What’s the Difference Between Cash For Cars BC and Carvana? (And why it matters)

Long before Carvana, there was Cash For Cars BC. In fact, since 1998, we’ve been the leaders in the used car buying business in all of the Lower Mainland. Why? Because we know cars. It’s really that simple. We put customer service at the forefront of every single transaction we do, whether it’s with clients or other businesses, and that’s a big part of how we’ve become BC’s most loved used car buyer. Not to mention that when you have been paying the most cash for used cars for almost 30 years running, that kind of gives you an unprecedented reputation for doing good business.

So, what’s the difference between Cash For Cars BC and Carvana? Well, lots of things, but let’s explore it together.

We are Professionally Licensed and Always #1 in Customer Service

When you are dealing with a company like Cash For Cars BC, you are dealing with a local business. This means that not only are you giving back to the local economy, but you are doing business with someone that you can actually meet face to face. Carvana is a U.S. company that is based out of Arizona. Arizona! So, not only are you not choosing a Canadian company, you are choosing someone who, if there is ever a problem, you can only contact via phone or email. And let’s be honest; it’s pretty easy to dodge accountability when you can hide behind a phone or keyboard, correct?

This leads us to the next important difference; customer service. We pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service to each and every one of our customers, near and far. Whether you are in North Vancouver or Chilliwack, we will do everything we can to ensure you are treated fairly, with respect, and treated like the great customer you are, and not just a number. If there is ever an issue, we want to hear about it. Feedback only makes us better, and we never want to stop striving to be the best. With a company like Carvana, the only support available to you is phone or email support. If there is any kind of discrepancy between the price offered, or vehicle pick up, you have to wait on hold to talk to someone. Once you finally get through to a representative, you get a huge team of CSR’s waiting to assist you, but they offer a rather generic level of assistance. It’s hard to do what’s best for your customer if you treat them all the same, is it not? Of course, it is.

How We Pay So Much Cash for Used Cars in British Columbia

Another big contrast between Cash For Cars BC and Carvana is how we buy used vehicles from our customers. We take many things into consideration when we make you an offer. Yes, we consider its blue book worth, but we also consider other things like its current condition, what features it has, its year, make, model, and even its likeliness to resell. And when you’re a third-generation car company that knows the business and everyone in it, it’s pretty easy to find a home for almost any vehicle we buy.

With a company like Carvana, they do consider some things such as the kilometers on a vehicle, it’s make, model, year, condition, and features, but mainly they make their offers based on the Kelly Blue Book value. That’s it. So, while they do loosely consider other factors, their main decision for how much cash they pay for used cars is blue book based. That’s why they can only offer say $5,000 on a vehicle, but we could offer $10,000 – $12,000 on the same one. That’s a pretty big difference, and if you don’t choose the right company, it’s you who eats that loss. This is exactly why Cash For Cars BC maintains its place as Vancouver’s place to sell used cars for cash.

We Buy ALL Vehicles, in ANY Condition

When you sell a vehicle to Carvana, you’re selling to a company who is hoping to pay the least, and sell for the most. One of the ways they do this is by performing a 150-point inspection on both the vehicles they buy, and the ones they sell. Now, this may be a really great selling point for them, because it’s how they reassure customers that it’s okay to over pay for a car that has had 150 different areas checked. However, for someone who is trying to sell a used car to Carvana, this can only hurt they payout. The more they find that’s wrong with it, the more money they can deduct from what they will ultimately pay you for your car.

With Cash For Cars BC, we don’t just buy used cars, we buy scrap cars too. This means that even if your used vehicle has mechanical issues, electrical issues, or any other qwerks that aren’t necessarily favoured by consumers who are looking to buy used cars, we will still buy it. Again, we’ve been in the car business for nearly 30 years, and we have developed many working relationships with local scrap metal recyclers, used car dealerships, and even companies who sell used car parts. So, while the condition of your vehicle may impact the price you’ll get paid for it; it won’t even be close to how much you’d lose by selling your used car to a company like Carvana.