San Clemente, CA Car Shipping

Preparing your vehicle for shipping from San Clemente, CA is simple when you follow these key steps:

Remove personal items: Take out all belongings, including toll passes, GPS devices, and any fragile items. Car carriers are not insured for personal property.

Clean your vehicle: Wash your car inside and out. This helps you spot any existing damage during the inspection process.

Document current condition: Take photos of your vehicle from all angles, noting any scratches, dents, or damage.

Check fluid levels: Ensure your car has adequate oil, coolant, and brake fluid, but keep the gas tank only 1/4 full.

Remove or secure loose parts: Take off custom accessories, spoilers, or loose trim that could be damaged during transport.

Prepare keys and paperwork: Have your keys ready and keep important documents like registration and insurance with you.

For complete preparation guidelines, visit our Vehicle Shipping Tips page. Following these steps ensures your car arrives safely at its destination.

Yes, your vehicle is fully insured when shipping from San Clemente, CA. Every carrier in our network must carry minimum $1,000,000 liability insurance and $100,000 cargo insurance to protect your vehicle during transport.

Before your San Clemente pickup, we verify that your carrier’s insurance is active and valid. We also require all carriers to add Sherpa as a Certificate Holder on their policy for extra protection.

What this means for you: If damage occurs during transport, you’re covered from the moment your car leaves San Clemente until it reaches your destination. Our insurance verification process ensures no gaps in coverage.

For complete peace of mind, we can provide you with your carrier’s insurance certificate before pickup. This gives San Clemente customers full transparency about their vehicle’s protection during shipping.

For car shipping from San Clemente, CA, we recommend booking at least 2-3 weeks in advance. This gives you the best chance to secure competitive rates and reliable carriers.

Here’s why early booking matters:

• Better pricing: Carriers can plan efficient routes and bundle shipments
• More options: You’ll have access to more available carriers
• Flexible scheduling: You can choose pickup dates that work best for you

If you need last-minute shipping, we can often accommodate requests with 3-7 days notice, but expect higher costs and limited availability. For the smoothest experience shipping your vehicle from San Clemente, book as early as possible.

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 affordable option. Your car rides on an open trailer, exposed to weather and road debris. It’s safe for most vehicles and costs 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.

Choose enclosed transport if you have:

• Classic or luxury cars
• Custom paint jobs
• High-value vehicles
• Concerns about weather damage

Choose open transport for everyday vehicles when cost matters more than extra protection. Most cars shipped from San Clemente use open transport without issues.

Learn more in our detailed open vs enclosed auto transport guide.

Yes, Sherpa Auto Transport offers convenient door-to-door auto transport service for San Clemente residents. When you book your car shipment, simply provide your pickup and delivery addresses. Our assigned carrier will come directly to your San Clemente location to collect your vehicle and deliver it right to your destination.

In most cases, we can pick up from your home or business. However, if your San Clemente street has restrictions like low-hanging branches, narrow roads, or weight limits for large trucks, our carrier will work with you to find a safe nearby location. This might be a local shopping center, gas station, or open parking area that’s easy for you to reach.

This door-to-door service saves you time and hassle compared to dropping off your car at a terminal. You won’t need to arrange extra transportation or take time off work to get to a distant facility.

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!