Ground clearance

Ground clearance is the smallest gap under the car: exhaust, splitter, oil pan, or side skirt, whichever hangs lowest. Car carriers load on a slope. A car that clears a speed bump can still drag on a steep ramp. Lowered cars and long front splitters are the usual problem. Lifted trucks have the opposite problem: they may be too tall for an enclosed door.

How to measure#

Park on level pavement with normal tire pressure. Measure from the ground to the lowest point, in inches, at the front and along the rocker. Write the number down and tell the carrier before booking. Do not use a number from a brochure for a different trim, and do not use a guess from a quote form. A vehicle decoder can identify the model. It does not know your springs, your tires, or your aftermarket kit. RideShipper will not print a clearance it did not measure.

How it differs from an operable vehicle#

A car can start, steer, brake, and roll and still not clear the ramp. Operable answers whether it runs. Clearance answers whether it fits the loading angle. If you are unsure, send photos of the front lip and ask the carrier what ramp angle they use. The driver is the person who has to get the car on the trailer without damage.