How to Ship a Car

Your car is very important to you. You spend so much time and effort in choosing, financing, buying, and re-modifying your car. Sunday afternoons are spent cleaning and tuning the engine to ensure you get the perfect 'vroooom' out of it. As far as emotional attachments go, your car is right up there at the top. It's practically like your child. You can't imagine letting it go just because you're moving.

It is not always going to be possible to drive your car across the country, especially if you have a very demanding job. So why not avail the services of a professional car shipping company? Moving is a hectic time for you and your family, so trust the experts to transport your car.

Step 1: Plan the date. If you're transporting your car across the country, it's going to take a bit longer than if you drove it yourself because the shipping company will have to deliver other cars along the way.

Step 2: The next step is to look into the telephone directories and Google to find shipping companies and their costs. There are websites such as Epinions and uShip that will help you locate a shipper and their reviews from other customers.

You will have to approach different companies depending upon whether you are shifting the car overseas or across the country.

Asking people you trust is another effective way to select the best company. It's possible that people have had a bad experience with a company you considered using. Always stick to a company that has a good reputation in shipping. You can even check records of the company you've selected with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Step 3: Once you narrow down your options to 3-4 companies, call them and ask for availability and price quotations. Most companies insure your vehicle over the shipping period.

Step 4: On the day or a day before shipping, wash the car thoroughly. This will help you identify all the existing dents and scratches and make a note of them so that you will be able to tell if it gets scratched during transport. Remove all the valuables and additional parts like the music player. Make sure that the alarm of your car is turned off.

Step 5: On the day of shipping, be sure to be present. After all, it is your car and you want to ensure that it is in good hands. You'll need to sign a few documents like the insurance papers and the bill of lading. You might also have to make an initial payment. Ensure that the price you are signing for matches the price quoted by the company.

If you are transporting it overseas, you're going to need some paperwork such as Shipper Export Declaration as well as a Declaration of Dangerous Goods. You will need to make sure that you have a document that certifies that the vehicle meets all the safety requirements of that country. Other documentation may vary from country to country. Make sure that the person in charge can ensure the safety of your car.

Step 6: On the day of delivery, make sure that you are present at the delivery point. It might be a parking lot or a large road as those huge trucks won't fit in most neighborhoods. Ensure that the car is in the same condition as it was when you handed it over.

If the car is shipped overseas, you'll need to be present at the docks to receive it. Otherwise you can even contact the local shipping to deliver your car to your house if you are living far away from the coast.

Always remember to get a good follow-through by being updated on the transport status.