When deciding to ship your car to its new location, the next step is to determine who will handle the process and how you will have it transported. The most difficult part for car owners is entrusting a valuable asset to someone else’s responsibility, especially people they’re unfamiliar with.

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The priority is that the auto arrives at its location in the same condition as when it was picked up, fully protected.

While reputable, quality auto transport companies enlist the services of highly qualified, trained drivers to ensure the most secure delivery of the vehicles, it’s the responsibility of the car owners to prepare the vehicle before the driver arrives for optimum safety.

While you want to ensure that you handle the prep properly, knowing where and how to start the process can be daunting if you’re unfamiliar with the car shipping service. Once you have the most suitable carrier, the provider will outline a specific protocol, so the car is ready for inspection and loading.

Tips On Preparing Your Vehicle for Car Shipping 

While auto transport companies ensure highly qualified, trained drivers haul vehicles safely and securely to their destinations, the car owner is also responsible for their part in preparing the auto for car shipping for optimum safety.

It can be daunting for the car owner to know exactly what’s involved with car prep, particularly if you’re unfamiliar with the processes.

Fortunately, once you choose a reputable, reliable car shipping provider, the associates will outline the protocol for preparing the vehicle, how the transport works, and the varied services from standard to premium with associated rates.

Here are some basic steps most transport companies require with their prep protocol.

Detail cleaning 

The car should be detailed cleaned on the exterior and interior. This step will be necessary for a few reasons but primarily to make imperfections more visible on the body. These can include dings, dents, paint chips, and on.

The only downside to a detailed car when using the open transport method is you’ll have to rewash it after delivery since it will be exposed to the outside. Click for guidance on car shipping when traveling the world with your car.

The visual inspection

Once you have a clean car, you can then inspect the exterior for flaws, discolorations, or imperfections. When the vehicle is loaded with dust, dirt, and grime, this residue can hide flaws. Finding visual damage is a priority when preparing to have a car shipped.

It’s so much so that it’s wise to have a professional mechanic look over the vehicle’s functionality and body to ensure it operates at peak performance, the fluids are full, there are no leaks, and notate the flaws.

It’s rare that a car will be damaged while in transit. Still, with solid documentation, you will be able to recognize new damage when the vehicle is delivered and file a compensation claim accordingly. In this vein, you should photograph the vehicle flaws to accompany the records.

The personal items 

The auto’s interior, including the hatch or trunk, should be cleaned out of any personal effects. Anything of value should be removed, including electronic devices like GPS tracking, car charging, customized pieces, or loose items.

With personal objects taken out, there’s less opportunity for vandalism, loss, or damage.

While in transit, the car could shift somewhat. Any loose items have the potential to be tossed throughout the vehicle, which can lead to auto damage or damage to the objects.

While handling personal items, you should deactivate alarms, toll tags, automated parking tags, and other things that could create an issue for yourself or the driver while in transit.

While it’s suggested to take almost everything out of the car for safety and insurance purposes, the car shipping service encourages some items to remain, including hand tools, a jack, the emergency kit, and the spare tire. You will also be instructed to leave the license plate on the car.

The Driver

When shipping your car, sharing specific details about your vehicle is essential. Each auto has its nuances. The driver will need to be made aware of these. Making special notes allowing the car to be operated in your absence will be necessary.

If there’s a specific mechanical problem, a quirky way you need to make it start, or maybe it tends to veer to the right, this needs to be

Handling instructions should be written for the driver ahead of time. While the vehicle will be driven sparingly while in transit, these notes will be vital if there’s a reason to load or unload unexpectedly.

Final Thought

These tips are essential for the care and keeping of your vehicle while being transported long-distance. They’re involved and could seem somewhat tedious, but when the car arrives safely, securely, and in the same condition as when it was picked up, all the effort will have been worth it.