Once car owners have decided to ship their vehicle, gotten an auto shipping quote, and selected a company to take care of the transportation, it’s time for them to prepare their car for shipping. The car shipping company will take care of most of the work, but there are a few things that car owners should do to make sure the move goes as quickly, smoothly, and safely as possible. Once these things are all taken care, the move should be a breeze, and the car owner will have nothing to worry about.
(It’s also important to note that auto shipping quotes may assume that these items will be taken care of by the car owner. If they’re not, the owner may end up paying slightly more than the auto shipping quote they received.)
Firstly, owners should make sure that the outside of their car is as clean as possible. In California, there are lots of car washes that will get all dust and grime off and have the car looking as spic and span as the day they bought it. This is important, because the car owner and the shipping company need to make note of all scratches, dents, and general wear and tear before the car is loaded onto the shipping truck. If additional dings are picked up in transit, fixing them will be the moving company’s responsibility. But if dirt and dust obscure these marks, then they might not be noticed, and the car owner could be stuck with new scratches that the moving company won’t fix.
Second, all valuables should be taken out of the car. While most moving companies are perfectly trustworthy, there’s no reason to risk putting the car owner’s stuff in somebody else’s hands, and perhaps seeing it get lost or stolen. But that’s not the only issue. Even more problematic is that many car owners send their car to the mover with something important inside, and then need that item while the car is in transit! Don’t let this happen. Get all the good stuff out ahead of time, and send the car on the road with as little inside as possible.
Last, remove all attachments that didn’t initially come with the car. Luggage racks, hood ornaments, and the like are only liabilities while the car is in transit, and could make it difficult for the movers to properly secure the car with their equipment.
