Tips on Moving Your Car Overseas
If you have made the decision to relocate overseas, chances are you will need to ship one or more vehicles with you. When you ship automobiles into a new country, there could be a lot of complications. Between customs regulations and finding a reliable international moving company, there are a lot of things to take care of in order for your cars to make it to their new destination safely. Here are some tips that you can follow to try and ease some of these concerns.
The first thing that you will need to know is that there are basically four options when it comes to moving vehicles to a new country. First, you can choose air travel. Although this is by far the fastest method, this is also the most expensive by far. So chances are you will want to explore moving your automobiles by boat. When you do, you can choose roll-on roll-off service. This means that your car is literally rolled onto the ship and stored next to other cars under the deck. Next, you could look at on-deck moving. Usually this option exists for companies that are moving a large quantity of automobiles, where they are stored on the deck of the ship. Last is a container service. This is normally the safest method, where your car will be stored in its own individual container and then placed onto the ship.
The next step you will want to take is to get all of your documentation in order, and there is a lot to take care of. You should contact the embassy or customs agency of the country you are moving to, so you can find out the complete list of documents you will need, as each country has their own set of rules and regulations as to what is allowed into their borders. Also, you should contact the international moving company that you hired to find out what they require in order for them to not only move your vehicle, but also for it to be stored on the ship. It is extremely important that you find out everything that you need, and get it taken care of beforehand, otherwise you could find yourself in a new land with no vehicle, and a car that is in a place thousands of miles from your home.
Preparing Your Actual Car
Once you have made all of the necessary decisions and paperwork, you will need to prepare your vehicle for shipment. Take all of the personal items that you have out of the car, because it will be very easy for those items to get lost or damaged during shipment. Also, you will want to make sure that the battery works. This is especially true if you are using the roll-on roll-off service as they will need to turn your car on in the neutral position in order to move it. Furthermore, once it arrives, you will want to be able to drive your car away, which would be impossible with a dead battery. Also, you will want to disconnect any loose parts that your car might have that could get damaged during shipment, including the antenna. Make sure that any parts that may stick out like mirrors, spoilers, or fenders are either removed, covered, or folded in so you can help prevent any damage. Last, you want to make sure that there is only one gallon of fuel in your tank. Gasoline releases a very combustible vapor that could cause a major accident if sparked. Also, it will make your car weigh less, which saves on moving costs, and you will still have some gas to drive away once your vehicle arrives.
One last thing to check before sending your car aboard a ship is your insurance. Check with your company to see exactly what they offer for an international move, and if you will need to purchase additional coverage. You could also check with your moving company to see what they have to offer. While your movers and shippers will do everything that they can in order to keep your car safe, accidents do happen. It would be a shame if you are on the hook for any damage that happens because you did not have the insurance coverage that you need.
