We buy broken cars for cash in Vancouver & the Lower Mainland
Won't start, blown engine, slipping transmission, smashed in an accident. Tell us what's wrong, get a price, and we tow it away and pay you on the spot.
- A price before anything is booked
- Free towing on most cars we buy
- Paid on the spot when it's loaded
- Running or not, complete or stripped
Whatever light is on, we still buy the car
Most of the cars we buy don't run. Some have a repair bill bigger than the car is worth. Others got hit, flooded, or picked clean by a converter thief overnight.
Tap the light that matches your car to see how we handle it. If yours isn't here, we probably still buy it. Just call and ask.
Rather skip ahead? Fill in the quote form or call 236-800-0799.
Car won't start or just died
Dead battery that won't hold a charge, a starter that only clicks, a fuel pump that quit, or an electrical gremlin nobody can track down. If it won't start, it's exactly what we buy.
We bring a truck that can winch it on, so it doesn't need to move under its own power. Just let us know if it rolls and steers.
Blown, seized or knocking engine
Spun bearing, thrown rod, timing belt that snapped, an engine that ate itself after running low on oil. Replacing an engine can easily cost more than an older car is worth.
A car with a dead engine still has its body, transmission, wheels and catalytic converter, and all of that counts toward your offer.
Overheated or blown head gasket
White smoke, milky oil, coolant vanishing with no leak in sight. Head gasket jobs are labour-heavy, and on an aluminium engine there's often a warped head to deal with too.
Don't keep driving it to see if it gets better. Park it, and call us for a price while the engine is still in one piece.
Slipping or failed transmission
Slipping between gears, hard shifts, no reverse, or no drive at all. CVTs in particular tend to be replaced rather than repaired, and that bill climbs fast.
We buy cars with dead automatics, CVTs and manual gearboxes. Tell us if it moves at all and we'll plan the pickup around it.
Accident damage and ICBC write-offs
Front-end hits, side impacts, deployed airbags, bent frames. If ICBC wrote it off and you kept the car after the claim, it's yours to sell.
Text photos of the damage to 236-800-0799. We price accident cars from the photos, so there's no back-and-forth.
Catalytic converter stolen
Woke up to a car that roars like a tractor? Converter theft is common across the Lower Mainland, and plenty of owners decide the car isn't worth the replacement.
We still buy it. The converter is a big part of what a car is worth, so the offer comes down, but you'll know by how much before we book.
Flood, fire or water damage
Water up past the floor, a flooded underground parkade, or an engine fire. Electrical problems after water damage tend to keep coming back.
We buy flood and fire damaged cars as they are. Just be upfront about what happened so the price holds when we arrive.
Failed an inspection or rusted out
Failed an out-of-province inspection, got a police notice and order, or the frame is too rotten to pass. Bringing it up to standard often means rust repair, brakes and suspension all at once.
Sell it as-is instead. We buy cars that can't legally be driven, and we tow them, so that's not a problem.
From dead in the driveway to cash in hand
Four steps. Most people are done within a day or two of their first call, and sometimes the same day.
- 1
Tell us what's wrong
Call, text, or use the form. Year, make, model, what's broken, and where it's parked. A couple of photos help a lot.
- 2
Get a real price
You hear a number before anything is booked. No "we'll see when we get there" pricing.
- 3
Pick a pickup time
Same day when a truck is free, otherwise a time that suits you. You don't need to be there the whole time.
- 4
Get paid, car's gone
We check the car matches what you described, pay you, and winch it on. Plates off, keys handed over, done.
What to have ready
Sort these out before the truck arrives and the pickup takes minutes.
- Registration in your name
- Government photo ID
- Keys, if you still have them
- Licence plates taken off
- Glovebox and trunk cleared out
- A clear path for the tow truck
See what pushes your offer up
There's no flat rate for a broken car. Two cars the same age can get very different offers. Flip the switches to see which way yours leans, then call for the actual number.
1Weight and size
A lot of a broken car's value is in the metal, so SUVs, vans and pickups usually get more than small hatchbacks.
2Complete or stripped
A car with its engine, transmission and wheels is worth more than a shell that's had parts pulled. Even a blown engine still counts.
3The catalytic converter
One of the biggest pieces of the price. If yours got cut off in a lot or driveway, tell us up front. We still buy it, the offer just comes down.
4Year, make and model
Some newer or popular models are worth more than their weight because of what's still good on them, even with a dead engine.
5Where it's parked
Driveways and back lanes are easy. Low underground parkades, tight carports and cars boxed in by others take more work.
6Scrap metal prices
Steel prices move week to week, so we quote on this week's prices, not last month's.
Fix it or sell it? Run the numbers
The mechanic's quote just came back and you're wondering if it's worth it. Here's the rule of thumb a lot of people use: if the repair costs more than about half of what the car will be worth once it's fixed, selling it as-is usually makes more sense.
Move the sliders to your numbers. Sometimes the answer is "fix it," and that's fine too. We'd rather you make the right call than sell us a car you should have kept.
Also think about what else is likely to go next. An old car with one big repair often has another one waiting behind it.
Broken cars we've hauled away
Real pickups from around the Lower Mainland. Swipe through them.
Cars, SUVs, vans and pickups that won't
Won't start, won't pass, won't move. If it's yours to sell and it's parked in our area, we'll make an offer.
Broken cars and sedans
Commuter cars with a dead engine, a failed transmission or a repair bill bigger than the car.
SUVs and crossovers
CR-Vs, RAV4s, Escapes, Foresters. AWD problems, rusted subframes, timing chain trouble.
Pickup trucks
Half-tons and light-duty work trucks with blown motors, bad transfer cases or rotten frames.
Minivans and cargo vans
Family vans and work vans that have done their miles and aren't worth another repair.
Hybrids
Priuses, Camry and Accord hybrids with a failed hybrid battery or inverter. Tell us the model year.
Accident-damaged cars
Front-end hits, side impacts, deployed airbags, and ICBC write-offs you kept after the claim.
- Honda
- Toyota
- Nissan
- Mazda
- Hyundai
- Kia
- Subaru
- Mitsubishi
- Ford
- Chevrolet
- GMC
- Dodge
- Chrysler
- Jeep
- Volkswagen
- BMW
- Mercedes-Benz
- Audi
- Acura
- Lexus
- Volvo
- Mini
What we do
- ✓Buy broken, damaged and non-running cars, SUVs, vans and pickups
- ✓Give you a price before anything is booked
- ✓Tow it away, free on most cars we buy
- ✓Pay you on the spot when it's loaded
What we don't do
- ×Repair cars or tow them to a mechanic
- ×Sell used parts, engines or tires
- ×Boosts, lockouts or roadside assistance
- ×Buy cars outside the Lower Mainland, Sea-to-Sky and Fraser Valley
The paperwork, without the headache
Selling a car that doesn't run is the same as selling one that does, as far as ICBC is concerned. Here's what to sort out.
Prove it's yours to sell
Have the registration in your name and government photo ID. Lost the registration? The registered owner can get a copy from any Autoplan broker.
Sign it over
We fill in the ICBC Transfer/Tax Form (APV9T) with you so the car is properly out of your name the day it leaves.
Plates and insurance
Keep your licence plates. Cancel or transfer your insurance through your Autoplan broker once the car is gone.
Still owe money on it?
The lender's lien stays with the car until it's paid out. If you're close, call us and we'll work out the timing.
Selling a family member's car
Estate cars and a parent's vehicle that nobody drives are common. Call first and we'll tell you what paperwork works.
No keys? Still fine
Lost keys don't stop the sale. You still need to show the car is yours, and we bring a truck that can load it without them.
Buying broken cars from Whistler to Chilliwack
We cover Metro Vancouver, the North Shore, the Sea-to-Sky and the Fraser Valley. Every area parks its dead cars a little differently.
Vancouver
Narrow East Van back lanes, tandem driveways and permit-only streets. Tell us how it's parked and we send a truck that fits.
East Van · Kitsilano · Mount Pleasant · Marpole · KerrisdaleBurnaby & New West
Lots of cars stuck in underground parkades around Metrotown, Brentwood and Edmonds. Low ceilings matter, so mention the clearance.
Metrotown · Brentwood · Edmonds · Sapperton · QueensboroughNorth Shore
Steep driveways in Lynn Valley and the British Properties. A car that won't roll on a hill needs a winch, so we plan for it.
Lonsdale · Lynn Valley · Deep Cove · Ambleside · DundaraveRichmond & Delta
Flat, easy pickups, from Steveston townhouses to acreages out in Ladner. Strata deadlines are common here too.
Steveston · Brighouse · Ladner · Tsawwassen · North DeltaSurrey, White Rock & Langley
Big lots and long driveways, plenty of cars parked behind the house for years. We pull them out of the grass.
Newton · Fleetwood · Cloverdale · South Surrey · Walnut GroveTri-Cities & Maple Ridge
From Port Moody condos up to Maple Ridge acreages. Same quote process, same free towing on most cars.
Coquitlam · Port Coquitlam · Port Moody · Pitt Meadows · Maple RidgeFraser Valley
Old farm trucks, cars that quit on Highway 1, and second cars sitting in fields. Worth a call even if it's been years.
Abbotsford · Mission · Chilliwack · Aldergrove · AgassizSea-to-Sky
Mountain winters are hard on cars. We book Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton pickups on scheduled runs up the highway.
Squamish · Whistler · Pemberton · Britannia BeachSelling a broken car: what people ask
Who buys broken cars in BC?
We do. Broken Car Buyers pays cash for broken, damaged and non-running cars, SUVs, vans and pickups across Metro Vancouver, the Sea-to-Sky and the Fraser Valley. Call or text 236-800-0799 or use the quote form, and you get a price before anything is booked.
Will you buy my car if it doesn't run?
Yes. Most of the cars we buy don't run. Let us know whether it rolls and steers, or if a wheel is missing or locked up, so we send a truck that can load it the first time.
How much will I get for a broken car?
It depends on the vehicle's weight, whether the engine, transmission and wheels are still on it, whether the original catalytic converter is there, the year, make and model, and where it's parked. Scrap metal prices also change week to week. Text the details and a photo to 236-800-0799 for a real number.
Is it worth fixing my car or should I sell it?
A common rule of thumb is that if the repair costs more than about half of what the car will be worth once it's fixed, selling it as-is is usually the better move. Use the fix or sell calculator on this page with your own numbers, and think about what else on the car is likely to need work soon.
Can I sell a car with a blown engine or a bad transmission?
Yes. A blown, seized or knocking engine, a slipping transmission or a failed CVT are some of the most common reasons people call us. The rest of the car still has value, and that's reflected in the offer.
Can I sell my car if the catalytic converter was stolen?
Yes. We still buy cars after converter theft. The converter is a big part of a car's value, so the offer is lower without it, but we tell you the price before we book the pickup.
Can I sell a car that ICBC wrote off?
Yes. If ICBC settled the claim and you kept the vehicle, it's yours to sell. Text photos of the damage to 236-800-0799 and we'll price it from the photos.
What paperwork do I need to sell a broken car in BC?
You need the vehicle registration in your name and government photo ID. At pickup we complete the ICBC Transfer/Tax Form (APV9T) with you. Keep your licence plates, then cancel or transfer your insurance through your Autoplan broker after the car is gone.
Can I sell my car without keys or registration?
Usually, yes. Missing keys don't stop the sale, as long as you can show the car is yours. If you've lost the registration, the registered owner can get a copy from any Autoplan broker. Call us first and we'll tell you what we need.
Is towing free?
On most cars we buy in our service area, yes. Low underground parkades, cars boxed in by other vehicles, and long trips to remote spots can change that. We tell you before we book, not when the truck shows up.
How fast can you pick up my car?
Same-day pickup is often possible when a truck is free, so call early in the day. Otherwise we book a time that suits you, usually within a day or two.
How do I get paid?
You're paid on the spot when the car is loaded, by cash or e-Transfer. The price we agree on is the price you get, as long as the car matches what you described.
Do you repair cars or sell used parts?
No. Broken Car Buyers only buys and removes whole vehicles. We don't repair cars, tow them to a mechanic, sell used parts, or offer boosts, lockouts or roadside help.
What areas do you buy broken cars in?
Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, the North Shore, Richmond, Delta, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, the Tri-Cities, Maple Ridge, Abbotsford, Mission, Chilliwack, Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton. We don't buy vehicles outside the Lower Mainland, Sea-to-Sky and Fraser Valley.
Got a broken car you want gone?
Text a photo or call and we'll come back with a price. We pick up from Vancouver to Whistler to Chilliwack.