{"id":2974,"date":"2020-07-13T04:02:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-13T10:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citizenshipper.com\/blog\/?p=2974"},"modified":"2026-03-02T06:27:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T12:27:11","slug":"how-to-prepare-your-car-for-shipping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citizenshipper.com\/blog\/how-to-prepare-your-car-for-shipping\/","title":{"rendered":"How to prepare your car for shipping? | CitizenShipper"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are lots of reasons why you might need to ship your car. Relocating for work, selling to a dealership, vacationing, or moving to a military base are just a few. The carriers on CitizenShipper transport cars for all these reasons and more, and a common question they hear from customers is how to prepare their car before hand-off. Is there anything you can do to guarantee the best possible journey for your car?<\/span><\/p>\n

The answer, as any car transporter from New York to Nairobi will tell you, is yes. It is not essential – any car transporting service worth their salt can manage all cars in all weathers, whatever their condition. But to optimize delivery, or simply for peace of mind, there are a number of things you can do to ready your car for transit.<\/span><\/p>\n

Across America, the legal position of car transporters is that while a car is in your care, you are responsible for it. Prior to pick-up, however, liability naturally lies with the owner. And a responsible car owner will take certain steps to make sure their car is ready for its voyage.<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve compiled a list of five top tips to give your transporter the best possible chance to afford your car the shipment it deserves. Take a look.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Visual examination<\/span><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s well worth familiarizing yourself with the exact condition of your car before handing it over. If you have time, wash your car from roof to rims. That way, any minor scratch, dent, discoloration, paint chip, or other wear and tear will be clearly visible. Plus, now you have a clean car.<\/span><\/p>\n

Take a walk around it and inspect the surfaces, the bodywork, and the wheels. Take a few photos to help you remember, and to make sure you have grounding for a legal claim if the worst happens. It is very unlikely for a trusted shipping service to let your car be damaged in any way on the road. But now you will have no headache in proving it if it does for any reason.<\/span><\/p>\n

It goes without saying that the photos you take should be high quality and taken from multiple angles. Then keep them in your records. For the overwhelming majority of car shipments, you can simply forget about them. But better to be safe than sorry.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Maintenance check<\/span><\/h2>\n

As part of getting to know your car\u2019s condition before release, check it is in good functioning condition. Make sure to note any leaks from the undercarriage, and get them fixed before hand-off. It may help to read the odometer too. (Bear in mind your car will not be driven during transit except to load it on or off the transport truck.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a handy checklist of other details to review:<\/span><\/p>\n