How we price your car
Your offer is built from what the vehicle is worth today in its actual condition - not from a formula we keep to ourselves.
Below is every factor we use, in the order it matters, worked examples with real numbers, and the only circumstances in which a quoted offer would ever change. Twelve years buying cars in Calgary, and we publish our method because a company that won't show its working is a company planning to change its mind in your driveway.
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"The number on the phone is the number at pickup. If the car is what you told us it is, Calgary Car Buyer does not renegotiate when we arrive. That is the whole reason for publishing this page."
Is my car repairable, or has it reached the end of its road?
Almost everything about your offer comes down to this one question, because a car with real life left in it and a car that has reached the end are worth very different amounts.
Repairable
The vehicle still has value as a whole car. Newer vehicles, single-system failures, hail damage, most collision damage. Worth substantially more than scrap, and this is where our offers are strongest.
End of life
Repair is off the table and the remaining value is in the metal and recoverable components. Very old vehicles, severe rust, seized engines in low-value cars. We still buy these and still tow them free - the number is simply smaller, and we'll say so plainly.
If you have a newer car with one bad component - a transmission, an engine, hail across every panel - you're almost certainly in the first group, and you should not accept a scrap-value offer for it from anyone.
What sets your number?
Roughly in the order each one moves the figure.
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Year, make and model | Demand varies enormously by model. Two cars of identical age and damage can be worth very different amounts because one is wanted and one isn't. This is the biggest single lever. |
| Repairable or end of life | The fork above. |
| What kind of damage | Mechanical failure with a clean body is worth more than the reverse. A dead engine in a straight car leaves a lot of intact value. |
| Mileage | Matters most on repairable vehicles. On an end-of-life car it barely moves the number at all. |
| Does it drive, roll and steer | Affects how we recover it. That's our cost, not yours, but it's part of the arithmetic. |
| What's still on it | Catalytic converter, battery, wheels, main components. See below - this is the factor people are most surprised by. |
| Scrap metal market | Only relevant to end-of-life vehicles, but on those it moves week to week. |
| Paperwork | A lien, missing registration or an estate takes more time. It rarely changes the number much and never disqualifies you. |
Why does the catalytic converter matter so much?
Because it's often the single most valuable individual component left on an older vehicle, and it's the one that most commonly goes missing.
Converters contain precious metals, which makes them a target for theft and gives them real recovery value. On an end-of-life car, the presence or absence of the original converter can be a substantial share of what the vehicle is worth.
What this means for you:
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If yours is still on the car, that's good and it's reflected in the offer.
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If it was stolen, or replaced with an aftermarket unit, that lowers the number - and it's better to say so on the phone than have it discovered in your driveway.
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If someone offers you a price without asking about it, they either aren't pricing carefully or they're planning to adjust when they arrive.
Same principle, smaller scale, for the battery and the wheels. Alloys with usable tires are worth meaningfully more than rusted steel wheels.
Why is your offer different from what I paid, or what I see listed online?
Because those are different numbers describing different cars.
What you paid
Was the market value of a working vehicle, at a different time, in different condition. It has no bearing on what the car is worth now.
What you still owe
Is a debt. It doesn't change what the vehicle is worth - that's a separate arithmetic, and a lien doesn't stop a sale.
Listings for the same model
Are almost always for running, undamaged, registered cars with a clean history. That's not the vehicle you have. It's also an asking price rather than a selling price.
Past repairs
Money already gone. It's real, and it doesn't come back through the sale price. That's the sunk cost that keeps people spending on cars they'd already decided to let go.
Why do two identical cars get different offers?
Usually one of three things, and none of them is negotiation.
The catalytic converter
Present, missing, or aftermarket. The presence of precious metals makes a substantial difference in the offer.
Wheels and tires
Alloys with usable rubber are worth meaningfully more than rusted steel wheels.
Timing
Scrap metal prices move week to week, which matters most on end-of-life cars.
Other factors
Mileage, whether it runs, exactly which damage it has, and how much demand there currently is for that specific model in this market.
How do I know I'm getting a fair price for my car?
Nobody in this category writes this section. It's the strongest thing on the page. Get more than one number, and ask each buyer the same five questions.
We'd rather you did that than take our word for it. A buyer confident in their pricing has no reason to discourage you from checking.
| Ask | What a good answer sounds like |
|---|---|
| Will this number change when you arrive? | A clear no, plus a short specific list of what would change it |
| Is towing included or deducted? | Included, and not taken off the offer |
| When exactly do I get paid - before or after you load it? | Before |
| What's it about my car that sets the price? | Specifics: the model, the damage, the converter, whether it drives |
| Will you prepare the bill of sale and give me a copy? | Yes |
Warning signs. A quote given without anyone asking what's wrong with the car. A number noticeably higher than everyone else's - that's often the opening bid in a renegotiation, not a real offer. A toll-free number instead of a local 403 line. Payment "once we've processed it."
And a genuine caution about us: if another buyer offers meaningfully more and answers those five questions properly, take their offer. We're not the right buyer for every car.
Would I get more selling it privately?
On a clean, running car in demand - yes, probably, if you're willing to spend the weeks. That's simply true.
On a damaged or non-running car - usually not, once you count what it actually costs you: listing it, fielding messages, no-shows, strangers at your address, and a buyer pool that knows they're the only ones bidding on a project car. Damaged cars routinely sit for months on marketplaces and sell for less than the seller was quoted at the start.
Two worked examples
Both vehicles we actually bought in Calgary. The figures are what we paid.
Transmission Failure - Coventry Hills
Not Running, Sat 3 Years - Forest Lawn
The gap between those two numbers is the reason this page exists. Both are "a car that doesn't run." They are not remotely the same transaction.
When would an offer actually change?
Only when the vehicle turns out to be materially different from what was described. In practice that means:
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Major components already removed - engine, transmission, catalytic converter
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Damage significantly worse than described, or damage that wasn't mentioned
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The VIN doesn't match, or the vehicle isn't the year or model given
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You aren't the registered owner and can't legally sell it
That's the complete list. Not "we looked closer and changed our mind."
If any of those apply, contact us on the phone. It changes the number, not the deal - and a number that's right from the start is better for both of us than a conversation in your driveway.
What we don't do
We don't quote high to win the call
A number that beats everyone else's by a wide margin is usually the opening move in a renegotiation.
We don't charge for towing
Ever, or deduct it from your offer - including if you take the quote and decide not to sell after we've been out.
We don't pressure you
Take the number, sit with it, call back next month. The offer doesn't expire because you took your time and we won't call you back unless you ask.
We don't pay you after the car is loaded
Cash or e-transfer, your choice, before it goes on the truck.
Car pricing: common questions
Yes, we can give you a firm price over the phone once you share the year, make, model, approximate mileage and what's wrong with the vehicle. That number holds through pickup, unless the car turns out to be materially different from what was described during the call.
No, we don't need to see the vehicle before giving you a price. Offers are based on your description over the phone and confirmed again at pickup, which is why giving an honest, accurate description upfront leads to a more reliable and consistent final quote.
Online listings show asking prices for running, undamaged vehicles with a clean history and valid registration. If your car has mechanical issues, damage, or isn't currently drivable, it isn't comparable to those listings, which is why our cash offer reflects its actual current condition instead.
No, free towing is never deducted from your offer. The cash price we quote you over the phone is exactly what you're paid at pickup, with no hidden fees, no towing charges, and no surprise deductions once our team arrives to collect the vehicle.
Usually yes on a repairable vehicle, since a car with one failed part is worth more whole than broken down for scrap. On a genuinely end-of-life vehicle, a dismantler may match or beat our price, and we'll tell you that upfront rather than waste your time.
Mileage matters for a repairable vehicle, since lower mileage generally supports a higher offer on a car that still runs and drives. On a genuinely end-of-life vehicle being sold mainly for scrap value, mileage has very little effect and barely changes the final price we quote.
Almost never is it worth repairing a vehicle before selling it for cash. In most cases you'd spend more on parts and labor than the repair would add to your final offer, so selling as-is typically leaves you further ahead financially than fixing it first.
No, cleaning or repairing your vehicle has no effect on the cash offer you receive. We buy cars in as-is condition, dirty, damaged or otherwise. The only thing you need to do beforehand is remove your personal belongings from the vehicle before pickup.
A stolen catalytic converter will lower your offer but won't stop the sale from going through. It's best to mention this detail during your initial phone call rather than waiting until pickup, since it helps us give you an accurate price from the start.
Ask for your offer in writing by text before we arrive for pickup, and review the specific factors that could affect it, like undisclosed damage or missing parts. That list is complete and final, meaning it's the only reason your quoted price would ever change.
Get your number
Three details is enough. We'll text your offer back.
Free. No obligation. About 30 seconds.
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