Before You Ship Make Sure to Conduct These Simple Tests

Shipping your car is a great way to ensure that your vehicle gets to your new home safe and secure. Before you send your car to an auto transportation company for shipping, make sure to inspect it in order to ensure that everything is intact. This is especially important if a problem occurs during a shipment and blame gets placed on the vendor; whereas it might have been that there was a problem with your car prior to sending it to a car mover. Here are some simple tests to conduct before you work with car shippers.

1. Clean Your Car: Begin by giving your car a wash. Sometimes dirt and debris can cover dents and or bruising. If you see this beforehand, you will know that it was your fault and not the car shipping vendors when they return your car. Also, make sure to clean the inside of your car and take out all garbage – oftentimes debris shifts during movement causing damages to the inside of the car.

2. Check the Rubber: Evaluate the inside of your tires and inspect the tread depth. Look for signs of cracking or dry rot, which can indicate the age of the tire from its DOT number. NHTSA says that tires that are over five years old should be checked on a regular basis.

3. Conduct a Safety Test: You don’t want to find out that your car isn’t safe while being shipped. Before shipping, make sure that the wipers are smooth and clean. Turn the lights on and off and make sure that a frosted lens isn’t cutting down the headlights. Check on your mirrors, making sure they aren’t cracked. If anything is off, be sure to get it repaired before you ship you car.

4. Exterior Check: A simple look at the car’s exterior is an easy test that can help you avoid major problems in the future. Look for stains or anything that may be leaking. Also, observe the car for loose exhausts or tail pipes. Be sure to also check the tires for air pressure.

5. Listen to Your Car: A simple test to know if anything is off is to start your cars engine and listen for unusual sounds and noises. If a car squeaks or doesn’t turn on smoothly, you may have a loose starter. If you notice any odd noises or the car feels “off,” be sure to have a professional look it over.

6. Take Your Car for a Drive: A simple task, but driving your car is the best way if anything seems off. Notice how the breaks and the steering wheels feels -- Do the breaks stop short? Is the steering wheel loose? Most likely you will know if you have a problem with your car; however, it’s wise to double-check before you ship your car.

7. Equip the Car: When preparing your car for shipment, make sure to fold back your mirrors and deactivate your alarm system. You should also leave an emergency kit in your car with a wrench, an ice scraper, replacement fluids, motor oil, a tire gauge and a flashlight. Hopefully your auto shipper will have these items with them - but having them just in case is a good safety precaution to have on the road.