Before the truck arrives
Snowbird Vehicle Preparation Guide
Ten things worth doing before a Minnesota ↔ Southwest Florida shipment, in the order they matter. Most delivery disputes on this corridor trace back to something on this page not being done.
The checklist
Preparing the vehicle
Wash it before pickup, not after
A clean car makes the condition report meaningful. Existing chips and scratches are far easier to agree on at pickup than to argue about at delivery, and a Minnesota car in December is usually carrying enough road salt to hide both.
Photograph everything, with a timestamp
Walk the vehicle with your phone: all four corners, roof, wheels, glass, the odometer and the interior. Do the same at delivery. This is the single most useful five minutes you will spend on the whole shipment.
Take the fuel down to a quarter tank
Enough to load, unload and drive away, without adding weight to a truck already managing a strict axle limit.
Remove or bag the transponder
A live SunPass or E-ZPass riding through Florida's toll gantries on an open carrier can register charges against your account. Take it with you or seal it in its shielded pouch.
Empty the car of valuables and paperwork
Personal items are not covered by the carrier's cargo insurance. Registration and insurance documents should stay in the glovebox; anything you would miss should travel with you.
Agree personal belongings in advance
Many carriers will accept a modest amount — commonly up to around 100 pounds in the trunk, below the window line — but it is carrier-specific and must be agreed before the truck is dispatched, never sprung on the driver.
Deal with the winter details
Fold the mirrors, retract or remove a roof rack accessory, check the battery if the car has been sitting in the cold, and make sure the tyres hold pressure. A car that will not start at pickup is the most common avoidable delay on a Minnesota departure.
Name a release contact before you fly
Give us a second adult who can hand over keys and sign the Bill of Lading if the truck arrives after you have left. This one step prevents the most stressful scenario on the whole corridor.
Disable the alarm and hand over one key
The driver needs a single working key. Keep your spare. An alarm that arms itself on a moving trailer will drain the battery by Georgia.
Check for leaks and low clearance
A fluid leak means the car cannot go on an upper deck above someone else's vehicle. A lowered car may need a specific trailer with a longer ramp angle — tell us at booking, not on the day.
On the day
What happens at pickup and delivery
The Bill of Lading is the document that matters. It records the vehicle's condition at pickup and again at delivery, and it is signed by whoever is standing there — which is why choosing your release and receiving contacts carefully is worth doing.
- The driver inspects the vehicle and records existing damage on the Bill of Lading
- You (or your designated contact) review that record before signing
- You keep a copy — photograph it if you are handed paper
- At delivery, inspect before signing, in daylight if at all possible
- Note anything new on the delivery copy before the driver leaves
- Claims are filed with the motor carrier, which insures the vehicle in transit
- We help you document and push a claim through, but we are not the insurer
Questions
Vehicle preparation, answered
Can someone else release my vehicle in Minnesota?
Can someone else receive my vehicle in Naples?
Can I put belongings in my car?
What should I do with my SunPass or E-ZPass?
How much fuel should be in the vehicle?
How does Minnesota winter weather affect pickup?
Who you are dealing with
Enterprise Auto Transport
- Serving customers since 2012
- BBB Accredited Business | A+ Rating
- Federally licensed and bonded auto transport broker
- USDOT #2273104
- MC #774106
- Owner-operated
- Phone: (239) 273-4649
Enterprise Auto Transport is a broker, not a motor carrier. We evaluate carriers and arrange your shipment; a separate, federally licensed trucking company physically moves the vehicle, carries the cargo insurance on it and issues the Bill of Lading. You should always know which carrier has your car.
How we verify carriers · Fraud prevention centre · Broker vs. carrier explained
Ready when your car is
Tell us the two ends and the window. We will walk you through the rest before the driver is assigned.