Ship It or Drive It? Interstate Move Quiz
The drive is rarely as cheap as it looks on paper.
About 50 seconds · 4 questions
The short answer
Driving costs more than the gas. A 2,000-mile drive typically runs $700–$1,200 once you add fuel, two nights of hotels, meals, roughly 2,000 miles of depreciation and wear, and 3 days of your time. Shipping the same vehicle on an open carrier usually runs $1,000–$1,700 and takes 5–8 days door to door with no personal wear.
Key facts
- IRS mileage value is about $0.67 per mile in real vehicle cost.
- Long drives add wear, tire life, and depreciation that resale reflects.
- Shipping frees you to fly and be productive on arrival day.
- Two-vehicle households almost always come out ahead shipping one.
1. How far is the move?
2. How many vehicles does your household have?
3. How valuable is your time that week?
4. How does the vehicle handle a long haul?
Answer all 4 questions to see your result.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to ship a car or drive it?
Under about 500 miles, driving is usually cheaper. Beyond roughly 1,000 miles, shipping is often comparable or cheaper once fuel, lodging, meals, wear, and lost time are counted.
How long does interstate car shipping take?
Typical transit is 1–3 days regionally, 3–5 days for mid-length lanes, and 5–8 days coast to coast, after a pickup window of 1–7 business days.