Shipping a Classic Vehicle

Classic cars are more than a substantial financial investment. They are a true passion and as such require special care and attention. Transporting a classic car makes no exception- all aspects need to be handled with increased care in comparison to other vehicles.

Choose the Right Auto Shipper and Service

Entrusting strangers with something as valuable as your exotic vehicle is not a decision to be taken lightly. You need to find an experienced auto carrier with a good track record and a reliable insurance policy. Approach this task is by getting in touch with the person or business you purchased the car from, as well as the mechanics that do its regular maintenance. They are most likely to have used a classic car shipping service before, possibly by a few different providers and can therefore give a sound advice on which companies to consider and which to avoid. Do some parallel research on your own, by going online and looking up carriers that rank high in customer reviews sites. Some of the names will appear in both the recommendations and your own search results- these are usually the ones you need to contact.

Specify that you need to transport a classic car and ask for a price quote that includes all the necessary safety precautions. Keep in mind that while an open trailer is an acceptable option for most modern vehicles, rare cars are better off with an enclosed trailer transport. It is more costly, but this way they are sheltered from the weather, debris, bugs and road grime that could damage your exotic vehicle or worsen its appearance.

Inform yourself of the insurance policy of the auto transport company. You need to know you can rely on reimbursement in case your vehicle sustains any damages, as repairs on collector cars are never cheap. For your own peace of mind you could also contact your own insurance company and inquire if additional insurance would be a good idea.

Prepare Your Classic Vehicle for Shipping

The inside of the car must be cleaned and all unnecessary items must to be taken out of it prior shipping. For safety reasons some auto shipping companies require that the gas tank is no more than ¼ full. When the vehicle is being picked up, the employee of the auto carrier will conduct a thorough inspection to assess the condition in which the car is being handed over. It is important that you also participate, to make sure nothing is missed and everything is catalogued accordingly. Is would also be wise to take detailed, dated pictures before or during the inspection. The pictures must show the exterior, interior and under-carriage of the car, so that evaluation upon delivery is easier to make.

Inspect your Exotic Car Upon Delivery

When the exotic car is dropped off, a second inspection will take place. Again, you and a carrier need to take part in it. Use the photos you made to compare the state of the vehicle. If you will not attend the delivery personally, for example if the shipping is to a new buyer or a showroom, send all the pictures and transport related documentation to the person that will do it for you and will sign on the receipt papers.

Transporting a classic car is safest and easiest to organize by hiring an professional auto shipping company like Autoline Transport. That way you will not have to worry about driving it yourself as well as any potential damages that might occur while on the road.

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