Last Minute Car Shipping: 22 Things You Need to Know
As the year winds down, many people are gearing up for a busy holiday season. This includes business owners who need to ship their vehicles during this time. With so much going on, it can be hard to find the time to prepare for car shipping – never mind finding out all of the important information that you’ll need about how it’s done! If you’re looking for tips and tricks about everything from how to plan for last-minute car shipping, what type of coverage is available, and more – we’ve got them right here!
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22 Things You Need To Know Before Car Shipping
Car shipping is not as easy as it may seem planning ahead is the best way to make sure that you’re not scrambling at the last minute you will need a rental car while your vehicle is shipped (unless you opt for full coverage)
Keep these 22 last-minute things in mind to help ensure that your holiday season goes smoothly and stress-free!
1. Expedited Shipping
Last-minute shipping means it needs to be expedited if the vehicle is going to make it by the due date. Also, keep in mind that expedited shipping will cost more and is not always worth the price.
2. Booking Process
The car shipping booking process is still the same. However, last-minute car shipping will require you to book the same day or the next day. Just pay a visit to the online calculator on the car shipping site to get an estimated price. This will give you an idea of how much the last-minute shipping will cost you.
3. Safety First!
If you’re going on an unexpected journey and weren’t ready for the trip, then it’s important to note that you can’t just leave your car parked on the street or in a residential parking space.
Doing so will be against city law and your vehicle could get towed or ticketed due to ongoing snow removal operations. This is why many people consider last-minute shipping for their vehicles when they need them back.
4. Vehicle Coverage
If you’re looking for car shipping insurance, make sure to learn about what type of coverage is available. Full coverage means that your vehicle’s repair costs are covered whether they happen during transit or after delivery – but if you opt for partial coverage then you’ll only be covered for damages during the shipping process.
5. Car Wash
Preparing your car beforehand will help to ensure that it’s in good shape. but due to less time, you can do the basic prep. For example, make sure you have enough gas tanked up and fill any fluids (like oil) before having the car picked up by a professional service for a wash or you can always take it to a shop near your home to do the tasks.
6. Clean Interior
You should also make sure that you clean out any items from the car including trash, food wrappers, or anything else that may be left over after you have removed all of your luggage and other belongings. You’ll want to bring along some basic tools like jumper cables in case there is an emergency.
7. Emergency Brakes
E-brakes of your car must be securely in place and locked before the car is loaded on a transport vehicle. So get your car’s brakes checked by a mechanic in case of any doubt.
8. Tow-Bar
If your car does not have an E-brake, then you’ll need a tow bar to keep the vehicle securely connected to the truck during transit.
9. Battery Check
Always double-check your battery before heading off to the dealership. It’s better that you find out about a dead battery before you’re on your way there instead of while it’s being loaded onto the transport truck.
10. Check Tires
You need to double-check the air pressure in your tires before loading. Low tire pressures are a major cause of transport car accidents and can also contribute to a flat during transit.
11. Motor Oil
Before the car, shipping makes sure that the tank is empty because damage to the motor will be excluded from coverage if you have any oil in it. Having gas in your car makes it heavier too. So, just leave a quarter of gas in the tank for safety purposes.
12. Disable Alarm
To avoid the possibility of the car’s alarm going off, you should try to deactivate the alarm before loading. A car’s alarm can easily trigger so instead of wasting time trying to figure out how to make the alarm stop, drivers will be able to focus on driving.
13. Driving Directions
You may need to either give or have driving directions to the driver or dispatcher when arranging pick up for your car shipment.
14. Physical Damage Limits
Physical damage is an unfortunate risk of car shipping. To that end, make sure you know the limits for your auto insurance coverage before hiring a professional and have them sign off on it at pickup time.
15. Awaiting Pickup
At this point, all you can do is wait patiently until it’s finally ready to be picked up by a shipper who will give you the bill of lading.
16. Shipping Schedule
This is a really important part of the process. There are different ways that this will be handled, depending on how far you’re shipping your car and what type of service provider you use. For example, if you have an A-to-B price quote for a transport company then they’ll make time to get it right on the schedule.
17. Door-To-Door Transport
Even with the last-minute car shipping, you can still expect the same quality service. One of the common misconceptions about last-minute car shipping is that you cannot get door-to-door transport. Car shipping companies expedited car shipping also offer door-to-door transport.
18. Customs
This is one of those things that you don’t need to worry about because it will be handled by the car transport company and they have plenty of experience in this area. All you’ll do at customs is sign some paperwork, tell them what type of car it is, where it’s from, and where it needs to be delivered.
19. Easy Shipping Process
You’ll also save time with a car transport company because they will handle all the paperwork and just charge you by weight. When it comes to last-minute car shipping, auto transport companies providing expedited shipping ensure the process is as simple as regular shipping.
20. No Waiting For Paperwork
Since you’re a last-minute customer and didn’t order ahead of time with your car transport company there is no need to wait on any documents from authorities. Cars are always cleared before they arrive at their destination port and all the steps are taken care of by the transport company.
21. No Up-Front Payment
Because shipping your car is a last-minute decision there is no need for a deposit or any other payment upfront. This means that you can ship your car without having to worry about paying anything at the time of service.
22. Seamless And Easy
So, all this may sound like too much work with just one day’s notice but it really doesn’t have to be. if you choose to use a professional transport company they will take care of all the logistic work for you. All services are provided by the car shipping company.
Conclusion
Last-minute shipping may be an unideal situation for many people. But last-minute shipping is not impossible. It may cost you more, but Ship and Deliver ensure you give the quote that best meets the middle point. You can contact us at +1 (214) 802-4422 or email us at: info@shipandeliver.com for any further queries.
