Many auto transport and car shipping companies will give you a cost per mile estimate and will require that adequate preparation be performed before your vehicle is picked up or dropped off for shipping. The following are some general guidelines for preparing your car:
An inspection will be performed before the auto transport company will take possession of your car. It is advisable that someone is present for the inspection so that any items marked on the inspection sheet or accurate. This person will be required to sign the bill of lading and the car condition report. Another inspection will be done when the car arrives at it’s final destination by the person receiving the car from the auto shipper.
The vehicle should be clean when it’s ready for the auto shipper to perform the inspection so that any dirt or grime is not mistaken for dings or other imperfections. The vehicle should to be operable, although some companies will move inoperable vehicles for an extra charge.
It is a good idea to have the vehicle serviced prior to shipping to the new owner.
The vehicle should be free from any fluid leaks so other cars are not damaged by such leaks.
Make sure you have a complete set of keys available to hand over to the auto transport company.
All personal belongings should be removed from the car before the auto transport company takes possession. The auto transport company may refuse to accept your vehicle if there are any personal items left inside. If there is any loss or damage to any items or your vehicle as a result of these items being in the car, the shipper is usually not liable. If you must keep personal items in the vehicle keep them out of sight and in a protected location in the car so they do not shift around while in transit.
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If the car is being shipped to an area with a different climate you may want to prepare the car in advance. You might want to add coolant or other fluids or even have your vehicles air conditioning and heating system serviced.
The alarm system in your vehicle should be disabled or disconnected while the car is in transport. If cars are shipped with an active alarm system the car may arrive at it’s destination with a dead battery if the alarm was activated multiple times while in transit.
As a general rule, prepare to have less than half tank of gas in your car on the day of shipping. Also make sure that all antennas are removed or fully retracted. They can sometimes get caught up and broken on the auto shippers transport vehicle. The cost to ship a car depends on if you choose to have a covered or non-covered transport option.
Cost to Ship a Car - Car Shipping Rates:
- The cost to ship a car in a covered carrier is about $1.00 per mile, and the cost to ship a car un-convered is about 50 cents per mile.