Hi all, will be going to Derby for my SVA early next month and I dont really fancy driving the 35 miles there from Stoke (in case anything goes wrong the AA wont help me as the vehicle is not registered). With say a 3 hour wait while its SVA'd I've been quoted daft figures of £500 by the local recovery place.

I dont have a towbar so even if I did have a trailer I still couldnt take it there myself!
Does anyone know a transport service that will take my car there and back for a reasonable price?
Alternativley If anybody has a trailer and the time spare I'd be happy to pay for their help!

Cheers

Paul

im in stoke and can sort a trailer for you ,cant you get the sva done at swynnerton?

i think Jos hired a van and car trailer to get to his test. Might be a cheaper idea and you wont be limited by time. If you fail on only daft things you might be allowed to spend some time correcting.

Just to give you some inspiration, i drove 45 miles each way to my test. Others have attempted this and had to cancel that morning. I was lucky ish although couldnt get home from retest following core plug failure. It is a risk and you might have n uneasy feeling about it. No one can really advise as they wont know your car like you but it might be doable.

Oh yes - forgot to say i also had a follower as per Pjash below. His car was crammed full and in the end i didnt need the bits (some fail points couldnt be corrected so i didnt bother with the easy bits). For retest i went solo and could have done with some of the tools! Found alternative fix for one small observation. Then core plug went!!! Recovery = £60 so not too bad.

[Edited on 19/1/06 by DarrenW]

First off, if its ready for SVA it should do 35 miles each way without any problem.

Having said that things can happen so I got a mate to take a day off and drive my tintop just in case and loaded the car up with tools and towropes.

Secondly it's a shame not to drive it while you have an opportunity and it could alert you to something that you could fix at the last minute before the test.

Whilst I was very careful on the way there, I had fun on the way back

Froggy you have u2u re the trailer! - Wheres swynnerton tho? I thought the 2 nearest SVA centers were Shrewsbury and Derby both the same distance from stoke)

Darren - I was tempted to just drive there but I'll have different setups to get thru SVA (geo for self centering and running lean to help with emissions) that I'd rather not do too many miles with

Cheers

Paul

pajsh - having a mate to drive a backup vehicle might be a good idea if I really have to drive it

[Edited on 19/1/06 by Paul G]

I can give you the details of a company in Telford I hired a van with tow bar and trailer off. I used them to trailer mine to its presva check. There will probably be somewhere closer to you that telford anyway.

Personally I drove mine to SVA and I know that andy harding drove his to shrewsbury SVA from Stoke. Drop him a line he may be able to assist you in locating a trailer.

jos - cheers I'll drop andy a u2u, was going to pop round to see him at the weekend but couldnt make it

i know a chap with a flat bed truck in leicester. he's only an hr away and does not charge the earth.
Spoox components
Have a look at the vehicle recovery section.
If you mention Allan gave you the link and that its a kit car he may give you a better rate than if you walked in off the street.

Ta
Allan

Cheers Allan - If I dont sort anything out closer to home I'll give him a ring

The guys at http://www.v8cobra.com/ would probably take it for you but not sure what they would charge.

As said before though if it won't get to the SVA it's not ready! The engine will be running a lot at idle during the test so the cooling etc needs to be spot on.

That said my engine did cut out on the way which made my heart stop but I was soon on my way once I had the damp out of the dizzy.

It was pissing it down and dark but I had so much fun driving it I would do it again and again.

Get some motocross goggles, a warm hat and a scarf and you'll be plenty warm and dry enough even in pouring rain.

Drove mine from Cambridge to Norwich ,my brother following with spares and tools. Had to be there at 8am so left at 6. Can only recommend driving as it gives you a chance to find any faults but make sure you leave enough time to get there and find the place. Sooner or later you will have to drive it , faults that show up after 35miles may not show up before. There have been people that have missed the test because of breakdowns but not sure of the figures.

I know it will probably do the journey fine but just for peace of mind I'd rather get it trailered - like I say if it does break down the AA wont help me, plus the weather could be terrible for my first proper drive and I just darent risk it!

If the engine is fresh, driving it there will help bed the rings in and improve emissions.
Drove mine 35 miles to Derby SVA (from Doncaster though) - biggest grin factor ever!!

Marcus

Penzance to Exeter is 120 miles, Robinbastd as a support/rescue vehicle, Barry Sharpe as overnight Hotel (5star). I loved every minute of it

Only 22 miles for me to Derby but it's fun down the A38 .

For the test I hired a van/trailer which cost about a 100 quid. The examiner said they like people to drive their cars to tests as it "dries" out exhaust wrapping (mine was still smoking towards the end of the test) and beds in new brake bits and pieces. I said having built the car from scratch, there was no way I was driving on the road till a third party (him) had looked at it!! As it happens, a radiator pipe went pop at end of speedo test (which meant it was the right thing for me to do).

Drove to retest and all fine 25 miles each way.

ATB

Simon

[Edited on 20/1/06 by Simon]