Non-Runner Recovery
A non-runner is any vehicle that cannot move under its own power, and often will not roll or steer either. Those are the jobs where a rope and a friend with a 4x4 go badly wrong. We move non-runners properly, on a flatbed, with a winch.
What counts as a non-runner
This is the broadest category we handle. It covers:
- Seized or stripped engines
- Vehicles with no keys, or a lost or failed immobiliser
- Long-term SORN vehicles that have not moved in years
- Project and restoration cars, part-stripped or in bare shell
- Barn finds and garage clearances
- Vehicles with flat, locked or missing wheels
- Cars sold at auction or online that will not drive away
Why a flatbed and a winch matter here
A vehicle that will not roll cannot be towed on its own wheels without damaging the tyres, the transmission or the brakes. A vehicle that will not steer cannot be towed at all.
Winching onto a flatbed sidesteps both problems. The vehicle is pulled on, strapped down and carried, which is also the only sensible way to move something that is part-stripped or structurally delicate.
Tell us the awkward bits when you call
Non-runners are where the details change the job. It is worth mentioning any of the following up front, because it affects the equipment and the time needed:
- Whether the wheels turn and the steering is unlocked
- Whether you have keys
- If it is on a driveway behind another car, or in a garage
- If it has been sat long enough for the tyres to have gone flat or the brakes to have seized
- Whether anything is missing, such as wheels, doors or glass
SORN and off-road vehicles
A SORN vehicle must not be driven on a public road, but there is nothing stopping it being transported on the back of a recovery truck. That is the legal way to move it to an MOT, a garage or a new owner.
Common questions
The car has no keys at all. Can you still move it?
Yes. No keys means no steering and often a locked transmission, which is a winch-on job. It is routine work for a flatbed.
It has been on a driveway for eight years. Will the tyres be a problem?
Flat or perished tyres are common on long-stood vehicles and are not a blocker, though they do make winching slower. Mention it so we allow the time.
Can you collect a project car I have bought online?
Yes. Buying an unseen non-runner from an online listing is one of the most common reasons people call us.
Do you move part-stripped shells?
Yes, including vehicles with no engine, no interior or no glass. Tell us what is missing so we can plan how to secure it.