All you should know about car transport

When you are relocating and you are a car owner, the biggest question will be should you drive it to the new location or use the car transport. Sometimes, you won’t have this choice. When you are moving to a place that is very far away, driving your car to your new home can be very difficult and time-consuming. If you are moving across the ocean, that this task becomes impossible. When you’re looking to ship a car across the country, or even across the world there are many things to consider.

Choose the reliable car transport

The process of choosing the perfect car transport is similar to the one when you are searching for reliable long distance movers. If you are putting your car that is worth a lot in the hands of professionals, you need to know that you can trust them. It may take a while to find the most suitable car transport.

o before you start to plan your relocation and search for the interstate moving tips, take care of your car shipment.
You need to make sure that the company is legal, trustworthy, that it has proper insurance, that has a good reputation and references.

Check if the transport company have a valid licenses

Any company that is providing car transport services, need to be registered with the Department of Transport. By running the check of the DOT number you will receive information if the company have a valid license. In addition to DOT number, interstate car transport companies should also have a Motor Carrier number. Companies that are shipping vehicles abroad will need additional registration with the Federal Maritime Commission.
If the company doesn’t have the necessary license, you shouldn’t do business with it.

What insurance does the car transport company offer?

When you are transporting your vehicle across the country, your standard motor insurance probably doesn’t cover that. That’s why it is crucial to know that the transport company has insurance coverage. Find out exactly what level of coverage your vehicle will have. Keep in mind that most companies are offering only the basic coverage. If you think that insurance that company is providing isn’t enough, ask about increasing the coverage. It may cost more, but can really worth it. Especially if your car is expensive.

References

When you choose the company that is most suitable for your car transport, check them online.
References and testimonials from the real customers are very important and tell a lot about the company credibility. Read all of them, and write down any negative comments and observations.
Ask the transport company to provide you with the references of their previous customers.
If the company doesn’t want to give you that information, that is suspicious. In order to avoid possible moving scams, it will be best to search for other company.

How much the car transport cost?

Car transport rates vary from company to company. The best thing is to check out the prices for a few companies so you can get a comparison. Make sure that you understand exactly what’s included in the cost and what are the basic and additional services that the company provides. Estimated costs of the car transport are usually calculated according to the car’s weight and the distance of transportation.

Beware of the companies which rates are significantly lower than the offers from other companies. Estimations shouldn’t vary much from company to company.
If one company stands out by being much cheaper than the others, that is a big red flag.

Finding the reliable car transport is as much important as finding the best cities for your new home. You will need to take many things into consideration and do a thorough research. In order for your car to arrive at your destination safely, you’ll need a lot of patience until you find the most suitable car shipping company.

Tips for preparing your vehicle for the car transport

Before your car goes to auto transport there are some things that you need to do:

• Wash your car – If your car is dirty, the dings, scratches, and dents that may occur in the transport maybe won’t be visible.
  If you clean your car thoroughly before you ship it, it will be easier to notice the possible damages when it arrives on destination.
• Disable the alarm – It may seem obvious, but it’s very easy to overlook this step.
• Don’t gas up – The costs of the car transport companies are usually based on the weight of the vehicle. The full fuel tank will make your car heavier. Since nobody will drive your car, just transporting it, there’s no need to fill up gas to the top.
• Check for leaks – Check the undercarriage of your car for any noticeable leaks. Car shipping company may refuse service to the visibly defective vehicle. If you find a leak, be sure to fix it before the transport company arrives to load your car.
• Check tire pressure – If your tires are not properly inflated, that increase the risk of tire damage. These damages are most common during the loading and unloading. You won’t have a problem if your tires are inflated just right.
• Remove custom accessories – Remove spoiler and other special accessories that can break during the transportation of your car.
• Lock the car – Once your vehicle is loaded and ready for shipping, there’s no reason to be opened up before it arrives at your destination.

Afer your car arrives at the destination, give it a thorough inspection

Before loading your car, the company driver needs to inspect it and note if it has any pre-existing damages.
After delivery, do a thorough inspection of your car and determine has it arrive in the same condition. If you notice any damages, you should submit a claim with the car transport company as soon as possible.
Make sure that all the damages are documented on the delivery report and signed by the driver. This will give you a legal right to make a claim.
If you sign the documentation first and notice the damages later, the company won’t be reliable.