How to Prepare Your Car for Shipment

If you need to move a car from state to state, there are some important things that might help you make your booking a lot easier.

• Car shipping is a bit risky, so you must take the necessary caution. Always look for red flags as there are unscrupulous vehicle transport services.
• The best quality to look for in vehicle transport services is transparency. They must be able to answer all your questions. 
• Communication is the key. You must be able to contact your service provider and track your shipment from start to finish.
• Prices vary according to the kinds of services and insurance inclusions. Study their website well.
  

So, you have finally found a good vehicle transport service. You must now prepare your car for shipping. Take note of the things you must do to avoid future problems.

• Wash your car. Wash thoroughly both the interior and exterior of your car. You do this because the driver that will pick up your vehicle will do a vehicle condition report. He will document the current condition of your car.
• Take a picture of your car. Take pictures of your car’s good condition so when something happens along the way, and your car is damaged, you will have a piece of evidence. Make sure that the date and time the picture is taken are seen in the photos.
• Take a picture of the odometer. Taking a picture of the odometer provides you a piece of evidence if you suspect that your car has been driven somewhere other than the intended destination.
• Check for engine and mechanical problems. It is better if you can have a mechanic tune up your car before shipment and keep a record of the tune-up.
• Prepare your car's documents. Make sure that you have the vehicle title and equivalent if your car is financed or leased as well as your car’s license.
  

After doing all the necessary pre-transport preparations, here are some car shipping tips to make your car transport less stressful.

Finding a good vehicle transport service may be a bit taxing and time-consuming, but it is important if you want to have peace of mind once you have shipped out your car.

• Read reviews. Reading reviews will give a great deal of ideas on how the transport service operates. Find good testimonials too.
• Do not settle for a very low cost. Transport service cost below the standard car transport prices means a low level of service.
• With Flexible options. Find a transport services that offer flexible options according to your budget.
• Talk to a representative. Make sure to directly contact their legitimate representative and take note of his/her complete contact details. If you can double-check the person with the company for security purposes
• Check for the company’s insurance coverage. 

Having insurance coverage is an advantage as it protects your car from any untoward incident during car shipping.

• Practice transparency. When you inquire ask as many questions as possible. Make sure that the company representative should be able to answer all your questions
• Study the contract. Read the contract well including the fine prints before signing.
• Recognized by the government. Make sure that the company is licensed to operate in Hawaii.
  

These car ship tips will help you do the right thing before sending out your car to the transport service operator.

• Deactivate your toll tags as they still may incur charges when the transporter passes the toll gates.
• Disable alarms and security systems since it may hinder in easy handling of the persons in charge of your car.
• Make sure that your vehicle contains less than ¼ of the tank as it is the regulation.
• Secure your valuables and other items from the car because it is prohibited by Maritime Law to include any items inside the car.
• Secure your car’s accessories especially those that are outside of your cars such as bike racks, luggage racks, and other custom-made accessories. Make sure also to fold the side mirrors of your vehicle.
• You can opt for covered or not covered during the transport. Opting for covered transport may incur additional charges.
• Make the last check-up at the engine as well as the battery, tires, and radiator.
• Check for fluid leaks. This is important because chances are your car will be put on top of other cars in the transport trailer. If your car is leaking, it might drip on the cars below.
  

• Verify the car transport price coverage. There are some car transport services with hidden charges, so it is important to verify the coverage of what you are paying.
• It is recommended to have insurance on your vehicle. This way your vehicle will be protected from some untoward incidents or acts of nature damages.
• Make a deposit. Your car transport provider may ask you for a deposit before the scheduled transport.
• Inspect before making the full payment. When your car has arrived in your specified location, have someone inspect the car for damages or lost items before making the payment.
  

• The first thing to do is to inspect the physical condition of the car. Compare it with the picture taken before the shipment.
• Then check the odometer, how long has the car traveled. You can more, or less estimate the kilometers taken against the distance from the origin to the point of destination.
• Check the interior of your car and other accessories. 
• Check for lost items
• Run the engine to make sure that everything is working.
  

If you find that something is wrong upon the arrival of your car. You can do the following.

• Hold the full payment.
• Document it (if there is damage or missing accessory, etc.)
• Make a written report detailing your complaint and send it to the transport company.
• Wait for their reply.
  

Not only does moving your car cost time and effort, but it also costs you quite a sum of money. Here we will provide you with the ballpark figure in moving your car to Hawaii.

• From the US mainland to Hawaii costs ranges from $1,000 to $2,500
• From Canada to Hawaii costs ranges from $1,000 to 3,000

These prices can fluctuate depends on many factors such as the size of the vehicle, the weight of the vehicle, the total distance from pick up to drop off points, means of transportation, etc.

If you are shipping from a city within 50 miles from the port (to and from) you can save money by dropping or picking up your car at the designated port.

If the information and auto transport tips above haven't answered some of your concerns. Here are some of the frequently asked questions.