How to MARK your Paint?

[TheFrankenberry]

Hello AGers,

I'll soon be shipping two cars back from Hawaii to the mainland. I shipped my wife's car over here without issue a few years ago, but that is far from the norm.

Typically, it is nothing but horror stories about the major marine shipper, or the other two smaller players. Cracked windshields, scratches, dents, damaged interiors, you-name-it. Though you do an inspection with them on drop-off, pick-up is done when your car has come off the boat and covered in filth. So minor damage is usually caught after the fact when you're SOL because you signed the pick-up inspection form. Or if you do catch the damage, you file a claim that they're in no hurry to process, and may or may not come of anything.

So my question for yins, what can I mark my paint with? The car must be clean for drop-off, and so it will. But I want to highlight the minor scratches, chips and dings I've acquired in the last 7 months, so it'll make the pick-up inspection easier. And I will be taking a full bottle of quick detailer and a pile of my best microfibers with me to quickly see under the filth.

[Flash Gordon]

Use one of Mike's inspection forms. Go over it with the shipper and have him/her sign off on it

[spiralout462]

Masking tape?

[Pampered Paint]

How about trying a Dixon white grease pencil

[SYMAWD]

Perhaps cover them in transport wrap. It shouldn't cost you too much if you are that concerned.

[GreatAvalon]

I was thinking of a way to wrap your paint. I have seen someone do it with painters tape when taking a long road trip lol. Pictures looked cool.

[jamesboyy]

how about auto writer body panel markers another suggestion would be tape

[swanicyouth]

Dip your finger in some sealant or liquid wax - circle what you need to circle via finger painting. Then, when car arrives - wash it and buff it off.

100% paint safe.

[TheFrankenberry]

Use one of Mike's inspection forms. Go over it with the shipper and have him/her sign off on it

That's a novel idea, but I don't think their employee inspector signing off on a form of my own would go very far. I do plan on video documenting the inspection which I will make sure is precise in its details.


Masking tape?

I thought of that, but didn't want something that could be so easily ripped off or moved about.


How about trying a Dixon white grease pencil

That's along the lines of was thinking of. I have a white windshield marker, that I use to remind the dealership not wash my car after a service, but didn't know if it'd be paint-safe (doesn't say anything on what's left of the label).


Perhaps cover them in transport wrap. It shouldn't cost you too much if you are that concerned.

That would protect it, but I have a $400 car cover that would also do the job. However, it ain't allowed.


how about auto writer body panel markers another suggestion would be tape

BINGO! That's exactly what I need to mark off the current issues. It will make it quick and easy for the pick-up inspector and I to assess what was existing and what is new.


Dip your finger in some sealant or liquid wax - circle what you need to circle via finger painting. Then, when car arrives - wash it and buff it off.

100% paint safe.

Good idea, but not vivid enough for me - especially after the filth of the 5 week Hawaii-Pacific Ocean-Panama Canal-Caribbean Sea-Atlantic Ocean-East Coast port trip. I'm hoping a wash, Ultima Paint Guard Plus reseal, and layering of Collinite 845 will help out some (at least that's what my mind wants to think).

Thanks for the brainstorming session fellas - a lot of good ideas. And especially to JAMESBOYY for the AutoWriter pens - :dblthumb2:

[aim4squirrels]

Big balloon tires and drive it there yourself.

[Coach Steve]

I use a white Crayola crayon all the time (unless the car is white, then I use a colored crayon) when I want to mark something on a car as I do the walk-around.

[Scott@IncrediblyDetailed]

Mask the entire car (obviously so it's still drivable) or use protection film.

That is your best option, if any part of the tape is removed or damaged you know it happened in their care.

[BlackRam]

Who are you using to ship your car? I ask because I am in the industry

[oldmodman]

How much more would it be to just containerize it? And put a desiccant package in there with it.

[Desertnate]

I shipped my cars to both Hawaii and Europe and back. From what I remember, the vehicle was containerized going to Hawaii and in a roll-on/roll-off carier going to Europe.

The only problem I had was coming back from Hawaii. Apperently they didn't turn off the headlights somewhere in transit and killed my battery. I too had heard all the horor stories (the ship that left for Europe before the one carrying my car had a fire that destroyed about 20 vehicles), but I never had any damage.

If you are shipping this for the government, they will go over every inch of the exterior and mark EVERYTHING, to include every stone chip if you have them. Coming back from Europe they even documented some of the deeper RIDS and some etching from bug strikes.