Confirm release status
Check with the auction or seller that required payments and release steps are complete. Ask how to obtain the collection authorisation or order reference. Send the carrier only when release requirements are understood. An auction win notification may not be sufficient for the storage site to hand over the car.
Ready when: The site has confirmed release readiness and supplied its collection instructions.
Plan arrival at the actual storage site
Verify the physical location, opening hours and whether a collection appointment is required. Ask the auction directly about collection deadlines and storage charges. The seller's registered address may differ from the compound where the vehicle is kept. Share the verified location with the carrier before accepting a route quote.
Ready when: The carrier has the actual address, agreed time window and appointment instructions.
Check loading requirements
Ask whether the car currently starts, rolls and steers. Clarify which assistance the site provides and what equipment the carrier must bring. An auction condition label does not settle the loading method. Tell the carrier about missing keys, blocked wheels or low clearance before confirming collection.
Ready when: The loading method and responsibility for assistance are agreed in advance.
Share instructions and prepare delivery
Send release documents and codes privately to your selected carrier. Agree collection photographs and an inventory of keys and documents. Give the recipient the expected delivery window, a coordination contact and an accessible unloading location. Keep a copy of the agreed collection details.
Ready when: The chosen carrier has the required release information and the recipient is ready for delivery.
Common mistakes
- Booking arrival before release is confirmed.
- Missing an appointment or the compound's opening hours.
- Publishing collection codes in listing notes.
Illustrative example
Example: the seller is registered in Belgium, but the car is stored at a logistics compound in another city. Use the compound location in the transport request so the carrier assesses the actual route.
This is an illustrative scenario, not a customer case study or an available load.