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How to Avoid Precipitation Damage While Shipping Vehicle During Winter

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Home  |  Car Transport   |   How to Avoid Precipitation Damage While Shipping Vehicle During Winter

If you find yourself in need of auto shipment during the winter months, you might be concerned about how winter weather could impact your vehicle. Shipping a car during the winter months certainly comes with the potential for snow and ice so it only makes sense that one would want to take the necessary precautions to keep their vehicle safe from these harsh winter elements. Because winter weather can affect both the shipping process and the preparation needed for your vehicle, it’s important to take the right steps to protect your vehicle. Here are a few helpful hints for avoiding damage to your vehicle during winter.

Consider Enclosed Transport

One of the best ways to protect your vehicle during winter is to choose to have your vehicle shipped on an enclosed carrier. Though it may cost a bit more, enclosed carriers will fully protect your vehicle from inclement weather. If you choose to have your vehicle shipped on an enclosed carrier, you don’t have to worry about any special winter-related preparations. That’s because your vehicle will be completely inside a fully enclosed vehicle and will not be subjected to the outdoor elements. Enclosed transport is your best option for maximum protection from the elements. 

Check Your Windows

If you are unable to have your vehicle shipped on an enclosed carrier, there are a few things you can do to minimize damage to your vehicle from winter precipitation. Start by checking to make sure all windows are tightly closed. If your vehicle is a convertible or has a sunroof, be sure it is fully closed. Securing all windows will help prevent precipitation from getting inside your vehicle. 

Wax Your Car

If you are shipping your vehicle on an open carrier, you should also wax your car prior to shipment. Snow and salt can damage the paint on your car and cause rust. Using a protective wax can add additional protection to your vehicle and minimize the risk of damage from winter weather. 

Shrink Wrap Your Vehicle

If you want to ensure your vehicle arrives in the same condition that it left, shrink wrapping is a great option. An open car hauler cannot protect your vehicle against weather conditions while traveling, thus leaving your car vulnerable to damage from winter precipitation. Shrink wrap is designed to protect your vehicle from the elements and it is perfectly safe to use with a hauling trailer. Unlike tarps and other car covers that can still allow moisture to get inside, shrink wrap protects the vehicle 360 degrees and is 99.9% sealed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Honest Answers to Your Car Shipping Questions

Yes, we always ask for your specific pickup and delivery addresses, if the carrier can get right to the addresses you provide, they will. If the addresses that you give us are not safely accessible for a Multi-car carrier, however, you will need to make arrangements with the driver to meet at a nearby location where the carrier can safely get in and out.

People do it all the time (rarely for free) but the official answer is no.

Not what you wanted to hear, we know, but that is the honest answer.

We are not licensed to broker the shipment of household goods and, likewise, no car carrier that operates in the USA is licensed to transport them from state to state either. Despite what you might be being told by other car shipping companies you may speak with.

Remember, at the end of the day we're all salespeople, and the true answer to this question is not a great selling point.

You will hear a lot of companies tell you that you can put up to 100 pounds of items in the trunk, but that is not entirely true. That fact is that items of that amount are fairly common and the department of transportation is probably not going to split hairs and fine the trucker over items of that amount, provided they are not over their weight limit. They could fine them, however, if they see a vehicle stuffed full of personal items so the car carrier will most likely try to negotiate something with you to cover themselves against any costs they could incur. It's not something we can build into your contract though.

We have a short and helpful video on this topic in our user videos.

Only in rare cases and car carriers will usually charge a premium to make it happen.

All dates given by car carriers are typically estimates and projections.

For this reason (and to keep your cost down) we ask that you build in some flexibility and give us the earliest possible date you would be WILLING to release the vehicle, even though it may not be your preferred date.

We'll put you in direct contact with your car carrier and the driver will also typically call you the afternoon or evening before your pick up and delivery (they won't just show up unannounced, and if they do we want to hear about it). However, car carriers are out on the road battling traffic, weather and any number of other factors that can and do throw them off of their pickup and delivery projections from time to time.

If the projected dates we give you come and you are unable to make contact with your carrier, please call our office immediately so that we may help resolve the situation.

The average transit time from pick up to delivery on any vehicle going coast to coast will average 7 to 10 days. From there you can figure your transit time based on how far your vehicle is traveling, i.e. from either coast to the Midwest might average 3-7 days.

Yes!

Even better, we do not even ask for payment until we have you confirmed for pickup by a safe, reliable, fully insured, direct car carrier. If for any reason you do not ship your car with the carrier that we arrange for you, there is no fee.

The fees paid directly to the carrier however, (in most cases, their fees are not paid until your vehicle is delivered) are not directly controlled by us, so any requests for a refund of the carrier's portion would need to be addressed with the carrier directly.

Of course! And you are always backed by our Damage Free Guarantee policy.

Part of what you pay us for is to verify that the car carrier that we put you on is covered by the proper amount of insurance and that everything is up to date.

There is never any additional cost to you for this coverage, and their insurance is always primary.

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