The internet can be a wonderful tool to help you do research and figure out the most mundane things in your day to day life. It can also trap you in a scam. There are some industries that are known to be havens for scammers online. Car Shipping company’s is one of them. Your car is one of your most prized possessions; it is almost criminal to blindly follow the lead of the cheapest auto transport company you find. A good way to save yourself some grief is to visit online forums. There are many sites involving cars and anything having to do with cars, whose members are genuine car lovers. The members will give honest advice based on past experience of good auto transporters that they used. Most good forums will ban a company that is writing comments just for promotional value.
Using the advice of car lovers like yourself is the way to go. They will help you hook up with the right auto transport company, or a private contractor for the lowest price, and will give you some tips to make sure the job gets done right. The following are some genuine pieces of advice that will help smooth the process of auto transport.
Inspect your vehicle thoroughly before sending it on its way. The best way to do this is to wash the exterior and to make not of any preexisting damage. The best way to do this is to take pictures, because a picture is worth a thousand words. Make sure the pictures are dated. When you receive your vehicle you must also inspect it thoroughly, even if the auto transport driver is in a rush. Once you’ve signed the bill of lading it’s a lot harder to be reimbursed for any damage that occurred during the trip.
In general, most auto transport drivers inspect the outside of the vehicle only. It is your responsibility to remove anything from the inside of the car. Why? The company’s insurance most likely will not cover any personal possessions left in the car, and between inspections, loading, and unloading, it is often left unlocked. Also, any loose items can be ejected, causing damage to your vehicle, and potentially damaging another vehicle, for which you will be held liable. Objects left in the car can also cause the vehicle to be overweight, for which you will incur a fine. Remove anything that is not attached to the car, including your gps, car phone, etc.
Remember to remove toll tags, E-zpass, parking devices, etc. from your car. You don’t want to be charged for every toll your car passes through on its journey across the country. Also if you leave them on, your car may be a target for theft.
Take your car to the mechanic for a routine maintenance check before the trip. It must be in good working condition to be driven on and off the auto transport rig, and all fluids should be topped off. Make sure that gas tank is one quarter of the way full, enough for it to drive, but not too much to render the car overweight.
For anything else you need to know, check out the forums. Other auto transport customers are your friends; they’re here to share their experiences with you, and help you learn from their mistakes.