Car transporters
Ill be driving one similar to this has anyone got any tips for me?.
Im a little nervous about the bridges 
but happy to be doing the job so any help would be appreciated.
Can I get bridge heights for garmin?.
allways measure it and watch out for lamposts traffic lights and connifer trees! get a tennis ball and dangle it off a bit of rope on the furthest point forward on the offside corner! you will need to go round corners in a completely new way but you’l get the hang of it!
also, only use main roads cos the trees are hanging really low at the moment and even lower after its rained!
buy a bridge height map( amazon do the new hard back one for 13 quid, 20 in shops) never go by sat crap.
stick yer head out of the window when putting cars on. if your unsure about the width keep it tight on the side you can see and get out the passenger side till used to where the car needs to be. dont be nesh and stupid and you’l be fine!
Ive never had any experience of transporters , but Ive heard trees are a issue scratching the cars on the top. Ive also seen the top rear cars break lights stuck on being used as marker lights perhaps 
It is one job that would fill me with fear if i was staring out - good luck with it 
Ive driven a few things in my life but never one of these the money is good for a 45 hours a week so i really cant say no to it and currently I work every second saturday on this job theres no saturdays no nights out and an 08:30 start until 17:30 finishing at 16:00 on a friday 
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Im a little apprehensive of the truck but hopefully that will go with experiance I applied for this job 2 years ago and the guy sent me a really nice letter to say he liked my cv and would keep it on file normally i dont listen to things like that but he did and phoned me the other day went for the interview and got offered the job.
As long as I stick to main roads and motorways I should hopefully be ok…
The job is for a car auction company who pick up trade ins from main dealers so hopefully the odd scratch here and there wont be noticed 
Might even bag myself a bargain sometimes.
Check the cars carefully and get a signature for any damages before you load them (spare wheels and tools as well), lost count of the times an auction house tried to claim for damage to the cars or missing wheels, even after it was signed for.
Carry full cans of petrol and diesel with you, main dealers wont give you any if the car is empty, jump leads and/or a battery pack is a must as if the car has been sitting for a while the battery will be nazzed ( either that or the apprentice has swopped it over for his blinged up saxo).
well done on your new job jammymutt. 
if your driving one like the transporter engineering 9 plus in your picture,pm me if you need any loading info etc.
1)bin your sat nav(seriously it will land you in trouble)
2)buy a bridge height map,and use this to cross reference with a-z.
3)industry standard is a maximum running height of 16"0,but it is known to run at 16" and a tadger.
i personally will not go at more than 16"1.its amazing the difference an inch makes).
4)dont be worried at the types of car you carry,ie all get treated the same be it a lada or a aston martin.if you start thinking in terms of cost per car,you start to stress about doing damage.
5)dont believe any hype or horror storys about driving an artic with a peak deck.once you get the hang of it(and you quickly will) its a doddle.believe me i wish i had my old one back,they are really quick to load and tip.
6)make sure you have a height stick
7)make sure all damage is noted at the collection point.
bridges dont cause the biggest problem,trees do,use centre of road.i often come to a standstill,indicate,and pull out to overtake the trees.(expect a pull off the plod and a blow into the bag sir)
9)take control in traffic situations and make it clear to other road users what your intentions are(you will see what i mean),sometimes you need vehicles to move so you can get that peak deck round.ALWAYS REMEMBER with that type of vehicle,concentrate on getting the front through,then the back end second.
10)if you are unsure as to where your peak deck is on a right lock where your deck goes to the left (it takes a while to get used to) tie a tennis ball on some string on the passanger side front top deck.(you can see that at all times).
oh and just more more thing,always measure your height at anytime during you journey if you have altered the decks.its amazing how many people have guessed and got it very wrong.
i think thats enough to be getting on with for now.if you need my mobile number foe any help pm me,i will ring you back if needed.dont worry,im not a stalker,but will help out anyone if i can.
most of all,do not rush or be rushed and dont stress,go and have a cuppa.to some,speed will come with experience.just be sensible and think ahead.give it time,its not everyones cup of tea,it took me 6 months to get fully up to speed.
Thank you so ■■■■ much for the reply mate i tried to send you a pm but it didnt work typed out bloody loads as well !!!
It would be nice to speak to you on the phone if possible ill try pm again .
This is going to sound like a strange question 
… But how on earth do you get the front car onto the top deck like that? (backwards and uphill)
Is it just a test of pure nerves, reversing up and along the full length of the truck, and then hoping the handbrake holds, or is it a lot simpler than that?
Dont pish on a car that you are about to deliver,even if it is a Skoda 
bhworld:
This is going to sound like a strange questionIs it just a test of pure nerves, reversing up and along the full length of the truck, and then hoping the handbrake holds, or is it a lot simpler than that?
Thats kinda funny but at the interview the guy mentioned that he said dont worry cos if the wheels go over the ridge the car wont apparently they stop…I really dont want to find that out.
My own car is a VE Passat so hopefully I can get one of them on first and reverse it up the top .
alltypesautos.co.uk/Images/c … porter.jpg look at the Rover on the top front of this one look how deep the wheels are in to the groove youve got to be an idiot to get in that groove and then put a bit of power on to reverse over the top.
when uve dropped off the cars / vans make sure u leave the keys with the customer
cause u dont want a phone call when ur 200 miles away when theve found out they dont have the keys or u realise uve got the kes in ur pocket
farmer:
when uve dropped off the cars / vans make sure u leave the keys with the customercause u dont want a phone call when ur 200 miles away when theve found out they dont have the keys or u realise uve got the kes in ur pocket
LOL im laughing but im sure its happened before,I asked the guy at the interview what they do with the keys he said just leave them in the ignition.
I presume it handbrake pulled on tight and left in gear then strap the wheels or chassis?.
I have a bit of mechanical knowledge and after talking to the guy he said he doesnt want idiots who strap over the drive shafts I laughed…but i didnt actually know where under the car you DO starp them wishbones? chassis holes? holes in wheels? over the bonnet lol hmmm…
Well done on your new job! Getting into the car transport industry in its current state is not easy…
A few ideas for you…
You mentioned about damage. Inevitably you will cause some damage to cars, or you will notice damage on a car after you have picked it up with a clean signature (like when you stop at the services for a pee). When delivering, if the dealer gives you a clean signature for the car, they have no comeback for anything they find later on the vehicle.
There are a few ways to make it easier to obtain a clean signature:
- If you know a certain part of a car has damage, start a meaningless conversation when the dealer has got to that section of the vehicle on their walkaround check. The best one I find is to ask for directions how to get back to the motorway, etc. (even though you already know). It distracts them from their job and they aren’t focused on that alloy wheel you scraped taking the car off the truck. Sounds stupid but it works…
- Dents on cars are spotted by how the light plays down a panel so anything that breaks up the light is useful. A bit of toothpaste washed around your mouth and spat out looks like bird mess. Coke poured on a panel when you’ve got to travel to the drop with the damaged car ensures all the crud on the road will stick to it and disguise anything nasty you don’t want the customer to see. Utilise any resource to hand, oil from your deck runners, mud, polish, etc. New cars often come covered with sticky back plastic, which can be peeled off and relocated elsewhere on the vehicle. Always keep a can of Tipp-Ex for shifting panel vans, and shoe polish for bumpers.
- Another stupid one. If one side of a vehicle has damage, park that side tight up against something on the dealers forecourt. It makes it harder to inspect the car and dealers like all humans are naturally lazy and won’t move the car to inspect it properly. Likewise, on a bright sunny day, always try and find that nice shady spot on the forecourt to drop the car.
- Beware of vehicles with low front valances. The plus 9 transporter is not a modern piece of kit and the approach angle when driving cars up the deck is steeper than more modern designs. Cars like the Saab 93 Aero or Toyota Avensis should always be loaded on the lower decks on your kind of truck because the approach angle is shallower. You’ll be amazed how many cars will ground out (but they’re auction cars so it doesn’t really matter!)
- If you do damage a car taking it off the truck, catch the front bumper on the deck or clip an alloy, do not get out of the vehicle and check to see what you have done in sight of the dealer as you are just drawing attention to it. Just act naturally and carry on doing what you’re doing.
- If you think I sound like Arthur Daley, remember, driving an auction truck you will be delivering to second hand car dealers. They will not neccessarily be totally honest when selling the vehicle to their customer so you need not feel totally bad being a bit devious delivering the car. Damage to cars will be charged to your company so you don’t want to let the bills mount up, particularly when you are new in a job.
The biggest tip for the job is to just take your time. Remember when you’ve got a peak that when you turn left you can see the peak swing out of your drivers window and can track it round traffic lights or lamp posts, when you turn right the peak is invisible and you’re pretty much going on blind reckoning (apart from the ubiquitous hanging tennis ball). When I first started I always used to take the long way town to a delivery to avoid turning right until I got my confidence!
And lastly, and a bit controversially on a truckers website, your biggest hazard when driving will be fellow truck and bus drivers. Lamp posts and traffic lights are stationary and your peak will swing harmlessly over cars and vans - although the driver may duck in their seat (which is always a source of great amusement). Trucks and buses are mobile targets for your peak and the majority of truck and bus drivers who haven’t driven a transporter are unfortunately unaware what is about to happen when they try and pull alongside you on a roundabout or corner.
Most importantly of all, have patience with the job. It’s a frustrating, dirty and ball-aching job, particularly at first. You’ll probably want to quit several times in the first few weeks but give it at least 3 months before you decide on whether it is for you or not.
Good luck!
from my brief foray into car delivery
heres a few problems
how do you start it ignition key or button
wheres the handbrake big lever or switch or twisty thing
its run out of fuel oh well it only ways 400kg
oh i’m taking the electric van off thats what the wurring sound is
then theres the alarm setting things i’ve heard nightmare stories of mobile discos
well done on the job
i wouldnt want to be loading the peak cos i’m scred of heights
you may get something tasty
i did a 1939 Packard Super 8 last month
use too many straps to start with
then reduce with confidence
some places always need 4
this is what i,ve been told
be methodical
right i’m off to apply the above
Well Done Jammy. You will enjoy it, in fact I am a little jealous of you. Tried for a couple of Auction jobs in the past but was never successful. I doubt it will happen now as my back legs and hips have given up on me.
When you get the truck, spend an hour putting your own car on and off it, you will be more confident of a car you already know.
hitch:
from my brief foray into car deliveryheres a few problems
how do you start it ignition key or button
wheres the handbrake big lever or switch or twisty thing
its run out of fuel oh well it only ways 400kg
oh i’m taking the electric van off thats what the wurring sound is
then theres the alarm setting things i’ve heard nightmare stories of mobile discoswell done on the job
i wouldnt want to be loading the peak cos i’m scred of heightsyou may get something tasty
i did a 1939 Packard Super 8 last month
ohh yes ive personally gone from aberdeen all the way to coventry with a merc on the back ond me arm out the window resetting the alaarm every 5 minutes!!! all cause i couldnt find out how to turn off the movement senseor thingy
and on the subject of keys
i once delivered two vans to atlantic telecom bellshill vans off the night before
and my next two cars loaded that morning off one of our other transporers
guys come in at 7.30 sign for the vans and off i sett for corwall
6.30ish that evening i gets a phone calll " neil fars the keys for the vans at bellshill"
Wheel Nut:
Well Done Jammy. You will enjoy it, in fact I am a little jealous of you. Tried for a couple of Auction jobs in the past but was never successful. I doubt it will happen now as my back legs and hips have given up on me.When you get the truck, spend an hour putting your own car on and off it, you will be more confident of a car you already know.
Got to admit my knees and back area bit dodgy but im sure thats from being a lazy ■■■■■■■ hoefully ill get some excercise on this job.