You have found the car, it is the right one, and it does not start. Perhaps it has been sat in a barn for twenty years, or it is a project with the engine in boxes. It is easy to assume a car that cannot drive cannot be shipped. It can. It just needs a different route and a little more planning.
We ship non-runners. The two things that matter are that you tell us early, and that the car can still be rolled. The rest is about choosing the right method.
Why RoRo is usually out
RoRo means roll on, roll off. Port staff drive each car onto a car carrier, park it on a deck and drive it off at the other end. A car that cannot drive does not fit that system, so non-runners are often refused on RoRo, or cost extra to move where they are accepted.
That is why we treat RoRo as an option for cars that run and drive, and look elsewhere for everything else.
Why a container works
A container does not need the car to move under its own power. It is loaded with the correct equipment and loading procedure, strapped down, and the doors stay shut until it reaches us. It is the method we recommend for non-runners, as well as for classics, high-value and modified cars.
It also lands in the right place. The container comes to our site in Castle Donington, and our own team unloads it. We are not paid by the hour to empty boxes quickly, so a car that has to be rolled or winched out gets the time it needs.
| Feature | Container | RoRo |
|---|---|---|
| Takes non-runners | Yes, with special loading | Often refused, or extra cost |
| How it is loaded | With the right equipment, then strapped | Driven on by port staff |
| Sealed in transit | Yes | No |
| Unloaded at our site | Yes | No |
There is more on the trade-offs in container, RoRo or air and on our container shipping page.
Rolling chassis or not
Not running is one thing. Not rolling is another. Our enclosed transporters all have winches, and we can plan a collection for a non-runner so long as it is a rolling chassis.
In practice that means we need to be able to roll it, steer it and stop it. Seized wheels, no brakes or a car sitting on axle stands are all solvable, but they change the equipment and the price, so we need to know before anything is booked.
Tell us on the quote form. A non-runner booked as a runner is the one thing that causes real trouble on collection day. If we know in advance, we send the right truck and the right loading plan, and the job goes as planned.
What to tell us
Details for a non-runner quote
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Please ask us before putting loose parts inside the car. Some can travel with it, but they need to be agreed and declared, and RoRo cars are normally expected to be empty.
What it does to the price
A non-runner costs more to ship than the same car that drives. It needs the right trucks at collection, special loading into the container and more handling at our end. How much more depends on the car and how hard it is to move, so we price each one individually.
It is worth keeping in perspective, though. On a long route the container is often what we would have recommended anyway, so the extra is mostly in the loading rather than a different way of shipping. Our guide to what affects the cost of shipping a car covers the rest, and our shipping costs page has the guide prices by region.
The tax on a project car
Import tax is worked out on the price you paid plus the cost of getting the car here. A car from outside the EU pays 10% duty and 20% VAT; one from the EU pays 20% VAT. If it is over 30 years old, which many project cars are, it pays 5% VAT and no duty.
If the purchase invoice is more than 3 months old, a valuation is used instead. Keep the invoice, and any photos showing the car's condition when you bought it. The classic car guide goes into more detail on the 5% rate.
From collection to UK plates
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Before booking
Tell us it does not run
We plan the collection, the truck and the loading around the car.
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Collection
The right truck
We send trucks and a loading plan suited to a car that cannot move under its own power.
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At sea
In a container
Strapped down and sealed until it reaches our site.
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Arrival
Customs and unloading
We clear the car through customs and our own team unloads the container.
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When it is ready
Test and register
The car needs an IVA or MOT, depending on its age, before the DVLA will register it.
A car can only be registered once it has passed its test. An unregistered import may only go on public roads to a pre-booked test, insured, so a car that does not run is not going anywhere under its own steam until it is sorted. With testing on our site, it does not have to.
If the car is a long-term project, tell us when you ask for a quote and we will talk through the options for getting it to you before it is ready to test. Our guide to when your car arrives in the UK explains the steps in order.
Questions people ask
Can you ship a car that does not run?
Yes. A non-runner usually goes in a container, loaded with the right equipment and unloaded by our own team at our site. Tell us it does not run when you ask for a quote.
Can a non-runner go by RoRo?
Usually not. Port staff drive RoRo cars on and off, so non-runners are often refused or cost extra to move.
Does it cost more to ship a non-running car?
Yes, there is usually an extra cost for the trucks and special loading. How much depends on the car and how hard it is to move, so we price it individually.
What is a rolling chassis?
For our purposes, a car we can roll, steer and stop. Our enclosed transporters have winches, so a rolling chassis can be collected even if it does not start.
Can I register a project car straight away?
Only once it has passed its IVA or MOT, depending on its age. If it is a long-term project, tell us and we will talk through the options.
Found a non-runner worth saving? Describe it on the quote form and we will plan the right way to bring it home.
