How to Ship a Porsche Panamera
The Panamera’s problem is ground clearance, not value, and it is the number to have ready before you call anyone. Standard air suspension gives roughly 4.7 inches, and a Sport Turismo or a car on the sports suspension sits lower again. Below about 4 inches a standard steel ramp at its usual angle will catch the front lip or the exhaust before the car is halfway on. Measure yours at the lowest fixed point and give that figure with the booking.
Raise the Suspension, and Say So
Air suspension is the Panamera’s advantage here and it only helps if the driver knows about it.
Set the car to its highest ride height for loading, and show the driver how the control works before they get in. On cars with lift, engage it. If the system has a speed threshold that drops the car automatically, mention that too, because a car that lowers itself partway up a ramp is exactly the wrong moment for a surprise.
If the car is on coilovers or a lowering kit rather than air, say so plainly. That is a different conversation and it changes the equipment sent.
Enclosed Is the Right Answer Here
Most cars do not need enclosed transport. This one usually does, and for two separate reasons.
The first is the paintwork. Road grit and stone chips over a thousand miles on an open deck are a real cost on a car where a respray of a single panel runs into serious money.
The second is practical: enclosed carriers are far more likely to run a liftgate as standard, which raises the car horizontally onto the deck with no ramp angle at all. That is the cleanest solution to the clearance problem and it is why the two decisions tend to travel together.
Enclosed costs roughly 20 to 30 percent more than open. On a Panamera that is proportionate.
What the Carrier Needs to Know
Five things, and they take a minute.
Measured ground clearance at the lowest fixed point. Whether the suspension is adjustable and how. Whether there is a front splitter or lip that protrudes ahead of the wheels. Whether the car has a factory battery cut off or a specific transport mode. And whether it currently starts and drives.
On a hybrid Panamera, mention it. The battery adds weight over a comparable gasoline car and some carriers ask about state of charge for anything with a high voltage system.
Preparing It
The usual preparation applies, with a few things specific to this car.
Wash it so existing marks are visible, then photograph every panel in daylight, and specifically the front lip, the side skirts, the wheels and the underside. Those are the surfaces a ramp marks and they are the hardest to argue about afterwards without a picture.
Fold the mirrors, disable a motion sensitive alarm, and leave about a quarter tank of fuel. Empty the cabin completely, since personal items are not covered by cargo insurance. Remove or retract a rear spoiler if it is manually adjustable.
Hand over a key and make sure the driver can operate the car: the Panamera’s controls are not obvious to somebody who has never sat in one, and a driver working it out on a ramp is a risk you do not need.
Insurance and Value
Cargo insurance limits are set by the carrier, and a standard limit is frequently well below what a Panamera is worth.
Ask for the assigned carrier’s certificate of insurance once a carrier is named, and read the cargo limit against the car’s actual value rather than assuming it is covered. If the limit is short, that is a conversation to have before the car is loaded, not after.
At Delivery
Watch the unload if you can, and check the same surfaces first.
Inspect the front lip, the underside and the side skirts before signing, compare against your photographs, and note anything unexpected on the bill of lading while the driver is still there. Damage recorded at delivery is a claim; damage found the next morning usually is not.
Common Questions
Will a Panamera fit on a standard carrier? Often yes with the suspension raised, but ground clearance decides it. Measure and declare the figure.
Do I need enclosed transport? Usually worth it here, both for the paintwork and because enclosed carriers more often have a liftgate.
What is a liftgate trailer? One that raises the car horizontally onto the deck with no ramp angle. It is the cleanest answer for a low car.
Should I raise the suspension? Yes, to its highest setting, and show the driver how the control works before loading.
Is my car insured for its full value? Not automatically. Ask for the carrier’s cargo limit and compare it to what the car is worth.
Get a Quote
Call Ship A Car, Inc. at (866) 821-4555 with the ground clearance and both zip codes, or price the move with the instant calculator.
