If you need to ship your car to a relative, or your new house, there are some things you can do to make this transition easier for you and your car. What is your part in the preparation process for the car shipping service of your choice?
Be sure the car is safe to drive and drivable
There are a few things the transport service will need from you:
- A set of keys to the car and trunk? If the trucks cargo is being inspected, the driver will need access to all compartments;?
- ? tank of gas ? You don’t want to leave enough in there to temp anyone into a joyride, but they will need to move your car on and off of the trailer;
- Minimum of four inches of clearance from the ground ? It’s a bumpy ride getting on and off of the trailer;
- Driver?s side window and door in working order ? This allows the service to load and unload your car safely;
- Securely fastened battery in the battery bracket ? This keeps the bumps along the road from damaging your battery;All brakes must be in working condition ? In manual transmissions the emergency brake will be used to make sure the car is stationary during the trip.
- No fluids leaking ? This is dangerous for your car and the service employees;
- Communication of modifications to the vehicle ? The service needs to know if you have a 4X4 kit, lowered suspensions, etc…
Empty and Clean
- Clean the car inside and out ? this allows a good inspection before and after transporting;
- Make sure the car alarms are inoperable ? this keeps them from going off unexpectedly during transport
Make sure you have removed anything that can be stolen or that could bounce around the interior of the car. You will need to remove anything not permanent from the exterior of the vehicle, as well. Ensure that there is nothing that is illegal to ship in your car. Federal law states that plants, firearms, and hazardous materials may not be shipped.
Make sure your vehicle is ready to arrive at its new destination
Prepare your vehicle for the conditions it will be arriving in. This could be a tune-up, filter changes, oil changes, fluid fill ups, mud tires, or snow tires. If your vehicle doesn’t meet these conditions, you may call your chosen transport company to find out if they can still ship the vehicle.
When you are ready for car shipping service, be sure to get a quote from. The can provide quotes from top shipping companies in the industry.