AUTO SHIPPING CHECKLIST
1. Decide if car shipping is your best choice. Car shipping isn’t your only choice. You can drive the vehicle to your new home or even just buy a new one
2. Know the difference between brokers and car carriers. Not all auto transport companies are created equal. Brokers are companies that hook you up with actual car shippers called carriers.
3. Car shipping companies can transport your vehicle on the back of a truck exposed to the elements (i.e., open transport) or inside a fully enclosed truck. For most customers, open transport is the way to go. It’s cheaper and gets the job done. Enclosed trailers are best for customers with antique, classic, and exotic cars.
4. Don’t go with the first company you find. We recommend you request and compare quotes from at least three companies. It’s also a good idea to spend about 10 minutes researching online reviews
5. If you see red flags like customers complaining of damaged vehicles or final prices not matching initial quotes, proceed with caution. You want a company with fir prices and very few angry customers.
6. Pick a company. Once you’ve compared quotes and checked the reviews, it’s time to pick the company you like the most.
7. Select the date you give the auto transport company will be the date your car is ready for pickup. It usually takes about 2-3 days for the company to pick up your vehicle and have it delivered to your new home shortly after that.
8. The car shipping company needs to be able to drive your car onto the transport truck—and you want to make sure it’s drivable when it arrives at your destination. Make sure the tires are properly inflated before pickup. You should also ask the car shipper if you need to remove your spare tire before transport.
9. Double-check your battery to make sure it doesn’t have a low charge. It costs more to transport your car if it doesn’t start.
10. Check your emergency brake. Transport companies won’t accept your vehicle if the emergency brake doesn’t work. Make sure it’s good to go before the delivery driver arrives.
11. Check for leaks. Look under your car to see if any wet spots are forming underneath your engine. If the vehicle is leaking oil, transmission fluid, or something else, it’s a good idea to have a mechanic take a look.
12. Top off your fluids. As part of your pre-pickup checklist, top off your oil, as well as fluids for brakes and power steering.
13. Fix mechanical issues. It’s not just leaks that you want to watch out for. If your car has any mechanical problems like a bad timing belt or broken distributor cap, that could keep it from starting anytime during the transport process, get those taken care of.
14. Make sure your gas tank is less than a half tank full. You want enough fuel to run a few errands and get gas at your destination, but not much more. The less your car weighs, the less you pay.
15. Remove your car attachments. Your ski rack might be great for hitting the slopes, but it may not survive on a car carrier. Remove any accessories that could break or fall off, such as bike racks and antennas.
16. Fold in your side mirrors. You can’t detach your mirrors like a luggage rack, but you can minimize your risk of damage by folding them in.
17. Clean your car. We recommend you ship your car without any personal belongings inside. Some companies allow it, but many prohibit the practice because it increases the chances of damaging the vehicle during transit. Be on the safe side and clean out your car (including the trunk) before you ship it.
18. Disable your alarm. If the alarm goes off during transport, it can startle and annoy the driver. We’ve even heard reports of drivers taking extreme measures (e.g., damaging the car) to get the alarm to shut off.
19. Deactivate your electronic toll pass (if applicable). If you have an electronic toll device, turn it off or remove it from your vehicle. If an auto transport truck goes through a toll and your electronic pass is on, you will be charged as if you were the one driving.
20. Get a spare key. Do you know how frustrating it is when you lose your keys? Imagine how upset you’d be if your delivery driver lost your only set!
21. Document your mileage. Chances are pretty good your delivery guy won’t be taking your car for a joyride before delivering it to you. Do yourself a favor, though, and document the mileage beforehand (just in case).
22. Wash your car. Before the transport company picks up your car, they’ll ask you to inspect it for scratches and other damage. This is so you can identify any new damage at the end of the trip. The cleaner your car is, the easier it is to see damage at the time of pickup and delivery.
23. Inspect your car and document damage. Make sure you have visual documentation of the way your car looks before it is loaded onto the auto transport truck. We recommend taking pictures or video of all four sides of the car. If any damage occurs during transport, you want to have proof that the damage wasn’t preexisting.
24. Verify details and sign your bill of lading. A bill of lading is what you sign indicating the state of your vehicle before transit. Make sure the transport worker hasn’t made any mistakes when documenting things like existing scratches and dents on your car. When everything looks correct, go ahead and sign.
