First: Before the auto-transport company comes to take your vehicle, be sure the driver seat can freely move all the way forward and back so the driver can fit behind the wheel and/or reach the controls.
Second: Antennas can be a problem. If it is electrical, lower it. Show the driver how to lower it in case he accidentally raises it. Many antennas are detachable. If your antenna can be removed, place the antenna on the floor in front of the passenger seat or in the trunk where you will remember to find it later.
Third: Secure or remove any loose parts or specialty items like low hanging spoilers, fog lights, ground effects, bumper guards, and window shades.
Fourth: If there are any tears or open seams on a convertible top, seal them so air can not penetrate. As the transport drives down the road, air can find its way into any tears or open seams, making them worse or quite possibly ripping the top completely off.
Fifth: Prepare your vehicle for extreme temperature changes. Make sure there’s enough antifreeze in the cooling system.
Sixth: Leave about 1/4 tank of gas in the vehicle. This is enough to load and unload the vehicle and to get you to a gas station when you receive the vehicle. Weight is critical to the ship and most companies will empty your tank of any excess gas without compensation.
Seventh: Deactivate, or better yet, disconnect your burglar alarm prior to shipment. Any keys or control devices associated with the system must accompany the vehicle, along with detailed instructions on how it functions.
Eighth: Anything of value that is not factory installed should be removed. This includes stereo equipment and speakers, radios, cellular telephones and antennas, scanners, radar detectors, CB radios, etc. The people at the port will remove anything from the car that is not standard equipment, including items such as child car seats. You will not be compensated and the driver will not assume responsibility for your belongings.
Ninth: Provide the driver with all keys. This would include keys to the ignition, doors, trunk, gas cap, alarm, etc. As the driver may have to submit to searches by government agencies, if there is no key to access the trunk, the government official will break the lock to accomplish his search. .
Tenth: Make sure that your vehicle is clean. It will probably get dirty in transport, however, the driver can write up a more accurate condition report if the vehicle is clean when he looks at it. This will definitely work to your advantage when trying to assess if any damage was done in transport.