How To Prepare a Luxury Car for Shipping

When it comes to shipping a luxury car, it can be hard to tell where to start. How do you make sure it arrives safely, in good condition, and securely? Maybe you want to move across the country and want to avoid putting the miles on your new automobile. There are a number of reasons to have your car professionally shipped. And a little preparation can go a long way. You certainly don’t want any troubles beyond the original headache of moving. So, consider this guide on how to prepare a luxury car for shipping before you put your car on the truck and say goodbye to the driver. You can expect the driver to inspect the vehicle at pickup, and your car will be on its way. But first, you should prepare your car for shipment.

Tips for Preparing Your Luxury Car for Shipping

Gather your vehicle’s documents. The shipper will request these documents to prove that the car is yours. Not having these documents can cause delays in shipping and last-minute searching through glove boxes and file cabinets searching for a single document.
Wash Your Car Inside and Out. Starting with a clean car will help you to see any flaws that may need to be documented and help you catch any new damage that may have occurred in shipping. Don’t forget to clean the interior as well. Wouldn’t it be nice to start with a clean car at your destination?
Document Damage. Once the car is clean do a walk-around and take pictures of different angles of the car. It is unlikely your car will be damaged in shipping, but it is always good to have the proof handy just in case.
Remove personal items. Transported items in a car are not insured during shipping. It’s tempting to pack the car up, but it’s not recommended or allowed in general. Remove all unnecessary personal items. But you should keep the spare tire, jack, and license plate with the vehicle.
Empty your gas tank. Your car will not need a full tank during shipping, and the weight of the gas could even increase the cost of your shipping. Leave a quarter tank. This will get you to a gas station once you reach your destination.
Remove outside accessories. Extras on your vehicle can be damaged during shipping. Remove any racks (ski, bike, or luggage), retractable antennas, or custom spoilers. Your car could become damaged if any of these items come loose.
Lock up, but leave the keys. Lock your car to protect anything that may be inside of it. But the driver may still need a set of keys. Supply a spare set. Do not give the driver your only set of keys.

We’re hoping this guide will give you some great tips on how to prepare a luxury car for shipping. Once the driver arrives at your departure point, they will take over from there. If you’ve prepared your car, you have nothing to worry about.