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How to Document the Condition of Your Car Before Shipping it to a Buyer

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Home  |  Car Transport   |   How to Document the Condition of Your Car Before Shipping it to a Buyer


Shipping a car can be a convenient way to get it from one place to another but there are several things to consider before turning your car over to a third party. In the process of washing the car, removing valuables, and taking care of insurance, it’s easy to overlook one very important part of your car’s preparation. You may forget to look over your car and document it’s condition prior to handing it over to the shipping company. This is an extremely important step because it could lead to major expenses if your car appears damaged when it arrives with the new buyer. Here are a few things you can do to avoid any confusion upon the delivery of your vehicle. 

Wash Your Car Thoroughly

It is absolutely necessary to give your car a good clean inside and out before shipping it. This will allow you to clearly see any dings, dents, or scratches that might be on your vehicle. Make sure you clean the inside just as well by shampooing carpets and cleaning inside every crevice. This will help to remove any stains and will ensure your car’s interior is in tip-top shape. 

Take Photographs of Your Vehicle

Prior to handing your car over to the shipping company, you should take photographs of every part of your vehicle. Should damage occur during transport, these photographs will serve as proof that the damage was not present prior to shipment. Make sure to take close-ups of all sides of the vehicle as well as underneath the car and under the hood. You also want to take pictures of the interior of the vehicle just in case. If possible, use a time-stamped photo to prove that the pictures were taken prior to shipment. Ship a Car Direct provides customers with a user-friendly mobile app to walk you through the pictures and provides a time and location stamp so you’re always prepared. 

Take the Car to a Mechanic

Before shipping your vehicle, it is also a good idea to have the car inspected by a mechanic. The mechanic will be able to provide written documentation of the vehicle’s operating condition in addition to its physical condition. This will provide proof that your car was operating correctly prior to shipment.

Ask the Shipping Company to Document the Car’s Condition

Most reputable shipping companies will also document the car’s condition before they ship it but you want to ask for this service just in case. You also want to make sure the shipping company provides you with a written copy of the paperwork so you can be sure they don’t change anything in order to protect themselves. Make sure the condition paperwork is signed by both yourself and the shipping company. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to Your Car Moving Questions

The hardest thing for people researching car moving companies to understand is that the prices they are getting are not hard and fast gaurantees, but rather ESTIMATES of what one company thinks it will take to get a vehicle moved promptly versus another company's opinion of what it will take. Don't be fooled, there are not carriers committed to take your vehicle at these quoted prices, the company you choose will still have to get to work getting a carrier to commit to move it at the price they quote you.

Your total price breaks down into two parts, the broker's fee (or 'deposit' as everyone calls it) and the carriers fee (your COD amount) Make no mistake about this, EVERYONE YOU ARE GETTING SALES CALLS FROM IS GOING TO BROKER YOUR MOVE. In this industry, there are brokers who try to fool you into thinking that they are the actual carriers and there are an equal amount of carriers who sell themselves on the fact that they have a truck or two but are not being honest about the fact that they broker out 90% of the orders they book. Here is a quick easy way to tell, if a company takes an up front fee, whether they call it a deposit or any other name, they are a broker. Carriers do not take any payment until the vehicle is delivered.

In our opinion, you are crazy to do so. Have you ever been paid up front for the work that you perform for your employer? Why would you pay a fee up front when there are reliable and trustworthy companies like ours that won't ask for it until we provide you with your carriers details?

The average transit time from pick up to delivery on any vehicle going coast to coast will be between one and two weeks. From there you can figure your transit time based on how far your vehicle is traveling, i.e. from either coast to the Midwest might average 3-7 days.

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