Prepare Your Car For Shipping With These Useful Tips

Are you in the process of moving across the country and need to have your car shipped? If so, you’re likely wondering how to prepare it for shipment. It’s not as difficult as you may think, but there are a few things that you need to do in order to ensure that your car arrives at its destination safely. In this article, we will provide you with a checklist of things to do before shipping your car. Follow these tips, and your car will arrive at its destination without any issues! So, read on to learn more!

Find an Auto Transport Company

This is the first and most obvious step. If you want to ship your car, you need to find a company that specializes in auto transport. There are many companies out there that provide this service, so take your time and do your research to find the one that’s right for you. Your chosen auto transport company should be experienced, reliable, and have a good reputation. In addition, make sure to read Google reviews, since they can be pretty helpful in choosing reliable businesses. Once you’ve found a company that you’re comfortable with, it’s time to move on to the next step.

Clean Your Car

Now we’re getting to the nitty-gritty. Before your car is shipped, you need to clean it both inside and out. This isn’t necessarily required, but it’s always a good idea to do it anyway. Additionally, this may seem like a pointless task, but it’s actually very important for two reasons. First of all, it will be easier for the auto transport company to inspect your car if it’s clean. Secondly, a clean car is less likely to attract dirt and dust while in transit, which means that it will arrive at its destination looking just as clean as it did when it was shipped. So, make sure to give your car a good wash before shipping it!

Disable the Alarm

If your car has an alarm system, it’s important to disable it before shipping. This is because the alarm may go off during transit, which could be very annoying for the driver transporting your car. In addition, if the alarm goes off while your car is being loaded or unloaded, it could cause damage to the vehicle. So, to avoid any potential problems, make sure to disable your car’s alarm system before shipping it.

Remove Personal Items

Another important step in preparing your car for shipment is removing all personal items from the vehicle. This includes things like clothes, electronics, sunglasses, etc. Basically, anything that you wouldn’t want to leave in your car while it’s being shipped. The reason for this is that personal items can sometimes get lost or damaged during transport. Or, maybe you just don’t want the others to see your stuff. So, to avoid any potential problems, it’s best to just remove them from the car before it’s shipped. You can store them in a box or bag and take them with you when you travel.

Complete the Visual Inspection

Before your car is shipped, the auto transport company will conduct a visual inspection of the vehicle. This is to ensure that there is no damage to the car and that it’s in good condition. In addition, they have to make sure that there are no loose items in the car that could fall out and cause damage. During this inspection, you should also take the opportunity to check for any damage to your car. If you find any, make sure to document them and take pictures. This will help you in case there is any damage to your car during transport. For example, if a tire is damaged, you can show the pictures to the auto transport company and they will be liable for the damage.

Check for Leaks

Another important thing to do before shipping your car is to check for leaks. This includes oil leaks, coolant leaks, and any other type of fluid leak. It’s important to fix these leaks before shipping your car because they can cause damage to the vehicle. Additionally, they can also be a safety hazard for the driver transporting your car. So, make sure to check for leaks and get them fixed before shipping your car. In addition, make sure that you inform the driver if there are any leaks or other problems so that they can take appropriate precautions.

Check Tire Pressure

Besides leaks, another important thing to check before shipping your car is the tire pressure. This is because low tire pressure can cause problems during transport. For example, if the tires are not inflated properly, they could burst during transit. In addition, low tire pressure can also make it more difficult to load and unload the car. So, to be sure, just check the tire pressure and inflate the tires to the proper level before shipping your car.

Lock the Car

Once you’ve checked for leaks, disabled the alarm, and removed all personal items, it’s time to lock the car. This is important because it will help to prevent theft or vandalism during transport. In addition, locking the car will also help to protect the driver transporting your car.

Secure the Car’s Exterior

Lastly, you need to secure the car’s exterior. This includes things like loose parts, antennas, and any other objects that could come off during transport. It’s important to do this because loose objects can cause damage to the car or even injure the driver. As a result, if you have any removable parts, you should either secure them or remove them entirely from your car. This includes detachable ski, bike, and baggage racks. Consider folding in side-view mirrors and retracting antennae. Also, consider removing any custom spoilers. If you own a convertible, make sure the top is properly secured to prevent weather damage.

Now that you know how to prepare your car for shipment, you can rest assured that it will arrive at its destination safely and without any problems. And, if you follow these tips, you can even save yourself some money. So, what are you waiting for? Get your car ready for shipment today!