Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the US therefore it is neither a US state nor a sovereign state. It is located in the Northeast Caribbean Sea about 1,600km Southeast of Miami Florida. This Caribbean Island is sandwiched between the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic.
There are many reasons why one may need to ship a car to or from this beautiful location and they include (i) relocation for work or other reasons (ii) car purchase from an out-of-town dealer or (iii) sending a vehicle as a gift to a loved one. Whatever the reason for requiring Puerto Rico car transport, there are many ways to go about it. You could send the vehicle by cargo service, or hire a driver to drive it or drive it yourself or ship it.
In this article, we will share some tips on how to effectively ship your vehicle to or from Puerto Rico. These, however, will also come in handy for auto-shipping to and from any location.
How to Choose the Best Car Shipping Company for You
The first set of tips that we will share has to do with how to select the right shipping company to work with. Find below things that will help you make the right choice:-
Reputation of the Company
Although this may not be the first thing that most people would look out for, the reputation of a service provider is very important. This is what determines whether the service provider will deliver as advertised. You can find out their reputation by checking out the reviews of past customers and also the reviews on independent 3rd party review sites.
Reliability
This will be greatly determined by the reputation of the company. An auto transport company of ill repute can in no way be reliable. In checking the reliability of the company, check whether they stick to their shipping timeline. Additionally, confirm whether they keep to their terms of agreement especially as it concerns insurance.
Experience
Never take for granted the importance of experience when dealing with an auto transport company. An experienced shipper must have been on the block for at least 5 years and in the course of those years, they would have learned the ins and outs of the business. Additionally, they would have built networks and business support structures that you will benefit from by doing business with them. Visit https://www.forbes.com/ for more on the importance of experience for business.
Equipment
Ensure that you check out the type of equipment that they have; it is safer to work with companies that have up-to-date machinery for auto transport than those that do not. There is specialized machinery that ensures that your vehicle is loaded and offloaded without damage. There are also special tools that secure your car safely en-route its destination.
Range of Service
Although specialization is often deemed a good thing, it is not always the case. Car shipping is one of those instances where specialization is not a very good idea. What we mean by this is that you should look for a service provider that covers a wide range of related services. For example, look out for a shipper that offers both door-to-door delivery service and terminal-to-terminal. They should also have a variety of options to choose from; like open or enclosed carrier expedited shipping or special delivery.
Compare Prices
Sometimes people equate how expensive a product or service is to the quality but that is not always true. However, bear in mind that good quality product or service does not come cheap but you can still get good quality at a reasonable cost. What you should do therefore is check out as many options as possible and compare their prices.
Remember to use the same parameters for comparison; do not compare the price for an open carrier from one company with an enclosed carrier from another company. If you are considering using an open carrier, compare open carriers across the board.
How to Prepare Your Car for Shipping
After you have gotten a good deal for your car shipping, the following are ways to prepare your car for shipping:-
- Put your car documents together
- Wash the car thoroughly and ensure that it is clear of any clutter
- Document any damage on the vehicle (if any). It is best to have a picture of the car to show the state before shipping. This helps in case of any debate about the state of the vehicle upon delivery. Read this article to learn the importance of pictorial evidence in law.
- Ensure that your car is in good shape unless you are shipping it as a damaged vehicle.
- Empty the fuel tank, leaving only just enough to get the vehicle up the loading ramp and off it.
- Remove every moveable accessory in the vehicle.
- Lock it but leave the key with the shipper.
Conclusion
We have shared tips on how to get the best service provider to ship your car to or from Puerto Rico. We have also shared simple things to do to prepare your vehicle for shipping. We believe the tips shared here will go a long way in helping you ship your vehicle to or from any location without hassles.