If you are already driving a moving truck across the country, towing your car behind it usually costs less than shipping it: roughly $500–$1,125 for a 1,000-mile move with a U-Haul auto transport trailer, against $850–$1,250 to ship a sedan on an open carrier. The gap closes once you count the 55 mph speed cap, the extra fuel and the rules about what can tow what. If you are flying, if your tow vehicle is too light, or if you have never backed up a trailer, shipping is the simpler choice. This guide compares both with U-Haul’s own trailer specifications and our car shipping estimates.
Key findings
- Towing is cheaper in cash on long moves. For a 2,800-mile cross-country move, an auto transport trailer plus extra fuel runs about $700–$1,550; shipping a sedan costs about $1,400–$2,000.
- On short moves the difference almost disappears. At 500 miles, towing on a trailer costs about $450–$1,000 and shipping about $625–$1,000.
- U-Haul caps towing speed at 55 mph. On a 2,800-mile trip that alone adds about 8 hours at the wheel compared with driving at 65.
- Your tow vehicle must outweigh the loaded trailer. An auto transport trailer weighs 2,210 lbs empty, so with a 3,400-lb sedan on it you need a tow vehicle heavier than 5,610 lbs, more than most midsize SUVs and many half-ton pickups weigh.
- All-wheel-drive cars should go on the full trailer, not the dolly. U-Haul’s tow dolly handles most front-wheel-drive cars and many rear-wheel-drive cars only if you disconnect the driveshaft.
Tow dolly or auto transport trailer?
U-Haul rents two ways to tow a car. A tow dolly lifts the front wheels and lets the rear wheels roll on the road. An auto transport trailer carries the whole car on its own deck. Both can be rented one way, behind a U-Haul truck or behind your own vehicle if it qualifies.
| Tow dolly | Auto transport trailer | |
|---|---|---|
| Max weight of the car | 4,080 lbs | 5,290 lbs |
| Empty weight | 740 lbs | 2,210 lbs |
| Max outside tire width of the car | 6′4″ | 6′4″ |
| Max outside body width of the car | 6′6″ | 6′7″ |
| Drive types | Most front-wheel drive; many rear-wheel drive with the driveshaft disconnected | Any, all four wheels ride on the deck |
| Hitch ball | 2″, rated 3,500 lbs or more | 2″, rated 2,000 lbs or more |
| Max recommended speed | 55 mph | 55 mph |
| Brakes | Automatic hydraulic surge brake | Automatic hydraulic surge brake |
| Typical one-way rental | About $200–$500 | About $400–$900 |
For both, U-Haul also requires a hitch ball no higher than 25 inches, mirrors on both sides of the tow vehicle, working lights, a hard top if the tow vehicle is an SUV or certain Jeeps, and a tow vehicle whose curb weight exceeds the weight of the loaded trailer. U-Haul checks your exact combination when you reserve.
The dolly is cheaper and lighter, but the car’s rear wheels and tires still roll the whole distance, and backing up with a dolly is close to impossible. The full trailer costs more, weighs three times as much and protects the car’s drivetrain completely.
What towing really costs
The rental is only the start. Towing several thousand pounds makes the truck burn more fuel, and the 55 mph limit stretches the trip. U-Haul says its box trucks average 8–12 mpg; towing guides put the extra fuel use for a trailer of this weight at roughly 20–35%. At this week’s national average of $4.33 a gallon for regular gasoline, that adds about $110–$235 for every 1,000 miles.
| Move distance | Extra fuel for towing | Extra driving time at 55 vs 65 mph |
|---|---|---|
| 500 miles | $55–$115 | About 1.5 hours |
| 1,000 miles | $110–$235 | About 3 hours |
| 1,500 miles | $165–$350 | About 4 hours |
| 2,800 miles | $305–$655 | About 8 hours |
Towing vs shipping: total cost by distance
The comparison assumes you are already driving a moving truck, so towing only adds the trailer and the extra fuel. Shipping prices are for a running sedan on an open carrier in a normal season.
| One-way distance | Tow dolly, all in | Auto transport trailer, all in | Ship on an open carrier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 miles | $250–$625 | $450–$1,000 | $625–$1,000 |
| 1,000 miles | $300–$725 | $500–$1,125 | $850–$1,250 |
| 1,500 miles | $375–$850 | $575–$1,250 | $1,025–$1,450 |
| 2,800 miles | $500–$1,150 | $700–$1,550 | $1,400–$2,000 |
Three things the table does not show:
- If you were not going to drive a truck anyway, towing makes no sense on cost: you would be paying for the truck, the fuel and the hotel nights just to move one car. Compare driving your own car against shipping it with the ship or drive calculator instead.
- Seasons move shipping prices, not U-Haul’s fuel bill. In summer and on snowbird lanes in the fall, shipping can cost 8–15% more than the table shows. Price your exact route in the car shipping cost calculator.
- Shipping frees the driver. Without a trailer you drive the truck at normal speed, park it anywhere and never reverse a dolly in a motel lot.
Can your vehicle tow it?
This is where most towing plans fail. U-Haul requires the tow vehicle’s curb weight to be greater than the weight of the loaded trailer. With the auto transport trailer, that is the trailer’s 2,210 lbs plus your car.
| Car on the trailer | Approx. weight of the car | Loaded auto transport trailer | Tow vehicle must weigh more than |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compact sedan | 2,900 lbs | 5,110 lbs | 5,110 lbs |
| Midsize sedan | 3,400 lbs | 5,610 lbs | 5,610 lbs |
| Compact SUV | 3,600 lbs | 5,810 lbs | 5,810 lbs |
| Midsize SUV | 4,300 lbs | 6,510 lbs | 6,510 lbs |
In practice, that means a full-size SUV or a heavier pickup, plus a hitch system rated for the load: U-Haul’s rule is that the system is only as strong as its lowest-rated part, whether that is the hitch, the ball mount or the ball. Behind a U-Haul moving truck the weight rule is already taken care of, which is why most people who tow a car do it behind the truck.
When shipping is the better choice
| Your situation | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You are already driving a moving truck and are comfortable towing | Tow it | Usually the cheapest way to bring the car |
| You are flying to the new home | Ship it | Towing needs someone driving a tow vehicle the whole way |
| Your SUV or pickup weighs less than the loaded trailer | Ship it, or tow behind the U-Haul truck | U-Haul won’t rent the combination |
| All-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive car and only a dolly is available | Auto transport trailer or ship it | The dolly leaves two wheels on the road |
| Wide or heavy vehicle: over 6′7″ wide, over 5,290 lbs, dual rear wheels | Ship it | It won’t fit the trailer |
| Two cars | Ship one or both | You can tow only one car behind one vehicle |
| You have never towed or reversed a trailer | Ship it | Mountain grades, crosswinds and parking lots are harder than they look |
| You need the car the day you arrive | Tow it | A shipped car arrives days after pickup |
If you ship: how it works
- Book one to two weeks ahead with a pickup window, not a fixed date. Long moves take about a week in transit after pickup.
- Door to door is standard; terminal drop-off can save a little. Our guide to door-to-door vs terminal shipping has the numbers.
- Don’t use the car as a moving box. Unlike a U-Haul trailer, most carriers limit what can ride inside. See what you can pack in a shipped car.
- Check who you are hiring. Ask whether the company is a broker or a carrier (here’s why it matters) and check its USDOT number in the company lookup.
- Compare local companies in your state and city. Moving for good? Our guide to shipping a car to another state covers the whole process, and registering it in the new state covers the paperwork after.
If you tow: five things to do first
- Reserve the trailer when you reserve the truck. One-way trailers can run short in peak moving season, just like trucks.
- Watch U-Haul’s loading video and load in daylight. Strap the tires, then check the straps after the first 50 miles.
- On a dolly, release an electronic parking brake fully and follow your owner’s manual for towing with two wheels down.
- Plan fuel stops you can pull through. With a trailer behind a truck, you cannot back out of a tight station.
- Keep it at 55 mph or below, leave extra braking distance and take wide turns.
Methodology
- Trailer and dolly specifications and towing rules come from U-Haul’s equipment pages, as published in September 2026.
- Rental prices are not published as a fixed list. U-Haul quotes each route and date. We used one-way ranges reported in 2026 by third-party guides: about $200–$500 for a tow dolly and $400–$900 for an auto transport trailer.
- Extra fuel assumes a moving truck averaging 10 mpg (U-Haul’s rating for its 20-foot truck), 20–35% worse while towing, and the EIA national average for regular gasoline in the week of October 12, 2026 ($4.33).
- Shipping prices come from our car shipping cost calculator: running sedan, open carrier, door to door, standard pickup window, no seasonal surcharge.
- Car weights are typical curb weights for each class, rounded.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to tow a car with U-Haul or ship it?
If you are already driving a moving truck, towing is usually cheaper: about $500–$1,125 for a 1,000-mile move with an auto transport trailer, including extra fuel, against $850–$1,250 to ship a sedan on an open carrier. On short moves the costs are close, and if you are not driving a truck anyway, shipping is cheaper than renting one.
How much does a U-Haul car trailer cost one way?
U-Haul prices each route and date separately. Quotes published in 2026 put a one-way auto transport trailer at roughly $400–$900 and a tow dolly at roughly $200–$500, before the extra fuel the truck burns while towing.
What is the difference between a U-Haul tow dolly and an auto transport trailer?
A tow dolly lifts the front wheels and leaves the rear wheels on the road; it takes cars up to 4,080 lbs. An auto transport trailer carries the whole car on its deck, takes cars up to 5,290 lbs and works for any drive type, but weighs 2,210 lbs empty.
Can I tow an all-wheel-drive car on a U-Haul tow dolly?
U-Haul says its dolly tows most front-wheel-drive cars and many rear-wheel-drive cars if the driveshaft is disconnected. For all-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive cars, use the auto transport trailer, which keeps all four wheels off the road, or ship the car.
How fast can you drive with a U-Haul car trailer?
U-Haul’s maximum recommended speed with the tow dolly or the auto transport trailer is 55 mph.
Can my SUV tow a U-Haul auto transport trailer?
Only if its curb weight is more than the loaded trailer, which is the trailer’s 2,210 lbs plus your car. With a 3,400-lb sedan on board that is 5,610 lbs, so most midsize SUVs don’t qualify. You also need a 2-inch ball, a hitch system rated for the load and mirrors on both sides.
Sources
- U-Haul: Auto transport trailer specifications
- U-Haul: Tow dolly specifications
- U-Haul: How to save gas while driving a moving truck
- U.S. Energy Information Administration: weekly retail gasoline prices
- HireAHelper: How much does a U-Haul really cost in 2026
- Lugg: How much does it cost to rent a U-Haul in 2026