Once you’ve won, the auction’s clock is running: payment deadlines, collection rules and, after a short free period, daily storage charges. This guide compares five ways to get the car home — driving it, trade plates, a recovery firm, a car transporter and marketplace quotes — and what each auction says about deadlines.
Each auction sets its own terms, and they change. These are taken from the auctions’ own published pages, checked on 2 October 2026; your invoice and account have the terms that apply to your lot.
The practical point: get transport sorted before the free period runs out — ideally get quotes before you bid.
Possible only if the car is roadworthy and legal to drive. According to GOV.UK:
It isn’t an option at Copart, where vehicles can’t be driven out. And a Cat S car has structural damage, so it may not be roadworthy until it’s properly repaired.
Suits: a nearby car that you know is roadworthy, with tax, MOT and insurance sorted.
GOV.UK explains that trade licence plates are for motor traders, dealers, testers and businesses that collect or deliver vehicles. With trade plates displayed, a vehicle can be driven for certain purposes without being registered and taxed. As a private buyer you can’t apply for them, but you can book a business that holds them to drive the car for you.
Suits: a car that drives, where you don’t want to sort tax first. Watch out for: it still has to be safe to drive, it adds miles, it won’t work for a non-runner or at Copart, and you should ask what insurance covers your car while it’s being driven.
A recovery truck usually takes one vehicle and has a winch, so it can load a non-runner. You deal with one company and get one price.
Suits: non-runners and urgent collections. Watch out for: you’ll need several quotes to compare, and you should check the firm’s goods-in-transit limit.
Transport firms move the car on a transporter. BCA and Manheim also offer their own delivery — ask how the car will be moved and whether it needs to run.
Suits: buyers who want the auction or one firm to handle it. Watch out for: BCA delivery must be arranged before you pay the invoice; for other firms, ask what the price includes and when they can collect.
On a marketplace you post the job once and drivers or transport providers quote. Shiply and uShip work this way; AnyVan gives an instant price instead.
On A1 Transporter, posting is free and you don’t need an account to get quotes. Give the auction site’s postcode and yours, the car, and whether it drives; checked, independent drivers send their own prices, each showing their Goods in Transit cover in pounds. Put the lot number and any storage deadline in the notes. You can chat with drivers before booking, there’s no obligation until you accept a quote, and a booking fee is shown before you accept. We cover England, Scotland and Wales. We’re new, so on some routes you may get few quotes, or none.
Suits: comparing several prices, runners and non-runners. Watch out for: quotes aren’t guaranteed, so post early.
| Option | Non-runners? | Main thing to check |
|---|---|---|
| Drive it home | No | Tax, MOT, insurance; not possible at Copart |
| Trade plate driver | No | Insurance while driven; not possible at Copart |
| Recovery firm | Yes | Price in writing; goods-in-transit limit |
| Transporter or auction delivery | Ask | BCA: arrange before paying the invoice |
| Marketplace quotes | Yes, if you describe the condition | Each driver’s cover and collection date |
Copart’s New Member Guide says vehicles cannot be driven away from a Copart Operation Centre, so plan for transport.
It depends on the auction and your account. Manheim says 3 working days of free storage from the sale; at BCA it depends on your MyBCA loyalty level (from day 2 to day 5; your invoice shows the date); for Copart, check your account and invoice.
Yes. Knowing the transport cost helps you set a sensible maximum bid. On A1 Transporter you can post the job free and say it depends on winning.
Post your auction collection for free and get quotes from checked drivers. Questions: [email protected]