Your car won’t start. Or it does start, but the steering’s locked. Or the gearbox just gave up halfway to Tesco. Or you’ve won a Cat S salvage at Copart UK and need it moved 200 miles.
Whatever the reason, you need a “non-runner recovery” service — a transport driver with the equipment and insurance to move a vehicle that can’t drive itself.
This guide breaks down your three main UK options, what drives the price, the equipment your driver needs to bring, and the insurance details that protect you if things go wrong.
In UK transport terms, a non-runner is any vehicle that can’t be driven onto a transporter under its own power. Common categories:
Each of these requires slightly different equipment from the transport driver. The “won’t start with locked steering” non-runner needs a winch AND skates or dollies. The “burned out chassis” needs a flatbed.
If you have breakdown cover with the AA, RAC or another provider, your policy may include recovery — sometimes only to a local garage, sometimes to a destination of your choice, depending on your level of cover.
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Roadside breakdowns where you need to get home or to a local garage. Not usually suited to pre-planned moves (e.g. salvage auction pickups).
Typical cost: Included in your cover if your policy includes recovery. Check what your level of cover includes before relying on it.
UK recovery companies that send transport trucks to roadside or planned pickup locations.
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Larger vehicles, fleet operators, or when you need a single accountable provider.
Typical cost: Quoted by the company, based on distance, the vehicle and its condition, and access. Ask for a written quote that says what’s included.
Online marketplaces such as A1 Transporter let you post a job and receive quotes from several independent drivers.
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Pre-planned non-runner moves, auction pickups, salvage transport, cross-UK relocations.
Typical cost: Set by each driver’s quote — compare several before you choose.
This is where some cheaper drivers cut corners. Before booking, check your driver has:
On A1 Transporter, you describe the vehicle’s condition when you post the job, drivers equipped for it can quote, and you can confirm the equipment they’ll bring in the chat before booking.
If a transport driver damages, loses, or has your vehicle stolen, who pays?
Goods-in-transit cover is what pays out if the vehicle is damaged or lost while the driver is carrying it. Check that the cover limit is at least the value of your vehicle. Depending on the policy, it can cover:
Marketplaces differ. On A1 Transporter, every driver must hold goods-in-transit insurance, and we check the certificate before they’re approved. Each quote shows how much cover that driver has, so you can choose one whose cover is at least your vehicle’s value. On other platforms, check what they require.
Many transport companies carry goods-in-transit cover, but policies can have limits and exclusions (e.g. Cat S, classic cars, racing vehicles). Always read the small print.
Informal couriers may not have GIT cover. They may have motor insurance that covers other people if they crash, but that won’t necessarily pay for damage to YOUR vehicle.
Never use a courier without GIT coverage, no matter how cheap. A cheap quote can turn into the loss of the vehicle’s full value.
Ask the driver:
If they hesitate or refuse, walk away.
There’s no fixed price for a non-runner move — each driver quotes for the job in front of them. These examples show what drives the price and what to tell drivers:
Whether your vehicle is roadside, at an auction yard, or in your driveway needing relocation, the recovery process is much the same:
Why is it a non-runner? Describe it clearly:
On a marketplace, you post the job once and drivers send their own quotes. State the non-runner status and details so the quotes reflect the equipment needed. On A1 Transporter, posting is free — no account needed, just an email address to receive quotes.
How long it all takes depends on distance and driver availability. Pre-booked moves are agreed with the driver; breakdown response times depend on your provider.
A slightly cheaper quote from an uninsured driver can cost you the vehicle’s full value if anything goes wrong. Always verify insurance.
Don’t book a driver without the right equipment for a Cat S non-runner. They may arrive, find they can’t load it, and leave — and you could end up paying for a wasted journey.
Some sellers leave the V5 in the car. The driver arrives, can’t verify ownership, and the pickup is delayed. Always keep the V5 with you.
“I trust the driver.” That trust evaporates when there’s transit damage and no proof. Make sure there are photos at pickup and drop-off — on A1 Transporter the driver takes them in the app, but it’s worth taking your own too.
Some recovery firms ask for the full price before they collect — often by bank transfer against an invoice. That can be normal, but only pay in advance a firm whose details you can check. On A1 Transporter, every quote shows the driver’s payment terms (for example on completion, or in full before collection) before you accept, and we check each driver’s V5, motor insurance and goods-in-transit certificate before approval. You pay only our service fee online, as the deposit; the driver’s price goes to the driver directly, on those terms.
Use breakdown cover (AA, RAC, etc.) if:
Use a dispatcher if:
Use a marketplace platform (A1 Transporter, etc.) if:
For planned non-runner moves — including Cat S/N salvage from Copart UK, BCA or Manheim — a marketplace lets you compare prices, insurance cover and notes from several drivers before you choose.
Sometimes — if the vehicle is mostly intact and has working brakes. For Cat S with structural damage, you need a flatbed transporter to avoid worsening the damage in transit.
It depends. Breakdown providers’ response times depend on your policy and how busy they are. For pre-booked moves, the collection date is agreed with the driver you choose — nothing is guaranteed, and same-day collection may cost more or may not be possible.
Not always. You can often authorise a representative (friend, garage, auction yard) to release the vehicle — agree it with the driver in advance. On A1 Transporter, the driver’s photos at pickup and delivery give you a record of the vehicle’s condition even if you aren’t there.
Most drivers can collect from anywhere accessible by their transporter. Multi-storey car parks may require manual push-out or a smaller transporter. Give the access details in your job.
Yes, if your driver’s goods-in-transit policy includes theft. Check that theft is covered and that the limit is at least your vehicle’s value.
A1 Transporter works in England, Scotland and Wales, so Northern Ireland isn’t covered. For a move to Northern Ireland, look for a transport company that runs the ferry route and check that the quote includes the crossing.
A1 Transporter App Ltd runs a UK online marketplace connecting customers with checked independent drivers across England, Scotland and Wales — including for non-runners and breakdown recovery. Before a driver is approved, we check their V5 (vehicle log book), motor insurance and goods-in-transit certificate.
Post a non-runner job: a1-transporter.co.uk