When someone decides to move from one state to another, they face certain challenges that they need to address for a smooth transition. One of those challenges is finding a way to get one or more vehicles to the new location as safely and efficiently as possible. If the move involves going from New Jersey to New York, it’s easy enough to drive that short of a distance. Where the relocation of vehicles gets problematic is when the move involves crossing the country. In such cases, hiring a reputable transport company like Guardian Auto Transport (www.guardianautotransport.com) starts making a lot of sense. Here are the best tips for preparing your muscle car for shipment .
Before you start thinking this is an easy solution, you should know that more is involved than meets the eye. While a reliable auto transportation company will do most of the heavy lifting, you’ll still need to put forth some time and effort.
A popular misconception related to the transporting of a vehicle is it involves little more than hiring a transport company and handing over the key. If that were the case, the country’s top transport companies would have more business than they could collectively handle.
The reality is it takes time and effort on everyone’s part to get a vehicle from point A to point B in one piece. To help you anticipate the level of your participation, here are five must-know vehicle transport steps you will want to follow.
Find a Reputable Transport Company
The vehicle shipping process can be a source of stress. The vehicle or vehicles you are shipping are likely some of your most valuable personal assets. With that in mind, you will want to hand over the transporting responsibilities to a company you feel you can trust.
Before you start looking around, you might benefit from talking to family, friends, or coworkers. If anyone you trust is willing to recommend a
car shipping company they trust, that’s going to be a solid option.
Short of getting a personal reference, you would have to do some searching on your own. Of course, your search will take you to the internet where you will find plenty of options. With the industry being very competitive, you can count on having respondents to your inquiries coming back in a hurry. They will all tell you what they think you want to hear.
By the time you find one that offers a fair price and feels reliable, you need to take one more step. You need to check for online references and perhaps ask for direct references from the company. If all references come back good, you are probably good to go.
Focus on Insurance Coverage
The last thing you want to encounter is having your vehicle(s) show up at its new home with damage. Sometimes, damage occurs during the shipping process. When it does, you don’t want to rely on your car insurance policy to cover the damages.
When you get a final quote, you will get an offer for additional insurance. You should definitely consider checking the “yes” box. A good transport insurance policy will address the level of coverage, the specific kinds of damage covered, and a bit about the claim process.
Inspect the Vehicle Before Departure
As you prepare the vehicle for transport, you will want to make sure everything in and on the vehicle is secure. You will want to go over every inch of the vehicle with the transport company’s representative to identify existing issues. That effectively sets the standard for what you will be expecting to see when the vehicle arrives at its final destination.
Remove Valuables
You might be thinking you can load the car with goods to help with the moving process. That’s not a good idea. It’s difficult to keep track of things in a car that don’t normally belong there. Remove all valuables and decrease your worries.
Plan to Be at the Dropoff Point
Through a coordinated effort, you should make plans to be at the dropoff location when the car arrives. Among the things you should consider before cross-country car shipping, this one is the most important thing. You don’t want to have someone else sign off on the car’s condition without you confirming it meets your standards.
