Not every scrap car is sitting in an open driveway with the keys in it. In Oshawa we regularly get calls about cars that are snowed in, parked behind a backyard fence, stuck in a narrow garage or sitting on four flat tires after years of not moving. The good news: a hard-to-reach car can usually still be picked up. It just takes a bit more information up front. This walkthrough covers the most common access situations for scrap car removal in Oshawa and Toronto, and what to tell us so the right truck shows up the first time.
Canadian Auto Wreckers is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and has been removing scrap and junk cars since 1981. For a quote, call 416-559-3683 or use our online quote form. You can also read about our scrap car removal service in Oshawa.
CAW Team, Canadian Auto Wreckers
Key takeaways
- Most hard-to-reach cars can still be removed; the key is describing the spot honestly.
- Photos of the car and the path to the road help us plan the right truck and equipment.
- Clear snow and move other vehicles, bins or furniture out of the way before pickup day if you can.
- Flat tires, seized brakes and missing keys are common and usually manageable; just mention them.
- If the car is on shared or someone else’s property, sort out permission before booking.
Common situations at a glance
| Situation | What usually helps | What to tell us |
|---|---|---|
| Snowed in on the driveway or street | Clearing a path around the car and to the road | How deep, and whether a plow ridge blocks the end of the driveway |
| Behind a fence or in the backyard | A gate wide enough for the car, or a plan to open the fence | Gate width, slope, lawn or gravel |
| Tight single garage | Moving bins, bikes and shelving away from the car | Whether the car can roll and how close the walls are |
| Flat tires or seized brakes | Nothing extra from you; this is common | That it won’t roll easily |
| Shared driveway or private lot | A heads-up to neighbours or the property manager | Who controls the space and any access rules |
| Underground or condo parking | Checking height limits and building rules | Clearance height and level |
Scenario 1: The car is snowed in
Durham winters can bury a car that hasn’t moved in weeks, and a plow ridge at the end of the driveway can be harder to deal with than the snow on the car. Before pickup day, clear around the wheels and the front or back of the car (whichever end faces the road) and shovel the ridge at the end of the driveway if you can. If it’s frozen to the ground or the snow is too heavy to move, tell us when you book. If you’re deciding whether to sell before the worst of winter, our post on scrapping an old car before winter covers the timing.
Scenario 2: It’s in the backyard or behind a fence
Older Oshawa lots with long driveways and detached garages sometimes have a car parked well back from the street. The big questions are whether there’s a gate wide enough for the car to pass through and what the ground is like. Soft lawn in spring, a slope or a tight turn past the house all change the plan. A couple of photos taken from the street looking back toward the car are the most useful thing you can send.
Scenario 3: A narrow garage
A car that has been parked in a single garage for years is often surrounded by storage. Moving bins, bikes, tools and shelving away from the car gives the driver room to work. If the car can’t roll forward on its own wheels, let us know, since it may need to be pulled out carefully before it can be loaded.
Scenario 4: Flat tires, seized brakes or no keys
A car that has sat for a long time often has flat tires, brakes that have rusted to the rotors, or a steering lock that’s engaged. These are common and usually manageable. Missing keys can also be workable in many cases; tell us when you call. We cover long-parked cars in car sitting for years in Oshawa and missing keys in no keys or missing parts.
Scenario 5: Shared driveways, plazas and rented spaces
If the car sits on a shared driveway, at a townhouse complex or in a rented spot, give the neighbour or property manager a heads-up about the pickup day. And make sure the car is yours to sell: we can only buy a vehicle from the person whose name is on the ownership.
A situation we often see
Someone in Oshawa calls about a car that “just needs to be towed from the driveway.” When the truck arrives, the car is actually around the side of the house, past a gas meter and a narrow gap between the house and the fence, and it has been sitting long enough that the tires are flat. Everyone ends up rescheduling. A short description and a photo from the street would have meant the right equipment arrived the first time.
Before-pickup checklist
- Send photos of the car and the route from the car to the road.
- Clear snow, bins and other vehicles out of the way where you safely can.
- Mention flat tires, seized brakes or a car that won’t go into neutral.
- Have the ownership and your photo ID ready.
- Remove your plates, personal items, garage opener and toll transponder.
- Let neighbours or the property manager know if access is shared.
Frequently asked questions
Can you remove a car that doesn’t roll?
Usually, yes. Just tell us when you book so we can plan the right equipment.
Do I need to be home for pickup?
For a hard-to-reach car it’s best if someone is there to point out the route and hand over the paperwork. Ask us about your situation when you call.
Is towing extra if the car is hard to reach?
Free towing is part of an accepted sale. Access mainly affects how we plan the pickup, which is why we ask about it up front.
Do you serve areas near Oshawa?
Yes. Besides Oshawa and Toronto, we serve Scarborough, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Clarington, Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes. Rural properties are covered in our rural pickup guide for Clarington.
Book your pickup
Got a car in Oshawa or Toronto that’s tricky to get at? Tell us where it is and what’s in the way, and we’ll take it from there. Call 416-559-3683 (Monday to Saturday 9 AM to 7 PM, Sunday 9 AM to 5 PM) or fill in the online quote form.