So you have finally chosen the car shipping company to transport your vehicle. You may plan to send your car to a nearby town or to a neighboring state. Whatever the final destination may be, one question will always come to your mind, “how does a car transport service approach the car inspection?” 

It’s natural to worry about your car’s safety. In case you choose to transfer small items in your car too you want to be assured nothing will go missing. The prospect of some stranger looking into your car is an uneasy thought. Exterior car inspections commonly take place when the car reaches the drop-off location. 

Any professional company will keep a record of the shipped vehicle to avoid any false damage claims. 

However, interior car inspection is another matter. 

 

When Car Shipping Companies Likely to Inspect a Vehicle?

It is common for car shipping companies to not have any interest in what goes inside the car. A quick overview of the car’s interior is inspected at the time of loading. Mostly it occurs for international shipping. In case an auto transport company performs a car inspection, their aim is to see whether the interior is damaged or not. 

Before car loading, customers are given a set of instructions. These instructions are the guidelines that are to be followed to ensure the vehicle is properly prepped for the shipping purpose. 

Car Searching

So in what case does a professional auto transport examine your car? 

    • Loose Item

Keeping loose items in a car on a daily basis is common. It can be car electronics, air fresheners, or any misc items.

The presence of such loose items (moving items) can cause damage to the vehicle’s interior during shipping. In the worst-case scenario, if damage does occur in the car’s interior, then it will lead to further complications for the trucker. 

Loose items easily move and toss around the car, can cause considerable damage to windows, seats, and otherwise. Car shipping companies always recommend removing portable items from your car that can cause havoc during the shipping process. 

 

    • Theft Concerns 

Vehicle inspections become necessary to avoid any theft concerns. The driver of the car carrier does not want to increase the likelihood of damage or theft. 

A customer choosing the open car transport needs to install a GPS unit. It’s common for most interior car accessories. It’s hard to remove the installed GPS unit, therefore in case of a theft, it can send the signal. 

    • Exterior Vehicle Inspection 

It is the most common type of inspection. Ultimately it is vital for professional car shipping companies to make sure that the risk of damage is lower during the transport. 

It includes body and materials, air pressure in tires, lock and security, gas tanks, and so on. You can find relevant information here: How to prepare your car for vehicle shipping.

For interior inspection, you must set aside the items before loading your car for shipping. A proper evaluation can help to learn whether this practice is legal or not. 

 

Is Placing Items Inside a Car during Shipping Legal?

According to the Department of Transportation, there is no hard evidence that shipping items inside a car is illegal. 

In case a car transport service wants to inspect the interior of the vehicle, they can do so in the client’s presence. If you plan to pack personal or household items, do check their weightage. Small items are still accountable for shipping (if they do not cause any damage).

Besides, when selecting from an entree of car shipping companies, you should always review their policies to ensure whether they allow placing personal items inside the car before shipping or not. If yes, then on what conditions. 

 

Basic Rules to Place Personal Items in Your Vehicle

When technically it’s not illegal to place the personal items inside your vehicle for shipping, you still need to communicate about the list of items, and their weight with the car shipping service. 

Let’s say the general weight for a personal belonging generally should be between 100-150 pounds capacity. It allows you to ship your personal items of belonging free of charge! If the said item goes under their window requirement, car shipping companies will allow you to place the items. 

When handling the documents, they also need to mention in the “notes section” below any personal belongings they have placed in their vehicle. 

If you choose to place items above the allowed weight, then expect to pay additional charges for car shipping. However, the most reliable way to ship your personal belongings is inside the car’s trunk. If you choose to place the items in the back of the car seat or any section of the car interior, chances are the item may get lost in its packing and tossed around the car. 

 

Ship and Deliver Never Dismisses the Client’s Concern 

Usually, car transport services do not want to deal with any shady activity. It is a logical decision to avoid any grey domain within the shipping industry. 

Ship and Deliver understand the value of a good car shipping experience. In case the client wants to add any personal item inside their car, they can talk to our customer representative for the details. 

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