There are multiple ways to sell a car in Toronto, both online and in person. This post focuses on popular options to sell a car online with various buyers, including online dealers, car bidding sites, automotive marketplaces and professional car buying companies. Find out more about where to sell a car in Toronto and choose the best fit for you.
We searched for automotive places in the Greater Toronto Area that have a solid online presence with mostly positive reviews and also offer a hassle-free selling process with fair pricing. We excluded general marketplaces that take more effort to sell a car, such as Kijiji, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.
Popular places to sell a car in Toronto
Check out the following companies if you want an easy process for how to sell a car in Toronto:
1. Clutch
Clutch is an online dealer that gives instant offers for eligible vehicles.
How it works: Go to Clutch.ca and select Sell or Trade. Fill in your VIN and car details, and send in proof of ownership. If you qualify, wait for an offer and then arrange for delivery/pick-up and online payment.
Car eligibility requirements: The car must be 2012 or newer with 150,000km or less and in good to excellent condition.
Car pick-up from home: Yes (for a fee) if the car’s value is over $10,000 and you live less than 200 km from a Clutch facility. Otherwise, you’ll have to drive to a nearby facility.
Accepts cars with an outstanding loan: Yes
How much it costs: It’s free to get started on the platform, but Clutch charges a delivery fee. There’s also a service fee in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick.
Turnaround time: As soon as you submit proof of ownership and organize a delivery/pick-up date for your car (usually within 2-3 days).
Canada Drives is an online dealer that offers quick and easy online sales.
How it works: Select Sell My Car on the Canada Drives website. Fill in an application with your vehicle details, and wait for Canada Drives to make you an offer if you qualify. Agree to your offer, arrange for car pick-up/delivery and wait for online payment.
Car eligibility requirements: The car must be 2013 or newer with 160,000km or less and in good to excellent condition. Rebuilds are not accepted.
Car pick-up from home: No
Accepts cars with an outstanding loan: Yes
How much it costs: Free
Turnaround time: Under 48 hours
Pros
Cons
Quick quotes and fair offers
Next-day pick-up available
Online payment
No at-home vehicle pickup
3. CarDoor
CarDoor is an online dealer that will buy your car, pick it up and pay you via certified cheque or Interac e-Transfer.
How it works: Select Trade your car or Trade In on the CarDoor website. Input your name, phone number, car pictures and details. Buyers compete for your car, and CarDoor picks your car up when you accept an offer. Get paid by Interac e-Transfer ($5,000 or less) or certified cheque.
Car eligibility requirements: None, but if your vehicle is in poor condition, you may not get any offers.
Car pick-up from home: Yes
Accepts cars with an outstanding loan: Yes
How much it costs: Free
Turnaround time: 24-48 hours
Pros
Cons
Quick sales process
Buyers compete to give you best price
Online payments only for sales of $5,000 or less
4. Autozen
Autozen is an online bidding site that gives you a free valuation and many bids to choose from.
How it works: Get a free car valuation on the website. If you like the price, list your car with Autozen and the company will come out to inspect it. Buyers compete for your car if it passes inspection. Accept an offer and arrange pick-up and payment.
Car eligibility requirements: The car needs to be 2011 or newer and have less than 150,000km.
Car pick-up from home: Yes
Accepts cars with an outstanding loan: Yes
How much it costs: Free
Turnaround time: Typically between 48 hours and a week
Pros
Cons
Car pick-up and online payment
Multiple bids
Sell to dealerships and individuals
Older vehicles not accepted
In-person inspection required
5. AutoTrader
AutoTrader is an online automotive marketplace that lets you sell your car by yourself by posting an ad on its site or sell to a dealership through its Instant Cash Offer service.
How it works: Open the AutoTrader website and post a free ad to sell to a private buyer, or choose the second option to get an instant offer from a dealership. If you choose the latter, you can drop your car off at the dealership on the same day and collect a cheque.
Car eligibility requirements: There are no eligibility criteria to post ads, but you might only get dealership offers for newer vehicles in good condition.
Car pick-up from home: Not usually, but it can be arranged with some dealers.
Accepts cars with an outstanding loan: Yes, if you’re selling to a dealer.
How much it costs: Free, but you can pay to boost ads for private sales.
Turnaround time: Dealers can give an offer within a few hours. You can arrange to deliver the car on the same day you accept.
Pros
Cons
Large network of buyers (individuals & dealerships)
Get an offer in minutes
Same-day payment when you drop your car off
Some users report website glitches and customer service issues
Not all dealers offer home pick up
6. Sell My Car Toronto
Sell My Car Toronto is a professional car buying company that pays you cash to buy your car “as is” with an at-home inspection. You don’t need a Safety Standard Certificate, Carproof report or Used Vehicle Information package.
How it works: Enter your vehicle details on the Sell My Car Toronto website. Get a quote and book an appointment for pick-up if you accept the offer. Collect payment by cash or other preferred payment method.
Car eligibility requirements: The car must be drivable and not overstocked in the company’s inventory.
Car pick-up from home: Yes
Accepts cars with an outstanding loan: No
How much it costs: Free
Turnaround time: The company will send a quote within 24 hours. You can book an inspection when it’s convenient for you.
Pros
Cons
Accepts “as is” vehicles
Fast turnaround times
Paid in cash if you want
Quote valid for 10 days
Does not accept vehicles with outstanding loans
In-person inspection required
7. Your Car 4 Cash
Your Car 4 Cash is a professional car buying service that can give you an offer in cash.
How it works: Assess your car’s value on the website. The company will come out on the same day (in many cases) to inspect your car. If it passes inspection, the car is picked up and you get paid by cash, bank draft, certified cheque or company cheque.
Car eligibility requirements: The car must be 2010 or newer with less than 150,000km and in good to excellent condition.
Car pick-up from home: Yes
Accepts cars with an outstanding loan: Yes
How much it costs: Free
Turnaround time: The company can inspect the vehicle on the same day and give you a cash offer.
Pros
Cons
Instant online quote
Full sales process takes under 24 hours
Get paid instantly with cash, bank draft, certified cheque or company cheque
Car needs to be 2010 or newer
Requires in-person inspection
No online payment
8. Ridebuyers.ca
Ridebuyers.ca is a professional car buying service that arranges fast payment and pick-up.
How it works: Get a free car quote on the website. The offer is valid for 3 days. Arrange an inspection and organize delivery/pick-up. Get instant payment with cash or a certified cheque.
Car eligibility requirements: No eligibility criteria listed online
Car pick-up from home: Yes
Accepts cars with an outstanding loan: Not specified.
How much it costs: Free
Turnaround time: It takes a few hours to a few days, depending on when you schedule inspection and delivery or pick-up.
Pros
Cons
Instant quote
Accepts “as is” vehicles
Paid in cash if you want
No online payment
In-person inspection is required
What documents do I need to provide to sell a used car in Toronto?
You’ll usually need to supply the following documents to sell a used car in Toronto:
Mandatory
Government-issued ID. Bring your driver’s licence to prove your identity.
Vehicle registration. Provide an original copy of your registration that lists you as the owner of the vehicle.
Bill of sale. Fill out and sign a bill of sale with the buyer, and retain a copy for your records.
Optional
Safety standards certificate. This is not mandatory with buyers who accept “as is” vehicles. However, some private buyers may ask for it as part of the deal.
CARFAX report. Supply a copy of your vehicle’s CARFAX report to prove that it hasn’t been involved in any accidents or thefts.
Inspection results. Provide inspection reports or any other documents assessing the mechanical soundness of your vehicle.
Maintenance records. Gather your routine maintenance records for oil changes, air filters and other repairs to show you’ve taken care of your car.
Follow these steps for how to sell a car in Toronto:
Decide which company you want to use to sell a car in Toronto, or list your car on multiple sites to compare several offers.
Visit company websites for the buyers you’re interested in and request a quote.
Choose the best offer and contact the company to arrange an inspection and pick-up/delivery.
Fill in the required documents to legally sell a car in Toronto. This usually includes a signed bill of sale and a signed application of transfer.
You may also need to provide a certificate that verifies the vehicle meets safety standards from a mechanic (unless the company accepts as-is vehicles).
Retain your license plates and the plate portion of your registration permit.
Arrange for online payment or request cash or a certified cheque.
Hand over your keys and visit a local vehicle registration office to ensure your name is removed from the registration.
The best approach for how to sell a car in Toronto depends on what kind of car you have and how much work you want to do. Online dealers are a top choice if you have a newer car and you want a hassle-free process. Professional car buying companies, bidding sites and automotive marketplaces are usually a solid choice if you have an older vehicle.
AutoTrader doesn't charge a fee to post your car on its website or to get an instant offer from a dealer. However, you can pay to promote your ad and boost views.
If you don't want to work with a dealership, some of the best places to sell your car privately include the sellers listed here. Marketplace sellers typically require more effort, but you can also check out popular private platforms like Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace.
An easy way to sell a car in Toronto is to go with a professional car buying company. These companies can usually provide a quote, do an inspection and pay you for your car within 24 hours.
You can get the best deal by getting quotes from multiple providers. Most will get back to you within the day to let you know how much they're willing to pay for your car. Go with the company that offers the highest price and the easiest process for how to sell a car in Toronto.
You can figure out the value of your car by visiting sites like Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, Consumer Reports, CARFAX or AutoTrader. Read our article to learn more about how much your car is worth.
Claire Horwood is a writer at Finder, specializing in credit cards, loans and other financial products. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies from the University of Victoria, and an Associate’s Degree in Science from Camosun College. Much of Claire’s coursework has focused on writing and statistics, with a healthy dose of social and cultural analysis mixed in for good measure. In her spare time, Claire enjoys rock climbing, travelling and drinking inordinate amounts of coffee.
It can be tough to convince a buyer that a financed vehicle will be theirs free and clear if they choose to buy it. Here’s what you should know beforehand to help make the sale a success.
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