Car Shipping: Here Is How You Can Easily Prepare Your Car For Transport - AllCarIndex
If you are permanently leaving your old home and moving to a new place, you should ensure that all your belongings, including your car, are safely transported. It is a good idea to look for an auto transport company to move your vehicle safely, especially if you are moving to another state.
You need to consider elements like driving distance, lost time, seasonal changes, and fuel costs before you decide to drive your car to your chosen destination. On the other hand, when you choose to ship the vehicle, there are certain things that you should take into account to prepare your automobile for transportation. Here is how you can easily prepare your car for shipping.
Get an Accurate Quote
First and foremost, you should get an auto transport company that specializes in handling vehicle transportation services. The companies would not drive your vehicle to your new home, but they use special carriers that are designed to transport various types of automobiles to different destinations. You must get a suitable quote before you hire a car shipping company to move your automobile to your new home. You can use the auto transport calculator to come up with the quote, and the process takes a few seconds. Different factors determine shipment charges like distance, type of trailer, car condition and specs, pickup and drop-off locations, and time of the year. The shipping distance is the primary factor that determines the cost of transporting a car across the country.
Prepare Your Car for Transport
Most auto transport companies use open trailers, and the delivery can take up to 21 days. When you settle on a cross country transport provider, you should book a shipping date and work out all the necessary details with them after making sure that your vehicle is ready for transportation. There are different things that you should perform before shipping your car. Some of the crucial activities that you must do include the following:
- Wash the car: this will allow you to assess the vehicle's condition and spot scratches and dents on your vehicle upon delivery.
- Remove all accessories from the car before it is loaded onto the carrier
- Do not fill up the gas tank but make sure the levels of all other liquids are balanced
- Disable the alarm system and lock all the doors
- Look for leaks and check the tire pressure before loading your vehicle onto the truck. The driver may refuse to carry your car if it has excessive leaks since these may lead to a fire.
The Pick-up of the Vehicle
The driver of the auto transport company will call you before they come to pick your car at home. You should make sure that you are at home or your trusted representative is available to meet the driver if you are occupied. The company will give you a pickup window. When the carrier arrives, the driver will provide you with all the details that you may need. Vehicle transport across the country can take about two weeks, so you must get alternative transport when you do not have your car.
Once your vehicle is loaded into the carrier, it is ready for transportation to its new destination. However, you should expect to perform a vehicle inspection with the driver of the auto transport company. You should ask questions regarding the shipment of your car, payment, and contract terms. You also need to sign the bill of lading to avoid misunderstandings with the transporter.
Getting Your Car to Your Chosen Destination
The auto transport company will deliver your car to the agreed location. However, if this is not possible, they make alternative options to drop your car at a safe and convenient place in your area. You can send a representative to receive your automobile if you cannot be at the drop-off location. While damage during cross-country shipment of a car is rare, you still need to conduct the second inspection with the driver. You also need to sign the necessary paperwork and pay the driver for the service.
If you are moving to another city or state, the best option to move your car is to engage the services of an auto transport company. It is essential to hire a reliable company that offers competitive prices. Make sure you carefully prepare your vehicle before it is loaded onto the carrier to make it easy for the diver to move it to its new destination. Once it arrives at your chosen destination, you should inspect it for damages before paying the driver for the services rendered.