San Diego, CA Car Shipping

Preparing your vehicle for transport from San Diego is simple but important. Here’s what you need to do:

Remove Personal Items: Take out all personal belongings, including items in the glove box, trunk, and console. Car carriers are not responsible for personal items.

Clean Your Vehicle: Wash your car inside and out. This makes it easier to spot any damage during inspection.

Document Everything: Take photos of your vehicle from all angles, noting any existing scratches or dents.

Check Fluids and Battery: Ensure your car has enough gas (about 1/4 tank), oil, and coolant. Make sure the battery is charged.

Remove Accessories: Take off any loose parts like bike racks, spoilers, or custom antennas that could be damaged during transport.

Disable Alarms: Turn off your car alarm to avoid issues during loading and unloading.

Provide Working Keys: Have at least one set of keys ready for the driver.

For complete details, check our Vehicle Shipping Tips page. Following these steps will help ensure your San Diego car shipment goes smoothly.

Yes, your vehicle is fully insured when shipping from San Diego, CA. All Sherpa Auto Transport carriers must carry a minimum of $1,000,000 in liability insurance and $100,000 in cargo insurance.

Before your San Diego car shipment begins, 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.

This means your vehicle is covered from pickup in San Diego through delivery at your destination. You can ship with confidence knowing your car is protected by comprehensive insurance coverage throughout the entire transport process.

We recommend scheduling your car pickup from San Diego at least 2-3 weeks in advance. This gives you the best chance to secure competitive rates and flexible scheduling options.

Here’s why early booking matters:

• Better pricing: Carriers can group your vehicle with other shipments heading to the same area
• More carrier options: Popular routes from San Diego fill up quickly
• Flexible dates: You’ll have more pickup window choices

If you need faster service, we offer expedited shipping with as little as 1-3 days notice, though this comes at a higher cost. During peak moving seasons (summer and early fall), we suggest booking even earlier – up to 4 weeks ahead.

The key is to book as soon as you know your moving dates. This ensures the smoothest experience for your San Diego car shipment.

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 cost-effective 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 most San Diego residents, open transport works perfectly fine. However, if you’re shipping a high-value vehicle or want maximum protection, enclosed transport is worth the extra cost. See our complete open vs enclosed auto transport guide to help you decide which option fits your needs and budget.

Yes, we offer door-to-door auto transport service for all shipments to and from San Diego, CA. This means we’ll pick up your vehicle from your home, office, or any address you choose, and deliver it directly to your destination.

When you book with Sherpa Auto Transport, simply provide us with your pickup and delivery addresses. Our carrier will come right to your location – no need to drop off your car at a terminal or depot.

In some cases, large trucks may have trouble accessing certain San Diego neighborhoods with narrow streets, steep hills, or low-hanging trees. If this happens, don’t worry – our driver will work with you to find a safe, nearby meeting spot like a grocery store parking lot or gas station. This ensures your vehicle stays protected while making pickup and delivery as convenient as possible.

Door-to-door service is included in all our quotes at no extra charge. It’s just one more way we make car shipping simple and stress-free for San Diego residents.

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!