Best Car Shipping Companies In South Dakota
In South Dakota, Montway Auto Transport leads, with Sherpa Auto Transport, SGT Auto Transport, and American Auto Shipping as solid choices.
From our #1 rated provider, 
If you need to move to South Dakota, whether it’s just for a little while or for good, shipping your car there should be easy. In this article, we’ll provide a look at the five best car shipping companies in South Dakota that offer peace of mind and competitive costs. We will also simplify the process of understanding shipping costs for open and enclosed transport services. Additionally, we will guide you on how to easily ship your car.
The Gist:
- Our team found that Montway Auto Transport is the best South Dakota car shipping company, though it’s best to compare rates with those from Sherpa Auto Transport, SGT Auto Transport, American Auto Shipping and AmeriFreight.
- The average cost to ship a car to or from South Dakota is $1,173 for open car shipping services and $1,642 for enclosed auto transport.
- Your car shipping cost in South Dakota depends on factors like a city’s size, nearby traffic patterns, and weather conditions.
5 Best Car Shipping Companies In South Dakota
We have dedicated more than 300 hours to studying the auto transport industry in order to give a truthful review of the top car shipping companies. If you’re moving a car to or from Aberdeen, Brookings , Rapid City, or beyond, check out our list of the best South Dakota car shipping companies.
1. Montway Auto Transport: Best Reputation
Montway Auto Transport is our top choice among the best auto transport companies of 2024 because their service is dependable and their rates are satisfactory. While Montway may not have the lowest prices, their outstanding customer service and extensive options make them stand out from the competition.
Montway Auto Transport is a very big and well-liked company that moves cars. They operate in all states and even do shipping overseas. Montway is able to charge less than other companies because they have a lot of carriers they work with.
Read more: Montway Auto Transport review
2. Sherpa Auto Transport: Best For Locked-In Rates
According to our research team’s special rating system, Sherpa Auto Transport has received a score of 4.6 out of 5.0 stars for its fixed prices, high customer satisfaction, and range of services. Furthermore, Sherpa provides customers with a $20 reimbursement for car washes as part of their Clean Car Guarantee.
Sherpa Auto Transport makes shipping simple and offers upfront pricing with their Price Lock Promise. This means that the initial quote you receive is the final price, and in the rare case that it needs to increase, the company will even cover up to $300 of the increase.
Read more: Sherpa Auto Transport review
3. SGT Auto Transport: Best Price-Match Guarantee
We gave SGT Auto Transport a rating of 4.6 out of 5.0 stars because they provide different shipping choices at prices that are comparable to others. The company received a high score for their services because they offer options like open, enclosed, and door-to-door auto transportation. They also provide faster delivery and guaranteed pickup dates.
You don’t have to pay until the carrier is sent to pick up your vehicle when using SGT Auto Transport. Plus, if you find a lower price from another company, SGT Auto Transport will give you the same price. Our team discovered that most customers had a good experience with this company.
Read more: SGT Auto Transport review
4. American Auto Shipping: Best Service Availability
American Auto Shipping provides various auto transport services to efficiently deliver your vehicle to its intended location. With a superb rating of 5.0 in the services category, this provider offers convenient door-to-door shipping, both open and enclosed auto transport options, shipping to Hawaii, motorcycle shipping, military vehicle shipping, heavy equipment transport, and additional services.
American Auto Shipping strives to offer customers a pleasant experience with perks like a covered rental car if your shipment is delayed over 14 days past the delivery date. Another benefit is your choice of pickup times from three different options–standard, priority, or expedited.
Read more: American Auto Shipping review
5. AmeriFreight: Best For Discounts
AmeriFreight has prices that are typical for the industry, but customers can reduce their rates by taking advantage of discounts and different pricing levels. These discounts can include lower rates for customers who have used AmeriFreight before, customers shipping multiple vehicles, first responders and medical workers, seniors, students, and more.
AmeriFreight is one of the best car shipping companies for several reasons. They offer discounts, price-matching, and great customer service. They work with over 10,000 car carriers and carefully screen each one to make sure they are licensed and insured.
Read more: AmeriFreight review
Other South Dakota Car Shipping Companies
We mentioned five well-known national providers earlier, but there are some good local options for shipping cars in South Dakota too. Here is one more provider to think about.
Auto Transport by Stopwatch
Auto Transport by Stopwatch is headquartered in Rapid City, SD. Learn more about this provider on the Auto Transport by Stopwatch website.
South Dakota Car Shipping Costs
The price of shipping a car in South Dakota can change a lot based on a few things. Some things that affect the cost depend on what you want, like the type of car transport you choose. Most likely, you’ll pick either open or enclosed trailer transport when shipping your car. We’ve given the average costs for both types of transport to and from South Dakota below.
Open Car Shipping Costs In South Dakota
When cars are transported using an open-air trailer, there are no walls or roof to protect them. This method can transport multiple vehicles at once and is cheaper, but it is also riskier than using enclosed transport services.
The average cost to ship a car to and from South Dakota using open car shipping is $1,173, which is 16 percent more expensive than the national average of $1,010. We gathered cost estimates for open car transport along popular South Dakota car shipping routes, which you’ll find below:
| Auto Shipping Route | Total Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Sioux Falls to Chicago | $559 |
| Brookings to Miami | $924 |
| Rapid City to Chicago | $969 |
| Rapid City to San Francisco | $1,069 |
| Aberdeen to Boston | $1,099 |
| Brookings to New York | $1,099 |
| Sioux Falls to New York | $1,129 |
| Rapid City to Los Angeles | $1,179 |
| Aberdeen to Los Angeles | $1,199 |
| Rapid City to New York | $1,229 |
| Rapid City to Miami | $1,299 |
| Sioux Falls to Miami | $1,299 |
| Sioux Falls to Los Angeles | $1,349 |
| Sioux Falls to San Francisco | $1,539 |
Enclosed Car Shipping Costs In South Dakota
Enclosed auto transport services utilize an enclosed carrier that provides the ultimate level of protection from road hazards during transport. While it makes South Dakota car shipping much pricier than open car shipping services, owners of classic or luxury cars should consider it.
The average cost to ship a car to and from South Dakota using enclosed auto transport is $1,642, which is 40 percent more than the average cost of open car shipping in South Dakota. The table below has average costs of popular South Dakota car shipping routes using enclosed transport.
| Auto Shipping Route | Total Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Sioux Falls to Chicago | $779 |
| Brookings to Miami | $1,294 |
| Rapid City to Chicago | $1,359 |
| Rapid City to San Francisco | $1,499 |
| Aberdeen to Boston | $1,539 |
| Brookings to New York | $1,539 |
| Sioux Falls to New York | $1,579 |
| Rapid City to Los Angeles | $1,649 |
| Aberdeen to Los Angeles | $1,679 |
| Rapid City to New York | $1,719 |
| Rapid City to Miami | $1,819 |
| Sioux Falls to Miami | $1,819 |
| Sioux Falls to Los Angeles | $1,889 |
| Sioux Falls to San Francisco | $2,159 |
What Affects Car Shipping Costs In South Dakota?
Your exact car shipping costs for South Dakota will likely depend on various factors. When shipping a car, factors like the type of transportation, where it will be delivered, the cost of fuel, the distance it will be shipped, the type of vehicle, and the condition of the car will all affect how much you need to pay.
How To Ship A Car To And From South Dakota
Are you trying to send a car in South Dakota but don’t know where to begin? Moving your vehicle might seem hard at first, but we will explain the process below to make it easy and stress-free.
Choose Your Shipping Method
First, you have to choose how you want to transport your vehicle. As previously mentioned, enclosed and open carrier car shipping are the most common types used across the industry. Both have their pros and cons, so comparing open vs. enclosed car shipping will help you determine which best fits your needs.
Compare South Dakota Car Shipping Quotes
After choosing how you will transport your vehicle, you should now compare the quotes for auto transport in South Dakota. It’s easy to get car shipping quotes online, and we recommend providing vehicle details to various car shipping companies to find the best price.
Remember that while certain companies promise to honor the price they quoted you for shipping your car to South Dakota, others may raise the cost due to changes in the market. If having a fixed price for your South Dakota car shipping service is important to you, pick a provider that provides this guarantee.
Select A Transport Provider
Once you’ve looked at different quotes for transporting your car, you’ll probably start to narrow down your options for car shipping services in South Dakota. This is when you need to decide if you feel more comfortable working with a car shipping broker or using an online shipping marketplace. Brokers will find a car carrier for you, while shipping marketplaces require you to directly handle carriers.
Make sure to do some research online by looking at reviews from other people and participating in discussions. It’s really helpful to hear firsthand experiences from customers when picking a shipping provider for transporting cars to South Dakota.
Prepare Your Car And Meet The Carrier
After you’ve arranged for a vehicle transport service, you should prepare your car for shipping. Remove any personal belongings from your vehicle because some transporters in South Dakota factor in the weight of the vehicle when determining costs. It’s also wise to leave your gas tank no more than a quarter full.
It’s now time to meet your carrier at a predetermined time and location. Whether you opted for door-to-door or terminal-to-terminal shipping, you’ll inspect your vehicle for prior damages such as dents, scratches, and dings. Make sure to take pictures of your car before it gets loaded onto the trailer so that you have the right documentation. All you need to do now is sign the bill of lading, which is a receipt that follows your vehicle as it travels to or from South Dakota.
Pick Your Car Up
If the carrier you choose to transport your vehicle has GPS tracking, you can watch your car travel to or from South Dakota in real time. If not, the carrier will send you a message about when they will pick up the vehicle.
When you arrive at the assigned spot and time to meet your carrier, make sure to check your vehicle for any damage. This is especially crucial if you choose open auto transport. If you find any damages, report them on the bill of lading and take photos for potential claims. However, if everything looks good, you’ll just sign the bill of lading one last time and drive the car away.
What To Expect With South Dakota Car Shipping
If you’re shipping a car to or from South Dakota, certain things that are specific to the state might affect how long the shipping process takes. These include the size of the city, the number of people living there, the traffic patterns, and the bad weather conditions. It’s a good idea to know about these things in advance so that you won’t be surprised during the shipping process.
Population density can also have an impact on the availability of door-to-door transport. South Dakota is less densely populated than other states in the U.S., which may make door-to-delivery less of a hassle. However, availability may differ in major cities such as Aberdeen and Brookings .
In addition, many cities in South Dakota have less-than-average rainfall and less chances of extreme weather. Bad weather like storms or flooding might make it more likely for shipments in South Dakota to be delayed. To avoid any issues, it’s a good idea to make plans and be flexible with delivery times when shipping vehicles.
South Dakota Car Shipping: FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions customers have about South Dakota car shipping.
Why would a person want to ship their car?
If you’re moving more than a few hundred miles away, a long-distance road trip might not be worth it. Cross-country car shipping can provide peace of mind while offering protection from risks associated with long drives, such as mechanical breakdowns and car accidents. Getting your car to South Dakota from far away states is much easier with auto transport.
What are the benefits of car shipping?
Car shipping is a safe way to get your car to and from South Dakota without wasting the time and expenses associated with a long road trip. Choosing to ship your car rather than drive it will also protect your car from the wear and tear that comes along with extended driving periods.
How do I ship a car to South Dakota?
You’ll start the shipping process by researching various car shipping companies and getting free quotes online. Next, you’ll choose a provider, book your shipment, and prepare the car for transport. Once your car has made it to or from South Dakota, you’ll meet the car carrier for pickup.
How We Rate South Dakota Auto Shippers
Our review process aims to deliver consistent and unbiased assessments of car shipping companies. While there are multiple qualities that make an auto transport provider successful, our review team focuses on those we believe are the most important for consumers:
- Cost: Cost can be difficult to compare between providers because so many factors impact auto shipping rates. To determine our cost score, we perform a secret shopper analysis for a variety of vehicles and routes.
- Services: Our team of experts looks at the types of services available, as well as insurance coverage and the ability to guarantee pickup and dropoff dates. Ratings also take into account whether the transport company is a broker or a carrier.
- Reputation: It’s important that a car shipping provider is able to deliver your vehicle in a safe and timely manner. Companies with a strong rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) score well in this category. Established providers with a long history of reliable service also receive positive marks.
- Customer Experience: We comb through consumer reviews on sites like the BBB to learn about customer experiences. Car transport companies with a low volume of complaints score well in this area.
*Data accurate at time of publication.
*Read more about our methodology.
