Enclosed car transport

Enclosed car transport moves your vehicle inside a fully covered trailer instead of on an open deck. It costs more than open transport and it is the standard way to move cars whose value is in their condition.

What enclosed transport is

An enclosed carrier is a car-hauling truck with walls and a roof around its trailer. The car is loaded, secured and closed in for the whole trip, so it never sees rain, snow, road salt, grit thrown up by other traffic, or the sun beating on it for days at a time.

Enclosed trailers usually carry fewer vehicles than the big open carriers you see on the interstate. That is part of why they cost more, and part of why there are fewer of them on any given route. We match you with a vetted, insured enclosed carrier that fits your route, vehicle and dates.

When enclosed is worth paying for

Open transport is safe and it is how most cars in the country move. Enclosed transport is about removing the small, cosmetic risks that matter on some cars more than others:

• Classic and collector cars

  Original paint, chrome and soft tops that are hard or impossible to replace.

• Luxury and exotic cars

  Where a stone chip on the hood becomes a costly paint correction.

• Show cars and fresh restorations

  Cars on their way to an event, or straight out of the paint booth or detailer.

• Winter moves out of New England

  Salt and slush on I-90 and I-95 from December to March. Enclosed keeps it off the car.

If your car is an everyday driver, open car transport gives you the same door-to-door service for less.

How much enclosed car transport costs

Enclosed transport costs more than open transport on every route, because the trailer carries fewer cars and there are fewer enclosed trucks on the road. The difference grows with distance. Beyond that, the same things set the price as for any shipment: the distance between your addresses, the size of the vehicle, whether it runs, your timing and how busy the route is.

For more on what goes into the price, see the car shipping cost calculator page.

Open vs enclosed at a glance

Still deciding? Our guide to open vs enclosed car transport goes through the trade-offs in more detail.

How an enclosed shipment works

1. 1

   Request your quote

   Choose enclosed transport on the form. You see your estimate straight away, with no obligation.

2. 2

   We match you with an enclosed carrier

   A dispatcher confirms the route, dates and price, then books a vetted, insured, FMCSA-compliant and DOT-licensed carrier with enclosed equipment.

3. 3

   Pickup and transport

   The carrier picks up at your door within your pickup window. After a thorough on-site inspection with you, your car is loaded, secured and closed in. We stay in touch on the way.

4. 4

   Delivery and completion

   The car is delivered to the address you gave us. You do another thorough on-site inspection with the driver and the shipment is complete.

Getting your car ready

Prepare the car the way you would for any carrier, with a few extra steps for a valuable vehicle:

• Wash it before pickup so you and the driver can see its condition clearly, and take dated photos of every panel.
• Keep personal belongings to a minimum. Over 50 lb in total adds a heavy-load fee.
• Tell your dispatcher about low ground clearance, modifications or a car that doesn’t run, so the right carrier is sent.
• Fold mirrors, retract antennas and secure or remove loose parts such as car covers.

The full checklist is in how to prepare your car for shipping.