Today using an auto transport company to transport your car is a rather simple process. In the past that was not the case. It was more difficult, confusing and time consuming. Before you decide to ship your car it is important to go over some things, and make sure that you have a firm understanding of what is going to happen. One key point that many people overlook is the vehicle inspection. If things are done correctly, your vehicle should be inspected a total of four times through out the entire car shipping process. You are going to need to inspect your vehicle twice, and the car shipping company is also going to inspect your vehicle twice.

What should you look for when you are doing the initial vehicle inspection?

The first inspection should be done by you, but before you start your inspection make sure that you clean your car inside and out. It should be as clean as the day you brought it home. When it is clean, it will be easier to see if there is anything cosmetically wrong with it.

Exterior inspection

Start on the exterior. Look for any cosmetic problems like: dings, dents, blemishes or scratches. Take note of any of these problems. Remove any exterior items that you can. Accessories like bras, covers, and spoilers should be removed if they can come off easily. Retract your antenna if you can. It is also an excellent idea to take some really good pictures of the exterior of the car. These will come in handy if your car is delivered with any damage.

Interior Inspection

Check the interior next. Remove any personal items from the interior of the car. Check all of the compartments for music, maps, garage door openers, or anything that could be misplaced during the move. If you want to, it won’t hurt to take some pictures of the interior of your vehicle either.

What’s under the hood?

You don’t have to be a mechanic to inspect what is going on under the hood, but you do need to make sure that there are no leaks. If there are any, you need to have them repaired. Make sure that your battery is fully charged, and secured. The next vehicle inspection will come from the car shipping company itself. They will often do the same exact inspection that is listed above. This way they protect themselves from any kind of liability. They are in this business to make money, and if your vehicle already has some sort of cosmetic damage the car shipping company is going to take note of it. When the car arrives at its destination, you will be required to do a visual inspection before you sign the delivery documents. This is where your previous vehicle inspection notes will come in handy. If you took pictures, you may want to refer to them at this time as well. If you find any problems with your vehicle that did not exist before it was shipped, then this is the time to speak up and point them out. Your car shipping company should also do a final vehicle inspection before releasing the car back to you.