5 Tips For Shipping a Classic car from the U.S. to Canada
If you are looking to get a professional car shipping service for your Classic car, then this guide is just what you need to read. This 5-minute read on tips for transporting a vintage car from the U.S to Canada will help you find the top and most professional auto shipping Canada company and understand the technical aspects of getting your car across safely.
Table of Contents
Finding a Professional Auto Shipping Canada Company:
One of the most critical and imperative things you need to remember during this whole procedure is to work with a reliable car shipping company. Here are the main factors to look for in one:
- They should have expertise in transporting classic cars
- They should have an online presence and good customer feedback (check Google and Facebook reviews)
- Their customer support should be friendly, cooperative, and ready to help (talk to them a few times on the phone to assess this)
- They should be licensed and insured
- They should be broker dealing with carriers because that adds a layer of safety
It doesn’t matter if their prices are a bit on the expensive side; credibility and professional service never come cheap. Do your best to negotiate the price, but if they do not go further down and their price is just a bit high than other companies, then working with them will still get you value for money.
Go for Enclosed Transport:
No matter what people tell you, never ship your classic car in an open container! A slight scratch or dent on your sweet vintage ride, and there goes its resale value out of the window.
Always go for enclosed container shipping even if the car transport cost increases, the level of service and high safety standards are worth it.
Prepare Your Car for Shipping:
By preparing your car, there are two things you need to consider; the preparation of the car itself and the preparation of its transportation documents. You will need documents like proof of ownership, safety standards clearance, and so on. You can get help from the auto shipping Canada company for this purpose. As for the second part, you will have to do the following things:
- Get the car properly checked by a professional mechanic for any potential problems like loose parts or leaking fluids
- Get the car washed and take pictures of its condition so that you can be sure that it is delivered in the exact same condition
- Take out all the fuel and only leave a quarter tank full (this will reduce car weight and save you some bucks on car transport cost)
- Make sure the car has two keys, one with you and the other with the truck driver so he can move the car whenever necessary
- Turn off the alarm, so it doesn’t go off during the transit
- Prepare Inspection Report, document car’s condition, and get signatures from the carrier
Doing all of these things should be enough to ensure your car is safely delivered to Canada.
Don’t Place Anything Unnecessary in the Car:
As per DOT (Department of Transportation) rules, you cannot transport anything extra such as spare parts or tires with your car. Most of the car shipping companies avoid transporting cars with extra parts just for the very reason.
Even if any carrier agrees to take parts as well, they will not be responsible in case of any damage or theft. If there’s no other way for you but to transport the parts, make sure to tell this to your car shipping service provider so they can help you out.
Stay Calm and Relax:
Since classic vehicles don’t come cheap, many vintage car owners start panicking if their car doesn’t arrive on time. The right thing to do in such situations is to maintain your cool and inquire about the reason from the auto shipping Canada company.
There can be weather issues or roads that might be jam-packed with traffic. The carrier’s truck can have mechanical issues as well. So talk to your agent and stay calm if this happens.