Non-Runner Collection in London

A non-runner is any vehicle that cannot be driven onto a truck under its own power — the engine will not start, the gearbox will not select, the brakes have seized, the steering is locked, or the keys are long gone. MPG Recovery collects them across London, 24 hours a day, on a tilt-and-slide bed with a winch.

What counts as a non-runner

A seized or blown engine. A flat battery that no jump pack will bring back. A car that has sat on a driveway or in a garage for years and is now on SORN. A project that was started and never finished. A vehicle with no keys, or one where the steering lock has engaged and will not release.

It also covers cars that technically run but must not be driven: no MOT, no tax, no insurance, or a fault serious enough that driving it would finish it off.

How a dead car gets loaded

The bed tilts and slides down until it meets the road, which removes the steep ramp angle that damages bumpers and underside trim. The winch then pulls the vehicle up. Where the wheels will not turn at all, skates go underneath so it can be moved without dragging it on locked brakes or flat tyres.

Once on, it is strapped by the wheels rather than the bodywork. That matters on a car that has been standing: suspension bushes, sills and jacking points are often the first things to rot, and they are exactly what a badly placed strap would pull on.

Where it is parked matters

A non-runner on an open driveway is straightforward. The same car reversed into a tight garage, boxed in by other vehicles, on a permit street with no room behind it, or below ground in a car park is a different job. The winch needs a clear pull, and the truck needs somewhere legal to stand while the vehicle comes on.

Send a photograph of how it is sitting and what is around it. It is the quickest way for us to tell you whether it is workable as it stands, or whether something needs moving first.

What to tell us

• Whether the wheels turn and whether the steering is locked
• Whether the keys are available
• How long it has been standing
• How it is parked, and what is around it
• Where it needs to go

Quotes are free and agreed before we set off. Nights and weekends are the same phone number.

Part of our recovery work

Non-runner collection is the job we do most often, and it is the reason the bed and winch matter more than anything else on the truck. For everything we move on the bed, see vehicle recovery in London, or browse all our services.

What a non-runner collection costs

The price comes down to distance, access and effort. A car that rolls and steers on an open driveway is the quick version. Locked wheels, a tight garage, a car boxed in on a permit street or a vehicle below ground all add time, and the quote reflects that rather than surprising you afterwards.

Quotes are free and the figure is agreed before we set off. There is no separate callout charge on a job we carry out. If you are weighing up whether an old project is worth moving at all, say so — we would rather give you an honest number and let you decide than turn up and have you change your mind.

Non-Runner Collection FAQs