When you ship a car, there are a few things that you will need to do before the start of your shipment. Making sure that the exterior of your car is clean is possibly the most important step you’ll have to take before your car shipment begins. This is because your auto transport driver will need to inspect the outside of your car for any damage that already exists. Car shipping companies will be overwhelmed with fraudulent damage claims if the driver does not do this. This inspection will still occur if your car’s exterior is not clean. It will just take much longer. This means you will need to be present longer, and your shipment will be delayed.
Unfortunately, there actually is a slight chance that damage to your car can occur while it ships. Typically, the damage that can occur during a car shipment is a scratch or small dent. If damage occurs, the car shipping company’s insurance will likely cover the cost of any repairs. However, a clean car is much more likely to be properly documented, which will make it clear that any damage that occurs while the vehicle ships did not exist before the start of the shipment. Thus, it is a bad idea not to get the outside of your car cleaned before it gets picked up for shipping.
Getting your vehicle’s exterior detailed before you ship it takes this a step further. Your car’s inspection will take the absolute minimum amount of time because your vehicle will be spotless. In addition, if your vehicle gets even the slightest scratch or chip on it while it is being shipped, there will be no question that the damage was not preexisting, and insurance will cover the full amount of the repair.
If you are shipping a car for the first time, you might not know that you will have several different shipping methods to choose from. Each different method of auto transport will offer a different level of protection for your car while it ships. Unfortunately, only upgraded options such as enclosed car shipping and top-loading offer additional protection for your car. These options will end up costing you several hundred dollars extra. Open-air car shipping is the cheapest option for transporting a vehicle, but it does not offer your car any added protection from things like inclement weather or strong UV rays from the sun.
The most cost-effective way to protect your car from these things may be to get a protective coating for your car before it is picked up for shipping. A protective coating will protect your car’s paint from harmful UV rays, rain, and chemical stains from things like pollen when you choose to ship your car on an open-air car carrier. Also, unlike when your car shipment in an enclosed carrier is completed, a protective coating will continue to protect your car’s paint while you drive around for up to seven years!
Scheduling your car shipment far enough in advance can not only help you secure the dates of pickup and delivery that you prefer, but it can also help you save some money. When you schedule a car shipment at least a month ahead of when you want your car picked up, there is a much higher chance that there will be carrier availability on the exact day you are looking for rather than if you scheduled your shipment only a week ahead of your desired pickup date. Think of car shipping like a hotel reservation; the longer you wait to book, the less availability there will be due to increasing demand.
The price of your car shipment can be a bit higher if you wait too long to book your shipment. This is due to simple supply and demand. As more people book up spaces on a particular car carrier as time passes, the supply of these spaces decreases. At the same time, demand continues to rise the closer you get to a certain shipping date. Thus, the price of booking one of these spaces will increase the longer you wait to officially book your vehicle shipment.
We mentioned above that your car’s exterior must be completely clean before the car shipping driver arrives to place your car on the auto carrier due to the visual inspection that takes place. However, there are a few additional steps of preparation that must also take place. This includes taking any personal possessions out of the car, such as sunglasses or an iPhone charger. These items are not attached to the car or necessary for its operation; thus, they will not be covered by the car shipping company’s insurance if they end up damaged or lost during the shipment.
You will also have to make sure that your car runs correctly before it is shipped. Not only does this mean that the car will need to be able to start and drive without any problems, but there cannot be other issues, such as an over-sensitive alarm.
