Do’s & Don’ts When You
Ship a Car to Another State
Say you’ve finally decided to ship your car to another state. The question is, do you know the first thing about it?
If this is your first rodeo with shipping, there are several things that you would want to keep in mind to make sure that you get the best deal out of it. Even if it’s not and you’ve already had your car shipped before, there may be things that you can learn to further improve your experience with the service.
Anyhow, making the decision to ship your vehicle instead of driving it yourself is already a great first step. If you’re still on the fence about it, we want to reaffirm that you are making the right choice. While driving the vehicle yourself to get to your destination may seem like a wiser, more cost-effective option at first glance, it has more hidden costs that go beyond monetary.
By driving long-distance, you would also be expending time, energy, attention, productivity, and even risking your own personal safety on top of the money you’ll spend on gas, maintenance, and possibly post-drive repairs. If you really insist, at least take these tips with you: TheWindingRoadtripper.com/long-distance-driving-tips.
All that being said, you’re on the right track this time by choosing the simplest and most straightforward solution to transporting your vehicle to another state: car shipping. Your only concern now should be how you can make a bang for your buck.
Here are a couple Do’s and Don’ts to keep in mind to get the best car shipping experience:
DO: Get All the Paperwork in Order Before You Ship Out Your Car
There is nothing more stressful than getting a call from your shipping company that your vehicle has issues passing through state borders due to expired registrations and such. If you don’t want to experience the hassle, make sure that you set all of this in order before you even schedule your vehicle for shipping. Some of the most important documents you need to have ready are your car registration, recent emission test results, driver’s license, sales tax receipts, and other permits that may be specifically required by the state you’re planning to ship your vehicle to.
DON’T: Wait Until the Last Minute to Schedule for Shipping
You can get far better rates when you plan your shipment schedule in advance. So, after you get the paperwork in order and make sure that you have all the permits and registrations that may be required to get your vehicle into another state, start looking for a shipping service pronto. If you book ahead of time, you can benefit from lower rates and strategically plan around peak holidays that could result in a spike in shipping prices. Also, you can be more thorough when it comes to finding the right company to partner with, as you will have more time to check online reviews, client feedback, certificates and registrations, and overall, the eligibility of the company to handle the transport of your vehicle.
DO: Unload Stuff You Don’t Need from Your Car
The next thing on our list for how to ship a car to another state in the most efficient way possible is DO be organized. If you’re the type of person who tends to keep a lot of fluff in the trunk of your vehicle, do remember to clear it out before you send your vehicle to the shipping company.
The cost of shipping a car is mostly determined by the distance covered by the transfer as well as the weight of the “package.” In other words, the heavier your car is, the higher the shipping costs will be. So, make sure to unload all the things that aren’t necessary prior to shipping.
DON’T: Fill Up Too Much on Gas
As mentioned above, the weight of your car will affect the cost of shipping. And what else makes a car heavy? Gas. That being said, make sure you don’t top up on gas right before the shipment date. In fact, you should reduce the contents of your gas tank (read more) to at least ¼ of its total capacity, as it won’t be as necessary to have too much gas while your car is in transit since the engine won’t be running for 98% of the trip.
DO: Take Pictures of Your Car Prior To Shipping
Next, take photos and video evidence of your car’s condition prior to shipping. This will serve as a reference for your car’s interior and exterior condition before you entrust it to the company in-charge of its transfer. If there are any existing marks, dents, or scratches, take pictures of those as well so that if any additional damage is acquired during shipment, you have proof that can serve as powerful evidence when filing for insurance and damage claims.
DON’T: Lose Your Bill of Lading
Last but not least, do not lose the bill of lading your car shipping company will issue to you. It serves as proof that they received your car in good condition with all the necessary requirements. It also details everything about the service, from the type of service you availed of to the shipping date, the expected arrival date, etc. Keep this document safe until your car has arrived safely at its destination.
