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SA Best Towing
Silver Mitsubishi Pajero on a car trailer carried on the SA Best Towing tilt tray, a black Mini towed behind on the rear lift

Interstate towing and car transport from Adelaide

We handle the Adelaide end on our tilt tray and arrange a long-distance carrier for the trip between states. You deal with one phone number.

Call 0457 300 057
4.8 on Google from 41 reviews

In short

Sending a car interstate from Adelaide takes two legs: the Adelaide end on a tow truck, and the trip between states on a long-distance car carrier. SA Best Towing does the Adelaide end from its yard in Angle Park and books the carrier for you, through carriers it works with. Ring 0457 300 057 with both addresses and your dates.

Jobs we can take

You’re moving and flying

The furniture goes by truck, you go by plane, and the car needs its own way across.

You bought a car from another state

We meet it at the Adelaide depot when it lands and bring it to your home or your mechanic.

You sold a car to an interstate buyer

We collect it from your driveway and hand it to the carrier, and the buyer takes it from there.

A project car that doesn’t run

A non-running classic heading to a specialist in another state. The carrier needs warning, and we load it here.

Two cars, one moving day

One on the tray and one on the rear lift, both to the depot in a single trip.

Our truck does Adelaide, a carrier does the distance

The Hino stays in Adelaide. For the long leg we book a long-distance car carrier, through carriers we know and work with, and our tilt tray covers the ends: from your driveway, workshop or seller to the carrier’s Adelaide depot, or from the depot to wherever the car needs to go here.

Before you pay anything, we tell you which carrier, their pickup and delivery terms, and what their cover includes. You can say no at that point. If two cars are going, the truck can take one on the tray and the second on the rear lift, like the two vans in our photos, so both reach the depot in one trip.

Getting the car ready for a carrier

Empty it. Most carriers won’t take a car full of belongings, and their cover rarely includes them. Leave about a quarter tank of fuel, since fuel adds weight on a loaded deck. Pull the toll tag off the windscreen so it doesn’t register on gantries at the other end.

Take dated photos of each panel and the odometer. Remove roof pods and bike racks, or tell us about them, because height decides which deck a car can ride on. Fix or declare any leaks, since a car on the top deck drips onto the one below. Leave a spare key and write down how to switch off the alarm.

The price and the date come down to distance and deck space

Distance between the two cities sets most of the carrier’s price. After that comes door or depot delivery at each end, the size and height of the vehicle, and whether it drives. A lifted 4WD with a roof rack takes more deck room than a hatchback.

Timing depends on the carrier’s departure days and how full their trucks are. We pass on the carrier’s estimate when we book, and we don’t promise a delivery date on their behalf. A flexible date tends to cost less than a fixed one, and demand climbs around school holidays and the end of the year.

How the job runs

From the first call to the drop-off, in the order it happens.

  1. Call with the details

    Both addresses, the make and model, whether it drives, and your dates. We price our Adelaide leg and get the carrier’s price and schedule.

  2. Confirm and book

    You see the full price and the carrier’s terms before you agree. Then we book the carrier and set the depot date.

  3. Collect and hand over

    We photograph the car with you, load it on the tray and deliver it to the carrier’s depot with the paperwork.

  4. Meet it at the other end

    The carrier delivers to its depot or your door, as booked. Coming into Adelaide, we collect from the depot and bring it to you.

White Toyota HiAce van on the SA Best Towing tilt tray with a second white van towed behind on the rear lift, gum trees overhead
Lifted white Toyota LandCruiser with a snorkel and roof rack on the tilt tray, a small flat-tray truck with a roll cage towed behind on the rear lift

What changes the price

Every job is priced on the phone before it’s booked. These are the things that move the number.

Get a priceRead the price guide
  • Distance between the pickup and delivery cities
  • Door or depot delivery at each end
  • Vehicle size and height, including roof racks, lift kits and tow bars
  • Whether the car drives, or needs winching at each depot
  • The departure date you need, and how flexible you can be

Common questions

Answers for people in the same spot as you. Anything else, call and ask.

Do you drive my car interstate on your own tow truck?

Our tilt tray works the Adelaide end. For the trip between states we arrange a long-distance car carrier, which moves many cars at once and costs less per car than a tow truck making the whole run alone. You get the carrier’s name and terms before you book.

How long does interstate car transport from Adelaide take?

It depends on the distance, the carrier’s departure days and how much is already booked. We pass on the carrier’s estimate when we book, but we don’t promise their delivery date. If you need the car by a set day, tell us at the start so we can look for a carrier that fits.

Can I leave my belongings in the car during interstate transport?

Take them out. Carriers often refuse cars packed with belongings, because the weight counts on a multi-deck truck and their cover tends to exclude contents. Anything loose in the cabin can also slide into the dash or the glass under braking.

Can you send a car that doesn’t run interstate?

Yes. We winch it onto our tray here, and we tell the carrier it’s a non-runner so they have a winch or forklift ready at both depots. Expect a higher carrier price for a car that can’t drive on and off. Make sure the wheels turn and the handbrake releases.

Is my car insured while it’s on the carrier?

Each carrier sets its own cover, and the terms differ. We send you the carrier’s terms before you book so you can read what’s included and what isn’t. Check your own car insurance too, since some policies cover a car in transit and some don’t.

Can you collect a car I bought interstate when it arrives in Adelaide?

Yes. Give us the carrier’s name, the booking reference and the depot address, and tell the depot we’re collecting for you. Many depots want that authority in writing. We load the car on the tray, check it against the seller’s photos, and deliver it to your home or mechanic.

Should I use a car carrier or hire a trailer and tow it myself?

Doing it yourself means hiring a car trailer, towing it with a vehicle rated for the trailer and the car together, and driving the whole way. A carrier moves the car while you fly or drive separately. Weigh the carrier’s price against the trailer hire, the fuel and your days on the road. Ring us with both cities and we’ll get you a carrier price to compare.

Vehicles we can carry for this job

Dark Mini raised on the rear lift behind the SA Best Towing tilt tray, a silver Pajero on a car trailer on the tray

Car towing

Sedans, hatches, sports cars, EVs and hybrids, carried on the tray with all four wheels off the road.

Lifted white Toyota LandCruiser with a snorkel on the SA Best Towing tilt tray, a small flat-tray truck with a roll cage on the rear lift

4WD and SUV towing

Lifted 4WDs, family SUVs and all-wheel-drive wagons, carried on the tray so no wheel turns on the road.

SA Best Towing’s white Hino tilt tray at dusk with a red 1930s-style roadster strapped on the tray

Classic car towing

Hot rods, restorations, project cars and show cars, including cars that haven’t turned a wheel in years.