Mountain View, CA Car Shipping

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

Remove personal items: Take out all belongings, toll passes (like FasTrak), and fragile items. Carriers typically don’t insure personal items left inside.

Clean your vehicle: Wash your car inside and out. This helps you document its condition before shipping.

Document the condition: Take photos of your vehicle from all angles. Note any existing damage for your records.

Check fluids and battery: Ensure your car has adequate fluids and a charged battery. Fix any leaks before transport.

Maintain low fuel: Keep your gas tank about 1/4 full. This reduces weight while ensuring the carrier can load and unload your vehicle.

Remove or secure accessories: Take off or secure loose items like bike racks, spoilers, and antennas that could be damaged during transit.

Provide a key: Have a working key ready for the carrier to move your vehicle.

Disable alarms: Turn off your car alarm to avoid issues during transport.

For more detailed guidance, visit our Vehicle Shipping Tips page. Following these steps ensures a smooth pickup from Mountain View and safe delivery to your destination.

Yes, your vehicle is fully insured when shipping from Mountain View, 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 begins, 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 Mountain View until delivery at your destination. If you’d like to review the carrier’s insurance certificate before shipping, just ask your transport coordinator.

We recommend scheduling your car pickup from Mountain View, CA at least 1-2 weeks in advance. However, booking earlier gives you the best results.

Here’s why early booking helps:

• Better carrier availability – More drivers can fit your route into their schedule
• Lower prices – Carriers can bundle your vehicle with others heading the same direction
• Flexible pickup windows – You’ll have more options to choose convenient dates

Need to ship sooner? We can often accommodate rush shipments within 2-5 days, though this typically costs more. If you have flexibility, booking 3-4 weeks ahead usually provides the most savings and carrier options.

The key is to book as soon as you know your moving dates. This gives carriers time to plan efficient routes through Mountain View and the greater Bay Area.

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 auto transport uses open-air trailers that carry multiple vehicles at once. Your car is exposed to weather and road debris during transit. This is the most common and affordable option, used for about 90% of all vehicle shipments.

Enclosed auto transport ships your vehicle inside a fully covered trailer. Your car gets protection from weather, dust, and road debris. This premium service costs 40-60% more than open transport.

Which should you choose? Most Mountain View residents use open transport—it’s safe, reliable, and cost-effective for standard vehicles. Consider enclosed transport if you’re shipping a luxury car, classic vehicle, exotic sports car, or any car with custom modifications. Enclosed is worth the extra cost when your vehicle’s value exceeds $100,000 or has a custom paint job.

See our open vs enclosed auto transport guide for a detailed comparison and pricing information.

Yes! We offer door-to-door auto transport service for Mountain View, CA residents. This means we’ll pick up your vehicle from your home or office and deliver it directly to your destination address.

Here’s how it works:

At Pickup: The carrier will come to your specified address in Mountain View to load your vehicle. Whether you’re in a residential neighborhood near downtown or closer to Highway 101, we’ll coordinate a convenient pickup location.

At Delivery: Your vehicle will be delivered directly to the address you provide at your destination.

Important Note: While we always aim for true door-to-door service, some Mountain View streets may have restrictions. Narrow roads, low-hanging trees, tight turns, or local parking regulations can sometimes prevent large car carriers from accessing certain areas. If this happens, your driver will contact you to arrange a nearby meeting spot like a shopping center parking lot or main street location.

Most Mountain View customers receive full door-to-door service without any issues. We handle all the logistics to make your car shipping experience as convenient as possible.

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!