by You can sell your car to Jay’s Junk Car Towing directly from the mechanic’s shop without paying to tow it home first. Tell the shop you’ve decided against repairs, ask them to stop further work and settle the outstanding bill before pickup. We collect from repair shops and dealerships across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley, BC.
To arrange pickup, call or text Jay at 604-889-4470 with your car’s year, make, model and the repair shop’s name. If you cannot attend, mention that when you contact him.
Getting a repair estimate does not mean you have to go ahead. You may have already spent thousands keeping the car on the road. Another problem might have appeared, or the estimate may only cover the first stage of finding a fault. Sometimes the car still runs, but you have decided you have put enough into it.
Jay comes from a family of car people. His family ran a gas station on Kingsway in Burnaby, and his grandfather worked in car sales. With more than 30 years collecting junk cars, Jay is familiar with repair-shop and dealership pickups. He knows why the service advisor’s name matters, why the shop needs its space back and what should be arranged before the truck arrives.
Having a car recycled may be something you have never done before. For Jay, helping owners through these arrangements is a regular part of the business.
By Jay, Jay’s Junk Car Towing Inc.
How Do I Tell a Mechanic I Don’t Want to Fix My Car?
Tell the mechanic you’ve decided against repairs, ask them not to start any more work and ask what you owe so far. Then arrange to have the car collected.
You could say:
“I’ve decided the repair isn’t worth it for me, and I don’t want to go ahead. Please don’t start any further work. Can you tell me what I owe so far? I’ll be arranging to have the car towed away.”
The service advisor may agree or recommend repairing it. Ask what the estimate includes, whether further diagnosis is needed and what other work the vehicle may need soon.
If you are unsure, speak with a friend or someone whose automotive advice you trust. The repair could make sense, or the car’s problems over the years could make replacement the better choice for you. It is your vehicle and your decision.
The repair-or-scrap guide can help you weigh those options. Once you decide, advise the shop that the car will be collected.
Can I Sell My Car While It’s Still at the Mechanic?
Yes. Jay’s Junk Car Towing can buy your car while it’s at the repair shop or dealership and pick it up there once the shop agrees to release it. You don’t need to tow it home first.
Give him the business name, address and service advisor’s name if you know it. At a large dealership, several people may be dealing with customer accounts, keys and parked vehicles. Having the right contact makes collection easier.
After years of collecting hundreds of cars from repair shops, Jay may already know the location or the staff. Some dealerships also call him to collect vehicles destined for recycling after their cash-for-clunkers trade-in promotions.
Jay collects cars from repair shops and dealerships throughout the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley, from Vancouver and the North Shore through Richmond, Burnaby, Surrey and the Tri-Cities, and east through Langley, Maple Ridge, Mission, Abbotsford and Chilliwack. Pickups also cover Delta, White Rock, New Westminster and Pitt Meadows. Tell Jay which shop has your car so he can confirm the pickup arrangements.
Can I Sell My Car If the Mechanic Can’t Find the Problem?
Yes. We can give you a price even if the mechanic hasn’t finished diagnosing the car. Tell us what’s been confirmed and what’s still uncertain.
Recently, he collected a car from a repair shop that still ran well but had a wiring problem. Finding the cause would require more diagnostic work, and the initial estimate was only the beginning of that process.
The owner decided they did not want to continue and was comfortable having the car recycled. Jay collected it from the shop and took it for recycling, where suitable usable parts and metal could be recovered.
That decision was about more than whether the engine started. The owner considered the uncertainty around the fault and chose to stop. The vehicle’s unresolved problem also mattered when determining which parts could safely be reused.
Will Anyone Buy a Car That Still Runs but Needs Expensive Repairs?
Yes. Jay’s Junk Car Towing buys cars that still run, including ones the owner has decided aren’t worth fixing. You don’t need to repair the car before asking for a price.
A car with a failed transmission may start but no longer move. A vehicle with a head gasket problem may run but overheat. Electrical trouble can come and go, leaving the car behaving normally one day and causing problems the next.
Explain what the mechanic found. You do not need to repair the vehicle before asking for a price.
If rodents damaged the wiring, the car wiring damage from rats guide covers that particular situation.
Do I Have to Be There When My Car Is Picked Up From the Mechanic?
You do not always need to be at the shop. We can collect your car once the ownership paperwork, payment and the shop’s permission to release it are sorted out.
Tell Jay early if you cannot be there. He can explain what needs to be completed and what the service advisor needs to know. Leaving the keys at reception does not necessarily cover the whole arrangement.
When you attend, payment is cash on pickup before loading. For a repair-shop or dealership collection where you cannot attend, an e-transfer can be arranged.
If you prefer cash left with the repair shop, discuss that with Jay and confirm the shop agrees to receive it for you. Everyone should understand the arrangement before the truck arrives.
What Do I Do With My Licence Plates When My Car Is Picked Up From a Shop?
We can remove your plates and leave them with the repair shop, as long as the shop has agreed to hold them for you.
Personal belongings are best removed yourself before collection. The pickup team cannot always tell which items matter to you and which ones you no longer want.
Check the glove compartment, console, trunk, door pockets and under the seats. Remember parking passes, tools and garage-door remotes.
If you cannot attend, identify any important item and explain exactly where it is. A reminder text on pickup day helps:
“Hey Jay, please remember the garage-door remote clipped to the driver’s sun visor.”
Confirm that the shop is willing to keep your plates and any agreed belongings until you collect them.
What Paperwork Do I Need to Scrap or Sell My Car If I Can’t Be There?
Call Jay before pickup to confirm the ownership paperwork and signing arrangements if you cannot attend. If the car isn’t registered in your name, or you’re acting for the owner, tell us up front.
Mention missing registration, a vehicle registered to someone else or any situation where you are acting for the owner. Sorting that out ahead of time is easier than discovering a problem when the truck arrives.
Where appropriate, documents can be left with the repair shop by agreement. Jay will explain what needs completing and what can be left for you to collect later.
The BC guide to documents needed to scrap a car explains the general requirements. Call if your circumstances differ.
Do I Have to Pay the Mechanic Before I Sell or Scrap My Car?
Settle the shop’s outstanding bill before pickup. Confirm the total with the service advisor and make sure the car is ready for release before booking collection.
Ask for an up-to-date total covering any agreed diagnosis, repairs or storage. Discuss questions about the bill directly with the shop before booking collection.
Also ask whether the vehicle has been taken apart. Tell Jay about loose components or removed parts that need to go with it.
Getting the account and release arrangements settled helps avoid delays for you, the shop and the pickup team.
How Fast Can a Junk Car Be Picked Up From a Mechanic?
Jay arranges same-day or next-day junk car pickup from repair shops and dealerships across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. Call or text with the shop’s name and location to confirm your pickup time. Let Jay know if the shop needs the space back quickly.
Some small shops have only a few parking spaces. Ask how long your car can stay and whether storage charges will apply.
Deciding against repairs can take thought, especially after years of ownership. Knowing the shop’s deadline gives you another practical detail to consider.
If you still need help deciding, What Makes a Vehicle Not Worth Repairing Anymore? looks at the vehicle’s wider condition.
How Much Can I Get for a Car That’s Not Worth Fixing?
The price depends on the car’s year, make, model, condition, how complete it is and what can be recovered from it. Call or text those details and we’ll agree a price before pickup.
The offer considers the vehicle’s overall condition, completeness and potential for recovering usable parts and recyclable material. Whether the car runs helps describe its condition, but does not determine its value by itself.
Include the service advisor’s name and whether you will attend pickup. You can text a photo of the car or the relevant part of the repair estimate if that makes explaining the problem easier.
The price is agreed before collection. You do not need to know every mechanical term to make the call.
Is Towing From a Repair Shop Free?
Yes. Towing is free when Jay’s Junk Car Towing buys your complete car from the repair shop or dealership. The shop’s own repair, diagnostic or storage bill is separate.
Confirm the vehicle’s condition, price and collection arrangements beforehand. If parts have been removed during diagnosis, mention that so the pickup team can prepare.
The repair shop’s diagnostic, repair or storage bill is separate and should be settled with the shop.
What Happens to My Car After a Junk Car Pickup?
We take your car to an approved BC vehicle recycling facility, where suitable usable parts and metal are recovered, and fluids are collected and managed properly.
Usable parts can help keep other vehicles on the road. A part affected by the vehicle’s fault is not automatically suitable for reuse. Metal is recovered for recycling, and fluids need to be collected and managed properly.
Some used fluids can be processed into useful products again. Veolia explains how used oil can be regenerated. Other fluids require different treatment or disposal.
Jay also works with a small battery recycling business in Maple Ridge that he has used for years. It collects batteries from automotive recyclers across BC, including Vancouver Island. Proper recycling helps recover materials while keeping lead and acid out of landfills.
Taking care of an old car includes what happens after collection. Keeping fluids and battery waste out of BC’s land and waterways matters.
Decided Not to Repair Your Car? Call Jay for Pickup.
Call or text Jay at 604-889-4470 with your car’s year, make, model and the shop where it is parked. Include the service advisor’s name if available and say whether you can attend.
Jay’s Junk Car Towing Inc. is a Canadian-owned, licensed and insured business with more than 30 years of experience. Repair-shop and dealership collections are a familiar part of the work.
Hours are Monday to Saturday, 8:30 am to 7:00 pm. Closed Sundays.
You can also use the Contact Jay page or visit Jay’s Junk Car Towing for more about pickup services across the region.
You decide what is right for your car. Jay helps arrange the paperwork, collection and recycling once you have made that decision.
1 Comment