5 Mistakes to Avoid When Moving and Shipping Your Car

Have you recently decided to purchase a car from across the state and need to move it to your address? Or have you just decided to move, and are in need of shipment? If it’s you’re the first time, it has to seem like too much of a hassle, however, it’s not. You’ve got tons of companies offering these services who can ship your car wherever you need it to be. However, this doesn’t mean you should enter the process without doing some research and keeping in mind things that can complicate this task.

What are those things? Read through the article to learn about all the mistakes you can make while in this process, and to be aware of how to avoid them.

1. Entering the process completely unprepared

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There are times you may be in a hurry, so you just contact the first company that you find on the internet to help you with this. As a result, you find yourself frustrated, deceived, completely unsatisfied, and above all losing the money you’ve planned to spend on quality service. Shipping and transporting your vehicle is a sensitive thing, and if it results in delay, damage, and whatnot, you’ll be in more trouble than you’ve planned. Therefore, plan the whole thing before you actually set out to realize it.

Some say that the estimated time you need for planning in advance is approximately two months. During the first month, you’ll be researching different companies, trying to choose the best one, preparing the paperwork, and so on. Booking the shipment or moving procedure needs to be done approximately one month before. In order to learn the details of your shipment/moving case and what it will require, click here.

2. Having no idea what is expected of you, or how it will all look like

The procedure goes as follows: once you choose the company, book your shipment, and when the date arrives they’ll be coming to pick up your car. By now you should have already cleaned it, as it will undergo inspection by the company’s staff. According to the condition they find the car in, they’ll be taking notes to draft the bill of lading that will contain all the damages your car has. Upon drafting, you’ll be signing it, and also be given a copy.

The documents they required you to prepare should also be complete by now. It should include your personal documents, confirmation of booking, insurance, proof of ownership, proof of registration, etc. Failing to provide these documents can only further complicate the moving process, and result in delays you won’t like to face if you’re in need of your car at a certain location. For this very reason, we urge you once again to prepare on time.

3. Hiring the first agency you’ve googled

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We’ve already mentioned how unprepared means that you haven’t researched enough on who will you hire to move or ship your car. The worst-case scenario is you book the shipment with the first agency you find. Why? Because there are too many agencies that simply do not take care of the quality of their services, or for their customers to be satisfied. Here you shouldn’t only be worried about the damages your car can suffer during transport, but also about the pricing. You can agree on one price, but soon after you’ll be notified that something urgent has come up that requires an additional amount to be paid. If you fail to pay on time, they may threaten to get a hold of your car.

This may happen because you didn’t invest enough time to read through the contract or the terms of service. If this is the case, it’s your fault. Always read through all the documents regarding the shipment.

Also, they may refuse to pay for the damages they’ve caused to your car during the transport.

Luckily, not all of them are like this, and many like to nurture the relationship with their customers investing a lot in their satisfaction. You’ll find them if you do your homework well. Read about what others have to say, who have already gone through the procedure of shipping their car.

Another way of making sure you’ve hired the right shipping company is to find an organization that issues their licenses, contact them and ask if the company of your choice has one, and were there any complaints about their work.

It may seem like a lot to handle, but if you want your car to be shipped in one piece, without any damages, you’ll take this task very seriously.

4. Expecting too much

When you choose to ship your car to a remote location there are a couple of things you need to be aware of. One of them is the fact that the whole process, including the deadline for shipment, depends on circumstances like the weather. So, there isn’t a single company that can guarantee they’ll deliver the car on the exact date. Serious companies will give you a rough estimation, with a three to five-day window. If all the conditions for transport are met, you’ll get your car in no time.

5. Leaving your personal belongings inside the car

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Even though the vehicle is insured while being transported this does not mean the items you left inside that are of personal nature will be refunded in case they are lost. Remember, you have been advised to remove them, clean the car, and sign the document containing the state the vehicle was in when the company took it for shipment. Whatever is lost in the way, of your personal belongings, is your responsibility to replace.

Although it may sound like a lot, if you go through the process seriously, frustration won’t be what you face. Just keep in mind how many companies there are on the market, that not all of them are as good as they like to be presented, and don’t be afraid to ask all the questions you want on time.