How can I get my car home?

[Fedupandpoor]

My Dad has very kindly bought me a car. Its an incredible gesture and will massively increase my earning potential. The only problem is the car is in London and I'm in Devon! I only have a provisional licence but know how to drive. I don't know anyone who could come with me to pick it up.

The obvious answer is to leave it in London and go get it after I pass my test, but it seems a shame to leave it there when I could be using it here (with a driver next to me and L plates). Also where would I park it? Dad lives in London but there is no place to park it long term near his house.

Is there a (cheap) service that will bring it to me? On Google there is a company that quoted me £95 including petrol to fetch it but for some reason they can only drive cars with Spanish or French number plates.

Any ideas?

@Bisforbert can you send me a link for drive me please? I can only find a driving experience school

Sorry driiveme. www.driiveme.co.uk/transport-car-cheap.html

Never mind, thats the company that only move French and Spanish cars.

Thank you! They won't take UK cars unfortunately

If time isn't of the essence, you could join the AA/RAC/ using your Devon home address, and then have a "breakdown" in London that you get towed back to Devon for.

Totally underhand. Totally CF. But you wouldn't be the first.

The only snag might be arranging a "breakdown" that they can't fix at the roadside, but which can be reversed when the car is back home with you.

@SerendipityJane I like your way of thinking but we had an actual breakdown with RAC in ex dps car and it took 55 hours for them to get us home! I had a thread about it!

Shiply quoting £350 to £400!

Do you know someone who works in London (or goes there for meetings)

You could ask them to drive it home for you.

www.uship.com/uk/car-transporters/

Or ask a friend to come and pay them for their time

How far off are you from passing your test? If you are confident enough to feel ready to tackle a 5hr drive then you can't be that far off?

Could you advertise in a local uni. Offer 100quid and the train fare home? Social media usually helps well in these situations. Gumtree too.
I hope you get sorted. That was very kind of your dad.

Ask your driving instructor if you could pay him for his time for you (or him) to drive it back.
Ask a friend who can drive to come with you and pay for their fare.

We used Shiply. Similar distance cost us about £100. Personally their service was rubbish. Guy was supposed to message us when he picked up and drop off would be about five pm. Totally uncontactable until 9pm when he said he was lost on a local industrial estate. Arrived at 9pm and dh reckoned he was stoned.
We maybe were unlucky with our guy but I think you get what you pay for.
Try local people in your yellow pages.

Do you know anyone who lives in London who might want to come to Devon for a weekend or something? That would be the cheapest way

I used Anyvan for something similar a few years ago. Maybe worth getting a quote?

www.anyvan.com/vehicle-delivery/car-delivery

I think it’s going to cost you a few hundred for a car transporter. It’s a free car though!

I’m not sure I’d trust a random from social media or Facebook.

Shiply quoting £350 to £400

I don't think you're going to get it for much cheaper than that, tbh - not with anyone reputable, anyway. But it's a good price to pay for what is essentially, a free car.

Take the Shiply offer. £400 for a car, and you've saved yourself the time, train fare, the petrol and the organisation - sounds worth it to me.

I wouldn't waste the money on Shipley. Have an extra lesson every week instead, get through your test quicker. Its quite a journey for a new driver but if you are confident enough you will be fine.

Book a test, then a motorway lesson with the AA. They used to do them for free to boost confidence.

Where abouts in Devon are you? We are also Devon and 2 Of mine and husbands best friends are regularly up to London and back as her parents live there, her partner is a van driver for a living and been driving for years so I know he would happily drive it home for you next time they are up that way , he’s done similar before :)

Alternatively my sister lives in London and we are hopefully picking her up over the Easter holidays so she can come home for a bit, my husband or I can drive it home for you if that’s the case! :)

@Bellad19 That's amazing! Will pm you, thanks!

Those saying to pay the 400, I'm on UC! 400 is one third of the money I get every month for me and 2 kids. As much as I want the car paying so much is not an option unfortunately.

Can you afford the insurance, tax etc?

Yes, it's very cheap to run. I will also be able to pick up extra work, cleaning, courier, delivery driver once I've passed my test.