Transporting a car from one place to another requires balance and stability. If you don’t address mechanical issues with your vehicle beforehand, it will undergo wear and tear during the process. What’s worse is that it might cause accidents when you neglect to perform maintenance before shipping. As a responsible car owner, you should be aware of the current state of your vehicle. So to protect your vehicle, the driver, and your carrier’s best interest, check out some common issues below before sending your ride on transit.
Sputtering Engine
The engine is the heart of your vehicle, and it should run smoothly at all times. Just because you’re not driving when shipping doesn’t mean you won’t get your engine checked. If there is a blockage in the fuel line or holes in your gas tank, this can cause sputtering problems. In cases of severe damage, the engine might stall completely. Another thing, your machine should never be leaking oil since this decreases performance and could lead to bigger issues with the ignition. There are many possible reasons for this, such as gaskets, seals, and loose bolts/nuts. This is the first thing you should check because how can you drive your car out of the carrier’s drop-off location if it doesn’t run, right?
Wrong Gas Levels
Don’t fill the gas tank all the way up! First of all, you won’t be driving your car, so there’s no need for so much fuel. Second, an overfilled tank might cause leakage during transport. This can result in unfortunate accidents down the road. That said, most experts advise owners to fill their tanks up to a quarter – just enough to drive your car to the nearest gas station after pick up.
Fluid Check
Did you know? All sorts of fluids, liquids, and solutions circulate in a car. For example, there’s the coolant that keeps your vehicle from overheating, the brake fluid, so you don’t crash yourself, and transmission fluid for those hard-working gears, and more. Not to mention the oil that helps the metal parts inside the engine smoothly slide past each other. Keeping tabs on these fluid systems is crucial before shipping your car. You never know what kind of issues your car might have after shipping. Making sure that the fluid levels are fine will make pinpointing the problems caused by transit a whole lot easier.
Dirty Car
Surprised? Don’t be. Usually, the most common problems to take care of are pretty obvious. Dirty car? Give it a wash. See, a dirty exterior often masks scratches and dents that might have occurred during transit. If your vehicle sustained damage and you failed to notice because the damage was hidden by dirty, you’ll have difficulty convincing your carrier later on. So it’s always a good idea to keep your car squeaky clean.
Improper Tire Pressure
The tires are things you want to keep watch before loading your car to the trailer. Too hard pressure will cause the vehicle to bounce during bumps along the journey. This will most likely result in damage. However, too low pressure will make it difficult to unload the car later on. Knowing this, you’ll want to keep things balanced—just the right amount of pressure.
Remove Personal Items from the Vehicle
Although this isn’t directly a mechanical issue, it’s an easy step that can you money and trouble. See, putting items in the car can be bad for two reasons: 1. Items left inside vehicles pose a risk of damage. The items might get tossed around when the trailer goes through a bump, causing damage to your car. You don’t want your laptop hitting the electronics or your golf clubs smacking the lights. 2. Theft is also a major concern. Although cars rarely get stolen when loaded onto transport trucks, some dishonest people may attempt to steal anything they can get their hands on.
Should You Hire a Professional Mechanic?
The short answer is a yes! The longer answer is an even bigger YESSSSS! But why? You say you already know a thing or two about cars. That’s great. However, mechanics spend years of their lives dissecting and studying these mechanical monsters. You can expect them to catch something you would’ve easily missed.
This is super critical when trying to ship your car. That’s because the carriers need to be aware of any existing issues with your ride before shipping it. If there’s anything they don’t know about, chances are you’re going to have a hard time filing a claim. Having a mechanic go over everything and making a condition report ensures you’re covered when things go south.
Conclusion
Shipping your car is a process that can be stressful when you’re not prepared for it. Fortunately, you’ve got the maintenance tips above to keep you informed. Go get your car inspected and transport it without any worries!
