Vehicle Towing Car Services Blog

Won a car at auction or bought one online, and now need to get it home? RecoveryCar collects vehicles from auction yards and private sellers and delivers them on a flatbed to your door in Woolwich, Greenwich, Plumstead and across South East London (SE18, SE2, SE28, SE7, SE9, SE10 and beyond).

This week we collected a Vauxhall Corsa straight from the auction yard, still wearing its lot sticker, strapped it down on the flatbed and delivered it the same day.

Auctions and marketplaces we collect from

We regularly collect cars and vans bought through:

• Salvage and trade auctions: Copart, SYNETIQ, BCA, Manheim and Aston Barclay
• Online marketplaces: eBay Motors, AutoTrader, Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree
• Online car buyers and sellers: Motorway and similar platforms
• Private sellers and dealers anywhere in London, Kent and the South East

RecoveryCar is an independent transport company and is not affiliated with any of the auctions or marketplaces named above.

Why use a flatbed for an auction car?

• Many auction cars are non-runners, Cat N/Cat S, or have no MOT or tax – a flatbed means no driving on the road
• No wear on the car, and it arrives exactly as you bought it
• Fully insured, with all four wheels strapped down
• We handle the paperwork collection slip and booking with the yard for you

How it works

• Send us the lot number, the collection address and your delivery postcode
• We give you a fixed price up front
• We collect on the agreed day and keep you updated on the way back to South East London
• Your car is delivered to your home, garage or bodyshop

For more on specific auction houses, see our guide to auction car collection in South East London. We also move vans – read about our van towing service.

FAQs

Can you collect a non-running auction car?

Yes. Most of the cars we collect from Copart and SYNETIQ are non-runners. Just let us know if the steering is locked or the wheels do not turn.

Do you collect cars bought on eBay?

Yes. We collect cars bought on eBay Motors, AutoTrader, Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree from private sellers and dealers, and deliver them to South East London.

How much does auction car collection cost?

It depends on the distance and the vehicle. Call or WhatsApp us with the collection and delivery postcodes for a fixed quote.

Book your auction or online car collection

Call or WhatsApp 07547 907000 – Recovery Car Towing Services, Nightingale Place, Woolwich SE18. Covering Woolwich, Greenwich, Plumstead, Charlton, Thamesmead, Eltham, Lewisham, Bexley and Bromley, 24/7.

When a van breaks down, it is not just a vehicle off the road – it is often a business losing a day of work. At RecoveryCar we provide van towing in South East London 24 hours a day, and this week was a good example: a late-night job moving an Iveco Daily panel van across the Thames on the Woolwich Ferry.

Late-night van recovery across the Woolwich Ferry

The customer needed their van moved from south of the river to a garage on the north side, late in the evening. Rather than take the long way round through the Blackwall Tunnel, we loaded the Iveco Daily onto our flatbed and used the Woolwich Ferry – a quick, safe crossing that saves time when traffic builds up. The van was strapped down at all four wheels, secured for the crossing and delivered the same night.

If you want to know more about breaking down near the crossing, see our guide to the Woolwich Ferry and car recovery.

Van towing services we cover

Our flatbed trucks are set up for most light commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes, including Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, Iveco Daily, Vauxhall Vivaro, Renault Trafic and Volkswagen Transporter vans. We regularly help with:

• Breakdown and accident recovery for vans and pick-ups
• Van transport to garages, dealers and bodyshops
• Non-runner and MOT-failure van collection
• Fleet and trade van moves for local businesses
• Jump starts and flat battery call-outs for work vans
• Auction collections and delivery, day or night

Areas we cover for van recovery

We are based in Woolwich (SE18) and cover Greenwich, Plumstead, Charlton, Thamesmead, Abbey Wood, Eltham, Lewisham, Bexley, Bromley and the rest of South East London, with crossings into East London via the Woolwich Ferry and Blackwall Tunnel when needed.

Car transport too: BMW collected the same day

Earlier the same day we collected a BMW 4 Series and delivered it safely on the flatbed. Whether it is a van, car or 4×4, the process is the same: fair price agreed up front, careful loading and secure straps. Read more about our auction car collection service.

Van towing FAQs

Can you tow a long-wheelbase van?

Yes, in most cases. Tell us the make, model and length when you call and we will confirm before we set off.

Do you tow vans at night?

Yes. We run 24-hour breakdown recovery across London, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

How quickly can you get to me?

Across South East London we usually arrive within 30 to 60 minutes, depending on traffic and location.

Need van towing now?

Call or WhatsApp 07547 907000 for fast, fairly priced van towing and recovery in Woolwich, Greenwich and South East London – 24/7.

Not every breakdown ends at the nearest garage. When a car needs a specialist – a Volvo electronics expert or an automatic gearbox workshop – the job becomes getting it there safely. This week our flatbed did exactly that, with two drops at two very different specialists either side of the Thames.

Volvo recovery to Volvo Diagnostic, Tilbury (RM18)

Our first drop was at Volvo Diagnostic, a Volvo specialist on the Clipper Park industrial units off Thurrock Park Way in Tilbury, Essex. Their yard is usually lined with XC60s, XC90s, S60s and V70s waiting for work – they focus on the electronic modules Volvos rely on, such as CEM, DIM and REM repair and software cloning, airbag crash-data reset, Haldex all-wheel-drive modules and hybrid/EV battery control units.

Electrical faults are a common reason a Volvo won’t start or won’t come out of limp mode, and a car that can’t be driven needs a flatbed. From Woolwich, Greenwich or Plumstead it’s a straightforward run to Tilbury via the Dartford Crossing and the A13/A1089, and we load every car on a flatbed so nothing is towed on its own wheels.

Gearbox recovery to Mister Transmission, Charlton (SE7)

The second drop was much closer to home: Mister Transmission at the Ropery Business Park on Anchor and Hope Lane, Charlton – just off the A206 Woolwich Road, minutes from the Blackwall Tunnel approach. They specialise in automatic transmission repair and reconditioning for all makes, from everyday family cars to prestige and classic vehicles.

A slipping, juddering or stuck automatic gearbox is one of the worst things to keep driving on – it can turn a repair into a full rebuild. If your car won’t select Drive or Reverse, or is stuck in Park, the safest option is to stop and have it carried on a flatbed straight to a transmission specialist.

Garage-to-garage and specialist transport across South East London

We regularly move cars between home, roadside, main dealers and independent specialists. Typical jobs include:

• Non-runners taken to a specialist for diagnosis
• Cars moved from a general garage to a gearbox, electrical or EV specialist
• Collection from the specialist once the repair is done
• Trade and garage-to-garage transport for workshops and bodyshops

We cover Greenwich, Woolwich, Charlton, Plumstead, Lewisham, Eltham and the wider South East London area, and run regular trips into Essex and Kent. If your gearbox has failed, see our guide to a car towing service in London; for a dead battery, our jump start service may get you going without a tow at all.

FAQ

Can you take my car to a garage I choose, even outside London?

Yes. Tell us the garage name or postcode and we’ll quote a fixed price before we set off – Tilbury, Dartford, Bluewater and beyond are all regular runs.

My automatic is stuck in Park – can it still be recovered?

Yes. We use wheel skates and a winch to load cars that won’t roll, so a locked gearbox or electronic handbrake isn’t a problem.

Do you deliver to the specialist when they’re closed?

Often, yes – many workshops accept out-of-hours drop-offs with keys left in a key safe. Check with your garage and we’ll arrange the drop to suit.

Need a car moved to a specialist? Call RecoveryCar 24/7 on 07547 907000.

RecoveryCar is an independent recovery company and is not affiliated with Volvo Diagnostic, Mister Transmission or Volvo Car UK. Business names are mentioned for location reference only.

Lewisham Shopping Centre and the town centre around it are busy seven days a week, with multi-storey parking, the DLR and a lot of traffic on the A20 and A21. When a car won’t start in a crowded car park, you want help fast. RecoveryCar covers Lewisham 24/7 from our base in South East London.

Broken down in Lewisham?

Most of our call-outs here are flat batteries and flat tyres. A quick jump start often gets you going in minutes. If the car needs more than that, we’ll load it onto our flatbed and take it wherever it needs to go.

Where we help

• Lewisham Shopping Centre car park and Molesworth Street
• Lewisham High Street, Loampit Vale and Lee High Road (A20)
• Lewisham station and the DLR interchange
• Ladywell, Hither Green, Catford and Brockley

Our services

• Jump starts for cars, vans and light commercials
• Flatbed recovery and towing across London
• Flat tyre help and wheel changes
• Accident recovery
• Electric and hybrid vehicle recovery

While you wait

• Note your car park level and bay number before you call
• Keep clear of the busy junctions and bus lanes around the station
• Wait somewhere safe and well lit
• Tell us the make, model and colour of your car

Frequently asked questions

Need help in Lewisham now?

Call RecoveryCar on 07547 907000 and we’ll be on our way.

Nearby, we also cover car recovery near University Hospital Lewisham and Greenwich town centre recovery. Need a price first? Get a quick recovery quote.

Eltham High Street is one of the busiest shopping streets in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, with supermarkets, shops and car parks that fill up fast. If your car won’t start after a shop or a school run, RecoveryCar can be with you quickly from our base in Woolwich, day or night.

Broken down in Eltham?

Most of our call-outs here are flat batteries and flat tyres. A quick jump start often gets you going in minutes. If the car needs more than that, we’ll load it onto our flatbed and take it wherever it needs to go.

Where we help

• Eltham High Street, Passey Place and the town centre car parks
• Well Hall Road, Westhorne Avenue (A205 South Circular) and Court Road
• Eltham station, Mottingham and New Eltham
• The A20 Sidcup Road and the A2 Rochester Way

Our services

• Jump starts for cars, vans and light commercials
• Flatbed recovery and towing across London
• Flat tyre help and wheel changes
• Accident recovery
• Electric and hybrid vehicle recovery

While you wait

• Pull into a side street or car park if you can, away from the bus lanes
• Put your hazard lights on if you’re stopped on the South Circular
• Stay with your car if it is safe to do so
• Tell us the street, the nearest shop and your car’s make, model and colour

Frequently asked questions

Stuck in Eltham right now?

Call RecoveryCar on 07547 907000 and we’ll be on our way.

Nearby, we also cover Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich and Lewisham Shopping Centre recovery. Need a price first? Get a quick recovery quote.