There are many reasons to want to have your car hauled to its new destination. For many people, the distance may be longer than what they would want to be added to their odometer. For others, it could be that the vehicle is so high value that a long journey risks unnecessary and costly damage.
Engaging a car hauler is a good way to safely deliver your vehicle to its new home without it actually doing the driving. You do not have to worry about mapping your way through unfamiliar territory and roads. These deliveries are often done much faster than if you decided on a road trip and generally safer. These shipments are also covered by the car hauler’s insurance so you do not have to worry if there is any damage.
However, even with these benefits, it is important to apply certain precautions when delivering your vehicle for haulage and when picking it up on the other end of the journey. Here is what you need to ensure when picking it up.
Daytime Pick-Up
Ensure pick-up is scheduled for daytime. This will ensure you enjoy good visibility and can make a better inspection of the vehicle before signing off on the bill of lading. Accepting delivery at night or too early in the morning, even in a well-lit area, can make it difficult to notice minor dents or scratches that were not there before. Compare the state of your vehicle with when you made the delivery to the car carrier. You should have noted any blemishes and taken photographs as evidence.
Perform this walk-around with the trucker and where you note issues of concern, indicate them on the bill of lading. This inspection should not take longer than ten minutes to complete. Once you both sign off, it will enable you to claim insurance for repairs to be covered.
Check The Odometer
This is a basic check to ensure there was no unnecessary unloading and reloading of your vehicle along the way. Especially if there is a delay in the delivery you cannot account for. The mileage pre-shipment should also be indicated on the bill of lading. Compare this to the current reading on delivery.
Make Payment
Even if there are problems to be resolved, you are still obligated to make payment to the car carrier. If there are still concerns, you can engage the transport broker to help figure out how to best resolve the problem.