Are you one of the 40 million Americans moving this year? Then you might be stressed out by everything.
Not only do you have to pack up all your belongings, but you also have to cancel subscriptions, change your address for accounts, finish up work, and check off countless other things before you can relocate. And if you’ve got a car, then you need to take care of either driving or shipping it too.
If you’re opting for the latter choice, then Nexusautotransport.com is here to show you how to prepare your car for shipping. Read on for how to do it in a fast and easy way!
Table of Contents
Gather up All Necessary Documents
This is the first item on your car shipping checklist. If you don’t bring the right paperwork, there might be delays or you won’t be able to transport your car at all, so it’s important you locate everything right away.
The vehicle shipment documents you’ll need are:
- Original vehicle title
- Driver’s license
- Proof of registration
- Proof of insurance
- Bill of sale (proof of ownership)
Give Your Car a Thorough Wash
A thorough wash should be the next thing you do. And no, it’s not for aesthetic reasons.
Getting rid of all the dust, debris, and grime on your vehicle will allow you to get a better picture of it. It’ll be easier to tell whether there’s a stripe of dirt on your door or if it’s a scratch.
Make sure you get the inside as well. Vacuum and wipe down surfaces so you’re looking at a spotless vehicle.
Having a clean car means it’ll be easier to do accurate inspections, both on your own and with the auto shipper.
Inspect Your Car
Once you’ve washed your car, take some time to inspect it carefully. Note down any existing damage, such as scratches, bumps, dents, etc. It can be helpful to take a picture with your smartphone since this will document everything and make it easier for insurance claims in the future if you need to file them.
You should also check for any fluid leaks underneath.
Bring Your Car to an Auto Shop
You’ll want to make sure your car’s in tip-top shape before it’s hauled off. That way, you know it’s in operable condition when you receive it.
An auto shop can perform general car maintenance for you, such as checking the fluids, battery, and tire pressure. The mechanics can also determine if any minor repairs need to be made to prevent your car from breaking down. If you noticed any leaks when performing your own inspection, let them know so they pay extra attention to these areas.
Remove Personal Belongings
Your vehicle should remain safe during transit. But in case something happens, you don’t want your personal belongings to get damaged or stolen. So it’s a good idea to remove everything you can from the interior of your car.
Make sure you take out things like loose change, water bottles, sunglasses, and cables. Basically, you want to get rid of everything that won’t stay put and will damage the interior of your car while in transit.
Remove Outside Accessories
You’ll also want to remove any outside accessories and attachments, such as retractable antennas, spoilers, luggage racks, and bike racks. All of these things can either get damaged themselves or cause damage to your vehicle should an accident happen. Do yourself a favor and avoid costly repairs by removing these things for transit.
Outside accessories and attachments can also add unnecessary weight to the hauler. The more a hauler weighs, the more fuel the driver will need to use. By removing these things, you’ll help the trucker use less gas, and they’ll pass the savings onto you.
Keep Your Gas Tank Quarter Full
Many people mistakenly believe that you need to have a full tank of gas to ship your vehicle. But that’s completely wrong!
You only need a quarter-tank of gas to get to and from pickup and delivery. Anything more and it’s just excess weight on the hauler. So do them a favor and empty your gas tank as much as you can before the big day.
Disable Systems
If you’ve got toll tags and parking passes, you’ll want to either remove or disable these things. Otherwise, you might be unnecessarily charged while your car’s being shipped.
And if you’ve got an alarm system, you’ll also want to disable this before you hand over your vehicle. You don’t want it being accidentally set off, as the trucker won’t be happy!
Lock Your Car and Find an Extra Set of Keys
Your vehicle will need to be driven into the hauler, but you’ll be able to lock up after.
You’ll want to leave a set of keys with the trucker in case they need to move your car to accommodate another vehicle. It’s a good idea to locate your spare set of keys beforehand. If you don’t have one, then get an extra set made in advance so you won’t risk losing your only car key.
Prepare Your Car for Shipping With Nexusautotransport.com
With these great tips from Nexusautotransport.com, you’ll be able to prepare your car for shipping quickly and easily. It’ll make the vehicle transport process a lot simpler, so you won’t have to worry about too many things besides getting through all the steps of your relocation.
What’s even better is, they’re a reputable auto shipper, which means you can have your car transported by them too! You won’t have to look far to get fantastic services and affordable prices.
