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If you have a car that you need to ship, then you probably know that it isn’t as easy as putting it in a box and sending it on its way. There are countless regulations and details you need to be aware of, on top of finding the right company to move it for you. In addition to that, transporting a car can be stressful since you never know what could happen when the car is out of your hands. However, knowing how to prepare a car for transport can help you minimize the risk of damage and noncompliance. Preparing your car before transport is one thing that you have complete control over, so take a deep breath, and read on to learn how to do it.
To prepare a car for transport, you will need to wash it thoroughly and remove all exterior accessories, like lights and antennae, since those could be damaged in transit. Personal items should be removed, and photos should be taken of the vehicle before you sign the Bill of Lading, in case you need to file an insurance claim later.
To get started, there are a few small steps you can take to prepare a car for transport. First, you should make sure that your battery is healthy and fully charged. The loading crew will likely need to drive your car for a brief moment, and you want to make absolutely sure that your car will start. A dead battery could result in you incurring what’s known as a “non-run” fee, since the car will be much more difficult to transport if it doesn’t start.
For that same reason, it is also important to make sure you still have some gas in the tank. You don’t need a lot, since the company won’t be driving your car for long distances (it’s usually a few feet to get it onto the trailer). Leave between one-quarter and one-eighth of a tank of gas. That will give the moving company enough gas to move your car, but you won’t have to pay for the extra weight of a full tank of gas.
Next, you’ll want to top off any fluids in your car. Antifreeze could be tremendously important depending on where you’re having the car shipped, so make sure you take that into account. Additionally, make sure you check the oil, brake fluid, coolant, and other fluids to make sure your car is well-maintained and ready to move.
Next, you should check the tire pressure. Make sure that the car’s tires are inflated to the correct pressure, and make absolutely sure they aren’t overinflated, since that could cause problems if you are shipping the car to a different altitude. Alternatively, if the car’s tires are underinflated, it may be more of a hassle to move.
Finally, before you decide to hand off your keys to the auto transport company, you should consider getting a spare. Some cars, especially used cars, only come with one set of keys, so you would be handing over the only set of keys to somebody else. Mistakes happen and keys sometimes get lost, so don’t let a potential occurrence like that lock you out of your vehicle.
The next step in the process of preparing a car for transport is to take anything that isn’t attached out of the car. If you have blankets, toys, GPS systems, DVD players, phone chargers, first-aid kits, or anything else, then that needs to be removed before the car can be shipped.
Most auto transport companies will outright refuse to move a car if it contains other personal belongings. The reason for this is that companies require a different kind of license to move personal belongings, which most auto transport companies do not have. So, just to make sure you don’t cause any trouble, it’s best to just take your things out ahead of time.
However, even if an auto transport company is technically licensed to ship personal effects, they may still refuse to do so. The reason for this is if the car has many personal belongings inside it, especially if those belongings are visible from the outside, then that greatly increases the risk of theft. A potential thief will be much more likely to target your car if you left a brand new, expensive GPS system stuck to the window. The auto transport company doesn’t want anything to happen to your car as much as you do, since that would result in a lot of extra paperwork and expense on their part.
In addition to your personal belongings, make sure you take out important documentation, like insurance papers and the vehicle registration. You will need to hold onto those for safekeeping.
When you’re clearing out your car before transport, you might be wondering if absolutely everything really needs to be taken out. Well, fortunately, there are several exceptions to the rule. You can leave some items in the car, such as:
However, because of the risk of theft, you should ensure that all items be left in the trunk or kept out of sight. It is also a good idea to ask the auto transport company you are working with, since each company is going to have different rules. If you aren’t sure if an item will be allowed or not, it’s best to just remove it instead of assuming it would be fine.
If you have decided to leave anything in the vehicle, then you need to make sure that it is safely secured. Loose items can shift around and be damaged or cause damage to the interior of the car, so you need to make absolutely sure you have secured anything that could move around during transportation.
If you have any stickers or tags on the window of the car, either for parking privileges or toll payments, then you will need to remove them before transport. They aren’t required for the transportation process, so it’s better to simply remove them. This is especially true if you are moving your car to a different country, where the passes wouldn’t work anyway. However, there is a much more important reason to remove all toll passes from your vehicle.
Even if your car is being shipped on a closed trailer, the toll pass on the window may still register every single toll gate that the car carrier moves through. The last thing you need when paying to transport your car is to accidentally rack up hundreds of extra dollars in toll fees! You shouldn’t take your chances when it comes to such a large expense, so double-check to make sure you’ve removed your toll pass before the auto transport company picks up your car.
It is important to thoroughly wash your car before it is picked up by the auto transport company. Although it might not be a requirement for domestic shipping, depending on the state you’re moving it to, but there’s another reason why you would want to do this.
Dust, dirt, and grime can cover the surface of your car and conceal things like scratches or chips in the paint, dents, cracks, and various other damages. By giving your car a good wash, you will get a much clearer view of all the damages, so you can have a better idea of whether or not the transport company mishandled your vehicle.
However, if you are shipping your car internationally, then you will have to make sure your car complies with strict USDA regulations. It is unlawful to transport foreign soil to most other countries, so your vehicle will not be allowed to leave the port until it has been inspected and verified compliant by a USDA representative.
To wash your car according to USDA expectations, you should:
After your car has been cleaned and delivered to the port, it will be inspected by the USDA representative. If your car does not pass the inspection, you will not be allowed to ship it until it has been cleaned again and approved.
Once your car has been cleaned, you should be able to tell if there are any scratches or dings in the paint. Document every single damage you find, no matter how small it is. Take pictures of every angle of the car, as well as close-up photos of the existing damages. This way, you can tell if there are any new damages after the delivery of your vehicle, and you will have the evidence to support an insurance claim.
Of course, the auto transport company is going to inspect the car as well, but that is to prevent shippers from making fraudulent claims. You should keep your own documentation if you really want to be on the safe side.
In addition to inspecting the car for visual damages, you should also inspect your car for any mechanical issues. If you don’t feel comfortable doing that yourself, you could have it evaluated by a mechanic. Any mechanical problems would need to be documented and communicated to the transport company before shipping, so that they are aware of any issues with the car. Remember, they will need to drive it while it is loaded and unloaded, so you should tell them anything they need to know.
Next on the checklist for how to prepare your vehicle for shipping is to secure or remove any parts on the exterior of the car that could be damaged or fall off during the trip. Any additional upgrades you have added to your car, such as lights, bike racks, hood ornaments, or accessories, would need to be removed before transport.
Additionally, it would be a good idea to remove the antenna so that it does not get broken in the process. If your car has this functionality, you should also fold in the side mirrors to reduce the likelihood of them experiencing damage as well.
Although it is a good idea to remove anything that could come loose in the trip, you should not remove the license plate from the car. There is no need to do so, and leaving it on could be helpful for verifying that you are the owner of the car. However, when vehicles are transported internationally, there may be different regulations depending on the destination. Communicate with your auto transport company if you aren’t sure before you do anything you maybe shouldn’t.
Not all cars work perfectly, so if your car has any weird quirks or problems, you need to let the transport company know. They need to know what to expect so that they can prepare for how to deal with the car. This is also where you will provide a written account of the damages, mechanical problems, and existing conditions for the car. You could also mention any maintenance that was carried out prior to shipping. Essentially, anything that you want to have a written record of, you should include.
Even though the car will only be driven while getting loaded and unloaded on an auto transport truck, it can still be helpful to know about any issues with steering, accelerating, or braking. A touchy accelerator could be a rough surprise for the person loading your vehicle.
In addition to problems with the car, you will also need to contend with the car’s alarm system. If you cannot disable your car alarm system, you will need to provide a detailed explanation for how to turn the alarm off if it is accidentally triggered.
Any time you provide instructions for anything, make sure that the instructions are clear and comprehensive. However, you don’t have to assume that the carrier is oblivious. Chances are, the carrier is going to have extensive experience working with a variety of different cars, but every car is different and clear instructions can save everyone valuable time.
Once you have detailed everything, and you have clear documentation of the state of the vehicle, you can sign the Bill of Lading (BOL). The BOL is a legally binding document that you must fill out prior to shipping. In it, you will need to include many details about your shipment, and the expectations for the carriers. This includes a description of the shipment, the date, your personal information, and the address for where the vehicle will be delivered.
A BOL will help the shipper invoice you for the service, and it will also serve as a receipt and evidence of the contract between you and the transport company. In the event of the worst-case-scenario, a BOL is an important document involved in making an insurance claim.
How that you know how to prepare a car for transport, chances are, you’re going to need someone to ship it for you. We also offer transport services for motorcycle transport, boat transport and RV transport. At R+L Global Logistics, we offer a range of services from expedited shipping to door-to-door delivery. In addition to that, we also have:
With the proper preparations, we can ship your car anywhere! We handle both domestic and international auto shipping, so you can count on us no matter where you need to move your car. Need to ship a motorcycle? We do that too! Our carrier partners have experience moving cars, trucks, motorcycles, mopeds, boats, and more.
When you work with us, you can feel confident knowing you’re getting the best in customer service. Give us a call today to get your free auto transport quote, and get your car transported anywhere in the world!
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