Conduct These Simple Tests Before You Ship Your Car

By CarMovers.com Staff

When you send your car to a car shipping vendor to be transported to your college you should inspect your car to ensure that everything is intact. This is especially important if a problem occurs and you place blame on the vendor; whereas it might have been that there was a problem with your car all along. Here are some simple tests you can conduct before you work with car movers.

1. Give it a Clean: Washing your car before you start testing will enable you to see if there are any dents that are covered up by dirt. Also, make sure to clean the inside of your car and take out all garbage – oftentimes debris shifts during movement causing damages to the inside of the car.

2. Inspect the Rubber: Evaluate the inside of the tire and inspect the tread depth. Look for signs of cracking or dry rot, which can indicate the age of the tire from its DOT number. NHTSA says that tires that are over five years old should be checked on a regular basis.

3. Safety Test: You don't want to find out that your car isn't safe in college. Before shipping your car, make sure that the wipers are smooth and clean. Check on all of the lights and make sure that a frosted lens isn't cutting down the headlights. Check on your mirrors, making sure they aren't cracked. If anything is off, be sure to get it repaired before you ship.

4. Inspect the Exterior: A simple look at the car's exterior is an easy test that can help you avoid major problems in the future. Look for stains or anything that may be leaking. Also observe the car for loose exhausts or tail pipes. Be sure to also check the tires for air pressure.

5. Listen: Start your car's engine and listen for weird noises. If a car squeaks or doesn't turn on smoothly, you may have a loose starter. If you notice any odd noises or the car feels “off,” be sure to have a professional look it over.

6. Drive Your Car: Sounds simple enough, but driving your car is the best way to notice if anything is off. If the breaks stop short or the steering wheel is loose, you will definitely need to conduct those repairs before moving to college. Most likely you will know if you have a problem this big; however it's wise to double-check.

7. Get the Car Ready: When preparing your car for shipment, deactivate your alarm system, fold back your mirrors and leave a wrench, an ice scraper, replacement fluids, motor oil, a tire gauge and a flashlight for emergencies.