- We remove cars, pickups, vans and crash-damaged vehicles, running or not.
- Cancel your insurance at an Autoplan broker and bring the plates with you.
- Richmond treats an uninsured or wrecked vehicle on a property as a possible unsightly premises issue.
- Charity donation pickups are handled too.
- No cash promises: the arrangement is confirmed on the phone first.
What scrap car removal covers in East Cambie
Most of the vehicles we clear out of East Cambie fall into a few groups. There is the old sedan that has not moved from a townhouse stall in a year, the car that came home from a crash and never got fixed, and the work truck or cargo van that a Crestwood business has finally retired. Each one has its own page, because each one loads differently.
| Vehicle | Service | How it usually leaves |
|---|---|---|
| Car that does not start or roll | Non-running vehicle removal | Winched onto a flatbed, skates if the wheels are locked |
| Car damaged in a collision | Accident-damaged car removal | Loaded with loose parts secured |
| Pickup, cargo van or work truck | Scrap truck and van removal | Flatbed or wheel-lift, emptied first |
| Car you want to give to a charity | Charity car donation pickup | Picked up for the charity you choose |
If the vehicle is still drivable and just unwanted, the same process applies. The only difference is that we can usually load it under its own power, which keeps things simple.
Cancelling ICBC insurance before scrap car removal
Your plates and insurance stay tied to you until you cancel them, so deal with that side early. ICBC's page on how to cancel your insurance says to visit an Autoplan broker in person with primary and secondary ID, the owner's certificate and your licence plates. If the plates were lost or stolen, bring the police file number instead. If the vehicle is jointly owned, both owners need to attend.
Take the plates off before the vehicle leaves. We can wait while you remove them, or remove them for you and hand them over. Any refund depends on the time left on the policy, any amount owing and non-refundable fees, and ICBC notes a cancellation fee may apply. If you are driving a rental while your car sits at a repair shop, ICBC says not to cancel until the rental is back.
Clear out the glove box, the trunk and any toll or parking passes too. Once the car is loaded, getting a forgotten garage remote back is hard. For a car that was in a crash and has an open claim, check with ICBC before you scrap it, then book accident-damaged car removal.
When a stored vehicle becomes a scrap car removal job
A car that sits long enough can turn into a bylaw problem. Richmond's Unsightly Premises Regulation Bylaw No. 7162 counts derelict vehicles as rubbish. Its definition includes a vehicle that is not validly insured or licensed when it would need to be, and one that can't move under its own power or is missing parts. There is a narrow allowance for one such vehicle parked on hard surfacing, but a driveway with two dead cars on it is the kind of thing neighbours report.
Strata visitor stalls in California Pointe and around Bargen Drive see the same issue from another angle. A car with lapsed insurance takes up a stall that someone else needs. If you are the owner, scrap car removal in California Pointe or in Bargen clears it before it becomes a strata matter. If it is not your car, that is a private property impound question, not a scrap job.
Check that the vehicle is yours alone to dispose of before you book. If there is still a loan or lien on it, talk to the lender first. If you inherited the car, or bought it and never transferred the ownership, sort out the paperwork at an Autoplan broker before it leaves. It saves a lot of trouble later, and it means the non-running vehicle removal can go ahead on the day you choose.
Scrap car removal from driveways, parkades and Crestwood yards
Where the vehicle sits decides how we load it. A car on a driveway or curb is the easy case: a flatbed backs up and winches it on. A car in an underground stall in a strata building needs a low-clearance truck, and if it has flat tires or seized brakes, we bring skates so it can roll out of the stall. Tell us the clearance at the entrance if it is posted.
Crestwood yards on Vanguard Road and Voyageur Way are different again. Retired fleet vans and pickups there are often blocked in by other vehicles or sitting on gravel. Scrap car removal in Crestwood usually means planning the pull with the yard manager so nothing else has to move twice. Larger units go with scrap truck and van removal.
- Tell us the make, model and year.
- Say if it runs, rolls, or has locked wheels.
- Give us the location: driveway, curb, parkade level or yard.
- Let us know if the keys and ownership papers are on hand.
Getting a fair arrangement for scrap car removal
We don't post prices or promise cash online, because the outcome depends on the vehicle, how complete it is, where it sits and how hard it is to load. What we do is talk it through on the phone and confirm the arrangement before the truck arrives, so there are no surprises at the curb. Our guide on tow truck costs in East Cambie explains the loading factors.
If you would rather the car go to a good cause, charity car donation pickup handles that. If it is not ready to be scrapped yet and you just need it moved to a shop for a second opinion, car towing is the call. Either way, send the details and we will tell you which one fits.
A vehicle headed for scrap still holds fuel, oil, coolant and a battery. Tell us if anything is dripping, so we bring absorbent and keep it off the driveway or the parkade floor. Homes in Jacombs and King George Park often have a car parked in a carport or beside a garage for years, and those are usually simple pulls once we know the wheels turn.