Moving a car or two-wheeler: what it costs and how it works

Carried, not driven

A vehicle being relocated properly travels on a carrier. It arrives with the odometer reading it left with, no additional wear, and no risk of a driver's traffic violation becoming yours.

If a quote is unusually cheap, ask whether the vehicle will be driven. Some operators do exactly that, and it is a materially different product.

Open or enclosed

Open carriers are standard and suit most vehicles. The car is exposed to weather and road dust, which washes off.

Enclosed carriers cost significantly more and make sense for low-clearance, premium or newly delivered vehicles, and for anything with a paint finish you would be upset to see stone-chipped.

What it costs

Priced on distance and vehicle segment. A hatchback on an open carrier is the baseline; sedans and SUVs cost more because they occupy more of the carrier.

Two-wheelers are considerably cheaper and are often consolidated with a household load — which is the cheapest way to move one, because it uses space in a vehicle you are already paying for.

Before handover

• Fuel under a quarter tank. It is a transport safety requirement, not an upsell.
• Remove everything from the vehicle. Loose contents are not covered on any carrier policy, and this is the most common cause of a rejected claim.
• Remove or retract the aerial; fold the mirrors.
• Photograph the vehicle from every angle, including the roof and the alloys, with the date.
• Note the odometer reading and photograph it.
• Hand over one key only. Keep the spare.

Paperwork

• Registration certificate copy and valid insurance — the carrier will ask for both.
• Your own comprehensive insurance generally does not cover the vehicle while it is on a carrier. The carrier's transit cover does. Check the declared value.
• If you are moving states permanently, RTO re-registration and road-tax transfer are separate processes and are not part of a transport service.

At delivery

• Check against your loading photographs before signing anything.
• Check the odometer.
• Record any damage on the delivery note before the carrier leaves. Afterwards is significantly harder.