Shipping a supercar,
start to finish.
What to ask, what to prepare and what to check on the day, written by the people who load them. Most of it takes an hour. All of it is worth doing.
Choose the carrier, not the cheapest quote
Look the company up on FMCSA SAFER by its USDOT number; an active carrier authority is the minimum. Then ask five things: is the car going on your own trailer or being brokered out, is there a lift-gate, what is the cargo insurance limit and will you send the certificate, who is driving, and how do I reach that person on the road. A good answer to all five is rarer than it should be.
Get the quote right
Give the year, make and model, the ride height and any modifications, whether the car runs and steers, the pickup and delivery addresses and what the access is like, the dates and how flexible they are, and whether you want a shared or private trailer. The more of this is in the quote, the fewer surprises on the day.
Prepare the car
Wash it, so the condition report shows the real surface. Photograph every panel, the wheels, the splitter, the diffuser, the roof, the interior and the odometer. Leave about a quarter tank of fuel. Take out personal items, toll tags and garage remotes; they are not covered and toll tags bill on the truck's route. Switch off aftermarket alarms. If the car has a nose lift, a battery tender or a wheel-lock key, say so and have them ready. Secure anything loose.
Pickup
Walk the car with the specialist. Every existing mark goes on the condition report with photographs, and both of you sign it. The car goes up on the lift-gate, the wheels are strapped with soft loops, the doors close and the seal goes on. Keep your copy of the report; it is the baseline for delivery.
In transit
Location, status and the estimated delivery sit in your account. Your specialist's direct number covers everything else. A private trailer drives straight through; a shared lane runs its schedule.
Delivery
Inspect before you sign, in daylight if you can, against your pickup photographs and the condition report. Anything new goes on the document before the signature. That note is what makes a claim straightforward; a signature without it is what makes one hard.
Afterwards
The invoice, the condition report and the insurance certificate stay in your account. Keep your own photographs with them. For a car you plan to sell, that file is part of its history.
Questions on this
Should I be there at pickup and delivery?
You, or someone you trust with the keys and the authority to sign. The condition report is signed at both ends, and the inspection at delivery is the moment to note anything new. A dealer, a concierge or a property manager can stand in if you brief them.
How much fuel should be in the car?
About a quarter of a tank. Enough to load, unload and drive to a station; not so much that the car is carrying weight it does not need. Do not ship a car with a full tank.
Can I leave things in the trunk?
No. Personal items are not cargo, they are not covered by cargo insurance, and loose objects move around inside a car during a long drive. Take everything out, including toll tags, which will otherwise bill as the trailer passes gantries.
