eShip Auto Transport
Founded in 2012, eShip is a car shipping broker with an extensive network of approved carriers. Though the company doesn’t own transport vehicles, it facilitates the shipment of thousands of cars, motorcycles, RVs and other vehicles daily.
Our rating: 4.5
Best for: No upfront charges
USDOT#: 2248101
eShip Auto Transport at a glance
eShip Auto Transport arranges vehicle shipping and moving services throughout the United States, including offering expedited services. Here’s a quick overview of its pros and cons.
Fast facts
- This family-owned shipping broker has 13 years of experience in the vehicle shipping industry.
- eShip Auto has an F rating from the Better Business Bureau.*
- eShip Auto Transport Specialists can help you ship nearly every type of vehicle, including cars, RVs, motorcycles and recreational vehicles within the United States and Canada.
What we like
eShip doesn’t ask for an up-front deposit, so you will only owe money once eShip assigns a driver to your shipment. This broker offers its quality Platinum Protection Plan, which includes a vehicle damage-free guarantee. If a carrier’s insurance doesn’t cover vehicle damage, eShip will cover all repair costs.
What we don’t like
Our team had a poor experience with eShip’s customer service. We couldn’t reach the company over the phone, and no representative followed up after the automated text message we received for a callback.
eShip Auto Transport pros and cons
eShip Auto Transport offers various shipping services and can ship nationwide, including to Alaska, Hawaii and Canada. We found this broker’s pricing competitive as it falls within average car shipping rates of $600 to $1,600, which is excellent when combined with the provider’s rental reimbursement.
On the negative side, eShip’s customer reputation is poor, with Yelp reviewers consistently calling them out for being a “scam” and “bogus.” Plus, the Better Business Bureau has a current alert regarding the misuse of the BBB name and logo, as the company claimed to be A+ rated and BBB accredited when it wasn’t.
* BBB ratings are accurate as of July 2024.
Pros
- Free storage for cars, RVs, boats and motorcycles at local locations
- Price lock guarantee
- Generous rental reimbursement of $300 if your vehicle is delayed more than 48 hours
Cons
- Limited international shipping
- No guaranteed delivery dates
How much does eShip Auto Transport cost?
Prices are set based on the time of year, vehicle condition, type of transit, distance, vehicle make, model and shipping date. If you need your car transported during the weeks around a holiday, expect to pay more. Holidays are a popular time for vehicle shipping.
pro tip
- Distance is a significant consideration for vehicle shipment cost, but the farther the shipment, the cheaper the per-mile cost. While it seems counterintuitive, longer distances often yield better deals per mile.
Our team attempted to contact customer service to get sample quotes, but we could not reach them despite multiple attempts. eShip does list sample quotes on its website, but we cannot fully guarantee their accuracy. This table shows that a long-distance journey of 1,700 miles with eShip is estimated to cost less than a shorter distance of 1,400 miles.
|
Price per mile
|
Estimated cost
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Short distance (up to 500 miles) |
$1.75 – $2 per mile |
$700 – $800 (400-mile distance) |
| Medium distance (up to 1,500 miles) |
$0.75 – $1.25 per mile |
$1,050 – $1,750 (1,400-mile distance) |
| Long distance (over 1,500 miles) |
$0.50 – $0.65 per mile |
$850 – $1,105 (1,700-mile distance) |
What services does eShip Auto Transport offer?
eShip arranges nearly every type of vehicle transit, including terminal-to-terminal and door-to-door delivery services — convenient options for many of us during a big move.
The average transit time for any vehicle going coast to coast is seven to 10 days, and transit from the coast to the Midwest takes about three to seven days. However, you can choose expedited shipping through eShip, which may be worth the extra cost if you need your vehicle urgently.
eShip services
| Standard car |
✓ |
|---|---|
| Antique/classic/luxury car |
✓ |
| Boat |
✓ |
| Motorcycle |
✓ |
| Recreational vehicle (RV) |
✓ |
| Truck |
✓ |
| Van |
✓ |
| Door to door |
✓ |
| Terminal to terminal |
✓ |
eShip Auto Transport Add-ons and optional features
eShip Auto Transport offers a few add-ons that affect your overall cost but give you more control over your shipment.
One example is open shipping versus enclosed shipping. eShip estimates that you save an average of 35% with open shipping compared to enclosed auto transport. If you have a luxury, vintage or exotic car, eShip will arrange for a shipment in enclosed trailers for the vehicle’s safety. Consider this difference when budgeting.
|
Estimated cost
|
|
|---|---|
| Enclosed shipping |
35% more than open shipping |
| Expedited shipping |
Call for estimate |
| Oversized vehicles |
Call for estimate |
What does eShip Auto Transport not cover?
eShip doesn’t offer several services. It doesn’t provide international shipping services outside Canada, Puerto Rico or the Bahamas.
In addition, remove all your personal items and deep clean the exterior and interior of your car before shipping. Those actions will reduce the weight of your vehicle (which can save you money from oversized fees) and prevent damage to personal belongings that cargo insurance doesn’t cover.
eShip Auto Transport customer experience
eShip offers several customer support options, including phone service, an FAQ page and a blog. Unlike providers like Easy Auto Ship, it doesn’t have human live chat, a service that can save you time when you need a quick question answered.
Our team found eShip’s website easy to navigate, but we were disappointed by customer service. When we called, we couldn’t connect with someone and reached a “leave a message” prompt the four times we called over several business days. We received automated text messages asking us to text our information or questions. However, we never received an answer when we did.
Customers’ reviews of eShip show mixed feelings. We’ve selected two reviews to give you a fair look at eShip’s service.
The fine print: What you need to know
eShip is a shipping broker with an extensive network of carriers that offer various shipping services to support most vehicles, such as terminal-to-terminal delivery and vehicle storage. The company’s competitive pricing and fast services are robust options for nationwide shipping.
You can select more insurance coverage through your specific carrier to gain some extra peace of mind, which may be especially important if you have an expensive car that is costly to repair.
If a carrier damages your car, document the damage at once with photos or video, then notify the carrier as soon as possible. Contact the insurance provider to submit your claim (if you paid for supplemental insurance coverage).
eShip Auto Transport vs. competitors
eShip is a shipping broker with an extensive network of carriers that offer various shipping services to support most vehicles, such as terminal-to-terminal delivery and vehicle storage. The company’s competitive pricing and fast services are strong options if you need nationwide shipping.
Our team finds other competitors, such as Easy Auto Ship and American Auto Shipping, to have better customer service options than eShip. Both providers have a human live chat and phone service that quickly connected us to an agent. Compared to eShip, the customer service experiences with Easy Auto Ship and American Auto Shipping were user-friendly and more professional.
If you need international shipping, consider providers like A-1 Auto Transport or Easy Auto Ship. That’s because eShip doesn’t provide comprehensive international services.
eShip competitor comparison
|
Our score (out of 5)
|
No. states available
|
Shipment types available
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
| eShip |
4.5 |
50 |
Open, enclosed |
| Easy Auto Ship |
5.0 |
50 |
Open, enclosed, freight |
| We Will Transport It |
4.8 |
50 |
Open, enclosed, freight |
| A-1 Auto Transport |
4.5 |
50 |
Open, enclosed, freight |
| Amerifreight |
4.5 |
50 |
Open, enclosed |
| American Auto Shipping |
4.5 |
50 |
Open, enclosed |
| SGT Auto Transport |
4.5 |
49 (excludes AK) |
Open, enclosed |
Methodology
The CNN Underscored editorial staff evaluated each vehicle shipping company based on their service options, pricing, discounts, customer support, insurance, availability, reputation and years of experience in the auto shipping industry. Each company is awarded points based on these factors to make up an impartial star rating so you can find the best vehicle shipping company for your needs. We used 110 primary data sources, reviewed 36 companies and assessed 91 unique features to determine this rating.