Relocating your family to a new place across the country or abroad can be an exhausting experience for everybody involved. Moving everything that you own in a short time frame isn’t simple, and many families start planning several months before the actual moving date.
Though some parts of an across-the-country move can be done without outside help, there are other aspects of this process where you’ll probably need a little help — especially if you have one or more vehicles that need to go. To smooth out the process, keep reading for seven tips for relocating your car.
Shop around for the best quotes
If you’re planning on shipping your car from your home to the new location, one of the first things you’ll need to do is shop around for the best car shipping quotes in your area. By shopping around for companies that ship cars, you can get a quote from each company and then decide on the best option. Many industry professionals recommend getting at least three quotes. You can then review each company in regards to cost and terms for shipment.
Remove personal belongings from the vehicle
As you begin to obtain the quotes for shipping your vehicles, you’ll need to remove all of your belongings from the cars that you are shipping. By removing all of your personal belongings from the car before it’s picked up, you don’t have to be concerned about theft or items being lost.
Disable the car alarm and secure loose parts
Once you decide to ship your car, you’ll need to prepare your vehicle for the move. An important step in your preparation is disabling the car alarm so it won’t go off accidentally. If there are parts on the vehicle that are not tightened or properly affixed, you’ll need to secure those loose parts on the car so that they don’t fall off during transport.
Fill the tires and charge the battery
Before you send your vehicle off for relocation, make sure it’s prepared for the transport. To accomplish this part of the relocation process, ensure that your tires on the vehicle and the battery is fully charged. By taking care of these charging options well in advance, you won’t have to be concerned about a flat tire or a battery that’s too weak to start when it’s needed the most.
Inspect the car and document damages
When a car is shipped from one place to another, there’s a good chance that more than one company or vendor will be involved in physically transporting the vehicle to its final destination. When this happens, anyone in the chain of moving the vehicle is accountable for potential problems or damages to the car.
Before you send your vehicle through a shipper for its relocation, make sure there’s no previous damage to the body or interior of the vehicle. If there is damage, this information needs to be documented so that you and the company will be covered. Shipping companies’ providers are normally insured and accountable for any damage that is done to the vehicle in transport.
Pick a date for shipment
Once you know exactly what date you’ll be relocating, make sure that everything involved in the relocation process is taken care of well in advance. This is not the time to leave your to-do list until the last minute! To make sure that the vehicles are being to the correct location in plenty of time, give the shipping company a date that tells them when the vehicle will be in transport. Just like you communicate a specific date and time to your moving company, your car shipping company needs to know this information as well.
Search for the most reputable car shipping companies
Moving across the world, across the country or even just to the next state can be a daunting prospect. Getting your vehicle safely to your new home might be the last thing on your mind — but it’s one of the most important things you need to do.
Before you give your vehicle to a shipping company for transport, do plenty of research to get a handle on the top reputable car shipping companies in your area. By finding the best car shipping company possible, you can save yourself and your family time, money and unnecessary frustrations.
