If you’ve never shipped a vehicle before you’re probably finding out there are a lot of decisions you need to make before you hand over your keys. One of the biggest is choosing between an Open or Enclosed Transporter. Before you can make your decision it helps to understand the basic fundamentals behind each option, and what they mean to you. In this post we explore both types of auto transporters and explain what makes each of them unique.

Let’s first discuss Open Carriers. This is by far the most popular option and a great fit for most people who are shipping a vehicle. These are the transporters you’ve most likely seen going up and down the highways with cars stacked in various ways inside them. Vehicles shipped on an Open Car Transporter are open to the elements around them and face about the same type of exposure one could expect if they were to drive the vehicle themselves. This is one of the reasons shipping a vehicle on an Open Auto Transporter is more economical than an Enclosed Carrier, with another reason being its larger capacity. Open transporters can typically haul up to ten cars at a time while Enclosed Carriers are usually limited to about six. Any combination of Trucks, Vans and SUVs reduce the total number of vehicles they can carry, which is why for instance a Ford Expedition costs more to ship than a Honda Accord. In this example, the Ford is bigger and heavier than the Honda, and since it takes up more room and increases the overall weight of the Car Transporter, they have to charge more for the trip.

Enclosed Carriers offer superior protection to your vehicle, but it comes at a premium. You can expect to receive your vehicle in exactly the same condition it was in when you released it to the transporter, while vehicles shipped on an Open Car Carrier will most likely arrive with a layer of dirt on them. This is just one of the advantages of shipping in an enclosed carrier. Other advantages include extremely low ground clearance accommodation. Open carriers have ramps and steep angles vehicles have to be able to navigate. Enclosed carriers utilize a flat ramp that elevates between two levels, allowing your vehicle to be driven straight on and off. Enclosed carriers also carry higher levels of insurance to make sure they offer adequate coverage should an accident occur while shipping a load of luxury automobiles.

Hopefully this answers most of the questions you have about the differences between these two Auto Shipping options. As previously stated, open carriers are a great fit 90% of the time. If you have a classic or high-end luxury automobile and you need to make absolutely sure it doesn’t get even so much as a scratch on it, opt for the Enclosed Option, but get ready to break out your checkbook!