Once the shipping is booked, it is natural to wonder what you are meant to do with the car before it goes. Leave something in it, or forget a check, and you picture it being turned away at the port. The list is shorter than you might think, and most of it comes down to three things: the car's condition, a record of that condition, and what the method you have chosen allows.
- Fuel
- Keep it low
- Condition
- Photograph it
- RoRo
- Must run, normally empty
- Air freight
- No leaks
Record the condition
Before the car is collected, photograph it all the way round, and take close-ups of any existing damage: scuffs, dents, chips and marks on the wheels. It gives everyone the same starting point.
A delivery inspection report is taken when the car arrives in the UK, so your photos are what it gets compared with. If you have taken marine insurance, they are also the evidence you would want if anything happened on the way.
Check the car over
My Car Import works through these checks before a car is shipped. A car that leaves in good order is less likely to need remedial work at this end, which has a knock-on effect on cost and on how quickly it gets through its test and onto UK plates.
Pre-shipping checks
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Uneven tyre wear can point to an alignment problem, which is worth knowing about before the car is tested here. Our arrival guide explains what testing it will need.
Keep the fuel low
Whichever way the car travels, it should go with a low fuel level. For air freight, the car must also not be leaking anything, so a leak you have been meaning to fix needs fixing first.
What the shipping method changes
Most of the prep is the same for every car. The big difference is between RoRo and a container, because on RoRo, port staff drive the car on and off the ship.
| Feature | Container | RoRo | Air freight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car must run | No, a non-runner needs special loading | Yes, it is driven on and off | Ask us |
| Belongings inside | More flexible | Normally empty, no loose parts | Ask us |
| Fuel | Low | Low | Low, with no leaks |
| Photos of damage | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Also worth knowing | May be fumigated against pests | Sits in an open hold beside other cars | Quickest, and priced to match |
Going by container
The car is strapped down inside a steel container and the doors stay shut until it reaches our site in Castle Donington, where our own team unloads it. A car that does not run can still go this way, though it needs special loading and there is usually some extra cost. Containers are more flexible about what is inside the car, and some may be fumigated to keep foreign pests out.
Going by RoRo
The car must run and drive, and it should normally be empty: no personal belongings and no loose parts. If you want to send things with it, or the car is not a runner, a container is the better choice. See container, RoRo or air for the full comparison.
Going by air
Once you go ahead with air freight, we send you a short list of what to do. The two fixed rules are a low fuel level and no leaks. We arrange collection to the airport and the customs work at both ends.
Empty means empty on RoRo. Belongings and loose parts should normally come out of the car before it is collected. If you need to send them with it, tell us and we will quote a container instead.
Get the paperwork to us
The car is not the only thing that needs to be ready. We need the documents before it sails, so customs clearance is not held up when it lands.
Paperwork to send us
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The full list, with the extras each country asks for, is in the paperwork you need to ship a car.
Questions people ask
How much fuel should I leave in the car?
Keep the fuel level low, whichever way it travels. For air freight, the car must also not be leaking anything.
Can I leave belongings in the car?
Not normally on RoRo, where the car should be empty with no personal belongings or loose parts. Containers are more flexible, so tell us what you want to send.
Does my car need to run to be shipped?
For RoRo, yes, because port staff drive it on and off. A non-runner can go in a container, though it needs special loading and usually costs a little more.
Why should I photograph the car before shipping?
It records the condition before collection. A delivery inspection report is taken when the car arrives in the UK, and your photos give you something to compare it with.
Not sure which method suits your car? Tell us about it on the quote form and we will recommend one, with the prep that goes with it.
