If we are moving house or shifting to a place a short distance away, we usually drive our car because it is cheaper than shipping it. It will be different if we are moving long distance. In this case, it is safer and more convenient to pay the auto transport to ship your car. If our budget permits, it is safer to get a car shipping company to deliver our car for us especially when we are moving long distance. If this is the first time you are shipping your car, you will find the following guide helpful once you go through the checklist.
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- Open air transport is far cheaper and easily available than enclosed transport. Very seldom the average person will choose to ship their car in an enclosed transport unless your car is a very expensive car.
- Door to door shipping. The carrier that transport your car will first locate your address and stops at a nearby large area that is safe for him to park his transport truck to unload your car. Then the driver calls the contact to collect the car. The contact will in turn call you to collect your car from an agreed location. This is the best and fastest way to ship your car.
- Pick up point and destination. If the locations are easy to locate and easily accessible, the rates may be lower. But if both locations are out of the way from the common shipping routes, then the rate will be higher.
- Basic standard shipping or expedited shipping. Both involves booking well in advance of your preferred shipping date. If it is not possible, you can pay a bit extra upfront for expedited shipping of your car. Compared to standard shipping, the rate of expedited shipping is not very costly. You can request for a few shipping companies to send their quotes according to the services required so that you can take a look at rates you received and compare them.
- Before you choose a shipping company, always check out its track record and feedback of customers.
- Once you have chosen a shipping company, then it is time to prepare your car for shipping.
Pre-shipping preparation of your car.
- Clean up your car thoroughly both exterior and interior, and take extensive photographs of the exterior and interior of your car after it has been clean. This is the best way to ensure that you have sufficient proof to back up your complaint in case of any damage incurred during the shipping process.
- Remove all valuables from inside your car e.g. paper documents or important items from the glove compartment.
- Take photographs and document any existing dents, scratches, or minor windscreen cracks.
- Make sure to leave your car gas tank about a quarter full, enough to shuffle your car on and off of the truck in the process of transportation.
- Have a set of spare keys to be handed over to the transporter.
- Make sure that your car is insured. These days, most shipping companies will insure your car while in their possession. Check this out before you choose the shipping company.