Shipping a car is highly convenient and to those of us with classic cars who don’t want to add more mileage to our vehicles, it’s an excellent way of getting your car to a new home. With that said, car shipping isn’t for everyone and some choose to put their cars into storage until their move is finalised or take the risk and drive them to their new home themselves.

However, if you do have a classic car that’s known for being a little unreliable then driving it a few thousand miles across the country may not be the smartest choice.

Today we will look at what you should consider when shipping your classic car across the country.

Cost of shipping a car

The first thing most people will want to know when shipping their car is how much it is going to cost. Unfortunately, not everyone pays the same price when it comes to car shipping because many factors come into play and affect the cost of the service.

The size of your vehicle, the condition of it and the distance your car has to travel will affect the price of shipping a car. A smaller car is going to be cheaper to ship than a truck 3 times the size of it.

Most companies too will give an estimate of the cost of shipping a car. On one side of the estimate, the price will seem very cheap and on the other very expensive. Before hiring a car shipping service be sure that you can afford the top end of the scale because that’s likely going to be the price of the service.

If you don’t want to overpay for your classic car to be shipped across the country you should get a rough idea of costs before contacting a moving company. There are many car shipping calculators online that can give you a rough idea of costs.

When you have a rough idea of costs you can then get in touch with car moving companies in your area to get some estimates. If the estimate seems to leave room for price increases try and get the auto shipping company to give you a narrower estimate.

Preparing your car

Once you are happy with a quote and have paid the fees involved your next step is to get your car ready for shipping.

Your car needs to be safe to drive as the moving company will need to drive it when they pickup and drop off your car. You should make sure your tires are at the right level, your breaks and lights work and there is enough fuel to drive the car.

When you put fuel in your car for the move, be sure just to add enough so that it can be driven a few miles but not too much so you get charged for the additional weight. A good rule of thumb is topping up a quarter of your tank.

No one wants to damage a car and with classic car parts being expensive you will need to ensure that the shipping company doesn’t damage your car and if they do they can be held accountable for it.

A dirty car can hide scratches and dents, so before shipping your classic car give it a clean inside and out so nothing can get hidden. Then take photos of your vehicle from all angles so you have proof your car wasn’t damaged before being shipped.

The above is important as when you pick your car up you will be expected to sign a contract saying that there was no damage to your vehicle. If you do this only to see your car was damaged but you missed it because it was hidden you can no longer claim off the shipping company’s insurance.

Do I need additional insurance?

The answer to this question will differ depending on the country you live in. If you have any doubts contact the shipping company along with your existing car insurance to see what is covered and what isn’t.

I would recommend insuring your car when being shipped, although accidents are rare they still happen and if you are anything like me then you will love your car.

Conclusion

Shipping a car isn’t going to be the best choice for everyone. If you have a reliable car and want to save money while not caring too much about adding additional miles to your car’s engine then driving your car across the country is going to be a better choice for you.

For most of us on the other hand, shipping a car across the country while we fly and take a more convenient route is going to be the better option.