Transporting a car can be a daunting task. You may be moving from Chennai to another city for a job transfer, your children’s higher education or to settle near your hometown with your family. In other cases, such as selling your car or sending it to your hometown, you may require a professional vehicle transportation service. With changing relocation demographics in Chennai, the demand for car relocation services has also gone up in recent years. Before transporting your car, you need to check several things to have your vehicle ready for collection on the scheduled date.
Transporting a car from Chennai is completely different from household removals. It requires a different approach to transport the car safely; therefore, a moving company providing household and commercial removals with no prior experience in vehicle transportation will not be able to handle it efficiently. So, prefer an experienced car transportation service provider in Chennai that can deliver your car to your desired location. Certain things need to be checked before transporting your car.
Key Aspects to Check Before Transporting Your Car from Chennai
Preparing your car before collection can help prevent delays in delivery to your new address. The following checks will help you get it ready for transport.
Check for Marks or Damage on Your Car’s Exterior
Washing your car isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s more about making every minor scratch, dent and stone chip easily visible and noticeable. Road dust and dirt, bird droppings and tree sap hide your car’s surface marks and may complicate your inspection. Therefore, washing your car a few days prior to transportation can help you identify existing damage and distinguish it from any new marks that appear during transport.
Wash and dry your car, then document any existing marks before transport. Take timestamped photographs of each side on your smartphone and record a clear video of its condition.
Check Your Car’s Interior for Personal Belongings
Transit insurance covers only the vehicle, not items inside it. So, if you put anything inside your car thinking that it will be safely transported with the car, then you are mistaken. Expensive sunglasses, a laptop bag in the boot or any other items that you haven’t removed from your car are not covered for any damage, misplacement or loss during transit. You may be unable to claim for these items. So, it’s often recommended to check the car interior and remove personal belongings from the glovebox, seat-back pockets and under-seat storage compartments.
Apart from insurance, another reason for thoroughly checking your car is that any item left in your car will move around inside the car for hundreds or thousands of kilometres. Hard items such as metal tools, keys or water bottles rattling in the boot can cause scratches and damage to the tail lights from inside. However, small items may also reach your ducts and get stuck.
Check the Fuel Level (No More Than a Quarter of a Tank)
Another point to consider before transporting your car is to check your car’s fuel level to ensure that the tank is no more than a quarter full. This amount of fuel is enough for driving your car to the loading point, driving onto the carrier truck and driving off at your delivery point. A full tank adds unnecessary weight to the carrier truck. In fact, it may put your vehicle at risk of catching fire in case of long-distance transportation, as petrol is a highly flammable material. This is the reason many vehicle transport companies have set a limit of ¼ of the fuel capacity to allow short journeys from home to the loading point and from the truck’s parking area to the delivery address.
Check Tyre Pressure and Battery
Since the vehicle needs to be driven on and off the carrier ramp at both the collection and delivery points, it’s necessary to check tyre pressure. Check all the tyres and make sure that they are inflated to the recommended pressure to safely drive on and off the carrier ramp. It’s a key aspect to check, as slightly underinflated tyres may damage your car's rim while driving onto the ramp of the carrier truck.
In addition to tyre pressure, also check the battery, especially if your car has been sitting for a couple of weeks or more. If you haven’t started it for some time, its battery may have discharged. Check a couple of days before collection that the car starts and whether the battery needs charging.
Check Accessories
If you have fitted external accessories to your car, check each one and ask the transporter which items should be detached or removed. The reason is that during transportation of your car from Chennai to any distant city such as Delhi, Kolkata or Ahmedabad, your favourite accessory may get damaged during transit.
Check Small but Important Details
Other details to check before transport include:
- Car Alarm: Check and disable your car alarm, because repeated activation during transit can drain the battery.
- Fluid Levels: Check the engine oil, brake fluid and coolant levels, and top them up if required.
- Handbrake: Ensure that the parking brake is working well, as it will firmly keep your car in one place and prevent it from rolling during loading.
Compare Open and Enclosed Carriers
Before booking, decide whether an open or enclosed carrier suits your needs. Opting for an open carrier vehicle exposes your car to environmental factors such as dust, rain and road debris. Therefore, you can understand that an open carrier offers less protection from these external conditions. On the other hand, many vehicle transport companies have large enclosed carrier trucks to carry multiple vehicles together. An enclosed truck offers greater protection from weather and road debris. An enclosed carrier usually costs more than an open carrier, so compare the price and level of protection before choosing a service.
Check the Transport Company’s Credentials
After deciding which carrier truck suits your car transportation needs within your budget, the next step is to make a shortlist of vehicle transport companies in Chennai. Seek quotes from four or five companies and compare them thoroughly. Based on your analysis, check the credentials of a couple of companies whose car transportation package aligns well with your car transport needs. The key credentials to check are:
- Registration Year
- Registration details (type of company, registration number, directors’ information)
- Physical Registered Address
- GST Number details
With the help of these details, you can find the most appropriate car shifting service from Chennai to your desired location. A registered vehicle transporting service provider in Chennai follows industry norms and thus ensures safe, timely and hassle-free car transportation.
Check and Adhere to Documentation Requirements
A transporter with specialisation in long-distance and interstate car transportation is familiar with the documentation requirements that may apply to your move. Ask the transporter which documents you need to arrange before collection. These may include:
- Car Registration Certificate (RC)
- Valid Insurance Policy
- Owner’s Identity and Address Proof
- PUC Certificate
- Form 28 (Application for NOC)
- Proof of Cleared Challans
- Consent Letter from the Lender or Finance Company (if the Car Is on Loan)
In addition to this list, you may need to provide a couple more documents depending on whether the move is permanent or temporary.
What Should You Check on Delivery?
Along with checking your vehicle pre-transport, your presence is also required at the time of your car delivery. On delivery, inspect your car again and compare its condition with the photographs and video taken before transport. This inspection is crucial to determine any new scratches, dents or other damage. Note any damage on the bill of lading and inform your transporter immediately. Take photographs immediately to keep as evidence for any damage claim. Take your time to check thoroughly before the transportation team leaves your home.
What Is the Role of a Vehicle Transportation Service Provider in Chennai?
Your transport company should explain the collection and delivery arrangements, plan the route and advise you on preparing your car. It should also clarify the documentation required for the journey. Choose a provider in Chennai that can explain these arrangements clearly before you book.
Conclusion
With rapidly changing residential, employment and educational demographics, relocation has become so common these days. More relocations have also increased the need for car transport services. In a bustling city like Chennai, demand for professional car transportation has gone up. With numerous service providers, it becomes challenging to find an ideal car transportation service company in Chennai. However, a car owner needs to conduct various checks on different aspects to support the safe and timely delivery of their vehicle from Chennai to their new location.
Hire an expert car transportation service provider in Chennai and get your car safely to your desired location.
