As the world is coming to its normal work routine after the pandemic, people need their vehicles at their disposal for various reasons. If you have had been away from your vehicle for a while and now want it to be shipped to you, there’s a piece of good news for you – the leading car transport companies have started offering services. Click here for more.
However, if you are planning to ship your car during this pandemic, you must take all the mandatory precautions and preparations. Shipping a vehicle during these unusual and unprecedented times may need some extra work.
Myths Related to Shipping a Vehicle during Pandemic
People think that shipping a vehicle during the Coronavirus pandemic can be very risky which is not true. Change of residence is one of the most common causes of shipping a vehicle which is unavoidable too. Proper precautions are taken by the shipping companies while sending all national and international shipments. The shipment is thoroughly wiped down with the disinfectant to keep it safe for all who will handle the shipment. We cannot consider shipping a vehicle riskier than a vehicle driven domestically.
Pre-Preparation of a Car before Shipping
To keep yourself and others safe, prepare your car for shipping by following the tips given below:
- Check your vehicle for any kind of leakage of fluid which may include battery fluid, engine coolant, oil, or a brake. Overflow of the fluid may put your vehicle’s performance in danger.
- Don’t leave more than a quarter gallon of fuel in the gas tank of your car. The fluid level in the expansion tank should also be very low to avoid any kind of leakage.
- Make sure that your car battery is fully charged to avoid any extra fee as international shipping companies charge extra if your vehicle won’t startup. This is also needed for yourself as you will have to drive the car to your new house once it will be off the shipment carrier.
- Don’t forget to disable any kinds of alarms or antitheft devices if there are any.
- Remove all your things out of your car as they may damage the interior of the car during shipping.
- If your car has a convertible top then keep everything tightly closed to keep moisture getting into the car.
- Remove any loose and detachable parts from the car and use proper protective coverings for non-detachable parts.
- Don’t forget to wash and clean your car thoroughly before shipping. It is one very important point that you should not skip. By doing this, you will get to know all the in and out of the car and if there is any damage already.
- Thoroughly check your vehicle before sending it to the shipping company and check if there is any damage. Take photographs from all the angles while doing this inspection.
- Get one spare set of car keys to keep one set of car keys with you and another you can give to the auto transporter.
- Most importantly, buy moving insurance for your car. Though auto moving companies take proper precautions while shipping a car but we should always be prepared for anything wrong may happen sometime and your car may get damaged. This moving insurance will save you from any unwanted expenses.
Although, all of the above steps are mandatory while shipping a car in general there are some extra precautions that you should take while shipping your car, like:
- Search online for auto shipping companies and make sure they work on a No-Contact basis.
- Ask for an online quotation and make sure they are taking all the mandatory precautions at their workplace while taking and delivering your vehicle.
- Deep clean your car to keep yourself and others safe. Use surface-oriented disinfectant to remove any unwanted residues from your vehicle.
- Use all the mandatory protocols while meeting your auto transporter executive. Wear proper face masks and gloves. Keep some distance from auto transporting people when they come to take your car for shipping. Avoid any kind of body contact with them. Use your pen to sign any kind of contract or bill.
- Use the electronic mode of payment and avoid any kind of cash transactions.
- Once you receive your car at the destination then make sure not to touch any part of it with bare hands. Wear Gloves and mask before meeting the person who has come to deliver the car. Don’t touch the keys with bare hands. Disinfect them before taking them inside your home.
- If possible don’t touch the car for at least 24 hours and use disinfectant sprays to disinfect the car from outside and inside both.
- Wipe down all the car accessories with surface-based cleaner and disinfectant.
- It is sure that the auto transporter might have got into your car for driving it on and off the shipping vehicle so spends some extra time cleaning the internal of the car to avoid contact with any harmful thing.
By using the above-said precautions, you will be able to ship your car without any risk. If you have more car shipping questions to ask, you must go ahead and clear all your doubts with the service provider. Make sure you have the peace of mind that your vehicle is in safe custody while it is being transported to your desired location.
