buyer.

Cost: There is no doubt that shipping will be more cost-effective than selling your car and buying a new one. Given that the average cost to ship a car across the country is around $1500, you are almost certainly going to pay much more to buy a new one.

Current Availability: Given the current market conditions for new and used cars, you might have a very hard time finding a car. Inventory for both new and used cars is at an all-time low and prices are on the rise as a result. For this reason, it appears that shipping your car will be your best option.

The bottom line is that shipping or selling your car really depends on whether or not you have plans to upgrade your vehicle. Despite the cost to ship your car, you will still be saving money and you can make the process easier and more convenient by shipping your car. Unless your car is nearing the end of its life or you simply want to upgrade your vehicle, it almost always makes more sense to ship your car.