How to prepare your car for transport

In case you need to relocate soon, there are a lot of things you need to think about. Firstly, are you planning to do it on your own? And possibly lose a lot of time, nerves and money? Or are you planning to hire professional help to speed up and ease the process? Will you be doing everything in a day? Or perhaps you will be needing to explore some of the storage units Powell has to offer? Do you have enough time to get rid of the surplus items and maybe prepare your car for transport if necessary? These are all things you need to figure out long before moving day comes. But, today we will focus on helping you learn about the car preparation for transport.

The crucial thing to do before you prepare your car for transport

When you start planning and organizing your relocation, you need to set the budget you can afford. No matter if you are moving locally or relocating long distance, you need to be careful with your money. Unfortunately, many people believe that moving on your own is a lot cheaper than hiring professional moving services. And it doesn’t matter if you are relocating an entire household or business or just a single item, such as a car.

However, that is hardly the case. Yes, you will have to pay some money for professional moving services. But you will also gain a lot. You will save your time and your nerves. It is a big chance you will avoid delays due to bad organizing or unpredictable events. And, you will decrease the possibility of damaging your belongings or vehicle, in this case, when experience professionals handle them. So, before you start to prepare your car for transport, you need to hire a reliable moving company to take care of your beloved four-wheeler.

Steps to take when preparing your vehicle for relocation

Now that we have agreed that the smartest thing you can do is hire professionals for the job, now what? Well, in order to prepare your car for transport properly, you should:

• clean your car inside and out,
• check it for possible damages, dents or scratches and document them,
• make sure the transporting company verify your records,
• remove everything you can from it,
• check the fluids, the tires and the battery,
• turn off the alarm and lock the car.

Once you do these things you will make sure you did everything you could to prevent complications. Since your part of the job is to take care of the vehicle until it gets to the hands of transporters. And afterword, when you hand it over for transport, it will have much better chances of getting to a preferred destination without damages and complications.

Cleaning your car is a must

Even when you prepare to go on a vacation, you wash your car, right? Well, why wouldn’t you do that when your car is traveling without you? Jokes aside, this is the important step. Not just because you want them to look nice. But also because of the step that follows this one. Make sure to thoroughly clean the vehicle inside and out. You may even find some things or pocket money you have lost years ago, who knows?

Look for damages and document them

Now we come to the step that explains why the previous step was important. After you finish cleaning your car, it will be much easier to notice any irregularities on them. You need to look closely and pay attention to details. Just like you treat your expensive and valuable items when relocating your household belongings. Take notes of every dent, scratch, and damage even if they are small. Better yet, grab your camera or cell phone and take photos and videos of the condition. And that takes us to the next important part when you have to prepare your car for transport…

The transporting company should verify your records

In order for your notes and videos to be relevant, you need the transporting company to agree with them. Don’t worry, it’s in everyone’s interest to know exactly what has been on your car before and avoid the unnecessary unpleasant situation of explaining the scratches.

Remove everything you can from your car

Since you can’t really pack your car in the box, as you do with other possessions, you need to be careful. Don’t leave anything to chances. Take all your personal belongings our of the car. Also, remove all parts that can be removed, such as spoilers. If you are not traveling the same time as your car, we suggest you use some of the climate controlled storage Columbus is offering and place your belongings there. That way you will avoid cluttering your home before the move.

Check the fluids, the tires, and the battery

It doesn’t matter that you are not going to drive your car. It still needs to be in good condition, because of the unpredictable situations. Also, because of the loading and unloading. Make sure to check if the tires are inflated enough and that the battery has a full charge. Remember to check the fluids as well, because you don’t want your car to be without oil at any time. Try to empty the gas tank as much as possible. Leave just the amount of gas you need to come to the first gas station at your new address.

Turn off the alarm and lock the car

And last but not least. When you prepare your car for transport make sure to turn off the alarm. You don’t want the transporters to experience noisy nightmare every time they hit a road bump, do you? Also, don’t forget to lock your car – safety first!