In a couple of weeks, you’re going to be moving across the country. You’ve already got your things packed and ready to go. There’s only one more item of business left to take care of.
You need to get your vehicle to your new home. Before shipping a car, you’ve got to do a little prep work.
Anything can happen on the road. Taking your ride through the carwash will make it easier for you to notice if the transport company puts any dents or scratches on your vehicle.
You should also remove your personal items from your car before you hand the keys over, and don’t forget to disable your alarms.
These are only a few things that you need to do before shipping. Keep reading to learn more.
Check for Leaks
Before contacting the best auto shipping company, check the undercarriage of your vehicle for leaks. If there are any, you’ll need to have them repaired before moving day.
Otherwise, the auto transport service may refuse to take your vehicle because they don’t want it leaking on the cars loaded beneath it. Besides that, the overflowing fluids could ruin your engine.
Give Your Car a Bath
Dirt and grime have the habit of covering up scratches and dings. Since anything can happen on the road, it’s a good idea to take your ride through the carwash before you hand it over to the transport company.
This way, if the movers damage your baby in any way, it will be obvious. You’ll be able to start the process of getting compensation right away.
Check Your Car Battery
Once the transporting service gets your vehicle to its destination, they’ll need to roll it off the truck. They can’t do that if your battery is dead.
Not only will you have to pay a fee if your car battery isn’t charged, but you’ll have a difficult time driving it home from the pickup spot.
Clean the Inside of the Car
During transport, your vehicle will jostle around quite a bit. All your unsecured personal items will be allowed to freely move about as they wish.
If you don’t want anything to get broken, you should clean out the inside of your car. Grab anything big or small that has the potential to come loose on the carrier.
Disable Your Alarms
There will come a time when the truck driver will need to get into the car. Doing that will be a bit awkward with an alarm screaming at them.
To avoid scaring/angering a truck driver, be sure to turn off your alarm and other anti-theft devices.
You Don’t Have to Fill Up
Your car is being transported on a truck. No one is driving it across the country, so it doesn’t need to be filled with gas.
A full tank means your car will be heavier. The additional weight will make it harder for the driver to transport it. Not to mention, it poses a risk to the entire shipment.
Leave only enough gas in the car to get you from the pickup destination back to your new home.
Look Into a Moving Insurance Policy
Again, anything can go wrong on the carrier. Since you’re going to be transporting your car across the country, it would be wise to account for the unexpected by investing in a moving insurance policy. Having it will give you some peace of mind.
Many transport companies offer insurance. If the one you’re going through doesn’t, start looking around for a third-party service.
Check Your Tire Pressure
Driving with underinflated tires can prove a huge risk on the road. It’s not too much different than putting a car with underinflated tires on a transport truck.
It could cause permanent damage when the vehicle is loaded and offloaded. That’s why you have to check your tire pressure beforehand.
Inspect Your Vehicle
Do a visual inspection before shipping a vehicle, as well as take plenty of pictures.
This way, if the service does damage your car, you have evidence to hand over to the insurance company.
Keep an Extra Pair of Keys
You’re going to need to have two sets of keys. One for yourself and one for the transport service.
The company will need a copy to get your vehicle on and off the transport. Some services will deliver the car right to you. They can’t do that without keys.
You’ll need a set just in case something happens to the one you give the truck driver.
Seal Tears in Your Convertible Top
The weather tends to be a bit unpredictable. The last thing you want is for the truck driver to cruise through a rainstorm if you have holes in your convertible top.
If any moisture is allowed to sneak in, it can cause mold to grow, which will be expensive to get rid of.
Take your car somewhere to have the holes patched up ahead of time to keep your interior in good shape.
Everything You Need to Do Before Shipping a Car
As you can see, shipping a car across the country can be a bit complicated. If you don’t take the time to prep ahead of time, things may not end well for your ride.
Seal the tears in your convertible top, inspect your car before you hand the keys over to the transport service, and don’t forget to use up most of your gas ahead of time.
For more tips that will help you prepare your car for a long-distance move, visit the Automotive section of our blog.
Alison Lurie is a farmer of words in the field of creativity. She is an experienced independent content writer with a demonstrated history of working in the writing and editing industry. She is a multi-niche content chef who loves cooking new things.
