Best Enclosed Car Shipping Companies

For people who want to ensure their car is safe and cared for during a long-distance move, enclosed auto shipping is a must. Rather than leaving your vehicle vulnerable to the elements, faulty security measures in an open carrier, and other variables on the road, enclosed car shipping allows you to protect your car in a trailer. 

Among the enclosed auto transport companies we researched, one definitely stood out.

Our top pick: Montway Auto Transport. The enclosed car shipping company has safe drivers, reasonable prices, and sky-high customer reviews. Entrusting your car into the hands of a stranger can be intimidating, but Montway Auto Transport seems to be a highly reliable option. 

Take a look at the other enclosed auto transport companies we placed in our top five, and put your mind at ease during your next cross-country move.

When reviewing different enclosed auto transport companies you probably have several questions on your mind like: “How much does it cost to ship a car enclosed?” and “How long has this company been successfully shipping vehicles?” We found that experience, customer reviews, and average pricing were all key factors in making an informed decision.

• Enclosed car shipping expertise. You want a company that specializes in enclosed auto shipping. Some of the best signs include a car shipping service showing up on the first page of Google search results for enclosed car shipping (search engines tend to give higher priority to relevant, helpful content).
• Reasonable enclosed car shipping rates. The average enclosed vehicle transportation cost is about $1,500, so look for an enclosed hauler that comes in at or below that mark.
• Guaranteed quotes. After getting your initial quote, prices can often skyrocket 25–50%, so pay attention to companies that guarantee their quotes. It’s rare, so you want to jump on it when you find an enclosed auto shipping carrier like American Auto Shipping that guarantees its quotes.
• Years of experience. There aren’t many trust signals more important than company age. Because many brokers flame out within a year or two, we recommend looking for enclosed auto transport companies with 10-plus years in the game.
• Extra insurance. Every carrier must provide liability insurance—it’s a basic requirement. But reliable carriers go above and beyond. Keep your eye on enclosed auto transport companies that have extra insurance like cash toward your deductible.
• Customer reviews. The average review rating for enclosed auto transport companies is 4.6 out of 5 stars, so pick a company with scores at least that high. Look for reviews that mention things like affordable rates, timely deliveries, and reliable customer service.

Montway is our top enclosed auto transport company. No one else gives you a better combo of reasonable prices, safe drivers, and overall customer satisfaction. Montway guaranteed pickup dates are a big deal if you’re on a tight schedule, and its enclosed carrier vetting is top of the line. It’s also one of the few enclosed auto transport companies that offer GPS tracking. The broker is an excellent pick if you want your valuable vehicle delivered safely, quickly, and cheaply.

Montway Auto Transport guarantees the pickup date for your vehicle. That’s a bigger deal than it seems—and a service that most car transport companies don’t offer. Imagine that you need to leave town on a specific day, but the enclosed car shipping company doesn’t arrive before your deadline. Do you leave your vehicle behind? Change your travel plans? Something else?

It’s not a hypothetical situation. We talked with a real-life customer who used Montway because her first choice didn’t show up on time. Not only was it an inconvenience, but she had to pay hundreds of dollars extra because it costs more to ship on short notice.

Montway’s guaranteed pickup dates take the inconvenience and extra costs out of the equation. It’s one reason the car transport company has a sky-high customer review rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars.

Montway carefully investigates all of its carriers before assigning you a driver. Chances are, safety is important to you if you’re using enclosed auto shipping. Many companies do the bare minimum. They might check to make sure the driver has insurance or a clean driving record, but nothing more. Montway Auto Transport goes the extra mile.

The enclosed auto transport company has more than 10 people whose only job is to vet potential carriers. They make sure your driver can cross state lines (some can’t), double-check insurance, and comb through inspection and crash reports. And that’s just the beginning. Montway checks a ton of other details to make sure your driver is top-notch.

It also keeps an internal database with nearly 15 years of data based on customer experiences. That means if a company starts to get a lot of complaints, Montway will scratch it from the list of potential enclosed auto shipping drivers.

Put it all together, and Montway’s carrier vetting dramatically increases your odds of getting a reputable driver.

Customers love Montway Auto Transport. We already mentioned that the enclosed car shipping broker has an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars, but did you know they also have nearly 50,000 total reviews? The average company has less than five times that many. Montway is the rare company that scores off the charts in both quantity and quality.

Positive customer reviews often mention professional customer service, timely prices, and affordable rates. But that’s only the beginning of what this enclosed auto transport company brings to the table.

Check out a few of the things that impress us:

• GPS tracking. Most drivers don’t enable GPS, so you’re out of luck if you call and ask where your vehicle is. But Montway simply doesn’t take no for an answer. The company has started forming partnerships with drivers who agree to GPS tracking. So far, it has more than 300 carriers on board, so if you want to know where your vehicle is at all times, ask for this feature when you book your enclosed car shipment. We haven’t seen another company come close to Montway’s GPS availability.
• Pricing calculator. Car shipping prices can often rise about 25–50% by the time your final bill arrives. It’s one of the most frustrating parts of working in the enclosed auto shipping Montway developed a pricing calculator that spits out incredibly accurate prices. The software is so good that Montway licenses it to many companies throughout the industry.
• Reasonable prices. Montway’s prices are almost always below average. For enclosed car shipping, the broker can save you about $30 on the average shipment. It might not sound like much, but those are only the beginning of your savings. Because the company uses proprietary software to predict your price, your initial quote is more likely to be your final cost. That can equate to a savings of hundreds of dollars.

We’ve spent countless hours researching Montway, talking to its reps, and analyzing its pricing data. In all that time, we’ve found only a couple of drawbacks. Montway doesn’t have guaranteed quotes (few companies do). And the website has an annoying pop-up ad (you’ll run into that on many other sites too). When those are the only things we can gripe about, it’s easy to see why Montway is a customer favorite.

Like our #1 enclosed car shipping company?

American Auto Shipping’s biggest selling point is guaranteed prices. Your final bill is the same as your initial quote—something that can save you hundreds of dollars compared to the competition. The enclosed car shipping company also waives your deposit, so you can go somewhere else if you find a lower rate. It even kicks in $500 toward your insurance deductible if your car gets damaged.

American Auto Shipping doesn’t have as many reviews as some other leading companies. Still, customers have awarded American Auto Shipping nearly perfect scores for more than 20 years. It’s a great choice if you want an honest and reliable enclosed car shipper.

Your American Auto Shipping initial estimate is the same as your final price. So while the company’s quotes are quite a bit higher than the industry average, you can often save money in the long run.

To put this into context, we’ve never seen fully guaranteed enclosed car shipping rates before. Some vehicle transport companies say they have them, but don’t. Others are straight up and say your prices aren’t guaranteed. And a few excellent companies guarantee your quote up to a few hundred dollars.

American Auto Shipping outshines them all. You can get an online quote in a matter of minutes and know that the price will never go up. That’s quality.

American Auto Shipping doesn’t require a deposit to book an enclosed car shipping reservation. It’s yet another thing that puts this enclosed auto transport company over the top. By waiving a deposit, American Auto Shipping shows you how confident it is that you’ll like its service—and price.

Many companies require a deposit of around $200 and then keep the money if you need to cancel. That puts you between a rock and a hard place if the company jacks up your price. Do you go elsewhere and lose your deposit? Or do you hang tight and pay the higher fee? Neither choice is appealing—which is why American Auto Shipping removes it from the equation.

Plus, if you find a lower price somewhere else, American Auto Shipping will let you walk for free.

American Auto Shipping can speed things up if you need your car picked up faster than the broker’s standard five-day window. For $200, the enclosed auto transport company will pick up your vehicle within two days. And for $500, it will come within 24 hours.

This is an expensive option and not for everyone. But suppose you’re starting a new job and must have your car by a particular date. In that case, American Auto Shipping will put your vehicle at the front of the line.

Looking for guaranteed rates?

SGT Auto Transport stands out as an economical and dependable car shipping service—even when it comes to enclosed car shipping, which can cost more. SGT's pricing is inclusive, covering all fees, taxes, and comprehensive insurance, ensuring no hidden costs at payment. The average cost to ship a car using enclosed transport with SGT is around  $1,289.

SGT Auto Transport prioritizes customer satisfaction through exceptional service availability and support. The company provides easy access to experienced car shipping advisors who are available 24/7, year-round, providing continuous monitoring and updates on shipments. While SGT does not offer GPS tracking like some of its competitors, its commitment to responsive customer service, including free cancellations for missed pickups, contributes significantly to its positive reputation, as evidenced by strong customer reviews.

SGT also excels in customer convenience with its guaranteed instant quotes available online, eliminating the need for phone negotiations. Each quote remains valid for seven days, giving you more booking flexibility. Additionally, SGT engages in price matching with direct competitors, ensuring customers receive the best rate possible, provided the competitor’s quote is submitted within 24 hours of booking with SGT.

SGT Auto Transport differentiates itself from competitors by offering services such as guaranteed pickup dates and express shipping and delivery. Additionally, the company's dedicated shipping advisors are available to tailor quotes to meet specific customer needs and budget constraints. SGT also uniquely allows customers to transport up to 100 lbs. of personal belongings in their vehicle, adding further convenience to its comprehensive service offerings.

Looking for the best customer service?

Ship a Car Direct has the lowest prices we’ve seen for enclosed auto transport. The company’s rates are about 11% below the industry average, meaning it’s not uncommon to save upwards of $260. It also doesn’t charge a deposit. So, if you find a lower rate somewhere else, it doesn’t cost anything to cancel your reservation. Ship a Car Direct doesn’t have guaranteed quotes or online estimates (the website is kind of old-school), but you might not need them with how much you can save.

Ship a Car Direct wins where it matters most: low prices. The company’s enclosed car shipping price of $1,210 is about 11% below the industry average. That shakes out to a savings of around $260. We haven’t found a better option than Ship a Car Direct if you’re looking for affordable rates.

Ship a Car Direct has an extra insurance benefit called a “damage-free guarantee.” It’s essentially gap coverage worth up to $500 toward your insurance deductible if the carrier’s policy doesn’t cover your vehicle’s damage.

Many enclosed auto transport companies provide only the minimum insurance: basic liability coverage required by the government. That can leave you in a bind if you need to pay your personal insurance deductible.

Ship a Car Direct exceeds expectations by giving you money from its own pocket. Granted, you don’t often need this service. Enclosed car transport accidents are rare. But the extra protection says a lot about the company’s values—and is a big reason why Ship a Car Direct is one of our best enclosed car shipping companies.

Ship A Car Direct is a customer favorite. Few enclosed car shipping companies score as highly on reviews. For example, Ship a Car Direct’s average customer rating is 4.8 out of 5 stars. And that’s looking at more than 10,000 reviews on nearly a dozen sites.

Here are just a few things that make Ship a Car Direct so popular:

• Low prices. We already mentioned this, but Ship a Car Direct can often save you about $290 on vehicle transport. That’s not chump change.
• No deposit. Ship a Car Direct doesn’t require a deposit. That means if you find a lower rate somewhere else, you don’t have to fork over a couple of hundred bucks to cancel your reservation.
• Carrier vetting. The enclosed auto shipping company has a “hire slow, fire fast” policy. That means Ship a Car Direct takes its time finding top-of-the-line drivers but will quickly cut them loose if they don’t give customers an A-plus experience.
• Meaningful motto. The company’s unofficial motto is “We make the process of shipping your car suck less.” It’s more than just a clever slogan, though. You see the effects spill over into everything from low prices and extra insurance to an owner who personally responds to every Yelp review.
• 50-state availability. You can transport a vehicle with Ship a Car Direct in all 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii.
• Enclosed shipping web page. Ship a Car Direct has a web page devoted exclusively to enclosed auto shipping. The company breaks down which vehicles are best suited for enclosed car It also discusses the risks you can avoid, such as road debris, overhangs and branches, thieves, and environmental factors like bad weather. Ship a Car Direct even provides pros and cons of enclosed car shipping, so you don’t overspend.

Want to save upwards of $300?

uShip isn’t a car shipping broker—it’s an online marketplace. Usually, you pay a broker to research enclosed auto transport companies and pick one for your shipment. But uShip’s website allows you to choose your price and driver. It also gives you more detailed information about potential carriers than any broker would. uShip is a major player in the enclosed car shipping industry that’s available in all 50 states.

The company doesn’t have guaranteed quotes, and its customer service is a bit slow, but those aren’t deal-breakers. The weaknesses pale compared to strengths including a $500 insurance perk and a complete breakdown of every potential driver.

uShip lets you make the final decision about your price—and your driver. The website makes it easy to sort through bids from interested carriers until you find one with a low price and high review score.

For example, we submitted details for a car shipment on the uShip website and got responses from several interested companies. Each one was a bit different. The enclosed auto transport companies submitted a range of bids, had different customer review scores, and even provided various pick-up dates.

If price mattered most, we’d choose Tempus Logix and its $529 price tag. On the other hand, if we valued high customer reviews above all else, we’d go with Montway and its 4.3-star rating.

You’ll often see dozens of bids just like these. All you have to do is scroll through the options and pick the one you like best.

uShip’s website has the most impressive breakdown of enclosed auto shipping drivers we’ve seen. It compiles a star rating based on all of its customer reviews and gives you a vast amount of driver-specific information.

If you click on a company’s name, it brings up a profile that breaks down important details about each carrier that most brokers don’t give you access to.

In this example, uShip shows you the company profile for Montway Auto Transport.

Check out all of the information at your fingertips:

• About the company. uShip gives you a quick intro to Montway, including the things it thinks you should know about. In this case, uShip points out that Montway has been uShip’s “undisputed number one service provider” for over a decade.
• Star rating. Montway has a 4.3-star rating based on more than 23,000 uShip customer reviews. The best way to see if that’s valuable is to compare it to other enclosed auto transport When we do that, we see that Montway has helped about 14 times as many customers as the other companies that bid on our job.
• Use-again percentage. uShip says that 94% of customers would use Montway Auto Transport again. That’s one or two percentage points above most other companies.
• Years on uShip. Some companies have been on uShip for only a year or two. Montway’s 14-year history of shipping to uShip customers means that the company knows all the best ways to provide a smooth transport experience.
• Broker status. Montway is a uShip platinum broker—or the best of the best. uShip ranks its drivers as bronze, silver, gold, or platinum. The platinum rating means that Montway ships at least 100 loads per month, upholds uShip’s community values, and maintains a 95% or higher positive feedback rating.
• Completed shipments. You can see that Montway shipped more than 3,000 vehicles in the last year—and almost 56,100 since 2006. That’s a lot.
• Top category. Since uShip is an online marketplace for the shipment of many different items (like furniture and appliances), the company’s template shows you that Montway focuses on auto transport. No surprise here since Montway is, you know, an auto transport company.
• Canceled shipments. The customer rather than the company cancels most car shipments, so you shouldn’t read too much into the statistic that 9% of Montway’s shipments didn’t pan out. uShip’s car shippers likely score lower than our 4.6-star industry average because uShip docks points for canceled shipments—even if it’s not the company’s fault.
• Once you’ve browsed through the information above, it’s worth taking a few minutes to read some individual reviews. Pay attention to reviews mentioning unexpected price hikes, rude customer service reps, or damaged vehicles. You want to avoid brokers with lots of related complaints. On the other hand, if you scroll through a couple of dozen reviews and don’t see any red flags, chances are you’ve found a good company.

You normally pay an enclosed car shipping broker to do all of this research for you. uShip puts the information in your hands and lets you make the decision.

uShip has some impressive insurance coverage. The company places the responsibility for verifying insurance on you—something you can easily do by requesting the company’s insurance info when it emails you. But after that, uShip helps out in a big way. The company contributes $500 toward your insurance deductible if your vehicle is damaged or there’s a payment dispute.

Extra insurance options like this separate the good companies from the great ones. uShip falls in the latter category. However, it’s important to note that uShip requires you to follow some basic guidelines to qualify for its Ship with Confidence guarantee.  We explain uShip's requirements here, but it boils down to doing some due diligence and using common sense.

For example, if you pay your carrier via an untraceable wire service, uShip can’t help you with a payment dispute. Similarly, if the driver doesn’t give you a written contract, there’s nothing uShip can do for you. By taking just a few minutes to run through the guidelines, you can qualify for hundreds of dollars in free money if your vehicle is damaged.

Want to choose your price?

Easy Auto Ship goes the extra mile to find you the best drivers. The enclosed car shipping broker carefully vets every potential carrier to find the safest options and offers additional insurance if something goes wrong—but that’s not where the benefits end. Easy Auto Ship’s rates are 10% lower than the industry average. It gives top-notch customer service. And you even get a free rental vehicle if your car takes too long to arrive.

The company has been in business under its current name for only a few years (although its website confusingly uses its old DIY Transport name). Still, Easy Auto Ship is worth considering if you want safe drivers and low prices.

Easy Auto Ship conducts carrier background checks, so you get the best available drivers. Every broker can choose from thousands of carriers for your shipment. However, some drivers are more responsible than others. Easy Auto Ship takes additional steps to find the professionals:

• Insurance verification. The federal government requires all drivers to carry insurance, but some less-than-savory characters try to skirt the system. That means if your broker doesn’t do its due diligence, you could end up with an uninsured driver. Easy Auto Ship carefully vets the insurance status of every potential driver, so you’re always covered by basic liability insurance.
• Safety rating. Easy Auto Ship checks the safety rating of every potential driver. It also combs through the last 24 months of data to see if any claims have been filed against the carrier.
• Internal rating. While Easy Auto Ship won’t use any driver that scores less than 95% with other brokers, it also maintains an in-house database that serves as an extra layer of protection. Easy Auto Ship rates each driver based on past customer experiences and boots carriers if their service quality begins to drop.

The result is that you end up with incredibly safe drivers.

Easy Auto Ship provides additional insurance coverage at no charge. The safety net is a huge bonus if you’re one of the rare customers whose vehicle is damaged. The company’s additional coverage shakes out to $100,000. So, if your carrier’s insurance isn’t enough to cover the damage, you have an extra hundred grand to work with.

There’s also another bonus: Easy Auto Ship asks all drivers to add it as a certificate holder on their primary insurance. That means if you need to file a claim, Easy Auto Ship can assist you. The company has an in-house claims department that helps you every step along the way, so you’re never left trying to deal with complicated insurance issues on your own. We love the way Easy Auto Ship identified a pain point and figured out a way to help customers through it.

Easy Auto Ship can save you about 4% on average enclosed car shipping rates. We analyzed hundreds of enclosed car shipping quotes and found that Easy Auto Ship’s price is around $1,431. Compared to the industry average of $1,500, that represents a savings of about $70 for enclosed car shipping.

Want to save upwards of $100?

We researched 10 companies to find the nation’s best enclosed auto transport companies, and no one does it better than:

Montway Auto Transport. Montway has an incredible one-two punch of reasonable prices and excellent customer satisfaction. With over 15 years of experience, your car is destined to be in good hands.

The benefits of enclosed auto shipping primarily relate to safety. While open car shipping is cheaper, enclosed transport protects your car from the sun, wind, rain, and hail. An enclosed carrier also prevents damage from road debris.

Several things contribute to an excellent enclosed auto transport company, including reasonable prices, positive customer reviews, and a safe driving history. You should also look for a company that specializes in enclosed car shipping.

The best enclosed car shipping service is Montway, according to Move.org. The enclosed auto shipping company has reasonable prices, excellent reviews, and safe drivers.

  It costs approximately $1,500 to ship a classic car. Costs vary depending on distance, seasonality, and vehicle size. Enclosed car shipping trailers are recommended for classic cars (open carriers are cheaper but leave your classic vehicle exposed to weather and road debris).

Yes, open transport is cheaper than enclosed transport. However, while choosing an open auto transport carrier can often save you hundreds of dollars, it’s also less safe than an enclosed auto shipping trailer. That’s why enclosed car shipping is usually recommended for customers with expensive automobiles including luxury vehicles and exotic cars.

Enclosed car shipping is when your vehicle is transported inside a fully enclosed trailer (rather than an open carrier). The transportation service is ideal for high-priced vehicles. Enclosed car shipping is also referred to as covered car transport, covered auto transport, enclosed vehicle transport, and enclosed auto shipping.