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If you're planning to ship your car, you'll need to do a few things to prepare it for transport. Let's discuss some tips on how to get your car ready for shipping. By following these simple steps, you can ensure that your car will arrive at its destination safely and without any damage. Read on to learn more!
1) Prepare Your Car's Relevant Documents
Before you can ship your car, you'll need to gather some important documents. This includes the car's title, registration, and proof of insurance. You should also have a copy of your driver's license and the contact information of the person receiving the car at its destination. All these are crucial as all reputable car shipping companies require them before transporting your car.
2) Remove All Personal Belongings
One of the most important steps in preparing your car for shipping is removing all personal belongings. This includes items like CDs, electronics, loose change, charging cables, USB drives, water bottles, and sunglasses. You must also remove other things that could move around during transport and cause damage to the car. In addition, don't forget to remove important documents like insurance information or personal IDs from your car's glove compartment. It's also essential to remove any aftermarket parts from the car, as they could also be damaged in transit.
3) Clean The Car Inside And Out
It's vital to clean your car inside and out before shipping it. This helps you see any existing dings or dents on your car. This is crucial as it will help you discern new damage that your car incurred during transport. Once you finish cleaning your vehicle, inspect every inch of it and document any existing damage. Whether it's on the interior or exterior, you must take note of these and take pictures if possible. While it's unlikely that your car will incur damage—regardless of what transport method you select—it's best to cover all your bases. Having proof of preexisting damage can help speed up the claims process if something does happen during transport.
4) Disable Your Car's Alarm
If your car has an alarm system, be sure to disable it before shipping it. This will help minimize the chances of the alarm being set off during transport, which could really bother the truck drivers. The last thing you want to do is annoy the person who's bringing your vehicle to its new destination.
5) Perform Essential Maintenance
Before shipping your car, it's crucial to make sure that it's in good condition. This means completing any essential repairs and maintenance tasks. For example, you should replace any worn-out or damaged parts, check the fluid levels, and inflate the tires to the correct pressure level. You must also check if your car battery is fully charged and note the vehicle's mileage during pickup and delivery. Doing this can help ensure that your car arrives at its destination in the same condition as when it was picked up.
6) Leave Just Enough Fuel in Your Tank
When you ship your car, it will be placed on a car carrier. This means it's pointless to fill up your fuel tank for this trip. In addition, having a full tank of gas will just add extra weight, which means you'll have to pay more on shipping cost. The best way is to leave just enough fuel in your vehicle for you to drive it off the transport truck and to your new destination.
7) Disable Toll Tags
If you have any toll tags attached to your car, be sure to disable them before shipping the car. This will prevent the tag from being read and billed during transport.
8) Make Sure to Leave a Spare Set of Keys
When you ship your car, the truck driver will need a set of keys to access it in case it needs to be moved off the carrier. This is why it's important to leave a spare set of keys. So if you're planning on shipping your car and you don't have an extra set of keys, it's time to make some arrangements.
The Takeaway: Prepare Your Car for Its Trip
By following the tips above, you can help ensure that your car arrives at its destination in the same condition as when it was picked up. This means completing any essential repairs and maintenance tasks before shipping it, removing all personal belongings, and disabling alarm systems or toll tags. Doing this will help minimize the chances of damage occurring during transport.