Why It Is Important To Inspect Your Vehicle Before You Ship It

As an auto shipping customer, there are several important questions that we ask ourselves, concerning our vehicle when deciding on the right auto shipping company. How much will it cost to ship my car, truck, or van from point A to point B? How long with the transport take?

An important factor that we all should also consider is the safety of our vehicle. You want to make sure that your car or truck arrives in the same condition at its final destination as it was in at its origin. In the transportation world this doesn\’t always happen. That\’s why it is so important to do a thorough inspection of your vehicle when you turn it over to the auto shipping company. Below are a few key points to keep in mind when inspecting your vehicle:

You must inspect the entire vehicle top to bottom. Make notes of every little and big ding and get the shippers representative to sign off on the document before its departure. Get a copy of this agreement. This is the \”before\” picture of your vehicle. Speaking of pictures – take pictures. Take a lot of pictures so when you see your vehicle again, you can compare notes as well as pictures should any damage be sustained that you want to claim.

The functionality of your car now should be the same as when you drive it at its destination. Check every functional aspect (turn signals, head lights, tail lights, etc.) of the vehicle with the representative and get a sign off on this too, as well as a copy of the agreement for you. Make note of any items attached to the interior that may become knocked about during the journey. Take pictures of the interior as well as the windows.

Don\’t forget the glass in your car. A little chip in the windshield may not be annoying now, but oh boy, when it turns into a big crack, you\’re in trouble. Take pictures. Check and get pictures of all the windows in your car.

If you do find any damage on your vehicle make sure to follow these tips below:

Foremost, you must report any damages immediately. Immediate reporting will stop short any confusion as to how the vehicle sustained the damage. You will then have a much better chance of getting it fixed and not at your expense.

Again, pictures are terrific. Take as many as you can from as many angles as you can. This is one case where a picture is really worth a thousand words. There is no better proof to substantiate a claim than photographic evidence of damages.

Get a valid estimate for repairs. One thing that the claims department will want to know is \”how much?\”. Many auto shippers will let you get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice so make sure you choose wisely. Dealerships are generally a safe bet.

By following these steps, you will have a good chance of making certain that the vehicle you shipped out will be in the same shape at the end of it\’s trip as it was in the beginning. This is as it should be.