Collect it yourself
Fine for the odd car if it's roadworthy, taxed and insured for you to drive, or you're covered by trade insurance. You'll still need a way to get to the site and back.
Dealer guide
How to get a car home from an auction.
You've won the car. Now it has to get from the auction site to your forecourt, ideally before storage charges start. Here are your options and what to check first.
Step one
Before you book anything.
Check the auction's paperwork for the collection rules. Most auction sites set a collection window, a release process and an address or bay for collections, and some charge storage if a car stays past a set time.
- Payment has cleared. Most sites won't release a car until it's paid for.
- You have the release reference and know how a third-party driver is authorised to collect.
- You know whether it's a runner. Check the condition report and any notes from the sale.
- Keys, documents and cables: find out what's released with the car and what's posted separately.
Your options
Three ways to move it.
A drive-away or trade plate driver
A driver travels to the site and drives the car back. Usually the quickest and cheapest option for roadworthy cars, as long as the driver is properly insured for the movement.
A transporter
The right choice for non-runners, damaged cars, high-value stock, or several cars from one sale. It usually costs more and needs more notice.
Not sure?
If the car's condition is unknown, book a transporter. A drive-away driver shouldn't move a car that turns out to be unsafe.
On the day
At collection.
Whoever collects should check the car against the description before it leaves the site. Photos of every panel, the wheels, the interior, the dashboard with mileage and fuel or charge, and any damage give you a record if something's wrong.
If the car doesn't match the description, or isn't safe to drive, it's better to raise it before it moves. Once it's left the site, it's harder to show what condition it was in.
Save money
Avoiding storage charges.
Book the move as soon as the sale is confirmed. Drivers and transporters need time to fit the collection in, and a late booking is the most common reason a car sits at the site and builds up storage.
- Give the collection window and site contact when you book.
- Make sure release is authorised before the driver arrives.
- Have someone ready to receive the car at your end.
Using MotorRelay
Post the collection, compare quotes.
On MotorRelay you post the collection with the release details and your forecourt address. Checked drivers quote, you choose one, and the driver records the car's condition with photos at collection. You pay after delivery, once you've confirmed the handover code. MotorRelay is independent and not connected to BCA, Manheim or any other auction company, so the auction's own release rules always apply.
Auction collections across the UK · How auction collection works on MotorRelay
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