Shipping a car is something that many of us don’t have to do in our lifetimes unless we move across the country or even sometimes across the sea.
For most, there are different options available such as selling a car, putting it into storage, driving it to a new location or having someone else drive their car. When none of those options are suitable, car shipping is the only choice.
In this blog post, we will take a look at everything you need to know about car shipping so if it is something you are considering you will be better informed and you should save a bit of money too.
The cost of shipping a car
Firstly you will need to take into consideration if the cost of shipping your car is worth it. Car shipping isn’t cheap and if you have an old car that’s only worth a few thousand dollars it may be worth selling it and buying a new one at your new home. However, if you need your car and don’t want the hassle of selling it and buying a new one you should consider shipping.
Auto shipping costs can change depending on the size, weight and the distance your car is being shipped and when talking to shipping companies they will often give you a range of price as they don’t know how much it’s going to cost until they ship your car.
When a shipping company gives you a range of costs just make sure that you can afford the top end of the budget as often this is the final fee you will be charged. To make sure you aren’t getting ripped off you should use an online shipping calculator to get a rough idea of how much you should be spending.
Preparation of your car
Once you have found a shipping company that you want to use and have paid their fees the next step is to prepare your car. If you haven’t booked your car to be shipped you should know that most companies will need 2 weeks notice and the average time of a car being shipped can take between 2-4 weeks too.
To prepare your car you will need to make sure that it’s safe to drive. Your car tires should be pumped to the right levels, your breaks should work and so should your mirrors and lights. If your car isn’t safe to drive you will need to inform the shipping company a not all shipping companies will take cars that can’t be driven.
You will also need to make sure that no items are left in your car as these items can be confiscated at the border and you can be fined for it. If you do need to move additional items, talk to the shipping company and they will more than likely be able to ship items via a different method or refer you to someone who can help.
You will need to find out about the laws and documents needed to ship a car to your country. Usually, this is a copy of your passport and a form of vehicle ownership. Once again if you are unsure check with the shipping company as they will be able to help you.
Arriving at your destination
You may try to arrange for your vehicle to be transported at the same time you arrive at your new home, sometimes this isn’t possible though so you should make additional plans to account for this.
If you have friends or family in your new location one option would be to have them sign for the vehicle and leave it outside their home for a while. Sometimes this is a good option as it saves you money and your friends or family can inspect the vehicle for any damage too.
However, if you don’t have family or friends to do this for you or simply don’t want to inconvenience them you can arrange for your car to be delivered to a temporary storage location.
If you use an internationally-known moving company there is a good chance that they will have a storage location that you can ship your car to for a small fee.
Conclusion
Car shipping can be expensive, but it can also be convenient so you and your family can move to your new home and have one thing less to worry about. If you are still unsure about shipping your car, talk to local companies in your area and get a quote from them and ask them if there is anything else you need to know about.
