Shipping a car does not need to be a stressful process. Many people have had both good and bad experiences with shipping companies, but much of a person’s experience can be attributed to preparation. There are many companies that offer transport services, and it can be difficult to choose a company that will be best for you. However, through proper research, good planning, and careful preparation, you will be able to select the right company that will make the process of transporting your car simple.
Research the Shipping Company
There are a variety of methods that you can choose to ship your car. From large companies to smaller individuals, many people offer shipping services for cars. Before you begin preparing your car for transport, you should do research on a variety of car carriers. Once you have researched carriers that you would like to use you should look at each of their customer reviews so that you can get a better understanding of the experiences that other customers have had with them. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration allows people to research various things about car carriers such as complaints and insurance records.
Insure Your Vehicle
You should consider insuring your vehicle just for its transport. Contact your current insurance provider to learn more about the possible coverages that they offer for vehicle transports. Depending on the car carrier that you would like to use for the transport, you may have additional insurance options that are offered by them. In many cases, if a vehicle is damaged during transport, then the transporter’s insurance provider will pay for the repairs. However, this may not always be the case, so it is important that you learn more about the insurance options that you transporter has.
Plan Ahead, Give Ample Time
Shipping a car takes time and may not always occur within the time frame that was initially stated. Therefore, you should plan ahead and give more time than you need to ship your car. Depending on how your car carrier chooses to ship cars you may have to wait until space is available on a transporter that is coming towards your pickup location.
Perform a Final Inspection
Review the condition of your car before it is loaded onto the transporter. Take pictures and make a note of all of the damages on your vehicle so that you have a record of how your car was handled during the shipping process. Make sure to remove all of your personal belongings from the car as well. Many car carriers do not allow personal items to remain in vehicles so that they are not liable for extra items. Once your car is ready for shipment the shipping company will also inspect the car so that everything is accounted for. Make sure that both you and the transporter agree on the condition of your car before it is shipped. Perform another inspection of your vehicle once it arrives at its final destination.
Conclusion
There are many things that you can do to make shipping your car stress-free. Through preparation and research you can assure yourself that your car is being taken care of properly. If possible make sure that you give yourself enough time so that you do not need to stress about the speed of your chosen shipping company.