When a car is being transported across borders, it faces genuine risks: road debris, weather, handling damage during loading and unloading. For standard used vehicles this is an acceptable trade-off against cost. For anything premium, classic, or collectible, the calculation changes entirely.
Open Transport: Efficient and Cost-Effective
Open carriers — the multi-deck transporters you see on motorways — are the standard method for vehicle logistics across Europe. They are efficient, widely available, and significantly less expensive than enclosed alternatives. A car transported on an open carrier from Germany to Greece typically costs €900–1,400 depending on collection and delivery points.
Open transport is appropriate for standard used vehicles valued under approximately €30,000, where the risk of minor cosmetic damage during transit is proportionate to the logistics cost.
Enclosed Transport: The Gold Standard
Enclosed carriers use fully covered trailers — typically carrying 1–4 vehicles — that protect against all weather, road debris, and external handling. Loading is typically via hydraulic liftgate rather than ramps, minimising the risk of ground clearance damage. Drivers specialise in premium and classic vehicles.
Enclosed transport from Germany to Greece costs approximately €1,800–2,800, depending on vehicle dimensions and routing. For a classic car worth €80,000 or a new luxury car worth €150,000, this premium is trivially small relative to the asset value being protected.
What FMAutomobile Recommends
Our threshold is simple: any vehicle valued over €40,000, any classic or collectible regardless of value, any vehicle with original paint or a fresh restoration, and any convertible or vehicle with a fabric roof travels by enclosed carrier as standard. For everything else, we make the recommendation based on the specific vehicle’s condition and the client’s preference.
All vehicles we transport — regardless of method — are covered by specialist automotive transit insurance for their full declared value, arranged by FMAutomobile as part of our logistics service. Contact us for a logistics quote.