No added mileage
A two to three day drive puts well over a thousand miles on the odometer. Shipping puts on none, and the car arrives having been parked rather than worked.
Moving & relocation
Moving? Your car does not have to make the drive either
You are already coordinating a household move. Adding a two-day drive, a hotel, and a one-way flight on top of it is a choice, not a requirement.
If you are relocating, Clutch Auto Transport can ship your vehicle door to door across all 48 continental states while your household goods are in transit. Shipping is usually the better choice for moves over roughly 500 miles, once you account for fuel, lodging, meals, wear on the vehicle, and the time the drive costs you. Clutch is part of the Dircks family of companies, which has been moving households since 1990.
Drive it or ship it?
The honest answer is that it depends on distance, and the break-even is further out than most people assume.
Under about 500 miles, driving usually wins. It is one day, you keep the car the whole time, and transport cost is at its least efficient on short lanes.
Between 500 and 1,000 miles, it is genuinely close. Add up fuel, one night of lodging, meals, and roughly a day and a half of your time, then compare.
Over about 1,000 miles, shipping almost always wins on total cost, and it wins on every other measure. You are looking at multiple days, several hundred dollars in fuel and lodging, real wear on the vehicle, and a return flight if this is a second car.
The one that surprises people: if you are moving two vehicles, driving is not an option unless two people each burn several days.
Why use us
Why use us instead of driving it
Four things you stop paying for the moment the car goes on a truck instead of under you.
No depreciation on the asset
Those miles come straight off the resale or trade value of the vehicle. On a newer car that is real money, and it does not show up until you go to sell it.
No hotels and no food on the road
A multi-day drive means nights in hotels, meals out, and fuel the whole way. Those are the costs people leave out when they decide driving is cheaper.
No days lost to the drive
Two or three days behind the wheel, plus a flight back if this is a second car, is time you almost certainly need for the rest of the move.
Cost comparison
Driving it versus shipping it
| What it costs you | You drive it | Clutch ships it |
|---|---|---|
| Time | 2 to 3 days of driving, plus a flight back for a second car | None. You fly or drive the other vehicle |
| Fuel | The full distance, at whatever pump prices are | Included in the shipping price |
| Lodging | 2 nights, sometimes 3 | None |
| Meals on the road | Every meal for the length of the drive | None |
| Mileage on the vehicle | 1,000+ miles of wear and depreciation | Zero |
| Wear and risk | Long highway days, weather, and road debris | Carried on the truck, insured in transit |
What to know
Timing it against your move
Book early
Book vehicle transport when you book the move, not the week before. Peak summer moving season tightens carrier availability at exactly the time everyone needs it.
Do not ship it too early
You need the car until you leave. Most people ship it a few days before or around their own departure so they are not stranded at either end.
Plan for a delivery window
Transport works in windows, not appointment times. Have a plan for the first day or two at the new place without the car.
Someone must be present
You or an adult you authorize has to be there at pickup and delivery to walk the vehicle with the driver and sign.
Questions
Frequently asked
Can I ship my car and my household goods together?
They travel separately, on different equipment, but they can be coordinated. Clutch is part of Dircks, a moving company, so if you need both, one conversation can cover both rather than you managing two unrelated vendors.
Can I pack boxes in the car to save space?
Generally no. Carriers are licensed and insured to haul vehicles, not household goods, and personal items inside are typically not covered. Some carriers permit a small amount in the trunk, under roughly 100 pounds, but it has to be agreed in advance.
What if my closing date moves?
Dates moving is normal in a relocation. Tell us as soon as you know. Rescheduling before a carrier has been assigned is straightforward.
Should I ship my second car or sell it?
If the vehicle is worth meaningfully more than the cost of shipping, ship it. Selling under time pressure at one end and buying under time pressure at the other usually costs more than transport does, before you count the hassle.
Get started
Price your move's vehicle
Two locations, the vehicle, and roughly when you are leaving. That is enough to get a number.