Owning a customized or modified vehicle is a one-of-a-kind experience since it is more than a car; it is an extension of your personality and devotion. Whether it’s an antique muscle vehicle with a new engine, an exotic import automobile with a bespoke body kit, or a beautifully restored vintage car are all treasured possessions and moving these can always be daunting.
Custom vehicles differ from standard vehicles in several ways, including custom paint, fragile aftermarket items, and the vehicle’s structural importance. This is why employing an experienced auto transport business dealing with specialty vehicles, such as Preowned Auto Logistics, is critical to achieving peace of mind. Let’s understand the entire process of shipping antique, unique, or classic vehicles in detail.
Recognizing Custom and Modified Vehicle Shipping Dangers
There are numerous considerations when transporting a regular vehicle, but shipping a custom or modified vehicle raises the stakes.
Special vulnerabilities of modifications
A lowered suspension improves appearance and performance but complicates loading. Lower ground clearance increases the chance of damage to the undercarriage, exhaust, or custom bumpers. Custom body modifications, splitters, or spoilers might make a vehicle overly broad or have an unusual shape, making it difficult to load into a regular transport slot and making special handling essential.
Risks of custom paint and aftermarket parts
Investing in a custom paint job, as well as specific detail wraps and decals, is a significant investment that will significantly enhance the personality of your vehicle. These surfaces are at risk of being scratched, chipped, or compromised during transit by road debris (particularly an open carrier) and damaged if not adequately secured. This can also be a concern with aftermarket equipment like bespoke carbon hoods or custom wheels, which are more fragile and may be unable to withstand the tension and potential damage caused by road bumps.
Issues with nonstandard measurements or weights
Nonstandard measures or weights might cause complications. An engine exchange changes the vehicle’s weight and weight distribution. New roll cages require a different approach to vehicle security, and inexperienced carriers uninformed of these characteristics can cause the car to be improperly loaded or transported. Knowing and understanding these hazards ensures you and your beautiful automobile arrive safe, sound, and intact.
Choosing the Correct Type of Carrier
When shipping your custom vehicle, you must choose a carrier type. The two main types are open and enclosed auto transport.
Open or Enclosed? Which is better for custom cars?
You will see plenty of open transport trucks since they are the most common, economical, and readily available type of shipping vehicle. Open transport can be a concern as it exposes your vehicle to the elements, debris, and dirt. It is suitable for a regular car but not a custom one. Enclosed carriers provide the benefit of completely protecting your vehicle from the weather, dirt, and road debris. It resembles a private garage on wheels.
Enclosed Carrier Benefits – Total protection against elements and road debris
For most custom and modified cars, you will usually want to use an enclosed carrier as the benefits include:
- Weather protection: Your vehicle will be protected from rain, hail, snow, or damaging sun.
- Debris protection: You will not have to worry about rocks, gravel, and other road hazards that can chip or scratch custom paint and bodywork.
- Increased security: Enclosed carriers give you increased protection against theft or vandalism.
- Privacy: When you have a unique or high-value car, you will want discretion.
- Specialized handling: Drivers and owners of specialty transport services tend to be more experienced in transporting high-value, low-clearance vehicles and have hydraulic lift gates and use soft-tie strapping systems instead of the traditional chains.
When Open Carriers Make Sense
It is almost always better to transport a custom car in an enclosed carrier, but there are times when an open carrier might be fine. For example, when you are moving a very rough off-road build or a vehicle with few or no modifications, or when you are going a shorter distance, or just want to save money.
Just be careful and think about whether the savings are worth the risk. We have seen that the price difference between open and enclosed transport is well worth the peace of mind for most people who own heavily modified cars.
Preparing Your Custom Vehicle for Transport
Proper preparation reduces risk and helps with smoother delivery.
Document modifications and existing conditions
This is very important. You must inspect and record your vehicle when the pickup driver arrives to document its condition.
- Photos/videos: Get multiple quality photos or videos – document all angles – exterior, interior, engine bay, wheels, and undercarriage. Don’t forget to get a few close-ups of your custom parts, paintwork, decals, and already existing imperfections. The best photos would be time-stamped.
- Modifications list: Create a comprehensive list of all modification work. This helps the carrier and is great for insurance purposes.
- Save receipts: The pre-shipping documents you will provide to the transporter create a record of the condition, and they will base their condition report (Bill of Lading) off your documentation.
Ground clearance and load
Most modified cars have decreased ground clearance. Follow these steps for high safety of your vehicle:
- Accurate measurements: Obvious, but knowing your vehicle height’s lowest point should be communicated to your provider to determine that their loading equipment can accommodate it.
- Ask about their loading process: Check with the carrier about how they will accommodate vehicles with lower clearance. Reputable companies will have appropriate ride ramps or hydraulic lift gates.
- Secure loose parts and aftermarket add-ons to prevent any dislodging while in transit.
- Outside: Ensure you secure the mounting for spoilers, antennas, removable mirrors, body panels, etc. If you have any especially fragile or valuable items, having them shipped separately or secured inside the vehicle would be better.
- Inside: Remove loose items in the cabin and trunk.
- Convertible tops: Make sure that the convertible top is latched securely.
Disable alarms and take personal belongings
- Your security alarm: Disable aftermarket security alarms or provide thorough instructions on how to operate them.
- Keys: Provide your driver with a complete set of keys and inform them of any special ignition start procedures.
- Personal Items: Remove all personal items not part of the car. Most Transport companies are not insured to carry personal belongings, in case you miss removing these personal contents.
Choosing an Experienced Auto Transport Provider
Not all auto transporters can handle custom or modified vehicles, so you must make an informed selection.
- Special equipment: Experienced carriers usually will have enclosed trailers with hydraulic lift gates, winches, and soft tie strapping systems, which will protect a custom finish and undercarriage.
- Experienced personnel: Drivers and loaders used to modifying vehicles understand how to move and tie them down.
- Problem-solving: An experienced provider will be comfortable dealing with unforeseen circumstances.
What differentiates a quality provider?
You want to find evidence of experience.
- Review and testimonials: Look for reviews of shipping companies that say they can move custom, classic, or unusual cars. The best review of an experienced carrier is one where people took the time to describe the exact car they moved.
- Portfolio: Specialized carriers sometimes show photos of vehicles they have transported. Companies like Preowned Auto Logistics demonstrate their expertise with unique vehicles as a portfolio for clients to see and understand their history when transporting custom vehicles.
- Willing to discuss your needs: A good provider will want to discuss the unique features of your vehicle and your specific concerns.
Customer support and transparency
- Clear contracts: Ensure all terms are explicit, including insurance, time frames, etc.
- Responsive communication: The company should be easy to reach and provide timely updates.
- Transparency: To the extent possible, find out their process for assigning a carrier (if they are a broker), understand insurance claims, and how delays are handled.
Choosing a provider means finding a partner that recognizes your vehicle’s uniqueness and can protect your investment.
Choosing an Experienced Auto Transport Provider
Even with a lot of thought and planning, the unexpected can happen. Insurance provides an important safety net.
- Understanding standard coverage: Licensed carriers must have liability insurance, but levels of coverage are different.
- Carrier liability: Insurance provides coverage for damage that the carrier could be considered to have caused (limits and deductibles vary).
- Limitations: Standard insurance might not cover the full worth of a car that has been modified or tuned; the insurance might only be based on the stock model.
- Exclusions: Be aware of exclusions in “acts of god” or non-factory parts unless specified and agreed upon.
Requesting added insurance for high-value mods
If the base coverage doesn’t do the job, consider additional options.
- Agreed value coverage: You and the insurer agree on the vehicle’s value (including modifications) before the coverage begins. This typically applies to custom vehicles best. You may be required to provide documentation/pictures to support this value.
- Personal auto insurance: Check your policy. Some have limited transit coverage (particularly if you have renewed in the last few years), but most do not. Check with your agent.
- Get everything in writing: Document the coverage and claims process. Verbal assurance is never enough.
- Insurance terms in contract: Ensure the contract/ paperwork clearly states the coverage, declared value, deductibles, and claims process.
- Claims process: Know how to file a claim, should you need to. Protecting your massive investment, you’ve taken the time and effort to get adequate insurance.
Choosing an Experienced Auto Transport Provider
Pickup and delivery are essential stages in the shipping process. Knowing what to expect can help protect you from poor service.
- At pickup: The driver will inspect the vehicle with you and document the condition of the Bill of Lading (BOL). Make sure to take extra care when noting custom parts. Both parties will sign the BOL , and you will get a copy of the report. DO NOT SIGN A REPORT THAT IS NOT COMPLETE.
- At delivery: You will do a similar inspection and compare it to the BOL at pickup. Any new damages should be noted on the BOL just before the driver leaves, using photos taken immediately afterward, as this will be important if a claim is to be made.
- Loading: Expect appropriate equipment – low clearance vehicles (like a sport car) where race ramps or hydraulic lift-gates should be utilized, securing the vehicle with soft straps or wheel nets.
- Careful maneuvering: Expect drivers to exhibit skill with unique vehicle characteristics and give direction when needed.
- Communication: A good provider will not only deliver realistic delivery timeframes but also keep you informed if they experience significant delays. Safety should be prioritized over haste.
Final Checklist for a Safe Shipment
Before you agree to have your car transported, please read and confirm the following list:
Confirm carrier type and insurance coverage: Check if the carrier is enclosed (recommended) or open with adequate insurance.
Prep your vehicle based on modification type: Make sure to prepare your vehicle thoroughly: Take pictures/videos of your vehicle’s condition, take note of the amount of ground clearance, secure any loose parts, disable alarms, and remove personal items.
Choose a provider like PAL with a strong safety record: Choose an experienced carrier, i.e., Preowned Auto Logistics, conforming to their ratings, reviews, age, and type of equipment they use.
Schedule pickup with flexibility to avoid delays: Make sure you understand the specifics of the transport, be available at the time of inspection, and give them enough time to transport in a way that fits their process.
