Your old car made it to work, the mall or a friend’s building, and now it will not start. It was already near the end of its life, and paying a separate tow just to bring it home feels like a waste. This walkthrough covers how free towing junk car Toronto pickup works on an accepted sale when the car is stuck away from home, and what you need to sort out so the driver can find it.
Canadian Auto Wreckers is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and has been buying scrap, junk and unwanted vehicles since 1981. If your car has died somewhere other than your driveway, call 416-559-3683 or send the details through our online quote form and we will tell you what we need to book the pickup.
CAW Team, Canadian Auto Wreckers
Key takeaways
- If the car is not worth fixing, a separate tow home often just moves the problem. Junk car removal can take it straight from where it stopped.
- Cars submitted through our website form get a cash price, free towing on an accepted sale, pickup as soon as the next day before noon when paperwork and access are ready, and a bill of sale at pickup.
- Get permission from the property manager or lot owner, and make sure the car is not blocking anyone.
- Describe the exact location: lot name, level, stall number, entrance, and whether the wheels roll.
- Plan who meets the driver with the ownership and keys, and remove your plates before the car leaves.
For the service overview, see our free towing junk car Toronto page, and for the general process, our scrap car removal in Toronto page.
The scenario, stage by stage
| Stage | What you do | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The car won’t start | Make sure it is safe and not blocking traffic or other spots. Decide if it is worth repairing. | Nothing yet. |
| 2. Ask the property | Tell the property manager, security desk or lot owner the car will be picked up, and ask how long it can stay. | We can tell you what a tow truck needs for clearance and space. |
| 3. Get a quote | Call or use the form with the vehicle details, condition and exact location. | Give you a cash price based on what you describe. |
| 4. Book the pickup | Confirm the ownership, keys and who will meet the driver. | Book a window, as soon as the next day before noon when paperwork and access are ready. |
| 5. Pickup | Meet the driver, sign the ownership, remove your plates and belongings. | Load the car with free towing on the accepted sale and hand you a bill of sale. |
| 6. After | Call your insurer, keep the bill of sale, and handle plates through ServiceOntario as needed. | Done on our side. |
Paying for a tow vs free towing on a sale
When a car dies away from home, the first reaction is usually to call a tow and bring it back. That makes sense if you plan to fix it. If the repair would cost more than the car is worth, a paid tow home just means the car sits in your driveway until you deal with it anyway. Selling it where it stopped skips that step. With junk car removal in the GTA through us, the tow is part of the accepted sale, so you are not paying to move a car you are about to sell.
A situation we often see: a car that was already on its way out stops in a workplace lot, the owner pays for a tow home, and a couple of weeks later calls us to pick it up from the driveway. If you already know you are done with it, call before you book that first tow.
Permission and not blocking anyone
A workplace lot, a mall lot, an apartment visitor stall and a Toronto side street all have different rules. Before you book:
- Workplace or mall lot: let security or the property manager know the car is disabled and will be picked up. Ask how long it can stay.
- Apartment or condo visitor stall: check with the building office. Visitor parking often has time limits, and some underground garages have low clearance that a tow truck cannot get under.
- Street parking: watch posted signs and time limits. If the car is in a spot that becomes no-parking at a certain time, tell us so we can plan around it.
If the car is blocking a lane, a fire route or another driver, move it or push it into a legal spot first if you can do that safely.
Describe the location accurately
“It’s at the mall” is not enough. Give us the lot or building name, the closest entrance or door, the parking level and stall number if there is one, which way the car is facing, and whether the wheels roll and the steering unlocks. If it is underground, mention it. These details decide which truck we send.
Ownership, keys and plates
Ontario rules are the same whether the car is at home or across town:
- The registered owner, or someone with legal authority, signs the ownership.
- If there is a loan or lien on the car, clear it before the sale.
- Licence plates stay with you. Remove them and keep the plate portion of the permit.
- Take your belongings out, including the glove box, trunk and any parking passes or transponders.
- After pickup, call your insurer and keep the bill of sale.
Our how cash for cars works in Toronto guide covers the full sale process in more detail.
Who will meet the driver?
This is the step people forget when the car is not at home. Someone needs to be there with the keys and the signed ownership, or you need to arrange it with us ahead of time. If you work in that building, pick a time you can step out. Tell us the best contact number on the day so the driver can reach the right person.
If it died just outside the city
Cars do not always break down inside Toronto. If yours stopped in Scarborough, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby or Oshawa, the same process applies. Give us the location the same way, and ask on the call about timing for that area. Same-day pickup is sometimes possible, but ask when you call rather than counting on it.
Short checklist before you call
- Permission from the property manager or lot owner
- Ownership in hand and in your name, no outstanding loan
- Keys, and whether the wheels roll
- Who will meet the driver, and their phone number
- Plates off and belongings out before the car leaves
If you want a deeper list, see what to confirm before the truck arrives. If the car is already at a garage, read towing a car that is not worth fixing from a repair shop.
Frequently asked questions
Can you pick up a junk car from a workplace or mall parking lot in Toronto?
Yes, as long as the property manager or lot owner allows it and the tow truck can reach the car. Tell us the lot name, entrance and stall when you ask for a quote.
Is the towing really free?
Cars submitted through our website form get a cash price and free towing on an accepted sale.
Do I have to be there when the car is picked up?
The registered owner, or someone with legal authority, needs to sign the ownership. Arrange ahead of time who will meet the driver with the keys and paperwork.
Can you tow from an underground garage?
It depends on the clearance and the ramp. Tell us it is underground and give the posted clearance if you can find it, so we can confirm before booking.
How soon can the car be picked up?
As soon as the next day before noon when paperwork and access are ready. Same-day is sometimes possible, so ask when you call.
Get the car moved without paying for a separate tow
If your junk car won’t start away from home in Toronto, call 416-559-3683 (Monday to Saturday 9 AM to 7 PM, Sunday 9 AM to 5 PM) or use our online quote form. Give us the location details and we will tell you what is needed to book. For more on how it works, visit our free towing junk car Toronto page.