What you are actually buying: a covered trailer, fewer vehicles per load, usually a hydraulic liftgate instead of ramps, and soft straps at the wheels rather than chains at the frame. It costs roughly 20 to 30 percent more than open transport. Whether that premium is worth it comes down to one question: would a single stone chip cost you more than the difference?
What Enclosed Transport Is
An enclosed carrier is a fully covered trailer, hard-sided or soft-sided, carrying two to six vehicles rather than the seven to ten an open carrier stacks. The vehicle is never exposed to weather, road spray, or debris thrown up by traffic.
Open transport, by contrast, moves roughly nine out of ten vehicles, including nearly every new car going from factory to dealership. It is safe and it is the sensible default. Enclosed is not a safety upgrade so much as an exposure upgrade.
The Four Real Benefits
- No weather or debris exposure. Over 2,000 miles an open deck means road grime and the occasional stone. On original paint or a fresh respray that matters.
- Liftgate loading. Low splitters and short approach angles are damaged on ramps, not on the highway. A hydraulic liftgate raises the car level onto the deck with no approach angle at all.
- Wheel straps, not frame chains. Securing at the tires lets the suspension absorb road movement as designed, keeping load off the underbody and aerodynamics.
- Fewer vehicles, less handling. More space around your car during loading, which is where most transit damage actually happens.
Open vs Enclosed at a Glance
When Enclosed Is Clearly Justified
Collector and limited-production cars whose original paint cannot be resprayed without affecting value. Anything with low ground clearance, where ramp loading is the genuine risk. Freshly restored vehicles whose finish has not fully hardened. Cars worth more than a standard cargo insurance limit, which need a carrier holding higher coverage anyway. And deliveries to a buyer who has not seen the vehicle, where arriving pristine is part of the transaction.
When Open Transport Is the Right Call
A late-model luxury sedan or SUV that is driven daily, parked outdoors, and insured conventionally does not need enclosed transport. It reached its dealership on an open carrier and it will live outside at the destination. Paying the premium for one trip buys very little.
We will say so rather than upsell you. If your car does not need it, keep the money.
What Enclosed Does Not Automatically Include
- A liftgate. Many enclosed trailers still load by ramp. If your car is low, ask specifically.
- Soft wheel straps. Confirm the tie-down method rather than assuming.
- Climate control. Enclosed trailers are not heated or refrigerated. They keep weather off; they do not regulate temperature.
- A dedicated trailer. Most hold several cars. A single-vehicle run costs considerably more.
- Higher insurance. Coverage is a property of the carrier’s policy, not the trailer type.
The Insurance Check
Carrier cargo insurance is included in your price and is generous for an ordinary vehicle. For a six-figure car it frequently is not. Ask for the certificate, read the stated limit, and compare it against real market value rather than a book figure. If there is a gap, arrange supplemental transit coverage or select a carrier with higher limits, and check whether your own agreed-value policy extends to transport under a third-party carrier.
Booking and Timing
Enclosed capacity is genuinely thinner than open, and demand concentrates around major auctions, concours weekends, and seasonal storage moves in late fall and early spring. Two to four weeks of lead time is realistic; more if your delivery is tied to a fixed date. A week’s notice for a liftgate-equipped carrier on a specific day is optimistic.
Preparing the Vehicle
- Wash it first so the condition photographs show paint rather than road film.
- Photograph every panel, wheels, lower valances, roof, interior and odometer in daylight.
- Leave about a quarter tank, or 30 to 50 percent charge for an EV.
- Remove personal items and toll transponders.
- Note ride-height settings, alarm quirks, kill switches or unusual starting procedures.
- Keep a spare key rather than sending your only one.
Common Questions
How much more is enclosed in dollars? On a coast-to-coast lane where open runs $2,200 to $2,800, enclosed typically lands several hundred above that, and a dedicated trailer considerably more.
Does enclosed guarantee no damage? No. It removes weather and debris exposure and usually improves loading. Most damage to high-value cars happens during loading, which is why liftgate and tie-down method matter as much as the walls.
Can a non-running classic ship enclosed? Yes, on a winch or liftgate-equipped carrier, typically adding $100 to $250. Say whether it rolls, steers and brakes.
Is enclosed available everywhere? Readily on main corridors; rural pickups take longer to source.
Get a Quote
Call Ship A Car, Inc. at (866) 821-4555 to arrange enclosed transport, or start with the instant calculator.
