Home Car Shipping Guide How to Prepare a Vehicle for Shipping
How to Prepare a Vehicle for Shipping
Most pickup delays are belongings left in the car, an alarm that will not quit, or a street the truck cannot enter.
Remove personal belongings, leave about a quarter tank of fuel, and photograph the car in daylight before the driver arrives. Disable the alarm if you can. Have the key and any gate code ready. Personal items inside the vehicle are not covered as cargo, and many carriers will not load a car that is packed like a moving van.
Key facts
- Fuel
- About a quarter tank. Enough to load and unload. Not a full tank.
- Belongings
- Take them out. Cargo insurance is for the vehicle, not your luggage.
- Records
- Daylight photos before pickup, then the bill of lading at the truck.
- Access
- Say so now if a gate, garage, or low bridge will stop a full-size carrier.
What preparation is
Preparation is making the car match the quote. The driver should be able to start it or winch it as described, roll the windows, fold nothing you did not agree to, and see the body clearly. It is not a detail wash, and it is not a promise that a dirty car will be refused. It is the difference between a pickup that takes minutes and one that cannot happen.
People skip it because the car “looks fine.” The problems that stop a truck are usually invisible in a listing photo: a toll tag that will bill a moving trailer, an aftermarket alarm, a car that sits too low for the ramp, or a trunk full of boxes.
How to prepare
Empty the passenger compartment and the trunk
Take documents, garage openers, child seats you care about, and anything loose. A few pounds of personal items is still personal property. Do not plan on the carrier insuring it.
Set the fuel
About a quarter tank is the usual request. The car needs to move onto and off the trailer. A full tank adds weight and is not required. An empty tank is a problem if the car is supposed to run.
Silence alarms and remove toll tags
An alarm that rearms every time the car is nudged will go off on the highway. Toll tags and EZ Pass-style devices can bill while the truck moves. Take them out if they can be billed in motion.
Photograph in daylight
Walk all four corners, the roof, the glass, and the wheels. Do it before the driver arrives so you are not rushing. Those photos support the notes on the bill of lading. They do not replace the inspection with the driver.
Disclose modifications and condition
A lowered car, a lift, a missing wheel, an oversized tire, or a vehicle that does not run belongs in the quote. Ground clearance decides whether a standard ramp works. The inoperable guide is the place to start if it will not move under its own power.
Plan the meeting point
If the address has a gate, a parking garage, or a street a 70-foot truck cannot enter, pick a nearby lot in advance. Door-to-door still means as close as the truck can legally get.
What makes pickup harder
Weather can hide damage. Inspecting in the dark or in heavy rain makes the bill of lading weaker for everyone. A car with no key, a dead battery on a car you said runs, or a parking spot the driver cannot pull through will stall the window. Early disclosure is cheaper than a second dispatch.
Preparation changes with the vehicle
A running car needs fuel, a working key, and an alarm that will stay quiet. A car that does not run needs the inoperable option selected so the search includes a winch, and it still needs to be empty. A lowered car needs the stance disclosed before anyone chooses a trailer. A military base, an auction lane, or a parking garage often stops the truck at the gate even when the address looks simple on a map. Military shipping and dealer lots are door-to-door only as far as the truck is allowed to go.
| Situation | Prepare for | Do not assume |
|---|---|---|
| Runs and drives | About a quarter tank, a key, a quiet alarm | That a full tank is helpful |
| Does not run | Winch-capable equipment named in the quote | That any assigned truck can drag it aboard |
| Base, auction, or garage | A legal meeting point and a person who can meet the driver | That the posted address is reachable |
| Items in the cabin | They leave with you | That cargo coverage includes luggage |
What to have at the curb
- The key or fob the driver needs, and a spare plan if the fob is the only one
- Gate codes and a person who can meet the truck
- Daylight photos already taken
- Registration or other papers only if the carrier asked for them
- Personal items already removed
- Toll tags removed
- The alarm off or set so it will not rearm on the trailer
- A note of existing damage you can point to during the walkaround
Common mistakes
Leaving luggage “just in the trunk”
Carriers commonly refuse a loaded car, and cargo coverage is not a homeowners policy. If you would be upset to lose it, it should not be in the vehicle. Read how to prepare a car for shipping and the pickup writeup.
Washing the car and skipping the photos
A clean car is easier to inspect. Photos and the bill of lading are what the condition record rests on. Do those even if you skip the wash.
Forgetting the toll tag
A tag that bills by movement can charge tolls while the truck is on the highway. Remove it.
Springing a lowered suspension on pickup day
Approach angle and clearance are equipment questions. They belong in the quote so the assigned trailer can actually load the car.
See your own shipment
If the car matches what you are about to describe, the quote can use the real condition instead of a surprise at the ramp. Get a Direct Quote.
Frequently asked questions
Can I leave luggage in the trunk?
Do not plan on it. Personal belongings are generally not covered by carrier cargo insurance, and many carriers will not haul a car that is loaded with household goods. Remove what you would not want to lose, including documents, electronics, and child seats you still need. If a carrier agrees to a small item, get that in writing before pickup. Assume the default is an empty car.
How much gas should be in the tank?
About a quarter tank is the usual request. That is enough to drive the car onto the trailer and off again at delivery. A full tank adds weight and is not required. If the vehicle is supposed to run, an empty tank is its own problem. If the vehicle does not run, say so in the quote so the search is for winch-capable equipment instead of a driver who expects to start the car.
Should I wash the car first?
A clean car makes existing scratches easier to see, which helps the walkaround. Washing is useful. It is not a requirement, and it does not replace daylight photos or the bill of lading. Do not wash it and then inspect only at night. If the car is dirty enough to hide a panel, the condition notes will be weaker for you and for the carrier.
What if my building will not allow the truck?
Tell Bigfella before the driver is on the way. Door-to-door means as close as a full-size carrier can legally and safely get. Garages, low bridges, and some courtyards need a nearby lot. Pick that lot while you still have time. A last-minute refusal at the gate is how a pickup window gets burned.
Do I need to be there?
Someone who can release the car, hand over the key, and walk the inspection should be at pickup, and someone should do the same at delivery. A driver cannot sign the condition record for you and also be the only witness. If a building manager will meet the truck, make sure that person knows the plan and can reach you.
What photos should I take?
All four corners, both sides, the roof if you can see it, the glass, the wheels, and any existing damage up close. Do it in daylight before the truck arrives. Keep the photos. They support what you and the driver write on the bill of lading. They are not a substitute for noting damage on that form before the car leaves.