A study found that the most stressful event in life is moving, at least for Americans. You have to pack all your stuff, perhaps downsize if that’s necessary, figure out how your pets will like the move, find schools for your children, and more. It’s not easy.
Moreover, if you are planning to move to a state like Hawaii or Alaska, which are booming right now and looking for extra residents, then you will not be able to drive your car there but will need to ship it. If you have never looked into shipping vehicles before, it’s a bit more complicated than you might imagine.
Keep reading to learn how to prepare your car for shipping so you don’t have to worry while it’s in transit.
Wash Your Car Inside and Out
Your car will be gathering dust sitting around in a truck or a shipping container for the next few weeks in any case. So why would you want to clean it inside and out?
Well, it’s so you can see better any damage that your car has gathered throughout your time together. This will become important in a later step.
Gather All Your Vehicle’s Documents and Stow Away Safely
Gather all your precious car-related documents and stow them away somewhere else, safe and sound. This way, you won’t have trouble picking up your car when the auto transport services arrive at your destination.
Also, you won’t want to leave these documents in the car while it’s being shipped since numerous things could go wrong while your vehicle is in transit. You don’t want to take any chances with it (remember Murphy’s Law).
Take Pictures of Your Car From All Angles
Using this photo evidence, you can document any damage that has already occurred. This will make it easier for you to compare afterward if any new damage has been incurred while in transit.
You can use this as proof later on if you believe you deserve compensation in case of damages or other wrongdoings by the shipping company. Without photo or video evidence, it’s your word against the shippers, and you can guess who will win in this battle.
Remove All Valuable Personal Items
If you have DVDs or clothing or any other personal items that have sentimental value to you, do not leave them in your car while it’s being shipped. You don’t want to regret leaving them in the car when you lose them all, in case something untoward happens (it’s rare, but you never know).
Check the Levels of All Fluids and for Any Leaks
This means checking all the fluids in your car, i.e., oil, brake, engine coolant, and battery fluid. If any of them are leaking, you need to get that fixed before shipping the car. An overflow of any such fluids could affect the performance of your engine and damage it.
Leave only a quarter gallon of fuel in your gas tank. This way, you won’t have to worry about the extra gasoline leaking out in transit. It will also reduce your vehicle’s weight and cost you less when shipping it.
Check the Battery Charge
If your car doesn’t start when the car shippers are rolling out the car off the truck or ship, then you will get charged an extra fee. That’s why you need to ensure that your battery is fully charged and ready to go when you put it on the truck.
Also, you don’t want to be stranded on the other end when going to pick up your car because you can’t drive it home. Paying for a tow truck to get your car to your new home is an additional expense better avoided.
Disable Alarms or Anti-theft Devices
You don’t want to trouble the truck driver or the shipping services because your car’s alarm or anti-theft device won’t stop beeping. You will want the shippers to have unhindered access to your car, so they can move it around in case there are issues while transporting it.
Get a Moving Insurance Policy
If you are worried about leaving your baby unprotected with some strangers while it gets shipped halfway across the country, then you could get a moving insurance policy to cover your vehicle. It’s not a must with every shipper, but if you like the additional protection, then it’s easy enough to get.
Some shippers will also provide a moving insurance policy, so enquire about this before hiring a particular shipper.
Lock Up, but Leave the Keys
This will allow the shippers to have unhindered access to your car. Also, don’t forget to keep an extra set of keys with you in case the shipper misplaces your first set. This way, you can still drive your car off to your new home without any hassles or delays.
Shipping Vehicles Is Becoming Quite Common
It’s become commonplace nowadays to move from one state to another or even to another country every few years. No one wants to remain in one place for a long time anymore. If you have the freedom to move to a beautiful state like Hawaii or Alaska, why wouldn’t you take advantage of it?
And with shipping vehicles becoming easier than ever, you don’t have to worry about purchasing a new vehicle once you move. Especially if you have a luxury vehicle that you don’t want to give up.
Lux Transport is one of the top auto transport companies in the US, so contact us for a quick quote if you are interested in hiring vehicle shipping services.