If you are moving to another country and have already given plenty of thought to shipping your car, you will need to do a few things to be ready for the event. If you don’t you may find that you’ll be spending extra time and money on importing your car when you really don’t have to.
When moving your car to another country, please keep these things in mind:
- Remove any antennas from the exterior of the car to prevent any damage during the move. If you can lower them, do that instead of removing them completely. If you aren’t sure how, check with the dealership.
- Instruct the movers on how to disarm your car’s alarm system in case it goes off during the move. Or, you can simply disarm it yourself before you ship the car.
- Clean the car before you hand it over to the shippers. This will help ensure a good evaluation.
- The U.S. Department of Transportation requires that all keys – including those to the trunk, glove compartment, and ignition – are handed over to the movers.
- Keep the fuel tank at ¼ full for the move since car shipments are based on weight.
- Before handing the car over to the movers, take note of any dents, scratches, or imperfections so that you know exactly the condition they received the car in. Better yet – take a photo or five.
Jon Huser
