Costa Mesa, CA Car Shipping

Preparing your vehicle for transport from Costa Mesa, CA is simple. Follow these key steps:

Remove personal items: Take out all belongings, toll passes, and loose items from the interior. Carriers are not insured for personal property.

Clean your vehicle: Wash your car so you can document its condition with photos before shipping.

Check for leaks and mechanical issues: Ensure your vehicle runs properly and has no fluid leaks. Inform your carrier of any issues.

Secure or remove accessories: Remove or secure antennas, spoilers, bike racks, and other external accessories that could be damaged.

Maintain proper fuel level: Keep your gas tank between 1/4 and 1/2 full to reduce weight while ensuring the vehicle can be loaded and unloaded.

Provide a working key: Have a spare key ready for the driver.

For complete preparation guidelines, visit our Vehicle Shipping Tips page. Proper preparation ensures a smooth pickup from Costa Mesa and safe delivery to your destination.

Yes, your vehicle is fully insured when transporting from Costa Mesa, CA. All carriers in our network must carry a minimum of $1,000,000 in liability insurance and $100,000 in cargo insurance.

Before your shipment, we verify that the carrier’s insurance policy is active and valid. We also require all carriers to add Sherpa Auto Transport as a Certificate Holder on their policy. This gives you extra protection and peace of mind.

Your vehicle is covered from pickup in Costa Mesa through delivery at your destination. If you’d like to review the carrier’s insurance certificate before transport, just ask—we’re happy to provide it.

We recommend scheduling your car shipment from Costa Mesa at least 1-2 weeks in advance. This gives carriers enough time to plan efficient routes and match your vehicle with others heading in the same direction.

For the best rates and availability, book even earlier if possible. During peak moving seasons (summer months and end of month), consider scheduling 3-4 weeks ahead. Costa Mesa’s location in Orange County means there’s regular carrier traffic, but advance notice helps ensure you get your preferred pickup dates.

Need to ship on short notice? We can often accommodate rush shipments within 2-5 days, though this may come with higher costs and limited carrier options.

No payment is due at the time of booking. We do require a payment method on file so that it is available to charge once a carrier is secured. We accept all major debit and credit cards, including Mastercard, Visa, Discover and American Express. The most convenient option is to pay for your shipment in full by credit card at the time a carrier is secured.

We also allow you to pay for your Initial Payment via credit or debit card and then pay the outstanding balance on delivery day via cash or a certified check made out to the carrier.

Your Sherpa shipment includes up to 100 lbs of personal items or household goods stored in the trunk area or secured below the window line. If you are shipping to or from a port or your shipment includes ocean transit, your vehicle must be emptied of all items. Sherpa and your assigned carrier cannot be responsible for personal items left inside the vehicle. See our Vehicle Shipping Tips for more details.

Yes. It is important that you, or another adult that you trust, is there for pickup and delivery of your vehicle. This designated person plays an important role in the shipping process including documenting the state of the vehicle and signing the Bill of Lading, which acts as a receipt of the vehicle’s condition.

The main difference comes down to protection and price. Open auto transport carries your vehicle on an open-air trailer (the kind you see on highways), while enclosed transport ships your car inside a fully covered trailer.

Open transport is the most popular and affordable option, costing significantly less than enclosed. Your vehicle is exposed to weather and road debris during transit, but this is how most cars are transported—including new vehicles from dealerships. It’s perfectly safe for standard daily-driver vehicles.

Enclosed transport costs 50-60% more but provides complete protection from the elements, road debris, and dust. This option is ideal for luxury cars, classic vehicles, exotic sports cars, or any car with custom paint work where you want maximum protection.

For most Costa Mesa residents shipping standard vehicles, open transport offers excellent value. If you’re transporting a high-value or collector vehicle, the extra cost of enclosed shipping provides peace of mind. See our open vs enclosed auto transport guide for a detailed comparison.

Yes, we offer door-to-door auto transport service in Costa Mesa, CA. This means we pick up your vehicle from your home or business and deliver it directly to your destination address.

When you book with us, simply provide your pickup and delivery addresses. Our carrier will come to your location in Costa Mesa to load your vehicle and deliver it right to your door at the destination.

What if the truck can’t access my street?

Costa Mesa has many residential areas where large car carriers may face challenges due to narrow streets, low-hanging trees, or tight turns. If your location isn’t accessible for a full-size carrier, don’t worry. Our driver will contact you to arrange a safe, nearby meeting spot like a shopping center parking lot or main street. This is still considered door-to-door service.

We always work with you to make pickup and delivery as convenient as possible while ensuring the safety of your vehicle and compliance with local traffic regulations.

Many Auto Transport companies try to tease customers with lower rates, only to surprise you with “hidden costs” later. At Sherpa Auto Transport, we do things differently. We provide one locked-in price upfront and stick to it. If unexpected costs arise, we pay them out of our own pocket.

While we may not always be the cheapest option at first glance, our commitment to transparency and reliability offers exceptional value. As a premium service, we ensure an stress-free experience from start to finish.

We transport sedans, SUVs, pickup trucks, vans and motorcycles across the nation, including service to Alaska and Hawaii. At this time, we do not service boats, golf carts, ATVs, or RVs. We can ship both operable and inoperable vehicles so long as the vehicle can roll, brake, and steer, and that you can provide the carrier with a key to the vehicle. We can also ship electric vehicles.

Visit Sherpa’s FAQ page to learn more about car shipping!