Arlington Heights, IL Car Shipping

Preparing your vehicle for transport from Arlington Heights, IL is simple. Follow these key steps:

Remove personal items: Take out all belongings, including toll passes (like I-PASS), electronics, and fragile items. Carriers typically don’t insure personal items left in the vehicle.

Clean your vehicle: Wash your car inside and out. This makes it easier to document any existing damage during the pre-transport inspection.

Document condition: Take photos of your vehicle from all angles before pickup. Note any scratches, dents, or damage.

Check fluids and battery: Ensure your car has adequate fuel (about 1/4 tank), proper fluid levels, and a charged battery. Fix any leaks.

Remove accessories: Take off custom antennas, spoilers, bike racks, and other exterior add-ons that could be damaged during transit.

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

Provide a key: Have a working key ready for the driver at pickup.

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

Yes, your vehicle is fully insured during transport from Arlington Heights, IL. All carriers in our network are required to 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 in good standing. This ensures your vehicle is protected throughout the entire journey from Arlington Heights.

For added security, all contracted carriers list Sherpa Auto Transport as a Certificate Holder on their insurance policy. This gives you extra peace of mind knowing your vehicle is covered from pickup to delivery.

Our quotes are all-inclusive, so insurance coverage is already included in your price—no hidden fees or surprise charges.

We recommend scheduling your car shipment from Arlington Heights, IL at least 1-2 weeks in advance. However, booking earlier gives you more benefits.

Here’s why advance notice helps:

• Better pricing: Carriers can plan routes more efficiently and offer competitive rates
• More carrier options: You’ll have access to more available drivers in the Chicago area
• Flexible scheduling: You can choose pickup dates that work best for you
• Route optimization: Carriers can bundle your vehicle with other shipments heading the same direction

If you need faster service, we can often arrange pickup in 2-5 days, though this may come with rush fees. For the best experience and pricing, contact us as soon as you know your moving dates.

Last-minute shipments: We understand plans change. If you need immediate pickup from Arlington Heights, call us directly to check carrier availability in the 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.

The main difference between open and enclosed auto transport is the level of protection your vehicle receives during shipping.

Open Auto Transport is the most common and affordable option. Your vehicle is loaded onto an open-air trailer (the kind you see on highways). While your car is fully secured, it’s exposed to weather and road conditions during transit. This is perfectly safe for most vehicles and is how dealerships ship new cars.

Enclosed Auto Transport provides premium protection inside a covered trailer, shielding your vehicle from weather, dust, and road debris. This option costs 50-60% more than open transport but is worth considering for luxury vehicles, classic cars, exotic sports cars, or vehicles with custom paint jobs.

For most Arlington Heights residents shipping standard vehicles, open transport offers excellent value and reliability. However, if you’re transporting a high-value or collectible vehicle, the extra investment in enclosed transport provides valuable peace of mind.

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

Yes! We offer door-to-door auto transport service for Arlington Heights, IL residents. This means we’ll pick up your vehicle from your home, business, or any address you choose and deliver it directly to your destination.

Here’s how it works:

• Convenient pickup: Our carrier will come to your specified address in Arlington Heights to load your vehicle
• Direct delivery: Your car will be delivered to the exact address you provide at your destination
• No extra trips: You won’t need to drive to a terminal or drop-off location

Important note: In some cases, large car carriers cannot access narrow streets, low-hanging trees, or tight residential areas in Arlington Heights. If this happens, our driver will contact you to arrange a nearby meeting spot, such as a parking lot or main street. This ensures your vehicle stays safe and the transport runs smoothly.

Door-to-door service is included in most quotes at no extra charge, making it the easiest way to ship your car.

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!