Introduction
Buying a used car can be a memorable experience if you proceed ahead with caution. You can get a car history report from REVS by providing either the VIN number or registration number of the car and paying a nominal fee. It can help you to make rational and logical buying decisions.
If you are planning to relocate to a different state, then you should find a good shipping company for transporting your car. You can follow these tips for safe interstate shipping of your used car:
Wash Your Car
It is highly recommended that you properly wash your car before shipping it. After your car is clean and dry, you should inspect it for any scratches or damage for documenting it later.
Document all Existing Damages
You should document all existing damages like scratch, dents, paint chips, etc. by taking photographs with date and time stamps. You should handover a copy of these photographs to the shipping company as any new scratches or dents cannot be disputed by the carrier during transporting your used car.
Remove any Valuables from the Car
All valuables and costly add-on accessories like custom stereos, DVD players, GPS systems, etc. should be removed from your used car before shipping it. This reduces the chances of theft of any of your valuables during transit. Toll tags should also be removed as they will pick up the fee from each toll which your car will pass through. If you have custom alarm system installed on your car, then it is a good idea to remove them. If the alarm goes off during transit, then the trucker may try to switch it off by any means which may damage it.
Any loose spare parts lying inside your car should either be removed or secured before transportation.
Maintenance Check
You should conduct a thorough maintenance check before shipping your car. If your car is dysfunctional and inoperable, the same should be noted and informed to the transportation company. You should check vital fluid levels and inspect your car for any technical problems prior to getting it shipped. The tyre pressure and working condition and battery health of the vehicle should also be inspected. You should inform the transportation company about these things in advance which will help them to make any special arrangements for shipping your car. It is also recommended to ensure that your car’s fuel tank is only 1/4th full. A full tank will only add more weight to your car for shipping and moreover, fuel is not required also.
Keep an Extra Set of Keys
You should ensure that you have an extra set of keys for your used car. One key set will be used by the transportation company to drive and carry your car on and off the shipping truck. If you don’t have an extra key set with you, then you should get it made before you plan to ship your used car. It is not recommended to hand the only set of keys of your car to the shipping company.