Mercer Island, WA Car Shipping

Preparing your vehicle for transport from Mercer Island, WA is simple but important. Here’s what you need to do:

Remove personal items: Take out all belongings, including toll passes, GPS devices, and anything in the glove box or trunk. Car carriers aren’t insured for personal items.

Clean your car: Wash your vehicle so you can easily spot any damage during pickup and delivery inspections.

Check fluids and battery: Make sure your car has enough gas (about 1/4 tank), oil, and a working battery. The driver needs to load and unload your vehicle.

Remove loose parts: Take off custom accessories, spoilers, or anything that might fall off during transport.

Have keys ready: Provide one set of working keys to the driver.

For complete details, check our Vehicle Shipping Tips page. Following these steps helps ensure smooth pickup from Mercer Island and safe delivery to your destination.

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

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

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

For car shipping from Mercer Island, WA, we recommend booking at least 2-3 weeks in advance. This gives you the best chance to secure competitive rates and preferred pickup dates.

Here’s why early booking matters:

• Better pricing: Carriers can plan routes more efficiently when they have advance notice
• More availability: Popular pickup times fill up quickly, especially during peak moving seasons
• Flexible scheduling: You’ll have more options for pickup and delivery windows

If you need last-minute service, don’t worry – we can often accommodate rush shipments from Mercer Island within 3-7 days, though rates may be higher.

Peak seasons to book extra early: Summer months (June-August) and end-of-year holidays see the highest demand for car shipping services.

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 is ideal for luxury cars, classics, or vehicles with custom paint jobs.

For most Mercer Island residents shipping standard vehicles, open transport works perfectly. Choose enclosed if you’re shipping a high-value car or want maximum protection. Both options are fully insured and reliable.

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

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

Due to Mercer Island’s unique geography and some residential street restrictions, there may be occasions where our large transport trucks cannot access certain areas safely. In these cases, we’ll work with you to arrange pickup at a nearby accessible location, such as a local parking lot or the Mercer Island Park and Ride. This ensures your vehicle is handled safely while still providing maximum convenience.

Our door-to-door service eliminates the need for you to drive to a terminal or depot, saving you time and hassle during your move from Mercer Island.

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!