Moving a non-runner: the details that matter

Separate starting from movement

A car can fail to start while still rolling and steering normally. Another car might start but have a damaged wheel or a gearbox that will not release. Describe each part separately: does it run, roll and steer, and are the keys available?

If you do not know, say so. An untested assumption that the car rolls can result in unsuitable equipment being sent. Ask the seller or garage to confirm what it can safely establish.

Stored cars can change condition

A project left for months may have flat tyres, seized brakes or a battery that no longer powers the controls. A record of the last time it ran does not prove its present loading condition. Tell the operator how long it has stood and where it is parked.

Do not force seized parts or push a heavy car on a slope. Mention any missing wheel, damaged suspension or parts removed during repair. The operator needs an honest description of the current vehicle, not the car as it used to be.

Access is part of the job

A non-runner behind another vehicle, in a narrow garage or below a height barrier needs planning. Tell us about the approach and whether enough space can be made available. A photo from a safe place can help explain a difficult position.

Soft ground, a steep drive and low bodywork are also relevant. Moving the car a short distance to reach the loading point may itself require equipment, so do not leave that work out of the initial enquiry.

Prepare the receiving workshop

Tell the recipient that the car cannot drive. Ask where it can be unloaded, whether staff can receive it and what happens if arrival is outside normal hours. A workshop that works on the model may still be unable to accept it on the proposed day.

Arrange keys, release permission and a contact at both ends. For auction vehicles, confirm the release reference and site requirements. Payment for a vehicle does not necessarily mean the site has completed the release process.

Ask for a price based on those facts

Non-runner transport is not priced simply by saying how many miles are involved. Loading condition, access, size, equipment and timing can all matter. Give the complete picture before accepting a quote.

AtWheel can discuss suitable non-runner movements involving Hampshire and longer routes by arrangement. Use the enquiry planner or call with the registration, both locations and the condition details described here.

A non-runner example

Suppose a car has been sitting on a driveway while its gearbox is being repaired. It may be described as non-running, but that does not establish whether the wheels can rotate or whether parts underneath are secure. The collection enquiry needs the present mechanical and physical state relevant to loading.

Ask the person holding the vehicle which components have been removed and what can safely be moved. Do not instruct them to force a wheel, release an unfamiliar control or push the car on a slope just to answer a form question. Unknown is a valid answer that tells the operator further assessment is needed.

The receiving workshop should hear the same description. It needs a space and method for accepting the vehicle, not merely a booking in the diary for future repairs.

Four separate questions about movement

Ask whether the engine starts, whether the vehicle drives, whether the wheels roll and whether the steering moves. One answer does not establish the others. A car can start without transmitting drive, or fail to start while still rolling and steering normally. Missing keys may affect access and controls even where the original mechanical fault is unrelated.

If the person holding the car cannot confirm a detail, record it as unknown. Do not ask them to push the vehicle on a slope, force a control or work underneath it simply to satisfy a checklist. A clear account of uncertainty allows the operator to decide what further information or assessment is needed.

A workshop collection can change after the first enquiry

Suppose a car is booked to move between repairers. When the enquiry is made, it still has its wheels and suspension fitted. Work may continue before collection, leaving it in a different state. The transport instruction must describe the condition at release, not the condition when the first phone call was made. Ask the workshop to report changes before the agreed collection.

Explain any parts removed, loose items or fluids that require attention by the people responsible for the vehicle. A transport booking is not authorisation to complete unfinished repair work. The releasing workshop and receiving workshop should agree what state the car is in and how it can be accepted.

Storage surfaces and blocked access

A non-runner on firm, open ground differs from one inside a crowded garage or on soft ground. Describe the surface, entrance and available approach. Mention flat tyres, vegetation or stored items around the car, but do not attempt unsafe clearance or movement to make the position look easier. The operator needs the real access conditions.

For a rural property, give the property name and gate rather than relying on a broad postcode. For a business compound, establish how a driver is admitted and who can locate the vehicle. If keys are held somewhere else, arrange that handover before collection. Otherwise a correctly planned journey can still reach a car that is not ready to be released.

A receiving plan for an immobile vehicle

Talk to the recipient before confirming the destination. They need to know whether the car can be moved after unloading and what space is available. A garage may require a particular position so it can later bring the vehicle into the workshop. A private owner may need to keep access to another vehicle or a shared driveway clear.

Do not assume a non-runner can be left anywhere and repositioned easily later. Agree the intended unloading place and a named person who can receive it. Tell the recipient the same wheel, steering and key information given to the transporter. Consistent details at both ends help prevent an otherwise routine delivery becoming a separate handling problem.

What the transport quotation should describe

Provide both addresses, the current condition, access and preferred timing. Planned non-runner transport is quoted individually, so the £100 standard recovery call-out should not be treated as a fixed total. Ask what work is included and how a change of vehicle condition would be handled. Keep any updated description and price with the original enquiry for reference.