Before you ship your car, there are a few things that need to be taken care of. It’s nothing extensive and it will save you so much trouble in the long run. So pay close attention! We at Easy Move Kuwait have comprised a list of car shipping tips every owner should know. Let’s get down to it.
Focus on the interior
First and foremost, you should take care of the interior of your car. The thing you should do is clean it and declutter it. You’ve probably noticed how people declutter their homes before moving, well, it’s the same when moving a car. This will simply give you a clean slate to start over in your new location.
Our suggestion is to remove everything when shipping to Saudi Arabia. Cables, tissues, air fresheners, everything. Just leave the car bare. Then you can wipe everything down. Vacuum your car as well! And a good idea could be to take it to a washer and wash the whole inside. Imagine how wonderful it will be when your car arrives and it’s all pristine and sparkly. Remember to do this right before your shipment, so you don’t drive around in the clean car and dirty it again.
Wash the exterior
Not only should your car be clean on the inside, but on the outside as well. If you were thinking of getting it polished and maybe putting it off, now could be a good time to get that done. Your car can then have a new debut in your new country!
Washing your car is important as well because you can see any damages more clearly. Hopefully, there aren’t any. But if there are, now you can see them, take pictures of them, and compare after the shipping. It’s never a waste of time to be really careful about your car. This way you’ll avoid any insurance issues if something does get damaged during transport.
Disable your alarms
The next on our list of car shipping tips every owner should know is disabling your alarm system. The shipping companies have all the responsibilities to keep your car safe, so you won’t have to worry about that. And it can be an inconvenience if your car starts blaring the alarm during transport for no reason. The shippers will have a hard time disabling it, so be sure to not forget!
Collect all the necessary documentation
This is something you should take care of at the very beginning of your shipping process. The thing that can cause the most issues is not having your documentation in order. So, be sure that this is taken care of even before hiring a shipping company! Getting and sorting documentation can be tedious, but we’ve prepared a list of things you will need to ease your burden a bit.
- Car insurance
- Original title and proof of registration
- Your ID, driver’s license, or passport need to be valid and not expired
- Bill of sales to prove that you own the car you’re shipping
These are usually all of the documents you will need. If you’re doing international car shipping, or are shipping a car you don’t own, you might need additional documents or permits. Just talk it out with your shipping company and you’ll be set. Also, don’t forget to ask about insurance policies!
Inspect the car
Another thing to pay attention to before shipping your car is all of the technicalities. See if the steering wheel, the pedals, doors, everything is working correctly. Check the tires as well! If you’ve got your winter tires on the car, be sure to pack the summer tires as well. Also, pay close attention to if your tires are inflated enough! Otherwise, there could be some damage. Also, charge the battery to your car so you’ll be able to use it immediately when it arrives.
Check if the car has any leaks
Even the tiniest of leaks shouldn’t be left unaddressed. A small leak will cost a small amount to get fixed, around 20$. But if you just leave it be it can cause a great deal more damage than it should. Making the price higher as well! So, the best thing for you and your car is to take care of the smaller issues before they become bigger issues. If you don’t have the time to take care of this kind of issue, ask your car mechanic how you can preserve your car until you can fix it. It’s always better to prevent anything you can!
Leave just a bit of gas in the car
This might sound confusing at first, but we promise it makes a lot of sense. Leaving around one-quarter of the tank full is the perfect amount of gas for a shipment. The shippers will only need to operate your vehicle to load it and unload it. And gas can make your car much heavier than it needs to be. So it is also very cost-effective. With one-quarter of the tank full, you’ll be able to drive your car freely to a gas station and fill it up once it reaches its destination.
If you need to leave your car somewhere until you can use it again, our storage facilities are the ones for you. They are climate-controlled and completely safe in every way. Be sure to contact us if your car needs a part-time home!
Sign a Bill of Lading
This is the final step. The Bill of Lading is a document you sign before and after the shipment is complete. It covers some of the important aspects of shipping, so be sure your shipping company offers this document.
We hope our car shipping tips every owner should know have been useful to you and good luck with your car transportation!