Shipping your automobile is one of the vital factors you consider, whether moving your car to a different location or buying an automobile. Car shipping is an excellent alternative to driving yourself as your vehicle travels comfortably from state to state, accruing no mileage in the process.
You can also transport your vehicle safely and securely cross-country in an open or closed carrier. However, the most straightforward strategy for ensuring the procedure is simple and uncomplicated is thoroughly preparing your vehicle ahead of the shipping date.
Continue reading to learn the 5 basic steps for preparing your car as you await your ship date.
1. Gather the Paperwork for Your Car
Auto-transporters will want documentation to prove you own the vehicle before they ship it. The absence of documents could cause shipment delays or last-minute overwhelming inspections, which may be cumbersome.
However, you can easily avoid these delays by organizing your car information beforehand. You could require a document proving your car ownership, such as the original title or any crucial proof of car ownership.
2. Wash And Asses Your Vehicle
Ensure you clean your vehicle before shipping. This will enable you to notice scratches, dust, and dings on your car. You will be able to detect any new damage during the shipping process.
Assess for any damage present both on the vehicle’s exterior and interior. It may be wise to document the present damage with images. Your vehicle may suffer damage during the car shipping process, especially if you go with a cheap transporter service.
These images may be crucial in such cases, especially if the car shipping company contests liability for damage during transit.
3. Check For Any Leakages on The Vehicle and Fix Them
Keep an eye out for any dripping fluid and ensure to fix the leaks before shipping the vehicle. Fluid leaks might damage the engine and affect your car’s overall performance. A crucial tip to paying less for shipping while also ensuring your car doesn’t suffer any damage is leaving only a quarter gallon of petrol in the tank.
Less fuel in the tank means your car will weigh less; hence, shipping costs may be cheaper. You will also prevent leakages from the tank in the process and potentially reduce fire hazard risks.
4. Examine The Tires, Radiator, and Battery
Verify the battery is secure and fully charged, as well as the presence of antifreeze in the radiator. Make sure the air is pumped appropriately in your tires. If the tires or wheels are under or over-inflated, there is a chance that damage will occur to them during shipment. Essentially, you want to ensure the vehicle components work properly before transportation. You don’t want to sell a faulty car, do you? It wouldn’t do any good to your reputation if your vehicle is damaged.
5. Remove All Your Valuables from The Car
The car shipping company may not be liable for any missing valuables from your car. Ensure you remove any critical valuables or details from your car before shipping. The valuables include shipping documents or personal items. An accident can happen during shipping which can see you lose valuable items. Remember, the car insurance doesn’t cater to personal items that are part of the vehicle during transport.
Wrapping Up Vehicle Shipments
When shipping a car, you want it to get to its final destination in good shape. Therefore, it is requisite that you perform various checks and inspections beforehand. But you don’t have to trouble yourself with all the work involved in a vehicle shipment. Hire a reputable shipping company, and they make the whole process a breeze. Don’t drive your vehicle across country or across countries unless it is absolutely necessary.
