How to Ship a Honda CR-V
The CR-V is one of the most common vehicles on an American car hauler, and that familiarity is worth something: every carrier has loaded one, nothing about it needs special equipment, and it should price in the ordinary range for whatever lane you are on. If a quote comes back high, the reason is the route, the timing or the access, not the car.
Where It Sits on a Trailer
A CR-V is a compact SUV of unremarkable dimensions: around 3,300 to 3,700 pounds depending on generation and drivetrain, roughly 15 feet long, and a little over 5 feet 6 inches tall.
That height is the only number worth thinking about, and only slightly. It is taller than a sedan, which occasionally affects which deck position a carrier uses on a two level trailer, but it is nowhere near a constraint. A roof rack with a cargo box on top is a different matter, and that should come off.
Hybrid versions weigh somewhat more. It is immaterial at this size, but say which one you have so the quote is built on the right figure.
What Actually Changes the Price
Since the vehicle is not the variable, everything else is.
The lane. How much carrier traffic already runs your route matters more than the mileage. A busy corridor between metropolitan areas prices well; two small towns off the interstate system do not.
Timing. A range of pickup days is the single most valuable thing you can offer. Summer is the busiest season in the industry and prices firm accordingly.
Access at both ends. A loaded hauler is around 75 feet long and 13 feet 6 inches tall. A narrow street with low branches means a meeting point at a large lot near a highway, which is normal and worth agreeing when you book.
Open or enclosed. Enclosed costs 20 to 30 percent more. For an ordinary CR-V it is unnecessary. It makes sense on a nearly new example or one with fresh paintwork.
Whether it runs. An inoperable vehicle needs a winch and a carrier equipped for it. Say so up front, because a car discovered not to start at pickup is the most expensive kind of surprise.
The Two CR-V Specific Notes
Roof racks and cargo boxes. The CR-V is a family vehicle and a large share of them carry a rack, a box or a bike carrier. Anything on the roof adds height at exactly the point where deck clearance is tightest, and a cargo box is easy to catch. Take it off. If the rails are factory-fitted and do not come off, that is fine; tell the carrier the measured height.
All wheel drive. Most CR-Vs on the road are all wheel drive, which is entirely routine for transport. The vehicle is not being towed, it is carried, so the drivetrain is doing nothing. There is no need to disconnect anything.
Preparing It
Wash it so existing marks are visible, then photograph every panel in daylight, including the wheels, the lower bumpers and the rocker panels, which are what loading marks. Photograph the odometer.
Leave about a quarter tank of fuel. More is unnecessary weight; less risks the car not making it to a station after delivery.
Empty the cabin and the trunk completely. Personal items are not covered by cargo insurance, they add weight and they move around in transit. On a family SUV this is worth stressing, because these vehicles accumulate things in every door pocket and under every seat.
Fold the mirrors, disable a motion sensitive alarm, and remove a toll transponder so you are not billed for the truck’s route. Check tire pressures and note any fluid leaks.
At Pickup and Delivery
Walk around the car with the driver at pickup rather than handing over the keys and going inside. The condition report on the bill of lading is written then, and it is the document that settles any later dispute. If you disagree with something on it, say so before it is signed.
At delivery, inspect before signing, in daylight if at all possible, and compare against your photographs. Look at the lower bodywork, the wheels, the rear bumper and the areas around the tie-down points first, since that is where transport damage appears.
Note anything unexpected on the paperwork while the driver is present. If it arrives after dark or in heavy rain, write that a full inspection was not possible before you sign. Our guide to what car shipping insurance actually covers explains the cargo policy.
Dealer Transfers and Remote Purchases
A large share of CR-V shipments are not owner moves. The CR-V is one of the most cross-shopped vehicles in the country, and buyers routinely find the trim and color they want at a dealer several states away.
That creates a specific weakness. Nobody has an independent record of the vehicle’s condition before it is collected: the driver writes the report at pickup with no idea what the car looked like an hour earlier, and the buyer sees it for the first time at delivery.
Two fixes. Ask the selling dealer to photograph the car properly before release, close up and in daylight, including each wheel and the lower bodywork, and send those to you rather than the listing photographs. And make sure whoever receives it understands they can decline to sign a clean bill of lading if something is wrong. A buyer who signs on trust and inspects afterward has given away the argument.
Transit Times
Once collected, plan on one to two days regionally, three to five across half the country, and five to seven coast to coast, plus a few days for a carrier to be assigned beforehand.
Treat a delivery date as a range rather than an appointment. Drivers work under federal hours of service limits, and a hauler making several pickups and deliveries does not travel in a straight line.
Common Questions
Is a CR-V expensive to ship? No. It is a common compact SUV and sits in the ordinary range for its lane.
Do I need to remove the roof rack? Remove a cargo box, bike carrier or anything mounted. Factory rails can stay; just give the measured height.
Does all wheel drive matter? No. The vehicle is carried rather than towed, so the drivetrain is not doing anything.
Do I need enclosed transport? Only for a nearly new example or fresh paintwork. Open is what almost everybody uses.
How much fuel should I leave? About a quarter tank.
Get a Quote
Call Ship A Car, Inc. at (866) 821-4555 with both zip codes, the model year and your date range, or price the move with the instant calculator.
