11 Tips To Improve Your Vehicle Shipping Experience

Do you dream of experiencing that ever-elusive glamorous red-carpet treatment? When you work with ShipLux, we roll it out for all our customers, as our premium service is our standard. We want you (and your vehicle!) to sit back, relax and let us handle the details. 

In this blog, we will discuss specific tips that you can do as a customer to enhance and improve your vehicle shipping experience! 

1. Plan and book ahead of time

You know what they say…preparation is key! Depending on factors such as starting and ending location, vehicle shipping can take anywhere between a few days to a few weeks. 

The best way to get around the logistics of shipping is to plan and book your vehicle shipment weeks in advance. This way, we can plan as best as possible. Several factors can impact shipping that is simply out of our—and well, everybody’s—hands, including: 

• Mandated driver breaks for drivers to eat, sleep, use the restroom, and other necessities.  
• Dense and bottle-necked traffic.  
• Road construction. 
• Adverse or dangerous weather.  
• Multiple deliveries and pickups along the way. 

Our team consistently works diligently to meet your set deadlines by offering a pickup and delivery window, which will vary based on the above factors and another shipment. Should you need your vehicle by a specific date, be sure to book our fabulous expedited shipment, whereby your vehicle will be put on a priority to meet your deadline! Preparation is key to a smooth auto transport experience.

2. Consider the season

Peak shipping times…huh!? A lot of people are surprised when we tell them that, but it’s true! Just like other industries, vehicle shipping has its highs and lows too. 

If you can be flexible, we recommend opting for a low season, as it may help you save a pretty penny. Wondering what the peak times look like? For vehicle shipping is as follows:

• Summer and spring are high seasons. Between May-early September, people need their vehicles in various places and take advantage of the good weather for moving, relocating, holidays, or finishing/starting school. 
• Winter is considered a low season but there comes the challenge of difficult weather, the craziness of the holidays paired with the busyness of snowbirds escaping the cold temperatures. December is a hard month to ship due to time off so there is less equipment easily accessible. Yet, between February to March, there is a lull and you may enjoy lowered rates. 
• Fall is a great time to ship, as between mid-September-November, there is simply less demand.

3. Offload additional weight 

So long as you are not shipping internationally, you can leave personal items in your vehicle, but this is 100% at your discretion and your own risk. If you are looking to be budget conscious and aware, be sure to unload those unnecessary items that are packed in pounds. The heavier your vehicle, the heftier the cost. 

4. Get the right protection for your precious vehicle! 

At ShipLux, we love everything about vehicles and cars. However, we do have a special place in our hearts for the show-stopping classics, antiques, luxury, and exotic cars! Or, it can be just a vehicle you love. They are just so inspiring and spin a tale about life’s journey and the customer themselves. 

They also are incredibly valuable and you want to ensure it is fully protected. We suggest going for enclosed transportation as your vehicle will be in 360-degree protection to protect it from any damage including elements from snow, rain, sleet, wind, and temperature changes. It will also protect from potential thieves, taggers, or other external elements. Your vehicle will be placed carefully inside and it sure will enjoy its trip, as it will have a generous amount of space. Be mindful that enclosed shipping is a bit more expensive than our other excellent alternative, open-carrier shipping. 

We don’t just stop at enclosed shipping, but we also offer the following methods so you can be sure you have the right one for your specific needs: 

• Enclosed Shipping
• Open-trailer shipping
• Roll-on, roll-off shipping
• Air Freight 
• Cargo Container shipping  

5. Adequately prepare your vehicle for its shipment

Our team will offer you suggestions and best practices for your specific vehicle after placing your shipment order, but there are several ways to prepare in advance, including: 

• Secure or remove vehicle accessories, such as bike racks, luggage racks, antennas, ski racks, and customized spoilers. 
• Check that the vehicle’s radiator, battery, and tires are in working order. You will want to be certain that there is antifreeze in the radiator and that the vehicle’s battery is charged fully and securely in place and that tires should be inflated at the right pressure.
• Ensure there are no fluid leaks. If you do discover a leak, be sure to have it fixed before your shipment. If it’s only minor and you can’t fix it, please inform our team.  
• Have a mechanic do a tune-up to check out the engine to determine if there are mechanical problems at all. 
• Disable all vehicle alarms.

6. Do a thorough inspection before the shipment 

Similar to when you move into a new home, you’re going to want to do a full inspection of your vehicle before sending it off. While our team will be meticulous, for insurance purposes, in the rare case of damage or issues, we need to know when it happened and that it was not pre-existing. Walk around the vehicle and jot down any things or issues and be sure to snap detailed photographs. Be sure to note cosmetic damages too, including paint chips, scratches, or dents. You will do the same things at pickup, and hopefully, everything will be status quo, but you have your records to fall back on.

Alt text: vehicle inspection

7. Don’t fill up the gas tank! 

Please don’t go fill up your gas tank right before your shipment. This is a big no-no! Instead, keep your gas tank around ¼ full. This is primarily to reduce the weight of the vehicle, plus your vehicle will only be driven (if at all) to load and unload, so it doesn’t require much gas. 

8. Prepare a second set of keys

In most cases, you will be at the meeting location to hand your vehicle keys directly to the driver. However, we fully care that this is not always possible. If you’re not able to be there when the shipping company picks up your vehicle for transport, don’t worry, we’ll make it work. You can pick a designated pickup/drop-off person, such as a friend, family, or even a neighbor to do the handover, or you can even leave your keys at a trusted (and pre-approved)  front desk or concierge. 

The first thing, however, is to please get a second key sorted if you don’t already have one as you will need to keep one, and we will take one. 

9. Obtain a detailed quote 

In keeping with stress-free, white-glove service, we at ShipLux will never slam you with unexpected prices or hidden fees that will shock you. Rather, we are completely transparent in our prices—and proud of it! When you work with us, you will be asked to fill out a comprehensive quote that will take only about 5 minutes. In this quote, you will tell us all about your beautiful vehicle including its weight, size, and the destination you wish to send it to and from. Swiftly, you will receive an all-encompassing quote that has the full price that you will be asked to pay. 

We are very confident with our service that we encourage you to shop around and obtain other quotes to compare. It is important to know you are getting the best deal. Remember that choosing a vehicle shipping company solely based on a low price can get you in trouble. If it’s too good to be true, unfortunately, it may just be. 

10. Be prepared with the right paperwork 

This one is particularly important if you are shipping to an international destination, as you may require importation documents such as ownership and personal details. Be sure to have this ready in advance so there is no last-minute scrambling or disappointment. Regardless of where you are shipping, you will want to be sure you review all the confirmation paperwork that we send you, so you are sure you are following all the necessary procedures that we require of you. 

We are unable to do this for you, as it is ultimately the customer’s responsibility, but we can absolutely offer advice and suggestions regarding paperwork. 

Alt text: vehicle shipping paperwork

11. Sit back and relax!

The whole point of vehicle shipping is to make your life simpler and decrease your stress. We will happily work with you to ensure all your specific needs are met from vehicle type, timeline, and budget. 

We have been open since 2018 and are full of brilliant reviews that you can trust from shipping cars to boats, RVs, motorcycles, tractors, trucks, UTVs, and more! Leave it to us and with our white glove service, we will take care of it. Arrive at your destination and voila! There’s your vehicle, reunited with you without any additional concern. We offer a true sense of peace of mind. Leave it to ShipLux! 

Conclusion

The final tip? Work with ShipLux! Our professional and qualified team will support you in the vehicle process from start to finish with our world-class customer service team who are available to help you 24/7—in any method of communication that you prefer, from Facebook messenger to phone calls to Whatsapp. Whatever works for you, works for us! Contact us today to get started.