How to Tow an Unwanted Car Out of Underground Apartment Parking in Burnaby

by Pro Scrap Car Removal

If you live in a condo near Metrotown, Brentwood, Edmonds, or Lougheed, there’s a good chance your car lives underground. That’s great when the car runs. It’s a lot less great when it doesn’t.

Maybe the battery died two winters ago. Maybe the transmission gave out and the car has been sitting in your stall ever since, collecting dust and the occasional passive-aggressive note from the strata. Either way, you’ve probably discovered that you can’t just call any tow truck. Most of them won’t fit.

This guide walks you through how to tow an unwanted car out of an underground apartment parkade in Burnaby: why it’s tricky, what equipment actually works, what you need to sort out with your building, and how to get paid for the car instead of paying to get rid of it.

Why Burnaby Parkades Are So Hard to Tow From

Burnaby has seen a huge wave of high-rise and mid-rise construction over the past couple of decades, and nearly every one of those buildings has a multi-level underground parkade. Those parkades were designed for passenger cars, not commercial trucks.

Here’s what makes them a headache:

• Low ceiling clearance. Many residential parkades have clearance somewhere around 2 metres (roughly 6’6″ to 7′), and that often drops further under pipes, sprinkler lines, ductwork, and signage. A standard flatbed tow truck is simply too tall to get through the entrance, let alone down the ramp.
• Tight turns and steep ramps. Spiral ramps and sharp corners that are easy in a Civic become impossible in a long-wheelbase truck.
• Compact stalls boxed in by pillars. Your car might be wedged between a concrete column and your neighbour’s SUV, with no room for a truck to line up behind it.
• Cars that won’t roll. A vehicle that’s been parked for months often has flat tires, seized brakes, or a locked steering column. That means it can’t just be pushed out.
• Security gates and fobs. Someone has to let the truck in, and the building usually needs to know it’s coming.

This is why people get stuck. They call a regular tow company, the driver pulls up, looks at the clearance sign, and leaves.

How Specialized Tow Trucks Get the Job Done

When you need to tow an unwanted car from a low-clearance parkade, the right equipment makes all the difference. Here’s what professionals typically use.

Low-Profile Wheel-Lift Trucks

These are shorter tow trucks built specifically for parkades and garages. Instead of a tall flatbed deck, they use a hydraulic wheel-lift (sometimes called an underlift) that slides under the tires and raises one end of the car. Their lower overall height lets them fit under beams that would stop a flatbed cold.

Wheel Dollies and Go-Jacks

If the car has a locked transmission, seized brakes, or flat tires, the operator can place dollies or go-jacks under the wheels. That lets them roll the car sideways out of a tight stall, spin it around a pillar, and position it where the truck can reach it.

Winching Out to Street Level

In some buildings, the truck can’t get all the way down to the lowest level. In that case, the car may be moved on dollies to a more accessible spot, then winched or pulled up the ramp before being loaded onto a flatbed waiting on the street.

An Experienced Operator

Honestly, the equipment only gets you halfway. Getting a dead car out of P3 without scraping a neighbour’s bumper or clipping a sprinkler head takes patience and experience. It’s worth asking any company upfront whether they’ve done parkade removals before.

Step-by-Step: How to Tow an Unwanted Car From Your Condo Parkade

Here’s a simple plan to follow so the day goes smoothly.

1. Measure (or Find) Your Parkade Clearance

Check the clearance sign at the parkade entrance and note any lower points on the way to your stall. Take a few photos of the route and the stall itself. This helps the removal company send the right truck the first time.

2. Give Your Strata or Building Manager a Heads-Up

Let your property manager or strata council know you’ve arranged a removal, when it’s happening, and how long it should take. They may need to open a gate, provide a fob, or let neighbours know. In BC, strata corporations operate under the Strata Property Act along with their own bylaws and rules, so your building may have specific requirements for moving vehicles or booking time. The BC government’s strata legislation page is a good place to start if you’re unsure.

3. Don’t Wait for the Strata to Do It for You

This is the step people skip, and it can cost them. If a car sits in a parkade in violation of the building’s bylaws, the strata may have it towed and stored at the owner’s expense. In one BC Civil Resolution Tribunal case, a car towed from a strata parkade was held for 74 days, and the owners ended up paying more than $4,800 in towing and storage fees (read the decision). When you arrange to tow an unwanted car yourself, you stay in control, and you can get paid for it instead.

4. Get Your Paperwork Together

You’ll want your ownership/registration papers and a piece of photo ID. If you’re selling the car for scrap, remember to take your licence plates off the vehicle and handle the registration side of the transfer. You can find the full steps on ICBC’s transfer vehicle ownership page. Don’t forget to cancel your insurance afterward.

Worried because your car hasn’t been insured for a while? That’s common with cars that have been sitting in a parkade. We cover that in our post on whether car removal companies buy cars without insurance.

5. Clean Out Your Personal Stuff

Check the glovebox, trunk, under the seats, and the spare tire well. Remove parking passes, garage remotes, and toll transponders too.

6. Book a Removal Company That Handles Parkades

When you call, tell them it’s underground, give them the clearance height, and describe the car’s condition (flat tires, won’t start, keys or no keys). A good company will give you a quote and let you know what equipment they’re bringing.

What Does It Cost to Tow an Unwanted Car From a Parkade?

Here’s the good news: if the car is going for scrap, it usually doesn’t cost you anything. A reputable scrap car company will quote a price for the vehicle and include the removal. The car’s make, model, year, weight, and condition all factor in, and you can learn more about how pricing works in our guide to what makes a good cash for cars offer in the Lower Mainland.

Compare that with ignoring the problem until the strata steps in, and the math is pretty clear.

Why Burnaby Residents Call Pro Scrap Car Removal

At Pro Scrap Car Removal, we’ve been helping Lower Mainland drivers get rid of old vehicles for years, and we understand the realities of apartment living in Burnaby. Whether your car has mechanical issues, was damaged in an accident, or is simply unwanted, we’ll give you a fair quote and handle the heavy lifting.

Here’s what you can expect:

• A free quote over the phone, by text, or by email
• Same-day or next-day pickup in most cases
• Cash paid on the spot for your vehicle
• Environmentally responsible recycling of metal, tires, and fluids
• No pressure and no hidden fees

We serve every Burnaby neighbourhood, and you can learn more on our Scrap Car Removal Burnaby page. We also work in nearby New Westminster and across Greater Vancouver. If you want to know exactly what happens on pickup day, check out how our scrap car removal process works or read our guide on car pickup for scrap and what to have ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can any tow truck get into an underground parkade?

No. Most standard flatbeds are too tall for residential parkades. You need a low-profile truck or a company that uses dollies and wheel-lifts to bring the car to an accessible spot.

What if my car has flat tires or won’t roll?

That’s very common. Wheel dollies or go-jacks let operators move the car even with flat tires, seized brakes, or a locked transmission.

Do I need to be there during the pickup?

Usually, yes, or at least someone who can open the gate and hand over keys and paperwork. Call ahead to discuss your options.

What if I’ve lost the keys?

Tell the company when you call. It may affect how the car is moved out of the stall, but it rarely stops the removal.

Will I still get paid if the car doesn’t run?

Yes. Scrap cars are valued mainly on weight, metal, and parts, so non-running cars still have value. See our FAQ page for more.

Ready to Tow an Unwanted Car Out of Your Burnaby Parkade?

That car in your stall isn’t going anywhere on its own, and every month it sits there is another month of strata letters, wasted parking space, and value quietly slipping away. The simplest way to tow an unwanted car from underground parking is to call a team that knows how to handle tight parkades and will pay you for the vehicle.

Call Pro Scrap Car Removal today at (778) 891-2607 or contact us online for a free quote. We’ll get your old car out of the parkade and put cash in your hand.