Frequently asked questions
How can we help?
General
Every one of our cars goes through a detailed 210-point inspection and reconditioning process to ensure they are safe to drive and squeaky clean. We stand behind our quality by offering an optional 3-month Protection Plan.
Clutch is proud to break industry norms by offering transparent pricing for all of our customers. We have no hidden fees - all of our prices are no-haggle and any fees are disclosed upfront. The price you see when you place your deposit is the price you can expect to pay for the vehicle. No surprises.
Below are the services we offer which have fees attached:
-
Delivery Fee: We offer the convenience of having your vehicle delivered directly to your door and charge a fee depending on how far we need to travel to you. This covers the cost of fuel and our Field Specialists who will be happy to show you around your vehicle and answer any and all questions you may have. If you’d rather avoid the fee - you are welcome to visit one of our retail facilities to pick up your vehicle at no cost.
-
Shipping Fee: We want to offer the best selection of vehicles to meet your needs and this includes vehicles that are located in other regions of Canada. If you choose a vehicle located in a different region, we are happy to arrange shipping on your behalf. This fee is non-refundable but does not apply if you choose a vehicle located in your home province.
-
Admin Fee (Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick only): This fee covers the cost of our 210-point inspection and Provincial Safety Certification.
We source our cars from a variety of locations: mainly from customers who sell their car to Clutch, but also from auctions, trade-ins, partners and manufacturers. All our cars undergo a rigorous 210-point inspection to ensure they meet our high quality standards.
Clutch offers a seamless, transparent, and hassle-free car-buying experience from the comfort of your home—with a broad selection of high-quality used cars, delivery to your door in a matter of days, and a 10-Day Money-Back Guarantee. All of our cars undergo a rigorous 210-point inspection and reconditioning process and can be covered under our optional 3-month Protection Plan. We also offer financing and extended warranty packages. What’s not to love?
By removing the overhead costs that come with the traditional car dealership model, like fancy showrooms and commission-based salespeople, we are able to pass those savings on to you!
Yes, if you purchase or sell your car to Clutch we’ll send you a unique referral code to share with friends and family. This referral will give them $200 off their next purchase or towards their sale to Clutch. To say thanks, we’ll send you $100 after the 10-day return period has passed. Referrals are limited to 5 per customer per year. See terms here.
Financing
We work with many of Canada's largest financial institutions to help customers get a loan at a great best rate. A variety of factors determine whether or not you get approved for a loan, including credit history, employment, residency status, down payment, application information, co-applicants, and vehicle selection. Since your loan is provided by a financial institution, we cannot guarantee that you'll get approved, but we always do our best to secure the best outcome for our customers.
Applying is easy and completely online. Select ‘Financing’ as your preferred payment method during checkout and you'll be guided through all of the steps to complete your application. Once you complete your financing application, we’ll send it to potential lenders for approval. If potential lenders require more information, we’ll reach out and ask you to provide it.
Each time you submit a financing application, it will slightly affect your credit score by a few points for a short period of time. Our pre-approval tool is a soft check. We may submit your information to the banks which could be a potential hard check.
Gross income is your total monthly or yearly income before any taxes are deducted. This amount is higher than your “net pay” or “take-home pay.”
If you are paying a mortgage, please select ‘buying home’ and input your mortgage amount without property tax.
Your SIN is not mandatory, although it can help move your application along faster as it allows the bank to pull your credit history more quickly. If you do not enter your SIN, the bank may come back and ask for it if their initial effort at recovering your credit history was unsuccessful.
Yes. Auto loans are open-ended loans that can be paid off before the end of term without penalty, subject to any terms imposed by your lender.
If you choose to finance your next car, the minimum amount you can borrow is $7,500. If the amount is below this, your lender is not able to finance a contract.
Interest is calculated on a per payment basis. This means that if you pay the loan off early you will not be charged the remaining interest. Note: If you decide to put extra money down on the loan after you take possession of the car, it will not lower your payment instalments—it will only shorten the length of the term of the loan.
Payments will either be 14 or 30 days after delivery (based on whether you selected biweekly or monthly payments). You can change your payment date by contacting your lender after your first payment.
Your loan does not need to come through the same bank as your personal bank account. However, you will need to provide a void cheque or a direct deposit form for the account you want your automatic payments to be withdrawn from. Note: payments cannot come from a credit card account.
Your lender will be able to provide you with the total amount you owe as you pay it down after your first payment, as well as any other details you may require. To pay down your loan, simply contact your bank and provide them with your loan details. This can be done either online or in person at a nearby branch, depending on your financial institution and the remaining balance of the loan.
No problem. If you are bringing over debt from a previous car loan, the original loan will be closed and the remainder owning will carry into the new financing contract.
This is common if you have a previous car payment scheduled to come out a few days before taking possession of your new vehicle and loan. Don’t worry! We always tell customers to be prepared for a possible payment to be withdrawn for their previous loan as it can take banks up to 10 business days to clear the previous loan. In the event that a payment is withdrawn, you will be reimbursed by your financial institution via cheque or an electronic transfer.
The minimum amount your lender can lend is $7,500 after taxes. If the amount is below this, lenders cannot finance a contract. Once the vehicle is financed, however, you can immediately put money down on the loan to reduce it to your desired loan amount.
The PPSA fee is imposed by your lender, not Clutch. It is your lender's registration fee for the financing contract and varies depending on the bank and the term of the loan, usually ranging from $55 to $170.
When filling out a finance application, you will need a valid piece of Canadian ID. If you have a co-applicant, you must fill out the section with a co-applicant They must also provide a Canadian ID such as a driver’s licence, passport, citizenship card, or permanent resident card. In some cases, we may require additional information such as proof of income or proof of address.
For newcomers, there are certain lenders that offer programs that may qualify you for financing. Conditions are applicable in these cases.
If you have no fixed income, we would also suggest applying for financing with a qualified co-applicant.
Credit approvals usually come back with a decision within 24 hours. However, this can vary based on your credit history and score. If a customer does not have excellent or good credit, approvals can sometimes take longer, during which time the lender may ask for additional information (e.g. proof of income/employment), a qualified co-applicant, cash down payment, etc.
If you have a trade-in, we will give you a trade-in value for your current vehicle. Your trade-in value is then applied to the purchase price of your new vehicle, prior to tax, so you also save the trade-in amount/value in tax as well. If you still owe money on the loan for your current vehicle, we can apply the negative equity amount to the new loan and refinance whatever amount is left.
In some cases, we can finance customers on work permits. To find out if you’re eligible, fill out our pre-approval application.
Two options:
1. Cash: You can pay for the car in full via certified cheque or bank draft, made out to “Clutch Technologies Inc.” and due upon vehicle delivery. Simply select ‘Cash’ as your preferred payment method during checkout to get started. Note: We do not accept personal cheques.
2. Financing: You can apply for financing to pay off the car over time. Simply select ‘Financing’ as your preferred payment method during checkout to get started. Down payments can be made via certified cheque or bank draft, made out to “Clutch Technologies Inc.”.
Down payments are usually not required. In some cases, however, lenders may require a down payment to approve financing. If you choose to put a down payment, you may pay as much as you’d like as long as the minimum amount financed is $7,500. If the amount is below this, lenders cannot finance a contract.
If you didn’t qualify for financing, we suggest adding a co-applicant! That will help strengthen your profile to increase the probability of approval. Email us at offers@clutch.ca and we can help guide you through the process.
Yes, you can finance a car with a co-buyer.
Simply select ‘Financing’ as your preferred payment method during checkout to get started. One of our Customer Advisors will reach out to help add your co-buyer.
If you haven't found a car you like yet, you can also start the pre-approval process here.
We review your credit score, income, and debts via a soft inquiry to determine how much credit you may qualify for and at what interest rate. Note: because you are not formally applying for financing, but only learning what your financing terms would be if you did, a soft inquiry does not affect your credit score.
We do our best to respond within 24 hours but sometimes it can take a bit longer. Feel free to contact us at 647-955-5340 for the status of your application.
Sell or Trade
Instant payment is available 9 am - 4 pm, Monday - Friday via e-transfer for most financial institutions. All other payments are made via electronic funds transfer (EFT) and are usually deposited by the next day, although some may take up to three business days depending on your financial institution. You will also have a binding Bill of Sale signed by yourself and Clutch, a confirmation lien amount to be paid off (if applicable), and the remaining amount to be deposited in your bank account. If applicable, payment can take up to 3 weeks to the lien holder.
If you have a loan on the car that you're selling, Clutch will pay off the loan and deduct it from the value of our offer. Loans can take up to 3 weeks to be processed, depending on the lender.
The purpose of your car-selling appointment is just that: to sell your car. We don’t waste time with negotiations or lengthy inspections, and the process only takes about 15 minutes. A member of our Delivery Team will walk around your vehicle to verify details from the appraisal, and then you’ll sign a Bill of Sale prepared by Clutch. If you choose to drop off your car at one of our facilities, please plan your way home in advance.
That’s okay! Simply complete the appraisal to the best of your knowledge, and if you have any questions about the categorization of cosmetic damage, please take a few pictures of the area in question and send them to offers@clutch.ca.
1) Driver’s licence
2) Proof of ownership or title for the vehicle
3) Void cheque or direct deposit form (to facilitate payment)
4) Loan payout statement (if your vehicle is financed)
A loan payout statement shows the current balance of your auto loan. In most cases, Clutch can obtain your loan payment statement if your auto loan is with BMO, Scotiabank, TD, CIBC, or Royal Bank. If your loan is with another lender, you will need to contact their customer service department and request a loan payout statement to be sent to you via email.
Yes, we allow a 1,000-km variance in mileage with no change to your offer. If you have a larger variance, please submit a new appraisal or simply go to your Clutch dashboard to edit the details of your original appraisal.
Yes, sell your car directly to Clutch and we will handle the buyout of your lease. Exclusions for certain makes do apply. Learn more on our lease buyout page or reach us at 647-360-7099
If a loan payment was withdrawn from your bank account after you already sold your car to us, don’t worry: that is simply because it can take 3-10 business days for the lender to process our payment. The amount will be refunded back to you by your lender.
Yes, the owner (and co-owners) need to be present at the time of sale. Exceptions are made for cars being sold by an estate or under power of attorney. Please reach out to offers@clutch.ca for additional information.
Unfortunately, there are some cars that Clutch does not purchase. Reasons for not purchasing certain cars include model year, manufacturer, model, mileage, and vehicle condition.
Clutch’s offers are generally firm subject to the terms of service.
We do! Simply visit the Sell or Trade page and enter a few details about your car to get a firm instant offer for your trade-in, which will be deducted from the price of your next ride. Plus, when you apply the value of your current ride towards the next one, you reduce the sales tax that goes with it. How sweet is that?
If you choose to trade in your car, the value of your current ride will be deducted from the next one. Not only does that reduce the purchase price of the new vehicle—it reduces the sales tax that goes along with it. That’s a win-win!
As for paying the difference between the two cars, it works just like any other Clutch purchase: you can either pay the difference in cash via certified cheque or bank draft (made out to Clutch Technologies Inc.), due upon delivery, or you can apply for financing through our portal.
And of course, if the new car has a lower price than the one you’re trading in, we’ll pay you the difference.
Lastly, if you still owe money on the vehicle you’re trading in, we will transfer the loan to your new ride, along with any new financing.
Yes. Accidents may affect your car’s appraisal value, but in most cases you can still trade it in. To get a cash offer in minutes, head to the Sell or Trade page and enter a few details about your car.
After you enter a few details about your car on our Sell or Trade page, you should get a firm offer right away. On rare occasions, however, a manual appraisal might be required, in which case it can take about 24 hours.
Selling your car is easy. Simply head to our Sell or Trade page and enter a few details about your car to get a firm offer in minutes. Then, you can either schedule a pick-up time and location, or drop off your vehicle to our facilities and one of our team members will walk you through the transaction.
Yes. If the amount owed on your car is less than the amount of our offer, we will pay you the difference and clear the lien with your financial institution. If the amount owed is greater than the offer, you would need to provide us with a certified cheque or bank draft for the difference and we will pay off the loan on your behalf. One of our Customer Advisors will be there to help you every step of the way.
At Clutch, we pride ourselves on providing firm offers online. In some cases where undisclosed damage or discrepancies from the condition option selected are discovered during inspection, it can have an impact on your offer. To ensure fairness and accuracy, we offer three condition options for evaluating your car: excellent, good, and poor. Choosing the excellent condition indicates a car with no imperfections, both inside and out. The good condition allows for normal wear without major cosmetic issues. Opting for the poor condition implies the presence of several cosmetic problems that would require repair.
We also take into consideration the accuracy of the accident claims provided compared to the Carfax history. If there are discrepancies between the two, it may result in a deduction from the initial offer.
If you're not sure about whether damage on your vehicle might change your offer, simply take a few pictures and send them to offers@clutch.ca, we'll let you know if there is an adjustment required. In any case, if you're not happy with an adjustment made, you can walk away without penalty at any point in the Clutch process.
If the value of your car is over $10,000 and it is less than 200 km from one of our facilities, we would be happy to come pick it up for a fee. Otherwise, we can arrange to meet you at one of our facilities.
After inputting your car details and selecting your trim, you will be presented with a list of features that you can check off if your car has them. We will evaluate all of this information when providing you with an offer.
You do not have to pay taxes when selling your vehicle, with the exception of leased vehicles. It is the buyer’s responsibility (Clutch) to pay taxes to the government, specifically when we change the registration to our name. The offer we provide online is firm, meaning it is exactly how much will be transferred to your bank account minus any outstanding lien on the car (in most cases—see above).
You can only sell a car that is registered in your name or you would need to provide us with a Power of Attorney document. Contact us at offers@clutch.ca to get started.
Yes. If you wish to sell a car owned by a company, we simply require an article of incorporation indicating that you own the company or have signing authority. To get started, head to the Sell or Trade page and enter a few details about your car.
Buying
Clutch makes buying a car easy. Simply select ‘Shop Cars’ at the top of the page to pick out one you like, then click ‘Start Purchase’ to begin the checkout process, choose your payment terms, and set a delivery or pickup date!
If you would like to finance your car, that’s easy too: just select ‘Financing’ during checkout and you’ll be guided through all of the necessary steps.
Plus, if you have any questions along the way, our Customer Advisors are here to help. Simply call or text us at 647-955-5340 (Ontario) or 902-905-3590 (Maritimes), email us at support@clutch.ca, or start a chat with us here.
The $100 deposit required at the end of checkout is used to reserve the vehicle so that no one else can buy it. And yes, the deposit is completely refundable!
We offer three package options on vehicles.
Basic: Our entry-level package comes without a return policy or detailing. Only available for cash purchases and pick up at our retail facility.
Essential: Our most popular package with an industry-leading 10-day return policy, 3-month warranty, detailing and a full tank of gas. Cost-effective, peace of mind, no compromise.
Clutch Certified: Clutch takes care of everything, now and later. Each Clutch Certified vehicle comes with a comprehensive warranty package with roadside assistance for worry-free car ownership, as well as free delivery straight to your door. Plus all the benefits of Essential.
Choose a package that suits your needs and budget. You can find more information on eligible packages for your car during the checkout process.
Note: Some vehicles may not be eligible for all packages.
We offer limited cross-province purchasing, as follows:
If you are located in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, or Prince Edward Island, you can purchase and have a car shipped from Ontario for an additional fee.
Clutch is proudly haggle-free. For that reason, we don't negotiate on pricing. We aim to price our vehicles as competitively as possible, with no hidden fees.
Insurance requirements vary by province, as follows:
Ontario: Customers must obtain car insurance for their new vehicle before they may take possession. Please contact your insurer and provide them with the VIN, year, make, model, and trim of the vehicle you wish to purchase. Once you have insurance for your new vehicle, please upload a copy to your profile. Please note that your insurance must have an effective date beginning no later than the scheduled day of delivery.
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island: Customers must obtain car insurance for their new vehicle before they may take possession. Please contact your insurer and provide them with the VIN, year, make, model, and trim of the vehicle you wish to purchase. Once you have insurance for your new vehicle, please upload a copy to your profile. Please note that your insurance must have an effective date beginning no later than the scheduled day of delivery.
Yes! With the exception of vehicles purchased with a Basic package, Clutch cars come with a 10-Day Money-Back Guarantee, which means that if you don't love your car during those first 10 days (or 750 km—whichever comes first), just give us a call at 1-866-275-4609 or email support@clutch.ca to set up a return or exchange. You will be refunded the price you paid for the vehicle, excluding certain fees. See our Terms of Service for more details.
To return or exchange your vehicle, you must let us know within 10 days of receiving your vehicle (or before you have driven 750 km—whichever comes first). Vehicles purchased with a Basic package do not qualify. We cannot accept a return if the vehicle is not in the same condition in which it was delivered or has a lien or other unpaid fee (other than financing arranged through Clutch). If you choose to exchange your vehicle, you can make up to two vehicle exchanges in 30 days, but note that the third vehicle will not come with a 10-Day Money-Back Guarantee. Third-party fees, including financing and government fees, are not eligible for refund. If you traded in another vehicle when making your purchase, the trade-in vehicle shall not be returned to you. Instead, you will be reimbursed for the trade-in value determined at the time of the initial sale less any applicable lien(s). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the loan value exceeds the trade value, you shall provide Clutch with a bank draft for the difference. See terms and conditions for more details.
While we do not offer in-person viewings at our facilities, we save you the trip by providing 360-degree photography and detailed reporting that highlights even the smallest imperfections on each and every car.
Plus, when we deliver the vehicle to your doorstep (or you come to pick it up), you will be able to physically inspect it and take it for a spin before completing your purchase. Vehicles purchased with Basic packages cannot be test-driven prior to delivery.
Best of all is our 10-Day Money-Back Guarantee. If you discover you're not happy with your ride at any point during that period, you’ll get your money back—no questions asked. However, vehicles purchased with Basic packages do not qualify.
While we do not offer in-person test drives at our facilities, you will be able to physically inspect the car before completing your purchase if you select the Essential or Certified package. Plus, every car purchased with our Essential or Certified packages comes with a 10-Day Money-Back Guarantee, so if you discover you’re not happy with your ride at any point during that period, we'll come you’ll get your money back—no questions asked.
Yes, in most cases, you can purchase a car in one province even if you have a driver’s licence from another province. Importantly, however, your insurance must be valid in the province that you are purchasing the car in.
"Reserved" means another customer has started the purchasing process and placed the vehicle on hold, making it unavailable for purchase by others. You can still add the car to your favourites by clicking the heart icon or saving your search—then you'll easily be able to see if it becomes available again.
Every Clutch car goes through a rigorous 210-point inspection and reconditioning process, leaving it safe to drive and squeaky clean.
As for minor cosmetic damage, the car is listed exactly the way it will be delivered. (We make sure to highlight even the smallest imperfections in our 360-degree photography and reporting.) We do not offer further modifications.
Cars purchased with our Essential or Clutch Certified package are backed by our 10-Day Money-Back Guarantee. If you discover you’re not happy with those cosmetic imperfections at any point during that period, you’ll get your money back—no questions asked.
To ensure they meet our high safety standards, every Clutch car goes through a rigorous 210-point inspection and reconditioning process, available as a full report on the vehicle page. Imperfections are highlighted down to the smallest detail.
Inspections break down as follows:
Road Tests: 78 checkpoints
Engine: 41 checkpoints
Body: 21 checkpoints
Tires and Brakes: 24 checkpoints
Suspension: 16 checkpoints
Underbody: 11 checkpoints
Lights: 10 checkpoints
Steering: 8 checkpoints
Warranties
In the event of a vehicle write-off or theft, Guaranteed Auto Protection (GAP) Insurance covers the difference between the car insurance payout and the amount still owing on your loan (where applicable), including any deficit brought over from a previous loan.
Pricing for warranties varies widely based on the car in question. To view warranty pricing for a particular vehicle, navigate to the Pricing tab on the individual vehicle page. Then, click ‘See Coverage’ in the row labelled Protection Plan. You will see a list of warranty products, with pricing for each.
If your car breaks down, contact Clutch immediately at 1-866-275-4609. Please note that we will only accept repairs from licensed mechanics within Canada and the Continental US and require a work order from a licensed mechanic before any work begins.
Two things!
- Properly maintain your vehicle as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.
- Obtain authorization from a member of our Customer Support team before completing any work from a licensed mechanic. You can reach us at 1-866-275-4609 to get started.
Assuming your vehicle breakdown is covered under our 3-month Protection Plan, we will:
- Refund the vehicle or repair or replace the covered parts that caused the breakdown. Replacement parts may be of like kind or quality. This may include the use of new, remanufactured, or used parts.
- Reimburse you for towing expenses up to a limit of CAD $75 per occurrence.
- Note: We may also reimburse you for the costs of a rental vehicle, subject to pre-approval by Clutch and a receipt from the rental car provider.
See terms and conditions for more details.
Replacement parts may be of like kind and comparable quality, which may include the use of new, remanufactured, or used parts. Learn more here.
iA Financial Group is a leading Canadian insurance and financial services company that offers extended vehicle warranties and protection plans to help safeguard your car beyond the manufacturer’s warranty.
Yes, our Extended Warranty plan has a $200 deductible per repair visit, plus applicable taxes, on all covered repairs. If the same component fails again, no deductible will be charged for its repair or replacement.
Yes, it can be found here.
Yes. If you would like to transfer your Extended Warranty, contact iA at 1-888-444-0301 and they will be happy to assist you.
Yes, roadside assistance is included free of charge while your Extended Warranty is in effect.
If your repair is covered under the Extended Warranty and your car has to be in the shop for more than 24 hours, you will qualify for a free rental car for the duration of the repair.
Deliveries
During the checkout process, you will have the opportunity to select a preferred date and time for delivery. Following checkout, a member of our Customer Advisor team will reach out to help coordinate your documents ahead of delivery. Once the car has been delivered, you will have the opportunity to take it for a spin and ensure it meets your expectations before you complete the purchasing process. Delivery is not available for vehicles purchased with Basic packages.
All parties involved in the purchase must be present at the time of delivery or pick-up.
Toronto: When we deliver the car to your driveway, your new vehicle will already be registered and plated. You will be responsible for alerting our team which name(s) the vehicle will be registered under and providing us with an updated insurance policy as soon as possible. Our default is to get new plates, so if you have plates you would like to reuse please let us know.
Halifax: Registrations are mailed out within 5-10 business days of delivery; in cases where a customer doesn’t have an existing license plate to transfer over to the vehicle, we’ll provide a temporary permit good for 30 days to allow time for the customer to obtain plates for their new vehicle. If a customer does have an existing plate, there is a 30-day grace period before the plate has to be transferred over!
Please give our Customer Support team a call at 647-955-5340 and we will guide you through the process of submitting photos of the imperfections in question. Our Production Team will review any cosmetic concerns sent within the 10-Day Money-Back Guarantee period to determine next steps.
Still can’t find what you need?
Chat with one of our support representatives for assistance.