When you need to move to a different state for business or a change of residence, it’s normal to be concerned about the move. If you own a car, how to ship it becomes another thing to worry about. To enable you to enjoy a smooth move, we’ve written this article to walk you through the steps to ship your car to another state.
It’s important that you understand how to go about this step because there are a number of mistakes that you can make. You can see some of these mistakes here: https://www.puretravel.com/. To ensure that you avoid these errors and have a smooth transit, follow the steps outlined in this article.
Step-by-Step Process to Shipping Your Car to Another State
Car shipping involves certain processes you must be willing to follow so that your car can get to its new location as expected. We’ve detailed these steps to help ensure that the process is smooth and stress-free. To ship your car to another state, you need to do the following:
Research Then Choose a Company with a Good Reputation
Getting a company, you can trust is very important to ensure that you have an experience that is excellent and free of stress. For you to get excellence, research several shipping companies and compare their services, reviews from customers, level of experience, shipping options, and the prices they offer.
Also, you could ask family or friends who have used a shipping service before to get their recommendations. Doing all these will help you to choose the best company that meets your needs.
Ask for Quotations and Compare Their Prices
Once your choices have been narrowed to just a few, then you can ask for quotes from more than one transport service provider. Note that their prices may differ based on some factors. These factors are also based on your choice of transport service, and the distance from your pickup point to your new location.
Ensure that you check the prices and be sure you understand what the quote entails like additional charges and insurance coverage. You may end up going for the one that has a high price but offers the best services. That is fair enough as long as they meet all your needs and expectations.
Book Your Vehicle Shipping Service
Once you’ve chosen a transport company, contact them and book their services. You’ll need to provide relevant information like details of the vehicle (such as the VIN, engine number, chassis number, etc.), the pickup and destination points, and any other additional requirements. The company will make arrangements on how to pick up your vehicle according to your preference.
Get Your Vehicle Ready for Shipping
The next step is to get your vehicle ready for shipping. There are certain tasks you must perform when it comes to this step. Here are the most important of the lot:
Have Your Vehicle Undergo an Inspection
Ensuring that all parts of your vehicle are working well is something you need to take note of. Failure to carry out proper inspection might lead to delays thereby preventing the vehicle from getting to its destination as when due.
Remove Valuables from the Car
To avoid theft, remove all valuable possessions from the car. Although nothing may be stolen while your vehicle is in transit, you cannot be too sure. You can click here to learn how to prevent car theft. Also having other things in the car will increase the weight of the car when it is being weighed, which could cost you extra cash.
Empty Your Fuel Tank
Your car should not contain much fuel when it is about to be shipped. The amount of fuel needed should not be more than a quarter of the tank. This is just for it to get to the pickup location and also for you to be able to drive it when it arrives at its destination. This also adds excess weight to your shipment which will cost you extra charges.
Capture Images of any Existing Vehicle Damages
There are times when vehicles experience some harsh conditions during shipping which could lead to damages. The only way to prove that it occurred while in transit is by documenting. This serves as evidence and also the company will cover for whatever damage it incurred.
Have a Spare Set of Keys
Having spare keys will ensure that you have access to your car once it arrives even if you misplace the main set. We recommend you keep the spare keys separate from the main set. This will ensure that you don’t misplace them at the same time.
Examine Your Vehicle Upon Arrival
Once you receive your vehicle at its expected destination, you need to properly examine it for damages that may have happened during transport. Compare your vehicle condition with the images you captured before shipping. If there be any damages found, report to the transport company immediately. If you don’t do so immediately, you’ll end up paying for the damages yourself later on.
The steps we’ve shared above may not be exhaustive, but they are quite comprehensive for your needs. This will help you understand how to ship a car to another state and to do so without undue stress. These are simple steps that anyone can take.
Conclusion
Moving to another state can be nerve-wracking and having to move a vehicle can make it all the more intense. Thankfully, this article should put your mind at ease when it comes to shipping your car to another state. Follow this guideline and enjoy smooth movement all the way.