If you want to bring your expensive car with you when you move, you have a few options. You can ship it in your 20- or 40-foot container with the rest of your household goods, or you can send it separately on a ship made just for transporting cars.
There are two main kinds of services for shipping cars: door-to-door shipping and shipping from one terminal to another. The first choice is more expensive, which makes sense, but it saves a lot of trouble. If you only want to go from terminal to terminal, you’ll need to make sure you have enough time and money to get the car to and from both ends of the trip.
Shipping Car by Air or Ocean freight?
By far, the fastest way to ship your car, either internationally or within the country, is by air. Even though it costs a lot more, this is a very special way to ship something that may be appealing. Ocean freight, either with a roll on/roll off service or a container, is the most common way to ship cars overseas. The first way is to drive or roll your car onto the ship and then tie it down below deck for the trip, which can take several weeks depending on how far you are going. Shipping a car in a container is safer, especially for more expensive or fragile cars, because the car is better protected from the weather, other cars that might move, and changes in climate and humidity.
Luxury Car Shipping by Container
If your car is going to be shipped in a safe container, it will either be loaded at the port or at your house with the rest of your stuff. If you’re planning to ship your Luxury car in a container with personal effects and load it from home, you need to build a protective plywood wall inside your container first. However, professional movers in the UAE can help you in this process. All alarms and the battery must be turned off, and all of the gas must be taken out of the car to make it safe and ready to ship.
Wheels need to be stopped with chocks or blocks of wood, and then they need to be tied down securely. Again, many companies will do this for you because they want your Luxury car to move to its destination in one piece. Find out if they can or will help you load your vehicle if you’re loading from home, since the container won’t sit on the ground when it gets to your property. If not, you will need to rent a flatbed from a garage near you to get the car safely into the container.
Preparing for Transportation
Carefully wash your car and make a note of its overall condition, including any damaged spots. Take pictures of everything to keep track of it in case something goes wrong and you need to make a claim later.
Take all belongings out of the car because it won’t be insured. Also, don’t forget to take all documents out of the glove box!
Do general maintenance. Check the battery, the pressure in the tyres, and the level of antifreeze. Pull the radio antenna back and make sure the car doesn’t have more than half a tank of gas. Cars that are shipped by container, on the other hand, should have their fuel drained and their batteries disconnected.
Make sure that your transporter’s insurance covers stereos, GPS, and other electronic additions. If not, they should be taken off before shipping.
Give your mover a set of keys, and if your classic or luxury car has any special features, make sure they know about them. If you can, turn off the alarm and immobiliser. If you use a roll on-roll off service, your car has to be running, which is another reason why it’s hard to ship a classic car.
Bringing your classic or luxury car with you when you move doesn’t have to be impossible if you work with the right company and plan ahead. You can connect with the Baxter Shipping team to have more information on international car moving service. You can also get a Free international moving On-Site Survey to move your household goods from the UAE.