Nexus Auto Transport Review: Costs and Services (2024) (2024)

Nexus Auto Transport is a key player in the auto shipping industry, but is it the right fit for your shipping needs? In this article, we at the MarketWatch Guides team will take a close look at Nexus Auto Transport’s shipping services, costs and customer reviews. We’ll also provide our recommendations for other car shipping companies to help you make an informed decision.

Nexus Auto Transport Review

We’ve given Nexus Auto Transport a rating of 9 out of 10 overall based on its reputation, cost, services and customer experience. Below are the pros and cons of Nexus Auto Transport:

Nexus serves all 50 U.S. states, which includes car shipping to Hawaii and Alaska. Its strength lies in the various shipping options available to customers, but its reputation, costs and customer service ratings can hold their own against most other reputable providers.

See a breakdown of this provider’s scores by category in the table below.

Nexus Auto Transport Reviews

Overall, Nexus Auto Transport has largely positive reviews from customers. Nexus boasts a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars through Trustpilot, with 90% of reviews being either 4 or 5 stars. On Google, Nexus holds a rating of 4.4 out of 5 from over 4,000 reviews, further displaying the company’s positive industry reputation.

Nexus Auto Transport Complaints

Negative reviews left for Nexus Auto Transport mention price hikes and changes in pickup and drop-off dates. However, the provider hasn’t responded to any negative reviews left on its Trustpilot profile.

Is Nexus Auto Transport Legit?

Nexus Auto Transport is a legitimate business that has been in the auto transport industry since 2015. Headquartered in Chicago, Nexus has established a network of over 59,000 carriers to ship cars nationwide.

Nexus Car Shipping

Nexus offers a variety of car shipping services in all 50 U.S. states, including:

• Open trailer transport: This is the cheapest way to ship your car. It involves the use of an open-air trailer that can fit multiple vehicles at once for shipping.
• Enclosed carrier transport: This is ideal for classic cars, luxury vehicles and the like due to the extra layer of protection.
• Door-to-door shipments: The most convenient way to ship your car, door-to-door transport allows you to pick and choose where your vehicle will be picked up and dropped off as long as the trucker can easily access the locations.
• Expedited shipping: If you need your vehicle shipped quickly to a destination, expedited shipping will take care of it — but at a higher cost.

Nexus Shipping Services

In addition to standard auto transport services, Nexus also offers specialty shipping. If you need something other than your standard car, SUV or truck shipped, Nexus offers transport services for:

• Classic cars
• Motorcycles
• Boats
• RVs and mobile homes
• Military vehicles
• Golf carts

If transporting your vehicle is part of a move, Nexus can even help you transport your belongings. It works with moving companies and pod storage providers across the nation to make your move easier. It even offers a long-distance-moving cost calculator on its website to help you plan.

Nexus Auto Transport Cost

Nexus Auto Transport’s costs are mostly on par with what other reputable providers quoted us during our mystery shopping process. See the sections below for cost estimates we’ve gathered from Nexus and how they compare to the average cost of car transport services.

Nexus Auto Transport Quotes

See the table below for car shipping costs our team was quoted for door-to-door shipping services for an operable 2019 Honda Civic. Note that your personal quotes from Nexus Auto Transport will likely differ depending on your transport type, shipping distance and other factors.

Nexus Auto Transport Cost per Mile

Most auto transport providers lower the cost per mile the farther you ship your vehicle. However, your overall costs will still be higher than a short-distance shipment. See the table below for a breakdown of costs per mile with quotes we gathered from Nexus Auto Transport.

Average Cost of Car Shipping

Our extensive research has involved getting quotes from nearly two dozen auto transport companies to better understand the prices consumers are paying. See the table below for average per-mile costs to ship a car based on transport type and distance.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Car Shipping

There are several cost factors that affect how much you’ll pay to ship your vehicle, such as:

• Shipping distance: The farther you ship your vehicle, the less you’ll pay per mile for transport. However, overall costs will still be higher versus shipping a short distance.
• Type of transport: Open auto transport is cheapest, but leaves your car susceptible to potential road hazards. Enclosed shipping provides better protection but at a higher price.
• Time of year: If you plan to ship your car during the peak months of summer or January, expect to pay more due to the demand for transport services.
• Vehicle condition: Inoperable vehicles must be forklifted or winched onto the transport truck. In this case, you’d end up paying an additional fee.
• Vehicle size: Larger vehicles like trucks or SUVs weigh more and take up more space on transport trailers, so they cost more to ship.
• Fuel prices: If fuel prices are high, this can increase your total transport costs.
• Pickup and delivery locations: Shipping right to your door will cost more than shipping to a terminal, because terminals are easier for carriers to get to.

How To Save Money When Shipping a Car

There are several things you can do to help save money when shipping a car. Below are some examples of how to cut costs when planning your vehicle transport.

Nexus Auto Transport Discount Code

Nexus Auto Transport provides several types of discount codes that customers can take advantage of. You’ll be given a discounted price if you ship multiple vehicles at once or pay your trucker fully in cash. Nexus also offers discounts for active military members.

How To Ship a Car With Nexus Auto Transport

Whether planning ahead or scheduling a last-minute shipment, the car shipping process with Nexus Auto Transport is like shipping with any other respected provider. Here are the basic steps:

1. Get an instant quote and book your pickup date online through the website. A representative should reach out to you to finalize the details.
2. Clean your car’s interior and remove all personal items. Leave a quarter tank of gas in the car and wash its exterior so you can see any pre-existing marks.
3. When the pickup day comes, your hauler will inspect your vehicle and record its condition on the bill of lading, which you both will sign.
4. Before the carrier leaves with the car, take photos and get a copy of the bill of lading in case you need to file a later claim.
5. Stay updated on your car’s shipment by using Nexus Auto Transport’s GPS-tracking services. You can also stay in touch with the hauler.
6. When the delivery day comes, pay your carrier by cash or cashier’s check. The carrier will inspect your vehicle again, and if all looks good, you’ll sign the bill of lading.

While Nexus does allow you to ship up to 100 pounds of personal belongings in your car, it explicitly states that the company isn’t responsible for items stolen or damaged during transit.

How To Get a Quote From Nexus Auto Transport

Nexus provides a convenient car shipping cost calculator on its website to help you figure out shipping costs based on your vehicle’s needs. This calculator requires you to input your starting and final destination, what type of vehicle you drive and your desired pickup window. You’ll also need to provide your email and phone number to receive your quote.

Nexus Auto Transport Claims Process

If you notice any damages to your car upon arrival, ensure you note this on the bill of lading and document it with additional photos. You’ll need to contact your transporter with as much documentation as possible to support your claim. Nexus states that in most cases, the transporter will ask for an estimate and then send you a payment after reviewing your documents.

Nexus Shipping: The Bottom Line

Nexus Shipping, more formally known as Nexus Auto Transport, is a solid pick if you’re looking for good customer service or specialty vehicle shipping services. However, we always recommend gathering car shipping quotes online or by phone to compare before choosing a provider. This way, you’ll find the exact services you need at a price that suits you best.

Our Car Shipping Recommendations

Not all auto transport service providers are the same, as some offer different shipping services and perks than others. After getting a quote from Nexus Auto Transport, we suggest getting quotes from Montway Auto Transport and SGT Auto Transport — two of the top-ranking providers in our industry-wide review.

Montway Auto Transport: Best Customer Experience

Montway Auto Transport is our research team’s top pick because it’s shipped over 1 million vehicles to all 50 U.S. states, and works with over 15,000 vetted carriers to ensure your vehicle makes it safely to its destination. The company even offers international shipping if you’re looking to move overseas. These are some reasons we gave it our Best Customer Experience superlative.

We also appreciate Montway’s contingent car insurance offerings. It provides up to $250,000 of extra protection on top of your hauler’s policy, which can provide you with peace of mind in the event your hauler can’t cover a claim.

Read more: Montway Auto Transport Review

SGT Auto Transport: Price-Matching Guarantee

Founded in 2013, SGT Auto Transport provides shipping services to all U.S. states except Alaska. It works with over 25,000 vetted and reliable carriers to provide open, enclosed, door-to-door and express shipping services. It even offers motorcycle shipping and international shipping services.

We appreciate how SGT offers its customers a price-match guarantee. This means that if you find a lower quote from one of this provider’s direct competitors, SGT Auto Transport will match the price.

Read more: SGT Auto Transport Review

Nexus Auto Transport: FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about Nexus Auto Transport:

Our Methodology

Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best car shipping companies. We collected data on dozens of auto transport providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the companies that scored the most points topping the list.

Here are the factors our ratings take into account:

• Reputation (22% of total score): Our research team considered availability, ratings from industry experts and years in business when giving this score.
• Cost (33% of total score): Auto shipping companies with affordable rates, locked-in pricing and discount opportunities scored highest in this category.
• Shipping methods (10% of total score): Companies that offer a variety of choices for car transport and added benefits are more likely to meet consumer needs.
• Logistics (10% of total score): A smooth shipment is all about the details, which is why we look at how long it takes providers to pick up and ship vehicles, whether they include additional insurance coverage and more.
• Customer experience (25% of total score): This score is based on customer satisfaction ratings and the availability of extras like GPS tracking. We also considered the responsiveness, friendliness and helpfulness of each transporter’s customer service team based on our own shopper analysis.

Our credentials:

• 200+ hours researched
• 20 companies reviewed
• 2,000+ consumers surveyed

*Data accurate at time of publication.