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Why Your Car Needs to be Clean Before You Ship It
Believe it or not, getting your car detailed can be a huge help if you are preparing to ship your car. This is true regardless of the type of vehicle that you are having shipped. You will need to have your car’s exterior clean before your auto transport driver arrives for pickup so that they can conduct an inspection for pre-existing damage. They are required to do this for insurance purposes. Unfortunately, some people who ship their cars will leave them very dirty in an attempt to hide preexisting damage. They then try to hold the car shipping insurance liable for the damage under the guise that it occurred during the car’s transport. This is now something that car shipping companies are hyper aware of. Thus, if your car is not clean when it comes time for the visual inspection, you will just be delaying your own shipment.
Detailing your car will give it the cleanest appearance possible. The cleaner your car is, the easier it will be to spot damage which will expedite the start of your car’s shipment. Once you have detailed your car, inspect it and document any existing scratches, dings, or dents. If you want to be more thorough, take pictures for reference. When your car is delivered, you should do another assessment to make sure your car did not incur any new damage while it was in transit. Detailing your car only takes a little bit of extra time but it can help you to notice any possible damage that you may have otherwise missed upon your vehicle’s delivery.
How Detailing Your Car Will Protect It While It Ships
If you ship your vehicle on a typical open-air carrier, there is a slight possibility that small scratches can occur from small road debris striking up off the road as it ships. In terms of defense for your car, detailing can be a huge benefit when you choose a graphene or ceramic paint coating protection. Not only will it protect your vehicle from scratches when it is being shipped, it will deliver UV protection from the bright sun. You can also choose to use either in combination with each other and/or our Ethos Ceramic Wax for a higher level of protection. Always be sure to check the specific product details and instructions regarding combinations with other products.
Additional Car Shipping Tips
In addition to having your car’s exterior clean before it gets picked up, there are a few other things to be aware of so that your shipment goes as smoothly as possible. In terms of scheduling your shipment, you should always do so at least three or four weeks before the date you need your vehicle picked up. Think of it as if you were making a reservation for a popular hotel, the sooner you book the better the chances are that you will get the dates you want.
You should also take any valuables out of your car before it starts to ship. The insurance provided by any auto transport company will only cover your car. It will not cover anything like sunglasses or a phone charger in the rare instance that those things are lost or are damaged during your shipment. Finally, you should realize that the dates you receive for the pickup and drop off of your car are “windows”. This means that your vehicle could be picked up and/or dropped off any time within two or three days of the dates that you are given. This is the case because unpredictable factors like traffic and weather make it impossible to guarantee an exact time of both pickup and delivery.
