FAQs of transport
What are the benefits of having my car transported to/from Ecurie Esprit?What are the advantages and disadvantages of using an enclosed transporter over an open transporter
What are the advantages of using the Ecurie Esprit in-house transport service?
Is my car insured when being transported with Ecurie Esprit?
What is an Operator's License and does Ecurie Esprit have one?
Why is an Operating License important?
What is a tachograph and does Ecurie Esprit have one?
Does your transport service cover collection and delivery outside of mainland UK?
Can you transport a non-running vehicle?
Are there any weight and dimension restrictions with your transport service?
Do I need to prepare my car before transport with Ecurie Esprit?
Does anyone need to be present with the car at the time of collection and delivery?
Is any documentation issued at the point of collection or delivery?
How much does the Ecurie Esprit transport service cost?
What payment methods does Ecurie Esprit accept?
What are the benefits of having my car transported to/from Ecurie Esprit?
Time is precious and having your vehicle transported to and from our facility at the beginning, during and end of the storage term allows you to use yours more productively and enjoyably.
Using a transporter also ensures your investment is not accumulating mileage associated with the journey and provides a convenient solution in the event your car is a non-runner or unroadworthy.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using an enclosed transporter over an open transporter?
We advocate the use of a covered transporter because this is the safest and most secure way to move your car. Your vehicle is protected from everything whether it be prying eyes, the weather, dirt, debris, contaminants, damage - the list goes on. In short, your vehicle arrives in the same condition as it departed. The downsides are few – mainly a little cost and a little payload capacity.
What are the advantages of using the Ecurie Esprit in-house transport service?
Our in-house transporter has been commissioned for the convenience of our customers and is available at short notice. Clients who entrust us with their storage and transport requirements benefit from an integrated service, avoiding the additional complexity, time and effort required in having to deal with other third parties.
The initial inbound transport of your car from any UK mainland location into our storage facility is a complimentary service within our fully inclusive monthly car storage fees and in using Ecurie Esprit you are assured of a personal yet professional service that is fully insured and fully compliant.
In the unlikely event your car's weight or dimensions exceed the payload capacity of our enclosed transporter we also operate a top of the range open vehicle transporter. For customers seeking a more cost effective solution beyond the initial inbound journey, we also offer a national driven service for roadworthy vehicles and our drivers carry motor industry trade plates in the event your vehicle is roadworthy but not taxed.
Is my car insured when being transported with Ecurie Esprit?
Yes. Our road risks policy fully covers your vehicle whilst in transit with us. Our staff are also fully insured to drive your vehicle on the public highway if we are providing a driven collection or delivery service or simply exercising your car as part of our active storage maintenance programme.
What is an Operator's License and does Ecurie Esprit have one?
An Operator's License, sometimes abbreviated as ‘O’ license, is a system for regulating the compliance of enterprises that move goods where the combined weight of the vehicle and contents (including any trailers) may exceed 3,500kg. Three types of license are issued to accredited operators – restricted, national and international. Restricted allows the operator to transport their own goods but not those belonging to others. National permits the movement of goods belonging to others and International extends this authorisation beyond Great Britain.
Successful applicants for an ‘O’ license must satisfy the regulating authority regarding their professional competence, good repute, financial strength, maintenance protocols and the environmental suitability of their operating centre. Legal undertakings must also be adhered to which are the subject of roadside and operating centre spot checks. The license can be suspended or revoked at any time for non-compliance and is subject to formal renewal every five years.
Ecurie Esprit is accredited with a full International Operator's License.
Why is an Operating License important?
The absence of an ‘O’ license should firstly cause the customer to question the professional competence, good repute, financial strength, vehicle roadworthiness and environmental compliance of the service provider in question.
If the service provider falls within the scope of the regulations but remains unlicensed they are breaking the rules and the customer's property is at risk. If spot checked at the roadside by the police or VOSA (Vehicle Operator Services Agency) and found to be non-compliant the goods vehicle and the customer's property can be impounded. In the event of an accident the customer risks experiencing a total loss as the service provider's insurance may be invalidated.
In short, if you are considering using a third party to transport your vehicle our best advice is only use a service provider accredited with a valid National or International ‘O’ license as appropriate for the required journey.
What is a tachograph and does Ecurie Esprit have one?
A tachograph is a device which must be fitted to a vehicle carrying goods for hire or reward with a possible combined weight in excess of 3,500kg. The device automatically records time, distance and speeds in addition to the driver's activity selected from a choice of modes. There are strict rules regarding driver's hours and working time arrangements which must be adhered to and records can be checked at any time by the regulatory authorities. Non-compliance can lead to an ‘O’ license being suspended or revoked.
All our vehicles are equipped with digital tachograph equipment as required and we strictly adhere to the driver's hours and records regulations as a matter of course.
Does your transport service cover collection and delivery outside of mainland UK?
Yes. Ecurie Esprit is accredited with a full International Operating License and we travel the length and breadth of Europe. Beyond Europe we can meet your requirements using our network of international freight forwarders.
Can you transport a non-running vehicle?
Yes. Ecurie Esprit operates state of the art enclosed and open transporters equipped with vehicle winches for the loading and unloading of non-running vehicles.
Are there any weight and dimension restrictions with your transport service?
A long and wide load-bed which tilts hydraulically with double assistor loading ramps ensures our enclosed transporter can accommodate most types of vehicles. In the unlikely event the weight of your vehicle exceeds any permitted thresholds we shall be happy to discuss alternative options with you, including our open vehicle trailer and our national driven and trade-plated service for roadworthy vehicles. We will verify the dimensions and weights of your vehicle during the booking process.
Do I need to prepare my car before transport with Ecurie Esprit?
We take care of most things, there are however some practical items you should consider to ensure the experience runs smoothly:
- Is there space for a vehicle transporter to access and manoeuvre at the intended collection and delivery points and is access to the vehicle itself unobstructed?
- Check the wheels rotate and the tyres are inflated so the car may either be driven or winched onto the transporter without issue.
- If the vehicle is to be driven onto the transporter check there is some fuel in the tank (we recommend ¼ of a tank).
- Ensure there is a working key, with alarm/immobiliser fob (if applicable) and instructions regarding the operation of any trackers or other security devices fitted to the car.
- For non-running vehicles to be winched check a towing eye is present with or fitted to the vehicle.
- In the event you are using our national driven service ensure the vehicle is roadworthy and has a valid MOT and advise us whether it has a valid road fund license so we know whether it should be driven with motor industry trade plates.
- Remove any personal or business related possessions from the vehicle.
- Remove any foods or perishable goods and any dangerous, hazardous or illegal materials from the vehicle.
Does anyone need to be present with the car at the time of collection and delivery?
Ideally yes, the owner or an authorised representative with acceptable proof of identity should be present at both the point of collection and the point of delivery to agree and sign the Condition Report. However, some regular customers prefer to waive this requirement, undertaking to accept the condition ‘as reported’ by Ecurie Esprit with the Condition Report being emailed to the customer for approval by return. Customers who value this flexibility are typically long term storage clients who instruct us to collect or deliver their car to a location of their choice for their enjoyment, using a spare set of keys which we retain during the storage term.
Is any documentation issued at the point of collection or delivery?
Yes. We prepare and issue a Condition Report at the point of collection and delivery from another party. This report evidences that collection or delivery occurred at a certain time and date and records any obvious damage present on the vehicle.
How much does the Ecurie Esprit transport service cost?
For car storage customers, the initial inbound transport within mainland UK* is a complimentary service included within our fully inclusive monthly car storage fees.
For any subsequent collection and delivery services a quotation is provided and prior authorisation is required from the client. The quotation is typically a function of time and distance, plus any additional taxes and expenses if applicable (e.g. VAT, congestion charges, road tolls, ferry/rail costs, parking fees and any reasonably agreed overnight accommodation costs).
* mainland UK defined as anywhere accessible in England, Wales or Scotland without the requirement of a plane or boat.
What payment methods does Ecurie Esprit accept?
We accept payment by BACS, standing order, direct debit, wire transfer, cash, cheque and debit or credit card. For credit cards and company debit cards a 2.5% surcharge applies.