Tips for Preparing a Car for Transport

By: DavidPage

You have decided to ship your vehicle to a new location and found an auto transporter. You now need to prepare the car for shipping. Long Distance Towing is a reliable car transport service within the United States. We can help you with every aspect of your shipping needs. We’ll do our best to ensure that you are satisfied beginning from the time we provide you a price until the moment your Shipping a car from copart auto auction at the final destination. Long Distance Towing offers auto transport services throughout the United States, including to the majority of the world. We are passionate about Shipping a car from New York and aim to satisfy.

We do the majority of the heavy lifting to ensure your vehicle arrives at its destination safely and without any hassle. However, we cannot prepare your car for transportation. We can’t do it so here are some tips to help you prepare your car for shipping.

Wash your vehicle

Wash your vehicle’s exterior first. The driver will conduct a vehicle condition report when he arrives to pick-up your vehicle. This report details the current condition of your vehicle, including any damage that may have occurred.

Clean vehicles will make it easier for you and your driver to complete the condition report. You’ll be able see any scratches, dents, paint chips or other damage.

Take pictures of your vehicle

It’s time to take photos after the car has been cleaned. Be sure to take photos that are of good quality and that are not too old! Don’t limit your photos to damaged areas. You can also take general shots of the vehicle from different angles. To protect yourself in the unlikely event of damage occurring during transport, you can never have enough photos.

Take a photo of the Odometer

This tip is for your safety and security. Customers will occasionally ask us, “How can I tell if the driver won’t take my car for joy rides?” Although we have never experienced this, we do understand the concern. You are giving away one of your most precious assets. You can take a photograph of the odometer if you are nervous.

Clean your vehicle’s interior

Car trailers can be very large and cause your car and any items to bounce around on the roads. You should remove any items that are not securely attached to your car’s interior, such as phone chargers, GPS devices and portable DVD players, air fresheners, pen, spare change, and even car chargers. You should remove any items that could cause damage to your vehicle’s interior or cause it to bounce around. These items can also be removed to reduce the chance of them being stolen or lost during transport.

Attach or remove accessories

If possible, remove accessories from your vehicle to prevent any damage. Accessories such as ski racks and luggage racks are all acceptable. You should take out any antennas that are removable and place them in the trunk. You can fold in your side view mirrors if they are foldable.

Verify the Radiator, Battery and Tires

Check that there is antifreeze in your radiator, and that your battery is fully charged.

Your tires should be properly inflated. If your tires are not properly inflated, they could cause damage during transport.

Fluid Leaks:

You should check for fluid leaks before you give your vehicle to the driver. If it is a serious leak, the driver might refuse to take the vehicle. Let the driver know if you have a small leak that cannot be repaired before shipping.

You must let him know this information so that he can place your car on the trailer’s bottom row. Your car could end up on top of the trailer and drip onto the cars below. You don’t want another car’s car to leak on your car, even if it’s on the top.

Treat Engine and Mechanical Problems

Is your car in good condition? Before you pick up your car for transport, make sure to check for any engine or mechanical issues.

Please let us know if your vehicle isn’t running so we can plan ahead and make sure that we have the right equipment to load it. If your vehicle is not working properly, there may be additional charges.

Reduce the gas consumption from 1/8 to 1/4.

Only enough gas is required to get your vehicle on the trailer. For interstate car transportation, the lighter your vehicle is the better. This will help to save quite a bit on weight for the trucker. It is best to keep your car filled with 1/4 tank or less of gas, but you don’t need to drain it if you have more.

Disable alarms

Your driver doesn’t want to have to deal with a vehicle that has an alarm that he can not get to or an alarm that he can’t shut off when he does.

Deactivate or remove toll tags

No matter whether your vehicle is driving on toll roads or is towed by a trailer, it will likely be charged the fee. To avoid unnecessary hassles and expense, deactivate or take down your toll tag.

Keep your keys ready

Without a set keys, it can be difficult for the driver to lift your vehicle onto the trailer. An older vehicle model may require a set of keys, such as an ignition key, door lock key, and possibly a glove compartment key.

A complete set of keys is a good idea for both you and the driver. It’s a good idea if you don’t have one already to make sure your vehicle is ready for transport.

Get insurance on your vehicle

You can ship your vehicle if your car is insured. It is highly recommended that you have insurance in force at the time your vehicle will be transported.