For many of us, moving a car means getting into a car and driving ourselves from one home to the new one. In long distances or shipping overseas, however, we’ll need to ship our cars separately. When this is the case, it will be a more reasonable and efficient way to avail of auto transport services that will handle moving your car for you.
For those who are unfamiliar with the process, auto shipping cars can be an intimidating procedure. However, many auto shippers have been around for decades with some of the more notable ones gaining high recognition for their valued services. In the right hands, car shipping can be a fast, secure and effortless process.
The first and possibly the most important task is to find a qualified, licensed and reputable auto shipping company that will transport your car for you. You’d want to go with a company that has done car shipping many times before. Aside from gathering referrals from family and friends, the Internet is a great place to look for reviews of good car transport companies.
Depending on your needs, you might need an auto transport company that specializes in moving boats, RVs, motorcycles or a company that moves internationally. Some non-automobiles like boats need special lifting equipment to load them on a trailer so you should make sure that the company of your choice is experienced in that department. Similarly, shipping a car overseas can be more complicated than auto transporting domestically because of the documentation, restriction, fees and regulations associated with it.
Along with choosing a provider, make sure to avail of insurance coverage as well to know exactly how protected your vehicle can be. Look for any exclusions and restrictions in your insurance contract and try to get the fullest coverage possible. You’ll never know when any unpleasant accidents may occur during transit so thoroughly read the contract before signing.
Now that you have your choice of shipping company in place, you’ll want to ask about the mode of transport. Basically, you choose between enclosed transport where 3-5 cars will be kept in enclosed trailers at a time, and open transport where 8-10 cars will be transported together, most likely being exposed to outside elements. Your primary concern should be the safety and security of your vehicle, but choosing one or the other boils down to personal preference.
You will also need to ask about your preferred method of delivery of either door-to-door or terminal-terminal transport. Auto shippers will have your car picked up and delivered at your indicated location in door-to-door transport. On the other hand, you’ll have to drop-off and pick-up your car yourself in terminal-to-terminal shipping.
Although auto shipping companies remain the experts in auto transportation, this doesn’t mean you leave your car with them without preparing it for shipment. Check your car for existing damage first so you’ll know if any damage incurred during transit. Take out all personal belongings and remove any external and customized accessories from your car so as to avoid any damages to your car during shipping.
The car owner is also responsible for checking the fluid of the engine and making sure the battery is in good working condition. Make sure to have your gas tank to at least a fourth full to reduce transport costs during shipment. Finally, make sure to turn off your alarm system or leave instructions on how to disarm your alarm in case it goes off during shipment.
It would be best to talk to your auto transport carrier to know exactly what you need to do before shipping your car. Auto transport may be relatively unfamiliar to many as it is not a service to be used often. However, knowing the process will help relieve car owners from the worry of turning over the responsibility of shipping their car.
