Transportation options: open vs enclosed car shipping. All you need to know

If you are interested in shipping a car from one destination to another, you may make attention that there are much more involved in this process. When it comes to transport your car, you have generally three options to choose from open trailers, enclosed carriers, and some alternatives. The most frequently asked questions from us are: What are enclosed car shipping carriers? What are open car shipping carriers? So, in this post, we provide all insides about shipping options you have to know.

Open trailer car shipping

First, most of them are two-level trailers that can often ship vehicles for long distances. These trailers can handle up to 9 cars at a time. Open trailers are an almost ideal option for standard model or used vehicles. So, there are some advantages and disadvantages of open car trailers:

open-air car shipping trailer

Pros Of Open-air Transportation:

  • Faster delivery than other options;
  • Cheaper than usually;
  • Much more flexible when it comes to pick-up time, because most trailers are open ones;
  • More eco-friendly since they can pick up 9 cars at a time;
  • Fuel efficiency and it cause to cheaper price.

Cons Of Open-air Transportation:

  • This is an open-air transportation type, so your car is exposed to current weather conditions;
  • Less security and protection for expensive vehicles;
  • Vehicle may get dirty while transportation;

Types of Open Car Shipping Trailers:

  • Two-level, multi-car carriers – those are the most widespread ones;
  • Single-level, multi-car carrier – this type of carrier is mostly used when transporting supercars or luxury vehicles, or when expedited service is requested;
  • A dual truck – single-vehicle car carrier that is used to transport cars for a short distance, or when expedited shipping is required;

Enclosed Car Shipping:

While enclosed car shipping may be a suitable option for valuable cars, it can be more expensive and usually takes longer to transport than open shipping.

enclosed car shipping trailer

Pros Of Open-air Transportation:

  • High protection from weather elements and road debris;
  • Better security and protection in transit;
  • Drivers are more experienced in handling high-end vehicles;

Cons Of Open-air Transportation:

  • An enclosed trailer can move fewer cars simultaneously, thus car shipping may be much more expensive than an open carrier;
  • Not eco-friendly compared to open carriers;

Types of enclosed carriers:

  • Multi-car enclosed trailers can confidently contain up to seven cars. This is often the least expensive option if you are considering the enclosed auto shipping.
  • Two and one-car trailers. They cost more than other types of trailers.

In spite of its expensive cost, enclosed transportation is the best option for high-value, unique and classic cars.

Alternatives Of Auto Transportation:

Alternatives Of Auto Transportation

If you are not satisfied with any of the options which are given above, you can also hire a professional driver from an auto moving company to drive your vehicle to the final destination. However, this type of option is good for shorter distances because there are very few people who would go across the country driving a car, and it would also cost a lot of money.

All in all, we provide all types of auto transportation services for you. You can book a free instant quote here.

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