raymond.harper
Senior member
I have seen a Z4 that I want to buy. Unfortunately, the car is over 250 miles away from my location. Would it be within the law for me to hire a car transporter and drive it myself to the location for pick up?
Car transport
- Thread starter raymond.harper
- Start date
What about hiring the transport with a driver and having it delivered to you? It’s a bit of a risk not seeing the car but if it’s everything you want then maybe worth it, I presume it’s a private sale? Can you do FaceTime/video call so you can get a good look at it and hear it running?
Is it a private sale or from a dealer? I've noticed quite a lot if dealers are offering delivery now either nationally or within a certain radius due to Covid.
As said though you would be breaking present Covid restriction rules if you went to collect it
but I can't see why you couldn't book a transport company. I would imagine it would cost a few hundred though 
Tim.
As said though you would be breaking present Covid restriction rules if you went to collect it
but I can't see why you couldn't book a transport company. I would imagine it would cost a few hundred though Tim.
I think True-Blue used a transport company in the last two weeks to deliver his new Z4, although he did buy a forum car so was pretty certain it would be ok.
You cannot drive to collect the car - 250 miles is a stretch by any interpretation of the law.
If this is a private sale get a good video walk around of the car with all damage (if any) shown.
You cannot drive to collect the car - 250 miles is a stretch by any interpretation of the law.
If this is a private sale get a good video walk around of the car with all damage (if any) shown.
CryptoWhale
Member
I was in the same predicament at the start of the year. Booked train tickets to pick a car up from down South, the night before I was meant to be picking the car up lock-down was announced 
Ended up hiring a transporter to pick it up that same day. Total cost was around £200 from London to Sheffield. Car was with me by the evening. I'd not seen the car beforehand however it was off a forum member. If it had been a random private seller then I would have left it and not bothered. I would just say make sure you do your due diligence if not viewing the car 
Ended up hiring a transporter to pick it up that same day. Total cost was around £200 from London to Sheffield. Car was with me by the evening. I'd not seen the car beforehand however it was off a forum member. If it had been a random private seller then I would have left it and not bothered. I would just say make sure you do your due diligence if not viewing the car mr wilks said:I can recommend a self employed guy who will do the collection / delivery on your behalf , used him many times , great service
Could you send me this chaps details please Andy
raymond.harper
Senior member
Thanks for all your helpful replies. It is for a car from a forum member, I have offered to pay with an escrow service but he is not keen. Just need to be patient!
raymond.harper said:
I don't think I would accept escrow either if I was the seller.
Other option would be to hire a car one way. I did it when I collected my new daily back in June. 500 mile round trip, car was £100.
Doesn't help with the lockdown situation though.
Also seems daft that a transporter driver can do the journey as it's his job, but technically you can't do the same.
srhutch said:
I'd agree with that - one thing that has become clear to me in recent years is wildy different expectations on what "good condition" actually means (for both buyer and seller), especially for an older car.
The scenario you want to absolutely avoid is buying a car blind, begin disappointed that the condition doesn't match expectation, then having to sort out a reasonable escrow conclusion - and transport the car back from where it came from. Buying from a dealer during lockdown, this is now the new norm, but far more diffcult for a private sale.
You'd hope buying from a forum member lessens that risk, especially if an established member - but the risk remains. An althernative would be to pay for an inspection from a known/reliable source (one that does this professionally, hence can do so within lockdown laws) to get you to the point where you're confident in paying up in full.
raymond.harper
Senior member
Point taken, but I am willing to buy sight unseen. It is this one I am after https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=126907Timmyboybunter said:
As per previous replies then I'd say - pay your seller then arrange either to get it professionally transported (either sitting on the back of something or driven) to you. Not expensive to do based on some random quotes I've looked at recently - most probably cheaper than hiring and fueling yourself.
Very common in the motorbike world, done so many times myself - there is an element of trust at play though granted, when paying for something this way. Just satisfy yourself that the car and seller are exactly what you're expecting to find - taking nothing away from the seller
(for example, have you had a land line conversation, have you googled their mobile number/name, have you found evidence/Facebook activity that they exist, have you HPI'd the car, found previous marketplace/Gumtree ads, the list goes on) - I assume you've noted the seller joined in December chasing a sticky steering issue? Has this been resolved?
Very common in the motorbike world, done so many times myself - there is an element of trust at play though granted, when paying for something this way. Just satisfy yourself that the car and seller are exactly what you're expecting to find - taking nothing away from the seller
(for example, have you had a land line conversation, have you googled their mobile number/name, have you found evidence/Facebook activity that they exist, have you HPI'd the car, found previous marketplace/Gumtree ads, the list goes on) - I assume you've noted the seller joined in December chasing a sticky steering issue? Has this been resolved?
Liverpool
There is a PistonHeads member who has done many trips for fellow members (not as a side-line, it's his business), but never used him myself (as I've always had friends who could do it for me at cost).
http://lizardlogistics.com
If nothing else, you will get another quote to compare with others.
http://lizardlogistics.com
If nothing else, you will get another quote to compare with others.
raymond.harper
Senior member
Thanks everyone, I have arranged to have the car looked at. It is only a basic inspection but it should confirm the car exists and runs! Booked for Thursday
raymond.harper
Senior member
Got a nice text from the Forum member to say the car has been sold. I have already paid for an inspection on the car tomorrow so I will probably have to write that off and learn from the experience. Again thank you for all your help.