Moving a non-running car in Girona

The question that decides how we approach a job is not whether the car starts but whether the wheels turn. A vehicle that rolls goes onto the truck by winch; one with locked wheels needs skates. In Girona we carry the equipment for both, as long as we are told in advance.

In Girona it is routine to move vehicles that are crossing into another country or have just entered Spain. It pays to confirm before loading that the plates, ownership and insurance all match what is actually being done.

What makes Girona different

International vehicle traffic on the AP-7 runs steadily all year round. The Barri Vell has very narrow medieval streets, some with steps.

Girona sits a short distance from La Jonquera, the main land border crossing into France. For general background on the area, the Girona entry on Wikipedia covers the basics.

Restoration projects and historic vehicles

A vehicle under restoration may be dismantled, without wheels, without brakes, or even without an engine. Each of those has a solution, but they need different approaches and sometimes specific lifting equipment.

Securing matters especially here. A vehicle with bodywork in progress does not have its usual anchor points available, so where to strap without deforming anything has to be worked out first.

Regulations that apply to moving a vehicle

Driving without a current ITV carries a fine and can result in the vehicle being immobilised under the rules the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) enforces. There is a larger problem behind it: in the event of an accident, your insurer may reduce or refuse cover entirely.

Royal Decree 920/2017 governing the ITV roadworthiness test allows a limited exception for travelling to a booked inspection, but it does not permit normal use of the vehicle. Any other journey requires it to be carried on a transporter.

The key question: does it roll?

A car that will not start is not necessarily a car that will not roll. They are different things and the distinction matters: a vehicle with no engine but free wheels loads almost like a running one.

The difficult case is a handbrake seized after months standing, very common in vehicles that have sat through a winter. It is solvable, but far better known before the truck arrives.

On international moves from Girona, insurance validity in the destination country is the point most worth verifying before loading.

The administrative side of the job

Moving a vehicle requires evidence of who the registered keeper is, or written authorisation from them. On non-runners, which often change hands, this is the point that most frequently causes delay.

If the vehicle is in a compound, a scrapyard or third-party premises, it is worth confirming in advance what documentation that specific location requires to release it.

When the car is in a basement

A vehicle in an underground car park is a geometry problem before it is a mechanical one. The transporter cannot go down, so the car has to come up to street level, and if it does not roll that has to be done with auxiliary equipment.

Measuring the entrance clearance and ramp width before the appointment avoids the worst outcome, which is a truck that arrives and can do nothing. A figure as simple as the headroom in metres changes the whole plan.

What counts as a non-running vehicle

A non-runner is any vehicle that cannot move under its own power: it will not start, will not select a gear, has locked steering or seized brakes. It does not necessarily mean the vehicle is damaged, only that right now it does not work.

The category covers very different situations, from a car that has sat in a garage for two years to one with a seized engine or a broken gearbox. What they share is that the only way to move them is on a transporter.

The quote and its variables

A realistic quote for a stationary vehicle needs three things: origin and destination, rolling condition, and access. With those, a fixed price can be given that will not change afterwards.

On long-distance moves the cost per kilometre falls noticeably. Moving a vehicle from one end of the country to the other does not cost proportionally the same as a short urban job.

Transport insurance: the question always worth asking

Before handing keys to anyone, ask one specific question: is the vehicle covered while it sits on the transporter, for how much, and against what. An operator working legally and registered with the Spanish Ministry of Transport can evidence that without difficulty.

The carrier's cover is not the same as your own motor policy. Your insurance covers driving; during transport it is the carrier's goods-in-transit policy that responds. Confusing the two is behind most of the disputes that arise.

There is more detail on non-runner transport, the full list on our services page, and you can reach us through contact for an assessment of your situation in Girona.

Details worth keeping in mind

Ask whether the price includes waiting time at loading and unloading. On moves to workshops, dealerships or compounds with slow procedures, that time can stretch, and it is worth knowing in advance how it is counted.

Check the overall height if the vehicle is a van, a camper or a 4x4 with roof accessories. The vehicle's height plus the deck height determines what the loaded truck can pass under.

Agree who signs for the vehicle at the destination. If it arrives at a closed workshop or an address where nobody is present, the driver cannot simply leave it, and waiting time or a second attempt both cost money.

Know where the spare wheel and tools are if the vehicle carries them. On long moves, a loose item in the boot shifts during the journey and can damage the interior or the trim.

Before the truck arrives, take the documentation, spare keys and anything valuable out of the vehicle. It travels unaccompanied, and items left inside are not covered as luggage.

Before confirming, check the quote is fixed rather than an estimate subject to surcharges. Extras for difficult access or a non-rolling vehicle should be clear from the outset.

Flag it if the vehicle has stood unused for a long period. Flat tyres, seized brakes or a completely dead battery all change how it has to be loaded.

If you need the vehicle by a fixed, immovable date, say so when booking rather than afterwards. With enough notice it can almost always be accommodated; with twenty-four hours, often not.

On keyless-start vehicles, remember the fob must travel with you or be handed over at the destination, but never left inside the car in transit. It is a more common oversight than you would think and leaves the vehicle locked on arrival.

Have the vehicle and ownership documents ready. On moves ending at a port terminal or crossing a border, that paperwork matters as much as the vehicle itself.

If you are selling the vehicle and the buyer arranges transport, put in writing when responsibility passes. It is normally at key handover, but both parties benefit from having it stated.

Keep the job reference or delivery note. If you later need to evidence the move to an insurer, a workshop or the authorities, that document proves when and how the vehicle was moved.

If the vehicle will sit on a public street waiting for collection, check there are no timed restrictions or scheduled clearing on that road. A car towed by the local authority while waiting for transport complicates matters considerably and adds costs nobody planned for.

Check whether your own policy covers the vehicle while it sits at a third-party workshop or compound. It is a frequent gap between the end of transport and the start of repair, and worth clarifying.

An accessible collection point saves both time and money. If the street is narrow or the garage has restricted headroom, agreeing a nearby spot where the truck can manoeuvre simplifies everything.

Bear in mind that in peak periods — summer, or the start and end of the season — lead times stretch. Booking ahead is the simple way around it.

On moves crossing several autonomous communities, bear in mind that heavy vehicle driving restrictions vary at weekends and on public holidays. That can affect the specific delivery day.

Before collection, check no personal documents are left in the glovebox. It is where forgotten paperwork most often turns up, and some of it contains details you would not want travelling unsupervised.

Get the name and number of the driver handling the job, or at least a direct operational contact. On the day, being able to resolve a question in two minutes prevents an hour of waiting.

On vehicles with large-diameter wheels and low-profile tyres, the approach to the ramps needs more care. It is worth mentioning so the right angle is prepared and the tyre or rim is not scuffed.

If the move is a private sale, coordinate payment and key handover clearly. The carrier moves the vehicle; it takes no part in the transaction.

Be wary of quotes well below market rate. In vehicle transport, a low price usually means no goods-in-transit insurance, no operating authorisation, or neither.

Leave the fuel tank low, around a quarter. It reduces weight, follows standard transport practice, and there is nothing to gain from a full tank during the journey.

If the move includes a sea crossing, check what documentation the ferry operator requires for the vehicle. The registration document and owner details are usually needed, and a missing paper means missing the sailing.

On long moves, asking how many loading and unloading points the truck has helps explain the timescale. A truck making several stops takes longer than a direct run.

Realistic timescales depend on distance and route, not optimism. A company that promises any deadline without asking where the vehicle is probably will not meet it.

Moving several vehicles together usually works out considerably cheaper per unit than separate jobs. If you have more than one to move, it is worth quoting them as one.

Photograph the vehicle before loading, including all four corners, the roof and underneath if you can. It takes two minutes and settles any later disagreement about a scratch.

In summary

Car Transport 247 works across Girona and the whole of Spain, 24 hours a day, with goods-in-transit cover for the journey and the price fixed before we start. Tell us your situation and we will give you an honest answer on how it works and what it costs.