If you have and drive a car, you’re well aware of the fact that your car needs different maintenance (and you need to engage in different driving practices) depending upon the season. Well, the same is true of auto shipping. With winter on the way, we’ve compiled a few of our favorite tips for a successful winter vehicle transport.
Staying Flexible When It’s Frosty Outside
This is the big one, and it applies to several different aspects of vehicle shipping. This tip isn’t as much about preparing your car as it is about preparing your plans. Frozen roadways, inclement weather, and inopportune piles of snow and ice slicks can all throw a wrench into your car transport experience. Here’s what we recommend.
Have a Pick-up Plan B (and a Pick-up Plan C)
When it comes to having your carrier pick up your vehicle, you need to consider the logistics of the situation—and not only in terms of the weather right now, but what the weather could be. If you’ve already laid out several alternatives that could work in different weather conditions, you won’t be scrambling for your cell phone when that completely unexpected blizzard comes blowing in.
Remember, the transport vehicle is going to be large and unwieldy—you want it to have plenty of room to maneuver, especially if it’s icy and there are unplowed roads, or roads with high snow banks along the shoulder.
Make Time (and Extra Time) for Pick-up and Delivery
Even if your pick-up and delivery locations are perfectly maintained in the worst weather, that doesn’t mean that every stretch of road between point A and point B is going to be. Unexpected delays are a fact of life in every shipping endeavor, but when you throw winter weather into the mix, they can become a severe threat.
Keep an eye on the weather, and be patient. Remember, your carrier is trying their very best to pick-up, transport, and deliver your vehicle safely. If weather conditions leave a lot to be desired, they may need to take things slow, or take significant detours for their own safety and the well-being of their vehicles and your own. A rush job in poor weather can lead to costly damage. Don’t expect to-the-second-service when trying to provide it could put your vehicle and others in danger.
Winterize for Transport
Just because your car is hitching a ride to its new destination doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take measures to make sure it’s ready for the cold. Make sure you have plenty of antifreeze in the vehicle, and that your gas is full to the level recommended by your carrier (usually about a quarter of a tank). Before having your car picked up, check your tire pressure as well. If it’s low now, and the weather gets colder, your air pressure will drop even more.
Preparing your car for transport, whether in winter or any other season, doesn’t have to be a huge headache. By taking a few simple, preliminary actions you can ensure that your auto transport goes off without a hitch!
