Preparing Your Vehicle For Shipping

By Tom Kearns

Shipping your vehicle, for a first time auto shipper, can be a bit of a chore. There are however some steps that you can take to make your auto sipping experience run much smoother. Shipping a car or truck can be fast and easy if you follow these simple steps:

Start with a very clean car. You, along with the shipping company, are going to make a careful inspection of the vehicle together so you can note any damage that exists pre-shipment. Knowing the car's exact condition at pick up makes the final inspection not only easier, but more accurate.

If your car is not in running condition, you must notify the shipper of this. Better though is to get it in running condition with battery charged and a small amount of gas in the tank. The shipper may need to drive it from one place another, although this is unlikely. Car hauling companies will probably have other means of transporting a vehicle a short distance.

Remove all exterior attachments. This includes bike racks, spare tire covers, and even your car antenna if it does not retract. Anything that can easily be knocked off, or that can damage another car on the carrier should be removed. You should also remove any personal belongings that may be inside the vehicle. This includes global positioning systems, removable radios, and anything else that can be reasonably removed. The shipping company's insurance will not want to be responsible for anything other than your vehicle and chances are that they won't be.

Do not ship a vehicle that leaks any fluid whatsoever. Fix those leaks before you ship. Leaky fluids can cause harm to other vehicles stacked on the carrier, to the carrier itself, and not of the least concern, to the environment. Show the same respect to others as you would want them to show to you.

Have your keys ready. If there is a separate key for the trunk or anything else on your vehicle make sure to turn over a complete set of keys when you drop off your car or truck or when it is picked up from you. It is also important that you make sure that you disarm or, even better, disconnect your alarm system.

Following these few simple, common sense tips before shipping your vehicle will definitely help you to be less apprehensive about the task that lies ahead. Now, wasn't that easy? - 30331

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