East Lansing, MI Car Shipping

Preparing your vehicle for transport from East Lansing, MI is simple but important. First, remove all personal items from inside your car, including toll passes, GPS devices, and any fragile items. These can shift during transport and cause damage.

Next, remove exterior accessories like bike racks, spoilers, or antenna toppers that could break off during transit. Make sure you have a working key to give the driver – they’ll need it to load and unload your vehicle.

Before pickup, document your car’s condition with photos and note any existing damage. Keep your gas tank between 1/4 and 1/2 full – this gives the driver enough fuel to move your car while keeping weight down.

Finally, disable your car alarm and make sure your battery is charged. For complete preparation details, check our Vehicle Shipping Tips guide. Following these steps will help ensure smooth transport from East Lansing to your destination.

Yes, your vehicle is fully insured when shipping from East Lansing, MI. All Sherpa Auto Transport carriers must carry at least $1,000,000 in liability insurance and $100,000 in cargo insurance.

Before we assign your East Lansing car shipment, we verify that your carrier’s insurance is active and valid. We also require all carriers to list Sherpa as a Certificate Holder on their policy for extra protection.

This means your vehicle is covered from pickup in East Lansing through delivery at your destination. You can ship with confidence knowing your car is protected every mile of the journey.

For car shipping from East Lansing, MI, we recommend booking at least 2-3 weeks in advance. However, the earlier you schedule, the better your chances of securing preferred dates and competitive pricing.

Here’s why advance booking matters:

• Better carrier availability: East Lansing has moderate shipping volume, so early booking ensures you get on a carrier’s route
• Cost savings: Last-minute bookings often cost 20-30% more
• Flexible scheduling: More time allows carriers to coordinate efficient routes

If you’re moving during peak seasons (summer months, college move-in/out periods), consider booking 3-4 weeks ahead since East Lansing sees increased demand from Michigan State University students.

Need to ship on short notice? We can often accommodate rush orders within 3-7 days, though premium rates may apply.

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 trailers that expose your vehicle to weather and road debris. It’s the most popular choice because it costs less and works well for everyday vehicles. Most cars shipped to and from East Lansing use this method.

Enclosed auto transport protects your car inside a covered trailer. It costs 40-60% more than open transport, but it’s worth it for luxury cars, classics, or vehicles with custom paint jobs. This option shields your car from Michigan weather, road salt, and debris during transport.

For most East Lansing residents shipping standard vehicles, open transport offers great value and reliability. Choose enclosed transport if your car is worth over $50,000 or has special value you want to protect. See our complete open vs enclosed guide for detailed comparisons and pricing.

Yes, we offer door-to-door auto transport service to and from East Lansing, MI. This means our carrier will 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 in East Lansing – whether that’s near Michigan State University, downtown, or in surrounding neighborhoods.

In rare cases where large trucks cannot safely access your exact address due to narrow streets, low-hanging branches, or parking restrictions, our driver will work with you to find a safe nearby location like a shopping center or gas station. This ensures your vehicle stays protected throughout the shipping process.

Door-to-door service saves you time and hassle compared to terminal-to-terminal shipping, where you’d need to drop off and pick up your car at specific facilities.

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!