Preparing your vehicle for the California to Minnesota route takes just a few key steps. Start by removing personal items from your car—anything loose inside can shift during transport. Take out toll passes, phone chargers, sunglasses, and any fragile items you value.
Clean your car inside and out before pickup. This helps the carrier spot any existing damage and makes the inspection process smoother for everyone. Take photos of your vehicle from multiple angles as a record of its condition.
Secure or remove accessories that could get damaged or stolen in transit. This includes roof racks, spoilers, custom mirrors, and antennas. If you can't remove them, let your carrier know so they can plan accordingly.
Check your fuel level. You'll want a quarter tank or less—carriers prefer lighter vehicles, and you don't want to pay for gas you won't use during transport.
Have a key ready to give your carrier. They'll need it to move your vehicle on and off the transport truck. If you have a valet key or spare, that works too.
Disable alarms if your car has one. Long-distance transport can trigger motion sensors, which wastes time and creates headaches for your driver.
For more details on the full shipping process, check out our guide on how to ship a car. We've been helping people get real value from car shipping since 2012, and these simple prep steps make the whole experience faster and smoother.