Quick answer: To ship a convertible, raise the top and latch it fully, roll the windows up, secure or remove the boot cover and any detachable panels, photograph the car from every angle and leave about a quarter tank of fuel. For a soft top, a classic or any high-value convertible, book enclosed auto transport to keep sun, rain and road debris off the fabric. Hardtop convertibles often ship safely on an open carrier.
A convertible is the one body style where the roof is a moving part, and moving parts are exactly what get damaged in transit. A fixed steel roof shrugs off wind, road grit and a careless tie-down. A folding soft top, or a power hardtop that stows itself in the trunk, has seams, latches, hydraulics and fabric that all need to be in the right position before your car rolls onto a truck.
Prepping a convertible for shipping is not complicated once you know what is at risk. It comes down to three things: a top that is fully closed and latched, a carrier that keeps the weather off, and a walk-around that documents the car’s condition before it leaves your driveway.
Why a Convertible Needs More Than the Standard Prep
Most of the general advice in our car shipping checklist still applies to a convertible: clean it, document it, empty it, check for leaks. What changes is everything that touches the roof.
A soft top is tensioned fabric over a folding frame. At highway speed on an open trailer, that fabric catches wind the way a sail does. If the top is not fully latched, air can work its way under a corner and stress the seams, the rear window or the frame. Leave the top down and it gets worse: the headliner can chafe against the folded frame, and the open cabin takes on road spray, dust and rain. Repairing a torn soft top or a water-stained interior costs far more than the ten minutes of prep it takes to avoid the problem.
Hardtop convertibles have their own quirk. The multi-panel roof relies on a hydraulic or electric mechanism, and the panels seal at precise points. A top that is mostly closed but not fully seated leaves gaps that wind and water find immediately. Whatever kind of convertible you own, the rule is the same: the roof goes up, fully closed, and stays there.
Choose the Right Carrier First
This decision comes before any hands-on prep, because it changes how careful you need to be with everything else.
For a convertible, especially a soft top, a classic or anything with real value, enclosed transport is worth the premium. An enclosed trailer puts solid walls and a roof between your car and the sun, rain, road debris and wind that a soft top is least equipped to handle, and it keeps the fabric out of the UV that fades and dries it over a long haul. Enclosed transport costs 40 to 60% more than open transport.
Open transport is cheaper and safe for most cars, and plenty of hardtop convertibles ship that way without issue. The trade-off comes down to what you are shipping and how far. Our comparison of open and enclosed carriers breaks down where each makes sense. For a rare, restored or soft-top convertible crossing the country in summer, the fabric-and-sun math points clearly toward enclosed.
If your convertible is a classic or collectible, treat it as one. ABC’s classic and exotic car shipping uses lift-gate loading and soft tie-downs that strap around the tires, and for a high-value car you can declare an agreed value so ABC matches you with a carrier whose insurance covers it. Our guide to shipping a collector or vintage car covers the extra steps.
How to Prepare a Convertible for Shipping, Step by Step
Step 1: Inspect and Secure the Top
Start with the roof, because a problem here is the one most likely to get worse in transit.
Raise the top fully and confirm every latch is engaged: the header latches at the windshield on a soft top, and the fully seated position on a hardtop. Then look the fabric over in good light for existing tears, thinning seams, a loose or cloudy rear window and any spot where the top does not sit flush. Wind exploits weak points, so a seam that is already fraying may not survive a long haul. If you find real damage, get it repaired before shipping, or at least point it out at pickup so it is recorded as existing damage.
Roll the windows all the way up too. On a convertible, the side glass helps the top seal and keeps the cabin closed off. If your top has a boot cover or tonneau, either fasten it firmly or remove it and pack it. A loose cover flapping in the wind is a liability.
Step 2: Clean the Car and Document Its Condition
Wash the exterior before pickup. A clean surface makes existing chips, scratches and swirl marks visible, which matters when you record the car’s condition.
Take clear, dated photos from every angle: all four corners, both sides, the front and rear, the wheels, and close-ups of the top and any existing blemishes. Do the same for the interior if it is a premium or restored cabin. These photos are your reference point if you ever need to make a claim, and they line up with the driver’s own inspection; our guide on how auto shipping works explains the handoff.
For a freshly restored or high-end interior, a light breathable cover over the seats adds protection against dust. Skip plastic, which traps moisture against leather.
Step 3: Empty the Car and Remove Loose Accessories
Loose items can shift when the truck brakes, so clear out anything that is not fastened down. ABC allows up to 100 pounds of personal items in the car as a courtesy, at the driver’s discretion, but they are not insured, so keep anything valuable with you. Our guide to what you can pack in your car has the details.
On a convertible, pay attention to the roof-related extras: a detachable hardtop panel, a wind deflector, the tonneau or boot cover and any aftermarket roof accessories. If they are not securely fastened as part of the car, take them off and ship them separately or leave them at home. Also remove toll transponders and parking passes, and leave between a quarter and half a tank of fuel, with a quarter preferred.
Step 4: Handle the Mechanical Checks
A convertible ships like any other car mechanically, so run the standard checks that keep loading smooth:
- Battery and tires: make sure the battery is charged and the tires are at the recommended pressure so the car rolls on and off the trailer cleanly.
- Leaks: check underneath for drips. A leak noted before shipping cannot be blamed on the carrier, and on an enclosed trailer the driver needs to know about it.
- Alarm and keys: turn the alarm off. Have one set of keys that works the ignition, trunk and glove box, and, on a convertible, the top mechanism.
- Quirks: note low ground clearance, a temperamental top motor or a specific starting procedure. If the car is lowered or modified, see our guide to transporting lowered or custom cars, since loading angles matter.
Step 5: Time It Around the Weather
Weather hits a convertible harder than a hardtop, so check the forecast at both ends of the route. Extreme heat dries out soft-top fabric, and heavy rain tests every seal. You cannot control the weather over a multi-day haul, but you can choose enclosed transport for the worst of it and avoid scheduling a soft-top shipment straight into a storm if your dates are flexible. Our guide to how weather affects auto transport covers what carriers plan around.
What Does It Cost to Ship a Convertible?
On an open carrier, a running car with flexible dates usually costs $400 to $700 under 500 miles and $1,000 to $1,700 over 2,000 miles. Enclosed transport costs 40 to 60% more. Pricing is flat-rate, so the quote you accept is the price you pay, and there is no deposit. Our car shipping cost guide explains what moves the price.
Your Pre-Shipping Checklist
Run through this the morning of pickup:
- Top fully raised, closed and every latch engaged
- Windows all the way up
- Soft top inspected for tears, weak seams and a clear rear window
- Boot cover, tonneau and detachable panels secured or removed
- Exterior washed and condition photographed from all angles
- Valuables, toll tags and parking passes removed
- Premium interior lightly covered against dust
- Fuel between a quarter and half a tank, a quarter preferred
- Battery charged, tires at proper pressure and no active leaks
- Alarm off, and keys ready for the ignition, trunk, glove box and top
- Any quirks written down for the driver
When the carrier arrives, walk around the car with the driver and check that the bill of lading matches what you documented, with special attention to the top. Do the same at delivery, with the top still up, and write any new damage on the bill of lading before you sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should a convertible ship open or enclosed?
Enclosed is the safer choice for a soft top, a classic or any high-value convertible, because it keeps sun, rain and road debris off the fabric. Many hardtop convertibles ship safely on an open carrier, which costs less.
Should the top be up or down for shipping?
Up, fully closed and latched. A lowered top leaves the cabin open to dust, spray and rain and can chafe the headliner against the folded frame. A top that is not latched can catch wind and stress the seams.
Can I leave the boot cover or tonneau on?
Only if it is firmly fastened. A loose cover flaps in the wind and can damage itself or the paint, so remove it and pack it if you are not sure.
How much more does enclosed transport cost for a convertible?
Enclosed transport costs 40 to 60% more than open transport. For a soft top or a valuable convertible on a long route, many owners find the protection worth it.
How much fuel should a convertible have for shipping?
Between a quarter and half a tank, with a quarter preferred. That is enough to load and unload the car without adding weight.
What should I do if the soft top is already damaged?
Repair it before shipping if you can. If not, photograph the damage and point it out to the driver at pickup so it is recorded on the bill of lading as existing damage.
Ship Your Convertible With ABC Auto Shipping
ABC Auto Shipping is a licensed auto transport broker (USDOT 2340626, MC-797279) with over 20 years of experience and an A+ rating as a BBB Accredited Business. There is no deposit, you pay only once your carrier is secured, and the quote you accept is the price you pay. Get a free quote and tell us it is a convertible, or call 877-686-5611.
