Shipping A Car

We all know how hard it is to move to another city and shipping a car only adds more stress to that equation. With this article we will try to make your life a little bit easier by telling you what to do as far as transporting your car to your new location of residence is concerned.

First of all, you need to think about when you want to move the vehicle. It will take roughly about the same time to transport it by a professional company as it would take you to drive it yourself. However, you need to take into consideration the potential bad weather as well as other factors that can make the trip considerably longer.

Start calling several firms and inform them what sort of car you want to transport, the area you are moving from and to as well as when you will effectively move. Ask them for some references. Next, verify your top three choices with the Better Business Bureau.

You need to prepare your move at least two weeks in advance and make sure that someone will be there on the pickup date to give the car to the company.

Don’t forget to ask the company about what sort of insurance coverage do they offer and if there is a deductible. Be very attentive while reading it and ask them for a copy.

It is advisable to observe the mover carefully when the moving day arrives. He should fill out a bill of lading that will include a report stating the current condition of the vehicle prior to loading it. Do not sign that form unless you fully agree with that report. Be aware of the fact that there are plenty of deceiving companies that will note scratches and/or dents where there are not any, so that they are “covered” if they do appear while they move it.

On the pickup date, make sure that you have a cashier’s check available with your deposit or prepayment in order to give the person responsible for shipping the car on the pickup date. You need to know that some of these firms will want to receive the money at the office, so find this out before the pickup date arrives.

When shipping a car, don’t forget to ask about the pickup and delivery time estimates. Keep in mind the fact that most of the car carriers are about 75 feet long which makes it impossible for the driver in some situations to get the rig into an apartment complex driveway. Even in many residential areas they encounter such problems so the driver might ask you to take the car to a nearby parking lot.

Don’t forget to remove all of your personal belongings as they won’t be covered by the company’s insurance and if you won’t find them after they ship the car, there isn’t anything that you can do.

Needless to say, that you should thoroughly check the vehicle at delivery and write down any of the problems that might have occurred on the delivery report. Once the vehicle has been signed for, it will be virtually impossible for you to make a claim for the damages that were not noted upon delivery.

On a final note, make sure that you read the shipping order as well as the bill of lading to find out what the company is and is not responsible for.