Mercury Auto Transport Review

With so many other car transport options available, is Mercury Auto Transport the right choice for you? We at the MarketWatch Guides Team have researched and ranked the best car shipping companies, and we’ve found that it’s smart to get quotes from reputable companies before choosing one. In this review, we’ll compare Mercury Auto Transport’s costs, services, expert rankings and customer feedback to see how it compares to other shipping providers.

We rate Mercury Auto Transport 8.9 out of 10.0 stars. The car transport company works with licensed auto carriers, provides transparent pricing and has multiple carrier options. Mercury Auto Transport’s reviews are also above average, with most customers recommending the company.

Headquartered in Davie, Fla., Mercury Auto Transport is an experienced car transport broker that has shipped over 186,000 vehicles nationwide since it was established in 2007. The auto shipping company is a licensed, insured and bonded broker connecting customers with its network of motor carriers.

Mercury Auto Transport has a business model that differs from most other transport companies. The broker posts your vehicle on its in-network and national dispatch boards. Licensed auto carriers can then see that your car is available for shipping and make you an offer.

The company ships sedans, SUVs, classic cars and pickup trucks nationwide, including to Hawaii and Alaska. It also ships boats and recreational vehicles (RVs) within the continental United States. You can choose between open or enclosed vehicle shipping. All transports are door-to-door, allowing for easy pickup and delivery.

*Ratings are determined by our editorial review team. Learn more about our scoring methodology below.

While Mercury Auto Transport is not the cheapest car shipping option available, its prices are still affordable for many car owners. The quotes we received from the company for an operable 2018 SUV traveling 1,500 miles averaged out to $1,550. Car shipping costs vary depending on the vehicle, distance and type of transport.

Here are a few samples prices we collected for open and enclosed transport:

• Open transport, 1,489 miles: $1,200
• Enclosed transport, 1,489 miles: $1,900

The free quotes you receive from Mercury Auto Transport and its carriers include all fees, taxes and insurance, so there should be no surprises after you book.

Once you sign a contract with one of Mercury Auto Transport’s carriers, you’re required to pay a $175 deposit with a credit card. The remaining balance is not charged until the vehicle is delivered.

All carriers associated with Mercury Auto Transport are licensed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

What affects the cost of auto shipping?

Car shipping costs with Mercury Auto Transport fluctuate depending on multiple factors, including:

• Distance: Cross-country shipments tend to have lower rates per mile than shorter-distance shipments, but they cost more in total.
• Type of transport: Open carrier car transport is less expensive than enclosed carrier transport service.
• Type of delivery: Door-to-door shipments, which are solely what this car shipping company provides, are more costly than terminal-to-terminal shipping because the service is more personalized.
• Time of year: Vehicle shipping services are more expensive in the summer and January due to higher demand.
• Carrier competition: When auto transport carriers use a marketplace-style service, it creates higher competition between car carriers, driving costs down.
• Price of fuel: Auto shipping companies will charge more to compensate for carriers’ fuel costs.
• Vehicle size: Larger vehicles, such as SUVs and trucks, cost more to ship than sedans. This also applies to oversize vehicles such as RVs and ATVs.

Mercury Auto Transport offers auto shipping services in all 50 states. Services include:

• Open vehicle transport: This is the most common car shipping service, but it leaves your vehicle exposed to the elements and road debris during transport.
• Enclosed vehicle transport: Your car is shipped in an enclosed trailer or shipping container to prevent damage. It usually costs more than open transport and is a good option for luxury and classic car owners looking for peace of mind.
• Door-to-door delivery: The vehicle is picked up and dropped off as close as possible to your home.

Mercury Auto Transport doesn’t guarantee delivery dates since unforeseen circumstances can happen, such as inclement weather or closed roads.

You’ll need to provide Mercury Auto Transport with the following information to get a free, no-obligation quote:

• Pickup location
• Destination
• Vehicle year, make, model, age and operability
• Contact information, including your name, email address and phone number

Mercury Auto Transport’s representatives will reach out to you to provide an estimate. Your final quote will depend on the carrier you choose.

Your auto carrier will contact you before your pickup date to schedule a time for loading and unloading. Once your vehicle reaches its destination, you’ll conduct a final inspection of your car and pay the driver the remaining balance in cash or with a money order. You and the driver will also both sign a bill of lading after your vehicle is delivered that confirms the job is complete.

Mercury Auto Transport’s customer reviews are mainly positive. Many customers praise the shipper’s high level of communication and timeliness. Common customer complaints address Mercury Auto Transport’s network of carriers, not the company itself.

Mercury Auto Transport holds accreditation and a B rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Customers on the BBB website give it an average score of 4.7 out of 5.0 stars from more than 500 reviews.

Positive Mercury Auto Transport reviews

In positive reviews for Mercury Auto Transport, customers often note that representatives kept them updated on their shipments’ progress and were available to answer any questions. They also tend to report that their vehicles arrived quickly.

Negative Mercury Auto Transport reviews

Negative reviews for Mercury Auto Transport typically mention rates increasing after customers book shipments. Some car owners also say their vehicles were damaged while in transit.

Our team reached out to Mercury Auto Transport for a comment on these scores but did not receive a response.

Even though Mercury Auto Transport is a good option for car transport, you should consider getting car shipping quotes online from several auto transport companies before signing a contract. Other reputable vehicle shipping companies include Montway Auto Transport and Sherpa Auto Transport.

Montway Auto Transport: 9.5 out of 10.0

Montway Auto Transport ranked No. 1 in our best car shipping review. The company works with over 30,000 auto carriers nationwide and internationally, vetting each one and checking for proper insurance credentials. The BBB gives Montway Auto Transport accreditation and an A+ rating, and more than 2,000 customer reviews on the site give it an average of 4.6 stars.

Read more about the auto transport broker in our Montway Auto Transport review.

Sherpa Auto Transport: 9.0 out of 10.0

Established in 2017, Sherpa Auto Transport is a licensed, bonded and insured auto broker with positive customer reviews and a wide range of auto shipping services. The company holds accreditation and an A+ rating from the BBB, along with a 4.9-star average customer rating. Sherpa Auto Transport has a Price Lock Promise for customers, which promises that the quote offered will be the final price you pay, with no extra or hidden fees.

Learn more in our complete review of Sherpa Auto Transport.

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:

• Cost: Auto shipping companies with affordable rates, locked-in pricing and discount opportunities scored highest in this category.
• Services: Companies that offer a variety of choices for car transport, strong insurance coverage and added benefits are more likely to meet consumer needs.
• Customer experience: This score is based on customer satisfaction ratings and 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.
• Reputation: Our research team considered availability, ratings from industry experts and years in business when giving this score.

Our credentials:

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

*Data accurate at time of publication.