Royal Oak, MI Car Shipping

Preparing your vehicle for transport from Royal Oak, MI is simple. Follow these key steps:

Remove personal items: Take out all belongings, including toll passes, GPS devices, and loose items. Carriers are not insured for personal property.

Clean your vehicle: Wash the exterior so you can document any existing damage with photos before shipping.

Check fluids and battery: Ensure your car has enough gas (about 1/4 tank), the battery is charged, and there are no leaks.

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

Remove or secure accessories: Take off bike racks, spoilers, and antennas. Retract mirrors if possible.

Provide a key: Have a spare key ready for the driver.

For complete details, visit our Vehicle Shipping Tips page. Proper preparation ensures a smooth pickup and delivery experience.

Yes, your vehicle is fully insured during transport from Royal Oak, MI. 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 is valid and active. We also require all carriers to add Sherpa Auto Transport as a Certificate Holder on their policy for added protection.

This coverage protects your vehicle against damage during loading, transport, and unloading. You’ll receive the carrier’s insurance information before your vehicle is picked up from Royal Oak, so you have complete peace of mind throughout the shipping process.

We recommend scheduling your car shipment from Royal Oak, MI at least 1-2 weeks in advance. However, booking earlier gives you the best results.

Here’s why early booking helps:

• Better pricing: Carriers can plan routes more efficiently and often offer better rates
• More carrier options: You’ll have access to more available drivers in the Royal Oak area
• Flexible pickup dates: Earlier booking means less pressure on scheduling
• Route optimization: Carriers can bundle your vehicle with others heading the same direction

Need faster service? We can often accommodate rush shipments with 2-3 days notice, though this may cost more and limit your carrier options.

For the smoothest experience, contact us as soon as you know your moving dates. We’ll work with your timeline to find the best solution for your Royal Oak car shipping needs.

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 is the most common and affordable option. Your vehicle is loaded onto an open-air trailer alongside other cars. While your car is exposed to weather and road debris, it’s the same method dealerships use to ship new cars. Open transport typically costs 40-60% less than enclosed options.

Enclosed auto transport provides full protection inside a covered trailer. This shields your vehicle from weather, dust, and road debris. It’s ideal for luxury cars, classics, exotic vehicles, or cars with custom paint jobs. Enclosed transport costs more but offers maximum protection for high-value vehicles.

For most Royal Oak residents shipping standard vehicles, open transport is perfectly safe and budget-friendly. Choose enclosed transport if your car is worth over $100,000, is a collector’s item, or has sentimental value that warrants extra protection. See our open vs enclosed auto transport guide for more details.

Yes, we offer door-to-door auto transport service in Royal Oak, MI. This is our most popular shipping option because it’s convenient and saves you time.

Here’s how it works: When you book your shipment, we’ll ask for your pickup and delivery addresses in Royal Oak. Our carrier will come directly to your home, business, or specified location to pick up your vehicle. When delivery time comes, they’ll bring it right to your destination address.

Important to know: Royal Oak has residential streets with trees, tight turns, and parking restrictions. Large car carriers may not fit down every street. If your location isn’t accessible for a full-size truck, our driver will contact you to arrange a nearby meeting spot. This is usually a shopping center parking lot, gas station, or main road within a few blocks of your address.

Door-to-door service costs the same as terminal-to-terminal shipping with Sherpa Auto Transport. You get added convenience at no extra charge. Most customers in Royal Oak can accommodate door-to-door pickup and delivery without any issues.

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!