If you ship your car overseas, there are measures you can take to make your car secure for transportation. In the majority of cases, cars are shipped overseas without incident but taking these small steps to prepare your car minimises the risk of damage.
A priority in the preparation procedure is to ascertain that your insurance policy covers you for any eventuality during transportation. Whether protection comes from your own car insurer, or that of the carrier, it is vital to check the specifics to ascertain whether you need to invest in additional (marine) insurance.
Take your car in for a service prior to shipping to reduce the likelihood of any mishap on the journey. Check that fluids are at the correct level, test the car battery, and fix it in place before transportation.
If you are shipping the car to a hotter climate, be sure to change the oil accordingly and ensure that the air conditioning is fully functioning and serviced. Likewise, if you are moving to a colder location, fill up your car with the correct antifreeze. In either case, ensure your tyres are suitable for the new environment and correctly inflated, and leave the jack and spare tyre in the trunk of the car.
To secure you car and reduce the risk of breakage, remove roof or bike racks or extra mirrors. In addition, secure loose accessories or custom items such as spoilers. Fold your mirrors back, and lower or remove antennae. If your car is fitted with an alarm system, be sure to deactivate it during transportation.
To avoid spills and minimise the risk of fire, ensure that the gas tank is no more than a quarter full. There need only be enough fuel in the car for loading and unloading. This also reduces your costs if the shipment price is determined by weight.
Your transport company will most likely require you to remove your personal possessions from the car. Their insurance policy may not cover these items, or any damage caused by their movement in the car during transit. By removing personal belongings as a matter of course, you not only avoid the risk of theft, but also remove the chance of incurring a fine for incorrectly importing personal items when the car passes through customs.
However, one thing you should leave in your car’s glove compartment is the paperwork for the vehicle. This includes (copies of) vehicle registration documents and car insurance papers so that everything is on hand during the journey. You will also need to hand over all the completed importation documents for your car to your shipping company.
The transport company will also need a full set of car keys from you, so organise a duplicate set to hand over when you drop the car off.
On pick up or drop off, the shipping company will inspect your vehicle thoroughly. They will ask you to sign off and agree to the current state of the car. The inspection will entail a detailed check of the car and registering of any damage to paintwork, body and glass. The transporters will record dents and scratches, as well as the mileage. Washing your car before this inspection means you can clearly see any marks, and it is usually one of the requirements of the shipping company. Taking photos of any damaged areas is also advisable prior to shipping.
If your car has any leaks that you have not fixed prior to the move, inform the shipping company so that your car will not be placed on top of another vehicle on the transporter. Similarly, if there are any peculiarities with the car’s performance inform the representative when you hand the car over, or leave a note visible in the car so that the driver can load and unload your car without problems.
To avoid preventable damage or a delay to your shipment, take the time to prepare your car in line with the detailed instructions given to you by your carrier. Satisfying all safety and security requirements, your host country’s import regulations, and adhering to any restrictions imposed, will save you both time and money in the end.
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