Buying a car online or from a dealer hundreds of miles away is now completely normal. The one part that still makes people nervous is the bit in the middle: getting the car from the seller’s forecourt to your driveway in the same condition it left in. Here is how vehicle delivery works for a distance purchase, and how to protect yourself.
Driven or transported?
There are two ways your car can reach you, and the right one depends mainly on the vehicle.
- Driven means a professional trade-plate driver collects the car and drives it to you. To be driven, a vehicle must be roadworthy with a current MOT. On driven jobs the tax is covered as part of the service, so there is nothing for you to arrange.
- Transported means the car travels on a transporter and never touches the road under its own power. If a car is not roadworthy, has no current MOT, is brand new, or is simply too valuable to add miles to, it goes on a transporter instead.
For most everyday used cars bought online, either method works. For something newer, lower-mileage or higher-value, many buyers prefer transport so the car arrives with no extra miles on the clock.
The covered option for prestige cars
If you have bought something special, a prestige saloon, a sports car, or a low-mileage modern classic, you can request covered or enclosed transport. This keeps the car away from road grime, stone chips and the weather for the entire journey. It is the standard choice for the private and prestige buyers we look after, and it means the first time you see your car is exactly as the seller described it.
Why the condition report matters most
When you buy at a distance, you usually cannot inspect the car in person before it travels. That is the single biggest reason a proper condition report matters.
Every movement we carry out includes a digital photo condition report at both collection and delivery. This gives you:
- A clear, time-stamped record of how the car looked when it left the seller.
- A matching record of how it looked when it reached you.
- Instant proof of delivery so there is never any doubt the car arrived.
If anything is queried later, there is photographic evidence from both ends rather than one person’s word against another’s. Every movement is also fully insured, so the car is protected in transit.
What to check on handover
When the car arrives, take a few minutes before you sign anything. A calm, methodical check now saves a great deal of hassle later.
- Walk around the whole car. Look down each panel in good light for fresh scratches, dents or chips, and check the wheels and bumpers.
- Compare against the collection photos. The driver will have the condition report; use it to confirm the car matches how it left the seller.
- Check the basics. Lights, mileage against the advert, the spare or repair kit, the number of keys, and the service book or any paperwork you were promised.
- Look underneath the obvious. Open the boot and bonnet, and check the interior for anything that was not there before.
- Note anything before you sign. If you spot something, raise it at handover so it is recorded on the report. Once you have signed off the delivery, you are confirming the car arrived as shown.
Do not feel rushed. A good delivery service expects you to look the car over properly.
Getting a price
The cost of delivering a car you have bought online depends on a few simple things: the distance, whether it is driven or transported, whether you want a covered option, and how quickly you need it. Rather than guess, it is always best to get a fixed-price quote for your exact journey so there are no surprises.
We have been moving cars across the UK since 1990, from everyday runabouts to a Bentley Bentayga, and we are members of the BVRLA. If you have bought a car at a distance and want it delivered safely with a full photo record at both ends, get a fixed-price quote and we will take care of the journey for you.
