"How do I prepare my car for transport?" One of the most common questions customers ask after booking.
Preparing your car for transport doesn’t require much time or money. However, if you don’t properly prepare your car for transport, it can end up costing you money and time.
Guidelines to follow for a safe, smooth, damage-free, and on-time car shipping.
- Clean vehicle: In order for your car to be thoroughly inspected on the day of shipping, it must be clean. A simple drive-thru wash or a quick at-home car wash is enough to perform a quality inspection of the vehicle’s body, and make markings.
- Full inspection: Either you or a designated representative must be present during the inspection to sign the required Bill of lading which will be received during vehicle pick-up and delivery. It is in your best interest to be at the inspection. Any discrepancies on the Bill of lading upon delivery must be marked and signed on the document.
- Personal Items: Do not leave or transport anything valuable in your vehicle. Unlimited Auto Trans LLC or its agents are not responsible for anything left inside your car (personal belongings, household goods, etc.) Radios, cassette decks, or CD players (not built-in), car phones, and garage door openers must be removed. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) prohibits the carrying of personal items on a truck licensed for only carrying automobiles. Any items left in the vehicle are subject to removal upon inspection at state lines by the DOT. Personal items will not be insured if they are damaged or reported missing.
- Keys: U.S. Department of Transportation requires that one set of ALL keys for the vehicle be provided to the carrier.
- Battery: Your battery must be secure in the mounting bracket. The vehicle must have no obvious fluid leaks.
- Antennas: must be lowered or removed.
- Alarms: must be disconnected, disabled, or turned off for transport. If there are special instructions required to start a car to disarm the alarm, please inform your driver picking up your vehicle.
- Racks: Remove any luggage, bike, or ski racks not permanently attached to the car.
- Cracked Glass: Should the vehicle glass have a nick, scratch, chip, crack, or other imperfections, Unlimited Auto Trans LLC or its agents will not be responsible for damage caused by any pre-existing condition.
- Climate: Ensure your car is prepared for any climate. Replenish coolants, transmission oil, antifreeze, and other fluids, as needed. Unlimited Auto Trans LLC is not responsible for preventable damage caused by Acts of Nature.
- Spoilers: Spoilers, fairing, air dams, or other low-hanging items should be removed, or sufficient clearance assured to expedite loading on the truck rail and ramps.
- Gas tank: The gas tank must have a minimum of 1/8 tank of fuel, but no more than 1/2 tank of fuel.
- Other: All exterior spare tire covers, grill covers, or car covers must be removed. Plants and hazardous materials are forbidden by law to be transported.
- Locations: Make sure that both your pick-up and drop-off locations are tractor-trailer accessible. If they are not accessible by the truck, the customer/driver will suggest the closest meeting point to load or unload the vehicle (parking lot, shopping center, etc.).
- Pick-up/Delivery Times: Be sure that your chosen locations allow someone to be present between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., seven days a week.
- Contact Times: Be sure that contact persons are available by phone between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and the phone numbers you provide are direct lines to those persons. Cell phones are usually the best. Pagers or voice mail numbers are not accepted.
