How to prepare a car for transport

Confirm what has actually been booked

Check the collection address, delivery address, vehicle and agreed timing. Make sure the person meeting the driver knows the arrangement. If a seller, garage or auction is releasing the car, confirm that it has authority to do so.

A booking is not complete merely because a form has been filled in. AtWheel confirms the job after checking the route, vehicle condition, access and price. Keep those details consistent when speaking to everyone involved.

Make the vehicle accessible

Remove obstacles around the car where it is safe to do so. Tell the operator about gates, height limits, slopes and narrow entrances before collection day. Do not move an unsafe car onto a public road in an attempt to make loading easier.

Check whether keys are available and whether the vehicle can be unlocked. If it has been standing, do not assume the wheels still roll. Tell the operator about flat tyres, seized brakes, an electronic parking brake or steering that does not move.

Record condition and loose items

Take clear photographs of the car before handover when it is safe. Note existing marks or damage and discuss how condition will be recorded at collection and delivery. Photographing a car does not replace an agreed handover record.

Remove unnecessary personal possessions. If spare parts, wheels or documents need to travel, list them and agree their handling rather than leaving them loose in the vehicle. Explain alarms, unusual starting controls or battery isolation switches.

Arrange the receiving end

The destination should know the car is coming and in what condition. A garage needs space to receive a vehicle that may not drive off the transporter. Ask who will accept the keys and whether the premises will be open.

If an unattended handover is being considered, agree it explicitly. A driver should not be expected to guess where a non-runner can be left. Parking permission, secure access and the recipient’s instructions need to be clear.

Tell us about changes early

If the car develops a fault, the seller changes the collection time or the destination moves, contact AtWheel before the job starts. A different address or loading condition can affect the equipment, route and price.

Use the transport enquiry flow to gather the vehicle, condition and route details. The resulting request is the basis for a checked quote; it is not an automatic guarantee of availability or a confirmed booking.

A short handover checklist

Before collection, check the registration against the booking, confirm the owner’s release permission and make sure the keys are with the person meeting the driver. Check that any payment or auction release issue has already been resolved. The transport driver should not arrive to discover the car cannot be released.

At delivery, make sure the recipient knows whether the vehicle runs, rolls and steers. Provide the correct entrance, not only the postal address. Agree how condition and keys will be recorded and avoid leaving the driver to choose an unattended drop-off location.

If there are changes, use the same booking contact or reference so the updated information stays attached to the job. A different destination, missing key or newly discovered locked wheel should be communicated before collection.

Agree who can release the car

The person arranging transport may be different from the person holding the vehicle. Confirm that the seller, workshop or storage site knows the collection has been authorised. Give the registration and any release reference and establish who will physically provide the keys. A truck arriving at the correct address is not enough if nobody there has permission to hand over the car.

Check the site’s collection hours and any appointment procedure. A reception desk, sales office and storage compound may operate differently. If the car has moved since the enquiry, supply the new position and access details. Keep the main contact available during the agreed window so practical questions can be answered without a chain of unanswered messages.

Describe access from the road to the vehicle

Look at the actual approach when it is safe to do so. Mention gates, narrow turns, height barriers, steep changes in level and the surface where the car is parked. Explain whether other vehicles or stored items obstruct the route. Do not assume the transport vehicle can follow the same path as a passenger car simply because both use the same address.

For a multi-storey or underground car park, give the floor, bay and entrance. For a rural property, the property name and correct gate can be essential. Safe photographs may clarify the arrangement, but there is no need to reposition an undriveable car to improve a picture. Describe it as it is and let the operator assess the collection.

Create a simple list of keys and accompanying items

Agree which keys, documents and items will travel with the vehicle. Remove valuables and anything you will need while the car is away when practical and safe. If spares or loose components must be included, discuss them before collection. Do not assume a pile of parts left in the boot is automatically part of the agreed movement.

Tell the operator about an alarm, immobiliser or normal access requirement that affects handover. Do not share unrelated personal information or payment details in collection notes. The useful information is what the authorised driver and receiving person need to identify, release and accept the vehicle. Keep a copy of that agreed list for delivery.

Prepare the destination for the condition being delivered

A car that cannot move under its own power needs a suitable receiving position. Ask the garage, buyer or storage site where it should be unloaded and who will be there. Explain locked wheels, missing keys or a steering fault in advance. The recipient should not discover at arrival that the car cannot simply be driven into a workshop or garage.

At handover, check the agreed keys and items and discuss any condition record. Raise concerns promptly using the operator’s contact route. If you cannot be present, appoint a recipient who understands the instructions. A clear plan at the receiving end is just as important as preparing the car at collection.

Report changes instead of improvising around them

If repairs continue after booking, the loading condition can change. A removed component, discharged battery or newly locked brake should be reported before the truck attends. The same applies to a changed destination or unavailable keyholder. Ask for the practical and pricing implications to be checked rather than assuming the original quotation still describes the job.