Are you booking car transport and want to make sure it is ready to go? Well, here’s everything you need to know! Prepping your car not only ensures your car is safe for transport but also avoids something happening to your car without you knowing.
While car transport companies can and will advise you on how to prepare your car for transport, it’s good to get it all done long before you reach the depot!
Fortunately for you, it’s simple! Here are the top 7 tips and tricks to prepare your car for transport.
Whether you do it yourself, or hand it over to professional cleaners, washing your car, both inside and out, is an important first step.
This is not so that it looks all shiny during transit, but because cleaning off all the dirt, grime and dust helps you take pre-delivery photos you can use to claim any damage during transit.
This is essential, as you want to take note of any scratches, dents, dings or chips before handing it over to your professional transporter. Protecting both you and the transporter, it then becomes easier to tell if your car gets damaged during transit or was already blemished before.
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Any valuable or personal items must be removed from the inside of your car before it’s ready to go, including phone chargers, loose change, jewellery, electronics, phone holders, GPS devices, sunglasses, etc. This is because these items can’t be insured for damage or theft.
You also want to remove any other loose items, even if they aren’t valuable, such as water bottles, soda cans, pens, etc. These can get thrown around during transport and could scratch or dent your car’s interior.
Lastly, you also want to remove any car accessories, like bike racks, luggage racks, retractable antennas or custom items, to prevent any damage during loading and transit.
FAQ - Can I Put Some Boxes/Items In My Car During Transportation?
Unfortunately, most car carriers don’t allow goods to be transported inside your car. However, some carriers will make an exception based on what needs to be transported and also if you acknowledge that it won’t be covered by the insurance.
Once your car is looking spick and span, it’s time to have a little photoshoot. You want to get some clear, dated photos of both the inside and outside of your car. Make sure to get a snap from every angle and focus specifically on all known blemishes like scratches, dents, dings and paint chips. This serves as clear proof of the original condition of your car in case your car is damaged during transit.
You also want to make sure you get a snapshot of your speedometer beforehand. So in case of any concerns, you can check whether the company drove your car without you knowing.
Next, you need to do a quick maintenance check on your car to make sure it’s transport-ready! This is because certain issues can either be dangerous or lead to more damage. While you can do it yourself, it can be better to call a mechanic. It’s also a good excuse for a regular check-up. Here are the important checks to do for transporting your car:
Make sure to do this a few days ahead of time in case you need to get something fixed.
Yes, but you will need a carrier that specialises in non-runners in South Africa. They will need to collect your car with a rollback to get it to the depot, and then deliver it again with a rollback.
The less fuel in your tank, the better. Fuel can add tremendous weight to a transporter, especially if every vehicle has a full tank. This leads to more transportation costs which then get added to your shipping costs.
However, there needs to be enough fuel to get the car on and off the transporter, to and from pickups and dropoffs, and just in case it needs to drive a short distance. Therefore, the perfect balance is getting your fuel levels at a quarter full.
Time to go look at the back of that drawer where you remember putting your spare key years ago! As your car will need to be driven both on and off the transporter by the transportation company, they will need a set of keys.
But you also don’t want to hand them your only set of car keys. So if you don’t have a spare set, or lost them at the back of the drawer, try to make an extra set beforehand.
The last step right before transport is to remember to disable any alarms — the last thing your transporters want is to drive across the country with a blaring alarm the whole way. And if you have any toll tags, don’t forget to disable those as well, otherwise, you could be charged when the transporter goes past tolls.
This is especially important on the long road between Johannesburg and Cape Town - you don't want E-Toll bills to pile up!
Once your car has been loaded onto the truck, you might as well lock it up. This just helps decrease the chances of any theft during transit. Once your car is locked and loaded, you’re all ready to say goodbye!
Following these 7 simple tips means that at drop off with your transportation, their inspection will be quick and effortless! Just make sure to check with your transportation company beforehand if there are any other specific requirements or documentation you need.
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