Los Altos, CA Car Shipping

Preparing your vehicle for transport from Los Altos, CA is simple but important. Here’s what you need to do:

Remove personal items: Take out all belongings, including toll passes, GPS devices, and anything in the glove box or trunk. Items left in the car aren’t covered by insurance.

Clean your vehicle: Wash the outside so you can spot any damage before shipping. Take photos of all sides for your records.

Check fluids and battery: Make sure you have enough gas (about 1/4 tank) and that your battery works. The driver needs to move your car on and off the truck.

Remove or secure loose parts: Take off custom spoilers, bike racks, or anything that might fall off. Fold in side mirrors and put antennas down.

Have keys ready: You’ll need to give the driver at least one working key. Make sure it starts the car and opens the doors.

For a complete checklist, visit our Vehicle Shipping Tips page. Following these steps helps ensure your car arrives safely from Los Altos to its destination.

Yes, your vehicle is fully insured when shipping from Los Altos, CA. All Sherpa Auto Transport carriers must carry at least $1,000,000 in liability insurance and $100,000 in cargo insurance – well above industry standards.

We take extra steps to protect Los Altos customers by:

• Verifying each carrier’s insurance is active and valid before your pickup
• Requiring carriers to add Sherpa as a Certificate Holder on their policy
• Monitoring coverage throughout your entire shipment

Your vehicle is covered from the moment it’s loaded in Los Altos until it’s delivered to your destination. This insurance protects against damage during transport, giving you peace of mind for your car shipping experience.

For car shipping from Los Altos, CA, we recommend booking your pickup service at least 2-3 weeks in advance. This gives our carriers enough time to plan efficient routes and group your vehicle with other shipments heading in the same direction.

Here’s why early booking matters:

• Better pricing: More time allows carriers to optimize their routes and offer competitive rates
• Flexible scheduling: You’ll have more pickup date options to choose from
• Peak season planning: Summer months (May-September) are busiest, so book even earlier during these times

If you need last-minute service, we can often accommodate rush orders within 3-7 days, though this may come with higher costs. The key is giving us as much notice as possible for the smoothest, most affordable car shipping experience from Los Altos.

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.

Open transport is the most common and budget-friendly option. Your car rides on an open trailer, exposed to weather and road debris. It’s safe for most vehicles and costs significantly less.

Enclosed transport protects your car inside a covered trailer. It costs 40-60% more than open transport but shields your vehicle from weather, dust, and road debris. This option is ideal for luxury cars, classic vehicles, or cars with custom paint jobs.

For Los Altos residents shipping standard vehicles, open transport works great. Choose enclosed transport if you’re moving a high-value car or want maximum protection. See our open vs enclosed auto transport guide for detailed comparisons and pricing.

Yes, we offer door-to-door auto transport service for Los Altos residents. This means we pick up your car from your home or office 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 Los Altos location at the scheduled time. However, some Los Altos neighborhoods have narrow streets or low-hanging trees that large transport trucks cannot navigate safely. In these cases, we’ll arrange a nearby meeting spot like a shopping center or main street location.

Door-to-door service is our standard offering because it saves you time and hassle. You won’t need to drive to a terminal or arrange extra transportation. Most Los Altos customers can enjoy true door-to-door pickup and delivery without any issues.

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!