You may not have the option of really preparing your car before it’s shipped (especially if you’re the recipient, and not the sender). But if you do have the opportunity to get your car ready before it’s shipped, being well-prepared will ensure that you have a great experience with whichever car transport service you use. So, here are just a few important things to put on your preparation checklist:
- Be sure to remove all valuable personal items from inside the car, and if you have anything on the car’s exterior that can be removed (like a spoiler, or a fancy antenna), be sure to remove those features as well. Even though a trustworthy car shipping service shouldn’t make you wonder if something will get stolen, it’s possible that personal items and protruding add-ons could be damaged during a move.
- Try to get your gas tank down to around one-fourth full (and definitely map out where the nearest gas station will be at the car’s final destination). This is more for a weight concern than for a safety concern; car shipping companies often appreciate when you get your gas tank as low as possible, because it significantly reduces the weight of the car (and if the company charges rates based on weight, a lower gas tank could save you money, too!).
- Because a car shipment can take anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of months, it’s important to make sure that your car battery is charged fully. The battery dies down even when a car isn’t in use, so making sure that your battery is fully charged will ensure that you’re able to drive it off the lot once it’s finally delivered.
Remember, this is far from a complete list, and depending on the car you’re shipping and the vehicle transport service you’ve chosen to use, you may have to make different preparations before you ship a car across the country. But if you feel like we’ve left out some really important preparation tips, be sure to let us know in the comments section!