How long can a garage keep my car after a breakdown?

As long as you agree to, but many charge storage after a few days. Ask on day one what the free period is and put any longer arrangement in writing.

Do I need to tell my insurer about a breakdown?

Not for an ordinary mechanical failure. Tell them if there was damage, another vehicle involved, or if the recovery formed part of a claim.

Do I still need tax on a car that does not run?

Yes, if it is on a public road. Off the road on private ground you can declare it SORN and stop paying, but that declaration has to be made rather than assumed.

Is it cheaper to move a non runner to a different garage?

Often yes. A planned transport move to a garage with a better quote regularly costs less than the difference between the two quotes.

What do I do if I decide to scrap it?

Use an authorised treatment facility, get the certificate of destruction, and notify the DVLA. Anything less leaves the vehicle legally yours.

What to Do After a Breakdown: The Week Afterwards

Get the diagnosis in writing

Ring the garage the next working day and ask for the fault in writing, with a quote broken into parts and labour. A verbal figure over the phone is not something you can compare, take to a second opinion, or use in a warranty claim. If the car is under three years old or has a manufacturer warranty, ask before any work starts, because unauthorised repairs can void it.

Decide repair against value

Compare the quote with what the car is worth, not with what you paid for it. A one thousand pound repair on a car worth twelve hundred is rarely sensible unless you know its history and the rest of it is sound. Ask the garage what else is likely to fail in the next year, because they have it on the ramp and you do not.

Tell your insurer, or do not

A mechanical breakdown is not usually an insurance matter at all, so there is nothing to report. It becomes one if the breakdown caused damage, involved another vehicle, or if the car was recovered following an incident. Where recovery formed part of a non fault claim, keep the invoice, because it is often recoverable from the other side.

Watch the tax and the parking

A car parked on a public road still needs tax and insurance even if it cannot move. If it is going to sit for weeks, get it onto private ground and declare it SORN, or the cost of standing still starts to add up. Garages will usually store a car for a short period but most charge after a few days, so ask what the policy is rather than assuming.

If it is not worth repairing

You have three routes: sell it as a non runner to a trade buyer, break it for parts if it has value in them, or scrap it at an authorised treatment facility and get the certificate of destruction. Whichever you choose, notify the DVLA, because responsibility for the vehicle stays with you until you do.

Getting it moved again

A car that will not run is a planned transport job rather than a recovery. It costs less, it happens on a date you choose, and it lets you shop around for a garage rather than accepting the nearest one.

Frequently asked questions

How long can a garage keep my car after a breakdown?: As long as you agree to, but many charge storage after a few days. Ask on day one what the free period is and put any longer arrangement in writing.
Do I need to tell my insurer about a breakdown?: Not for an ordinary mechanical failure. Tell them if there was damage, another vehicle involved, or if the recovery formed part of a claim.
Do I still need tax on a car that does not run?: Yes, if it is on a public road. Off the road on private ground you can declare it SORN and stop paying, but that declaration has to be made rather than assumed.
Is it cheaper to move a non runner to a different garage?: Often yes. A planned transport move to a garage with a better quote regularly costs less than the difference between the two quotes.
What do I do if I decide to scrap it?: Use an authorised treatment facility, get the certificate of destruction, and notify the DVLA. Anything less leaves the vehicle legally yours.

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What to do after a breakdown, once the car is off the road