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Enclosed Car Transport Service

  • 20 Years Experience Shipping Cars
  • 4.6 Average Star Rating Google, BBB, TrustPilot
  • No Personal Information Required for Quotes
  • We changed the auto transport industry!
Ship your car in the U.S. faster, smarter, and safer with #1 Direct Express Auto Transport
Reliable Car Shipping Fast & Reputable

Enclosed Car Transport Service

  • 20 Years Experience Shipping Cars
  • 4.6 Average Star Rating Google, BBB, TrustPilot
  • No Personal Information Required for Quotes
  • We changed the auto transport industry!
Ship your car in the U.S. faster, smarter, and safer with #1 Direct Express Auto Transport

See Why People Prefer

Direct Express Auto Transport

BBB Accredited Business
Google Reviews
Trust Pilot

Enclosed Auto Transport Service

Enclosed Car Transport is designed to haul expensive, classic, or collector vehicles that should not be exposed to inclement weather, road debris, or dirt. Approximately 3% of all vehicle shipments are shipped Enclosed Transport. The average cost for Enclosed Auto Transport is roughly 33-50% more than Open-Air Car Transport. The Direct Express Auto Transport quote calculator instantly produces a car shipping rate that works for Enclosed Transport.

How Does Enclosed Car Shipping Work?

How Does Enclosed Car Shipping Work?

Some Enclosed Car Transport trailers ship only one (1) or two (2) vehicles, which is ideal for routes of less than 500 miles, like Los Angeles to San Francisco, or Boston to Philadelphia, or Atlanta to Orlando. It tends to be expensive, though.

It is most often the case that a long-haul Enclosed Transport trailer will accommodate four (4) to six (6) vehicles. Contrast that with a typical long-haul Open-Air Transport trailer that will accommodate seven (7) to ten (10) vehicles. Obviously, how many vehicles depend on the size vehicle being transported. 

The carrier expense of either Enclosed or Open-Air is roughly the same. However, the Enclosed Transport carrier must charge the customer more per vehicle because he fits less on the truck. About 33% less. The difference between say six (6) Enclosed vehicles and nine (9) Open-Airvehicles. That is the main reason for the extra consumer cost.

Why Customers Might Prefer Enclosed Transport

Well, everybody would like to baby their vehicles, protect them from the elements, and ship Enclosed Transport. If you are willing and able to pay nearly 33-50% more than Open-Air Transport to do that, it is indeed better.

With Enclosed Transport, your vehicle arrives mostly clean, hardly dirty from the road. No debris or rocks get kicked up from the road to knick, scratch, or dent your vehicle. The hail, sleet, and snow, do not touch your Enclosed Transport vehicle.

The debris from hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards should not touch your Enclosed vehicle unless a direct hit calamity to the entire rig. Chances are far lower that there will be an insurance claim with Enclosed Transport. It is low anyway even with Open-Air Transport, but claims involving Enclosed Transport become even rarer. 

Why Customers Might Prefer Enclosed Transport

Enclosed Car Shipping Timeframes

Enclosed Car Shipping Timeframes

There are far fewer Enclosed Transport haulers on the road. So getting one to pick up an Enclosed Transport customer vehicle in a remote or rural area may take longer than an Open-Air trailer. If you are in a hurry, that is something to consider.

There should be little if any difference in car shipping timeframes, however, between Enclosed and Open-Air transports if in or near a bigger city. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Auto Transport
How much does it cost to ship a car?

Not as much as you would suppose. If only one thing goes wrong, a tire blowout or overheated radiator for instance, then it would be actually cheaper to ship a car across country. About 97% of all auto transport shipments are delivered in an Open-Air trailer. It’s proven to be a very safe method with statistically few problems. You may notice multiple vehicles being delivered to car dealerships near you in an Open-Air trailer, and that’s because it’s reliable. It is also cheap car shipping. If you have a collector car or really expensive automobile, however, then we recommend car shipping services with an Enclosed carrier. Expect to pay about 50% more for Enclosed transport. Our car shipping cost calculator automatically adds the extra amount to your auto transport quote

How should I pay for the car shipping costs?

Making a nominal partial credit card payment to the auto transport broker is preferred by car shipping carriers but not essential. Carriers like getting paid with Cash or Money Order upon delivery, and who doesn’t? Services paid immediately for services rendered. But a full credit card payment upfront also works if the car shipping carrier trusts the auto transport broker. Carriers have known Direct Express Auto Transport for nearly twenty years and the trust is there. So either method works with us

How long does a car shipping company take to deliver my vehicle?

The auto transport delivery is the final step in the process, and also the simplest part. Once your vehicle has been assigned to a car shipping carrier and picked up, not too much can go wrong. It generally takes one day of transit time for every 500 miles of distance. The auto transport driver will call ahead from the road to announce his estimated time of arrival.

Car Delivery Time Estimate

  • 100-500 miles takes 1 or 2 days
  • 500-1000 miles takes 2 or 3 days
  • 1000-1500 miles takes 3 or 4 days
  • 1500-2000 miles takes 4 or 5 days
  • 2000-2500 miles takes 5 or 6 days
  • 2500-3000 miles takes 6 or 7 day

Depending on the distance, weather conditions and population centers it could be a few days or weeks until a vehicle reaches its destination. The car shipping carriers usually estimate about 10 days on coast to coast trips, but they frequently arrive earlier.

How far in advance should I ship my car?

We recommend scheduling your auto transport service anywhere from two days to two weeks in advance. We are often able to assign your vehicle on the very same day, but providing us with longer lead times allows us to schedule your auto transportation easier. You want the most current car shipping cost, and you get that by staying within two weeks of your first available date to ship. Believe it or not, the auto transport service market can change quickly. It is seasonal. If the car shipping quote is too low, that can delay your order getting on the road. To avoid that, try not to book more than a month in advance and preferably within two weeks, because seasonal changes can impact the current pricing. Conversely, you should enjoy the savings if the rates were to go down, so having the most current pricing is always best. Our auto transport rate calculator on this page was the first one in the industry in 2004.

How long do car shipping companies take to pick up my vehicle?

Over 90% of our car shipping orders are assigned and picked up within one week. Mostly because the overwhelming majority of the U.S. population lives nearby a major metropolitan area.

Can I store things inside my vehicle during auto transport?

Yes and no. The strict interpretation is no, you can’t ship items inside your vehicle. The reality is that almost all auto transport carriers look the other way on items that weigh less than 100 pounds, roughly the equivalent of 2 suitcases. We recommend placing any additional items in the trunk and out of sight. The U.S. Transportation Law states that a carrier can be fined $10,000 for hauling household items in the vehicle, but it is rarely enforced. Please know that car delivery drivers estimate every vehicle’s weight that they carry and don’t want problems at weight scales. They must keep the personal items to a minimum to make it through the scales. Some drivers will accept a tip ($50-$250) for hauling extra stuff, and some won’t. Rule of thumb, don’t take advantage. The car transporter is there to ship a car, not move the owner’s personal belongings. Our car shipping calculator will not add a charge for extra items because it would be presumptuous to expect the driver to agree. If you want to include extra items in your vehicle, please discuss that first with the driver and come to a mutual agreement.

Reviews From Our Customers

  • My Auto Transport Experience

    Nancy B. – Orlando, FL

    I am so pleased with my decision to use Direct Express Auto Transport! Ashley was a knowledgeable and confidence inspiring representative and my driver was on time and my car was in perfect shape!

  • Great Auto Transport Service To Texas

    Steve S. – New Braunfels, TX

    Talked to Jessica on Wednesday to have 65 El Camino shipped from Calif to Texas. Was picked up on Thursday the 16th and delivered on Monday the 20th. Beautiful truck and great driver. Sebastian was the driver’s name. Also it was awesome to see all the other great cars.

  • Enclosed Auto Transport

    Derek K. – Oradell, NJ

    Fantastic experience all around, from the office people calling me back on a Sunday when a question popped up, to getting the car delivered very quickly, the whole process went perfectly. Will use them again for sure.

  • My Car Arrived Sooner Than Expected!

    Charlie R. – Mt Clemons, MI

    Driver was very efficient and accommodating! Once he picked up the vehicle he stayed in contact with us all the way to delivery. Thank you very much for hauling this vehicle for us because we have no way of doing it ourselves.

  • Auto Transport From Florida

    Alicia L. – Bradenton, FL

    My car was picked up on a Friday morning and arrived at my destination two days later. The driver made sure that I was on time delivering my car and he made sure my car was delivered to me in a timely manner also. Great customer service from beginning to end. No complaints at all and will definitely use this company again. Great job!

  • Auto Transport Service To Arizona

    Jeff B. – Mesa, AZ

    Another excellent job by Direct Express Auto Transport! This is the 3rd time we’ve shipped with this Direct Express Auto Transport. They’re courteous, professional, and on time. I highly recommend this company and their services!

  • Car Transported California to Texas

    Bill A. – Ft. Worth, TX

    I used the expedited shipping option and they told me it will be picked up within 3-4days. Luckily my car was picked up on the very first day. It was assigned to one of their transport companies and I received my car within 10days. They are very professional.