Non-Running Car Removal in East Vancouver
Price first. Free towing on most cars. Paid once it's on the deck.
Most of the cars we buy in East Van haven't started in months. A dead battery that turned into a dead starter, an engine that seized, a transmission that gave out on Kingsway. If the car is yours and it's in Vancouver, we can get it out and pay you for it.
- Free towing on most cars
- Same-day when a truck is free
- Paid on the spot: cash or e-Transfer
- Open 7 days
We only buy vehicles. No used parts, no boosts or roadside help.
Does It Roll And Steer?
Every quote starts with that question, and it's on our form for a reason.
Why it decides the truck
A car that rolls and steers can be winched straight up a flatbed deck in a few minutes. A car with a seized wheel, flat tires or a locked steering wheel needs more gear and more planning.
The number comes first, before any truck is scheduled. Most tows cost you nothing, and payment by cash or e-Transfer happens the moment the car is strapped down on the deck.
How to check without starting it
Put the car in neutral, release the parking brake, and see whether it moves when someone pushes. Then turn the steering wheel. If the key is missing and the wheel is locked, just tell us that. You don't need to fix anything first.
Can't get to the car? Describe what you know. "Hasn't moved in two years, back tires look flat" is plenty.
Why Cars Stop Running, And What It Means For The Price
People often assume a car that won't start is worth nothing. Usually that isn't true, because the bulk of the price comes from the metal and the parts still on the car, not from whether it drives.
The usual reasons a car ends up parked for good
- The battery died and was never replaced, then the starter or alternator went too
- The engine seized, overheated or blew a head gasket
- The transmission slips or won't go into gear
- The shop's estimate was more than the car would ever sell for
- Insurance lapsed and nobody wanted to pay to get it road-ready again
What actually moves the number
None of those reasons on its own drops the price to zero. What moves the number is how heavy the car is, whether the engine, transmission and wheels are all still there, and whether the factory converter is still bolted on.
A complete car that won't start is often worth more than a running car that's been picked over for parts.
Where Non-Running Cars Sit In East Van
Lots here are narrow, and dead cars tend to end up in the hardest spot to reach.
A carport off the back lane
The car was parked nose-in years ago and the lane is barely wider than the truck.
The back of a tandem driveway
The dead car is behind the one that still runs. Move the front car for ten minutes and we're fine.
A strata parkade stall
Low ceilings and tight turns. Tell us the posted clearance if there's a sign at the entrance.
Beside a garage that's coming down
A laneway house build can't start until the old car is gone.
Out on the street
If the insurance has lapsed, the City doesn't allow it on a street or lane at all, and after 14 days parked it can be treated as abandoned and impounded.
Send the view from the truck
A photo of where the car is sitting, taken from where the truck would pull up, tells us more than any description.
How We Get It Onto The Truck
Up the deck on the winch
Most non-running cars go up a flatbed on the winch. The driver lines the truck up with the car, hooks the cable to a recovery point, and pulls it onto the deck while someone steers if the wheel turns.
Seized wheels and no keys
When a wheel is seized or the tires are flat, tell us when you book so the driver comes ready to move it. When the keys are gone and the steering is locked, we plan the angle so the car comes straight out without needing to turn.
Underground parkades
This is the one place we ask more questions up front. Some ramps are too low or too steep for a flatbed, and in those cases we'll tell you before booking rather than when the truck is at the gate.
Before the truck comes
You sign the registration and ICBC's Transfer/Tax Form after you've been paid, and the driver brings the form. Our BC paperwork guide covers estate cars, lost registrations and cars with a loan on them.
- Plates off. They belong to ICBC, not the car
- Glovebox, trunk and under the seats cleared
- Parkade fob or garage remote out of the car
- Keys ready for any car that's blocking it
- Registration and photo ID handy
What Happens To The Car
Non-running cars go for recycling. The fuel, oil, coolant and brake fluid are drained, the air conditioning gas is recovered, and the battery and tires go to their own recycling streams. Parts that still have life in them get pulled for reuse. What's left is crushed and sent to a shredder, where the steel is separated out and melted down again.
Related: what you need to scrap a car in BC, junk car removal in East Vancouver, and scrap car removal in Hastings-Sunrise and Grandview.
Non-Running Car Questions
Will you buy a car that won't start at all?
Yes. Dead cars are most of our work in East Vancouver. Let us know if it rolls and steers, so the right truck comes.
Is towing free if the car doesn't run?
On most cars we buy in Vancouver, yes. Low parkades, cars boxed in by other vehicles and cars missing wheels can change that, and we'll tell you before booking.
The car has flat tires and has sat for years. Can you still move it?
Usually. Flat tires and stiff wheels are common. Send a photo of the wheels and of where the car is parked, and we'll plan the pickup around it.
I don't have the keys. Is that a problem?
No. Let us know if the steering wheel is locked, because that changes how the driver lines up the truck.
Can you get a dead car out of an underground parkade?
Often, yes, but not every ramp fits a flatbed. Send the posted clearance or a photo of the entrance and we'll tell you before booking.
Does a car that doesn't run get a lower price?
Not always. Weight, completeness and the original catalytic converter matter more than whether the engine turns over. A complete dead car can be worth more than a stripped running one.
The insurance expired. Can it wait on the street until pickup?
Not legally. The City doesn't allow uninsured vehicles on streets or lanes. Book soon, or move it onto private property if you can.
What paperwork do I need for a non-running car?
The same as any car: the registration signed by everyone named on it, your photo ID, and the Transfer/Tax Form signed once you've been paid. The driver brings the form.
Got A Car That Won't Start?
Text a photo and the year, make and model to 236-201-8504, or use the quote form. Tell us if it rolls and steers, and where it's parked. Open every day, 8am to 8pm.