Preparing Your Car for Shipping

Before your car shipping company comes to pick your vehicle, make sure to observe these things.

First, it is important to wash your car thoroughly and this is not just to make it look good and shiny. The idea is for you to easily see scratches, chips, nicks, cosmetic damages and dents so that you would know the condition of your car thoroughly. This is very helpful as you later check whether your car was scratched or dented during the transit. Wash your car even if you know it will get dirty anyway on an open trailer.

For your own good, document the original condition of your car so that it will be easy for you to make claims on damages. After having your car washed, take a picture of it from all sides.

Second, remove your personal items from inside your car. Any items lost during the transit but are not part of the car will not be covered by the policy. Any items lost may be lost forever, and you cannot blame the car shipping company for it.

Third is a very practical reminder for you. Shut off all your alarms. If for any reason a car alarm goes off during transit, your battery life may be drained empty. What if your car is being shipped overseas for days and weeks? It is not the responsibility of the car shipping company to turn off the alarm since they may be too preoccupied with many other things, so make sure to disenable or disengage them beforehand. In relation to this, make sure your battery is charged.

Next, don’t fill your gas tank to the brim. Put in just a fourth of the tank, enough to move it on and off the trailer or carrier ship. Another reason for this is that the less fuel in your tank means your car is lighter. Shipping cost is determined by the weight of your car.

Secure or take away any loose parts or items such as spoilers, fog lights and antenna as they can damage your car and other cars nearby.

Lastly, check on the little practical things such as haying your tires properly inflated, covering all fluids, and checking and covering up any leaks. You wouldn’t want the car on the upper tier of the trailer to be leaking oil or transmission fluid on your car below, would you? Likewise, make sure your car is not leaking so that you won’t cause damage to other vehicles.

To make sure your car is shipped smoothly and with little hassle, keep a list of the things you should do or check before the car shipping company comes to pick it up. It will also help greatly if you mention to your shipper any problems your car has – leak problems, engine problems, external damage, and others ,to make sure your business partnership is based on trust and truthfulness.

After you do these things, your car is ready for pick up. All you have to do how is to wait and prepare to pay your balance once your car reaches its final point of destination.