If you want to move your vehicle across the country for a show, sell or buy one for your collection, classic car transportation is essential. Unfortunately, transporting a classic car is more challenging than the majority of other types of freight. Your car represents a significant time and financial investment; thus, it needs extra attention to be hauled in a secure and effective manner.
What Makes Classic Car Transportation Different
Proper classic transportation ensures the durability and preservation of a vehicle’s eye-catching exterior till it reaches its destination. You wouldn’t ever use a regular transport company for yours, right? At least not if you want to maintain its prospective value.
What makes classic car transport different is mostly the handling measures and equipment used. Being selective not only helps your classic car look good but also helps to avoid expensive damage on the road. Specialized materials and equipment are necessary since classic cars are more susceptible to rust.
Types of Classic Car Transportation
The first thing you ought to know before seeking a classic car transportation service is the types available. There are several options available, but the ideal type will primarily depend on your level of comfort and protection your car requires.
Open Transport
This type of transport is quite more affordable but provides less safety for your classic car in return. Given its cheaper approach and accessibility, getting this service is also simple.
Open transport uses open trailers without sides. As a result, your vehicle will be exposed to all manner of weather conditions and outdoor factors, meaning it won’t be entirely safe from external damage.
Closed Transport
Closed transport offers a safer alternative to open transport. The vehicle is loaded into an enclosed trailer that resembles a box trailer with a car inside, ensuring the value and safety of your classic car throughout the entire trip. The enclosed type of classic car shipping is, however, more costly and harder to find. Since it requires a qualified team and specialized equipment, not many businesses have sufficient experience in this area.
While both approaches successfully transport classic cars, the majority of owners prefer closed shipping. They don’t want to take unnecessary risks that could jeopardize their investment.
Preparing Your Classic Car for Transportation
Before sending your classic car away in the trailer, it’s prudent you take some crucial steps to avoid possible damage and ensure the car gets to the destination in prime condition. Below are some pre-shipping maintenance and care practices to follow.
Wash the Car
Clean the car to simplify the process of damage inspection. Besides, most nations demand that you wash your vehicle to ensure that no plant matter or insects cross borders when shipping overseas.
Conduct Regular Checkups
Most collectors are highly skilled mechanics who typically take care of their own vehicles. Even if you enjoy keeping your car in good condition, you should still have it inspected by a certified mechanic. Doing this will help prevent any issues from arising later as a result of ignoring a slight repair or modification that had to be done. Besides that, a certified mechanic can locate auto parts at an affordable cost than the average consumer.
Conduct a Quick Test Drive
Take your classic car for a road test to ensure everything is in working order before taking the vehicle in the trailer. It is important to ensure that your vehicle can manage various road conditions, particularly during winter when road conditions aren’t much favorable. If there are any issues with the car, have them fixed before taking it to a classic car transportation company.
Check the Fluids in the Car
Check the brake fluid, water, petrol, and oil to ensure no leaks are evident. A leak might cause concern for both the owner of the classic car and the courier service. Suppose fuel or oil seeps onto their trailers, you might have to pay more to cover the damage. Make sure to inform the transportation service before their leave if you suspect a leak.
Conclusion
When transporting your classic car, you want to ensure it’s under the right care in order to reach its destination in prime condition. To ensure this, you’ll want to work with a reliable and trusted company to deliver your vehicle to safety. There are numerous companies that offer car transportation services. Just ensure to select one that specializes in classic cars.
