Best Car Shipping Companies In Minnesota
While the best Minnesota car shipping company is Montway Auto Transport, we’d also recommend Sherpa Auto Transport, SGT Auto Transport, and American Auto Shipping.
From our #1 rated provider, 
If you need to move to or from Minnesota, whether it’s just temporary or a permanent move, the process of shipping your car should be straightforward. In this article, we’ll provide a look at the five best auto transport companies in Minnesota that offer peace of mind and competitive costs. We will also explain in simple terms the costs for shipping your car either in an open or enclosed transport service, and provide guidance on how to make the car shipping process easier.
The Gist:
- Our team found that Montway Auto Transport is the best Minnesota 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 Minnesota is $946 for open car shipping services and $1,325 for enclosed auto transport.
- Your car shipping cost in Minnesota depends on factors like a city’s size, nearby traffic patterns, and weather conditions.
5 Best Car Shipping Companies In Minnesota
We have devoted more than 300 hours to researching the field of auto transportation. This research has allowed us to deliver an unbiased evaluation of the top car shipping companies in the industry. If you’re moving a car to or from Bloomington, Duluth, Minneapolis, or beyond, check out our list of the best Minnesota 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 they offer dependable service and affordable rates. While Montway may not have the lowest prices, their excellent customer service and variety of options make them stand out from their competitors.
Montway Auto Transport is a really big and well-liked company that transports cars in the whole country, including international shipping. They have lots of carriers that help them give customers prices that are lower than the usual.
Read more: Montway Auto Transport review
2. Sherpa Auto Transport: Best For Locked-In Rates
According to our research team’s special rating scale, Sherpa Auto Transport gets a score of 4.6 out of 5.0 stars. This is because they have guaranteed rates, high customer satisfaction, and a wide range of services. Moreover, Sherpa also gives customers a $20 reimbursement for a car wash as part of their Clean Car Guarantee.
Sherpa Auto Transport makes shipping your vehicle simple and guarantees transparent pricing with their Price Lock Promise. This means that the initial quote you receive will be the exact amount you pay for the service. In fact, they are so committed to keeping prices consistent that they will even cover up to $300 of any additional costs that may arise.
Read more: Sherpa Auto Transport review
3. SGT Auto Transport: Best Price-Match Guarantee
We give SGT Auto Transport a rating of 4.6 out of 5.0 stars because it provides various shipping choices at affordable prices. The company received a high score for its services because it offers transportation options like open, enclosed, and door-to-door auto shipping. They also provide fast delivery and assurance of picking up your vehicle on a specific date.
You don’t have to pay until the carrier comes to get your vehicle with SGT Auto Transport. And if you find a cheaper price from another company, SGT Auto Transport will give you the same price. Our team discovered that most customers have good things to say about this provider.
Read more: SGT Auto Transport review
4. American Auto Shipping: Best Service Availability
American Auto Shipping provides various auto transport services to ensure that your vehicle reaches its intended location. With a strong 5.0 rating for their services, they offer door-to-door shipping, both open and enclosed auto transport, shipping to Hawaii, motorcycle shipping, military vehicle shipping, heavy equipment transport, and many other options.
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 AmeriFreight’s discounts and pricing tiers. There are different ways to get a discount, including discounts for returning customers, shipping multiple vehicles, being a first responder or medical personnel, being a senior, a student, and others.
AmeriFreight is one of the top five companies for shipping cars. They offer discounts, price-matching, and good customer service. They work with over 10,000 car carriers and make sure that each carrier is licensed and insured through a background check.
Read more: AmeriFreight review
Other Minnesota Car Shipping Companies
Although we mentioned five well-known national providers earlier, there are also excellent regional choices for car shipping in Minnesota. Please take a look below at another provider that you may want to consider.
Auto Shipping Group
Auto Shipping Group is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN. Learn more about this provider on the Auto Shipping Group website.
Minnesota Car Shipping Costs
The price of transporting cars in Minnesota can be different based on a few things. Some of these things depend on what you need, like the type of transport you pick. Most people use either open or enclosed trailers to transport their vehicles. We will give you the average costs for both types of transport in and out of Minnesota below.
Open Car Shipping Costs In Minnesota
Open car shipping means using a trailer without walls or a roof to transport multiple vehicles at the same time. This method is cheaper but also riskier compared to enclosed transport services.
The average cost to ship a car to and from Minnesota using open car shipping is $946, which is 6 percent cheaper than the national average of $1,010. We gathered cost estimates for open car transport along popular Minnesota car shipping routes, which you’ll find below:
| Auto Shipping Route | Total Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Saint Paul to Los Angeles | $109 |
| Minneapolis to Chicago | $659 |
| Duluth to Dallas | $699 |
| Bloomington to Boston | $799 |
| Saint Paul to Boston | $799 |
| Minneapolis to New York | $869 |
| Minneapolis to Miami | $969 |
| Duluth to Miami | $1,099 |
| Bloomington to Los Angeles | $1,099 |
| Minneapolis to San Francisco | $1,199 |
| Minneapolis to Los Angeles | $1,229 |
Enclosed Car Shipping Costs In Minnesota
Enclosed auto transport services utilize an enclosed carrier that provides the ultimate level of protection from road hazards during transport. While it makes Minnesota 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 Minnesota using enclosed car shipping is $1,325, which is 40 percent more than the average cost of open car shipping in Minnesota. The table below has average costs of popular Minnesota car shipping routes using enclosed transport.
| Auto Shipping Route | Total Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Saint Paul to Los Angeles | $153 |
| Minneapolis to Chicago | $919 |
| Duluth to Dallas | $979 |
| Bloomington to Boston | $1,119 |
| Saint Paul to Boston | $1,119 |
| Minneapolis to New York | $1,219 |
| Minneapolis to Miami | $1,359 |
| Duluth to Miami | $1,539 |
| Bloomington to Los Angeles | $1,539 |
| Minneapolis to San Francisco | $1,679 |
| Minneapolis to Los Angeles | $1,719 |
What Affects Car Shipping Costs In Minnesota?
Your exact car shipping costs for Minnesota will likely depend on various factors. When shipping a car, factors like the type of transport, delivery location, fuel prices, shipping distance, vehicle type, and car condition can all impact the cost.
How To Ship A Car To And From Minnesota
Are you trying to send a car in Minnesota but don’t know where to begin? Don’t worry, we’ve made it easy for you by explaining the process of shipping a car below. It’s simple and won’t cause you any trouble.
Choose Your Shipping Method
First, you must 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 enclosed vs. open auto transport will help you determine which best fits your needs.
Compare Minnesota Car Shipping Quotes
After you’ve chosen a way to transport your vehicle, you should start comparing quotes for auto transport in Minnesota. It’s easy to get online quotes for car shipping, and we recommend providing vehicle details to various car shipping companies to find the best price.
Remember that not all companies that transport cars to Minnesota will keep the price they initially quote you. Some may raise the rate due to changes in the market. If it’s important to you to have a fixed price for shipping your car to Minnesota, make sure to choose a company that offers this guarantee.
Select A Transport Provider
After looking at different quotes for transporting your car, you will probably have fewer options to choose from for sending your car to Minnesota. Now you need to decide if you prefer to use a broker to find a car carrier for you, or if you want to handle directly with carriers by using an online shipping marketplace.
Make sure to do some research by reading online reviews and joining discussions on platforms. It’s really helpful to hear about other people’s personal experiences with shipping providers when you’re trying to decide which one to use for transporting your car to Minnesota.
Prepare Your Car And Meet The Carrier
After reserving a service to transport your car, you need to prepare your vehicle for shipment. Remove all personal belongings from your car, as some transporters in Minnesota take into account the weight of the vehicle when determining the 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 put on the trailer so you have proof of how it looked. 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 Minnesota.
Pick Your Car Up
If the vehicle transport service you choose has GPS tracking, you can watch your car’s journey to or from Minnesota as it happens. If not, you will still get a message from the carrier about when they will pick up your vehicle.
When you meet the person transporting your vehicle at the agreed pickup spot and time, make sure to check your car for any damage. This is especially crucial if you choose to use an open auto transport method. 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 Minnesota Car Shipping
If you want to ship a car to or from Minnesota, there are certain things about the state that could affect your car shipping experience. The size of the city, the number of people living there, how the traffic flows, and the bad weather may all impact how long it takes to ship your car in Minnesota. So, it’s a good idea to be aware of these factors beforehand, so you’re not surprised while shipping your car.
Population density can also have an impact on the availability of door-to-door transport. Minnesota 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 Bloomington and Duluth.
In addition, many cities in Minnesota have less-than-average rainfall and less chances of extreme weather. Bad weather like storms or flooding could make it more likely for shipping to take longer in Minnesota. So, it’s a good idea to prepare ahead and be open to changing the expected delivery time.
Minnesota Car Shipping: FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions customers have about Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota?
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 Minnesota, you’ll meet the car carrier for pickup.
How We Rate Minnesota 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.
