About 97 out of 100 Florida cars ship on open trucks — and for good reason. But Florida's climate and its big luxury market mean enclosed transport earns its keep more often here than almost anywhere else. Here's a clear, simple way to decide which one is right for your car.
Quick rule: Pick open transport for everyday cars — it's safe and 40% to 60% cheaper. Pick enclosed for classics, exotics, luxury, or low cars, where protection from road dirt, salt air, and sun is worth the extra cost.
Open transport is a truck that carries cars out in the open air — the kind you pass on the highway all the time, often two levels high. Enclosed transport is a trailer with solid walls and a roof, so the cars inside are fully covered and out of sight.
Both get your car to Florida safely. The difference is cost and the level of protection. Let's break down when each one makes sense.
Enclosed runs 40% to 60% more than open. Here's how that looks across common car types in 2026:
| Car | Open | Enclosed | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sedan | $700–$1,300 | $1,200–$2,000 | about +55% |
| SUV / Pickup | $850–$1,500 | $1,400–$2,300 | about +50% |
| Luxury / Classic | Not advised | $1,500–$2,800 | — |
Ranges are 2026 estimates and change with distance and season. Get your exact number from the calculator.
For the vast majority of cars — daily drivers, family SUVs, snowbird sedans — open is the smart choice. It's the cheapest option, and there are far more open trucks on the road, so it's the easiest to book and usually the fastest to get moving.
The worry people have is "won't my car be exposed?" Yes — and that's fine. Your car already sits outside in your driveway and drives through rain and sun every day. A few days on an open truck is no different. Real damage is rare, and the carrier carries insurance either way. Choosing enclosed for a normal car is mostly paying for peace of mind you don't really need.
Three situations point toward enclosed, and Florida makes all three more common:
If your car fits one of these, the extra cost buys real protection. For the collector-specific details, see classic and exotic car shipping and enclosed car transport to Florida.
Beyond the walls and roof, enclosed service usually comes with a few extras worth knowing about:
For a few days of transit, no — your daily driver will be fine on an open truck no matter the weather. The climate point is about the long term. If a car is going to live near the Florida coast for years, the sun and salt air will slowly age the finish. Owners of valuable cars often protect them from day one, and choosing enclosed transport is part of that habit. For a regular car you drive every day, it's simply not a concern.
Here's the simplest test. Ask yourself how you'd describe your car:
That covers almost everyone. A Honda, Toyota, or family SUV goes open. A restored classic, a Porsche, or a car worth more than most people's first house goes enclosed.
Whichever you pick, the same smart habits apply. Book a week or two ahead, especially for enclosed, since those trucks are fewer. Give a flexible pickup window for a better price. Check the car's condition with the driver at pickup and delivery, and keep your copy of the form. And always confirm the company is real and licensed with our FMCSA lookup before you pay anything.
This is the real worry behind the question, so let's address it head-on. Damage on open transport is uncommon. The vast majority of cars arrive in the same shape they left. When something does happen, it's usually minor — a bit of road grime that washes off, not a dent or a chip.
That's why open transport is the standard for everyday cars and why carriers are comfortable moving millions of them this way. Your car spends its whole life outdoors already. A few days on a truck doesn't change its risk in any meaningful way. The reason to choose enclosed isn't that open is dangerous — it's that some cars are valuable enough that even a tiny, unlikely risk isn't worth taking.
If you want a little extra peace of mind on an open truck without paying for enclosed, ask about a top-load spot. Cars on the upper deck of an open trailer are above the others, so they're not under any car that might drip, and they're a bit higher above road spray. It's a small upgrade, sometimes for a modest fee, and it's a nice middle ground for a newer car that doesn't quite need full enclosed service.
You can also ask how full the trailer will be and where your car sits. A good company will talk you through the options. None of this is necessary for a typical car, but it's there if you want it.
One more way to decide: think about the car's value, not just the shipping price. Spending an extra $600 on enclosed to protect a $90,000 exotic is easy math — it's well under 1% of the car's value for real protection. Spending that same $600 to protect a $15,000 commuter is harder to justify, because the car simply isn't at the kind of risk that warrants it. Line the cost of enclosed up against what your car is worth, and the right answer usually becomes obvious.
A few car types deserve a second thought beyond the simple open-or-enclosed rule:
For an ordinary sedan or SUV, none of this applies — open transport is straightforward. These notes are just for the cars that sit outside the norm.
If you remember nothing else, remember this. Open transport: everyday cars, maximum savings, the standard choice for 97% of shipments. Enclosed transport: classics, exotics, luxury, low-clearance, and high-value cars, where protection from sun, salt, and road debris is worth a 40% to 60% premium. Match the service to the car's value and you'll never overpay or under-protect. When you're ready, get a real quote for both options from the calculator and compare them side by side for your exact route.
Don't overthink it. Most cars belong on an open truck — it's safe, it's cheaper, and it's the standard for a reason. Save enclosed for the cars that truly need it: the classics, the exotics, and the high-value vehicles where protection is worth paying for. Either way, get a real quote first so you know exactly what each option costs for your route. For the national framework behind this choice, see our open vs enclosed car transport guide.
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Enclosed costs 40% to 60% more than open. On a mid-length route that's often a $500 to $900 difference — for example, about $1,000 open versus $1,600 enclosed for a sedan.
Only for high-value cars. Florida's sun and salty coastal air are hard on paint over years, but a few days of open transit poses no real risk to a normal daily driver. For a collector or exotic you'll keep down south, enclosed is the safer choice.
Yes. Open transport is how about 97 out of 100 cars ship. Your car rides outside, the same as it does on the highway every day. Damage is rare, and carriers carry insurance either way.
Open is usually a little faster to book because there are far more open trucks on the road. Enclosed trucks are fewer, so they can take longer to schedule — book earlier if you choose enclosed.
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