Getting a car in British Colombia

*Find a vehicle on backpacker facebook groups or on craigslist

*Transfer ownership by filling out a form (ICBC)

*Register the vehicle in your name. All done @ ICBC

*(optional) Roadside assistance @BCAA

11am, our alarm goes off. 12am, we got our van! I know, It’s almost too good to be true! We still can’t believe what has happened.

How did we find a car?

So, we had arranged 5 appointments through backpacker facebook groups. We had just sent them a private message briefly saying we were interested in buying their van. If you take a look at those backpacker facebook groups, you’ll notice most of the cars/vans are old (some older than 1996!). Not that many cars look great or are in good condition.

Our first appointment was at 12 o’clock. So this wonderful young German couple came knocking on our doors and their van turned out to be our future Dodge Grand Caravan. Perfect for our travels. Since it’s mid august, backpackers tend to leave the country which probably made it easier for us to buy a van.

Everything happens for a reason

Yesterday’s missed flight had given us spare time to check out the canadian backpacker facebook groups. Was this why we missed our flight by just 15 minutes? There is no scientific evidence ofcourse, but it’s definitely not the first time something bad has lead to something far beyond what we could imagine.

The way our van was posted in Canada Backpackers 🇨🇦 🍁 (facebook)
5350 CAD

How to register a car?

It’s so easy to sell/buy a car here. Here in British Colombia, your only option to register a car would be at a ICBC office. They give you your new license plates right away and they also fix your insurance plan on the spot. You are good too go in just a few minutes. We paid 1400 CAD for a 6 months insurance.

Road assistance can be very useful when driving in Canada. They’ll not only tow you but help you fix flat tires or give you a jumpstart when you’re in trouble in remote areas. We opted for a medium plan for which we paid 120 CAD/year. The company’s name was BCCA.

Important tip!

Always be aware that taxes are not included in most purchases. When buying a car, you will pay 12 percent in taxes in British Colombia.

To be continued…