Nanaimo has two car ferry routes to the Lower Mainland, Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay and Duke Point to Tsawwassen, which puts the mainland's inventory closer than most Island buyers assume. ClearCut Auto Inc. is a licensed, fee-only car buyer's broker: we get offers on the exact vehicle you want from several suitable, eligible dealerships that have it, in Nanaimo, in Greater Victoria or across the water, find the best offer for your needs, negotiate it, and on the managed packages handle the finance office for you, wherever the store is. Our founder has 8+ years of automotive experience inside BC dealerships, from the sales floor to the finance office, and we have no loyalty to any store.
A car buyer's broker represents the buyer, not the dealership. In British Columbia that is a licensed activity: the broker-agent works for the person buying the vehicle, sources and negotiates on their behalf, and takes no payment from the selling side.
ClearCut Auto Inc. holds BC broker-agent licence B70016 and is fee-only. You pay a flat fee, from $150 to $2,500 plus GST depending on the package; no dealership or lender pays ClearCut anything. The licence covers all of British Columbia, and the fee is the same flat fee whether the vehicle comes from the Island or the mainland.
Four things about the mid-Island market that a buyer sitting in one showroom never sees.
Nanaimo's franchised dealerships are gathered around Bowen Road and the north end of the city, most brands with a single store. The next stores are in Greater Victoria, about ninety minutes south, or in the Comox Valley to the north, and after that the mainland. A buyer who only shops in town negotiates against one number.
Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay is a crossing of about an hour and forty minutes, and Duke Point to Tsawwassen about two hours. Surrey, Langley, Richmond, Burnaby and Vancouver between them hold more of most brands' inventory than the whole Island, and each store has its own number. From Nanaimo, the mainland is a morning away, not a day.
On ClearCut Negotiation and Concierge we handle sourcing, the purchase price, financing and every finance office product on your behalf, at whichever eligible dealership the vehicle comes from, in Nanaimo, down-Island or on the mainland. On Concierge, local delivery by the selling dealer is included where it offers delivery; where it does not deliver, or is outside your local area, transport is over and above the service fee — quoted by a third-party carrier, approved by you in writing, and paid by you directly to the carrier, or you collect the vehicle. Advisory packages are by phone, text or email, whichever suits you.
GST applies to every vehicle bought from a dealer (a private sale carries no GST but a higher PST rate), BC PST climbs with the vehicle price, and a federal luxury tax may apply above the federal threshold. Every price in our free tools is shown all-in for BC, taxes and government levies included and dealer fees extra, so you can compare real numbers before you talk to anyone.
For clients who intend to engage with the dealership independently but want professional coaching first.
Details →For clients who want to negotiate independently but want a professional second opinion before officially committing.
Details →For clients who want a fully managed experience — your only responsibilities are arranging vehicle insurance and picking up the vehicle from the dealership; ClearCut Auto Inc. handles everything else.
Details →For clients seeking complete end-to-end service, with dealership visits avoided where the agreed signing and delivery arrangements allow.
Details →Strategy and Clarity: book and pay online, no call needed. Negotiation and Concierge: a free call to understand your needs, budget and goals.
Strategy and Clarity: you accept the Advisory Services Terms (British Columbia residents) or the National Advisory Services Agreement (outside BC) at checkout. Negotiation and Concierge: the Client Service Agreement is sent and signed through DocuSign and the fee is paid through Stripe.
Strategy and Clarity: work starts once payment is received. Negotiation and Concierge: once the agreement is signed and payment is received as set out for your package, we get to work. Coaching or a deal review on the advisory packages; sourcing, the price and the finance office on Negotiation; all of that plus paperwork and delivery coordination on Concierge.
You do not need to be there for any of the negotiating. On ClearCut Negotiation and Concierge we deal with the dealership on your behalf: sourcing, the purchase price, financing approval and every finance office product, at whichever eligible dealership the vehicle ends up coming from, so you don't have to negotiate with a salesperson yourself. On Negotiation, your only responsibilities are arranging vehicle insurance and picking up the vehicle from the dealership. On Concierge, the selling dealer delivers the vehicle where it offers delivery; otherwise a third-party carrier quotes the transport, you approve it in writing and pay the carrier directly, or you collect the vehicle. Where the dealer allows signing away from the dealership, we bring the paperwork to you to sign and return it to the dealer (documents only, never purchase funds; Lower Mainland, with Vancouver Island and the Okanagan subject to scheduling; elsewhere only as agreed in writing before you sign the Client Service Agreement or pay a fee). Strategy and Clarity are advisory packages delivered by phone, text or email, whichever suits you.
On ClearCut Negotiation, your only responsibilities are arranging vehicle insurance and picking up the vehicle from the dealership, so we agree on the first call whether the right store is an Island one or a mainland one before any work starts. On ClearCut Concierge, local delivery by the selling dealer is included where it offers delivery; where it does not deliver, or is outside your local area, transport is over and above the service fee, quoted by a third-party carrier, approved by you in writing, and paid by you directly to the carrier, or you collect the vehicle.
No. Where the vehicle is bought does not change where it is registered, insured or serviced. ICBC coverage is arranged through an Autoplan broker; ClearCut Auto Inc. does not advise on insurance.
Nanaimo, Lantzville, Parksville, Qualicum Beach and Ladysmith on this page. Greater Victoria has its own page, and the rest of Vancouver Island is covered the same way. ClearCut Auto Inc. is based in South Surrey and licensed for all of British Columbia; on the managed packages the fee is the same flat fee wherever the store is.
A flat fee, from $150 to $2,500 plus GST depending on the package, paid through Stripe. ClearCut Auto Inc. receives nothing from any dealership or lender. The fee is for the representation, never for the vehicle itself.
Yes. ClearCut Auto Inc. holds BC broker-agent licence B70016 and represents buyers only.
Both. The package decides the scope, not the vehicle. Every price in the free tools on this site is shown all-in for BC, with GST, PST and any federal luxury tax already applied.
ClearCut Auto Inc. does not guarantee financing approval, vehicle availability, or a specific pricing outcome. We will tell you honestly what we think we can do before you pay anything.
ICBC coverage is arranged through an Autoplan broker. For licensed insurance products (life, disability, and critical illness coverage), ClearCut Auto Inc. does not provide licensed insurance advice; any insurance-specific advice must be obtained from a properly licensed insurance professional.
ClearCut Auto Inc. does not receive compensation from dealerships, lenders, or third parties, and represents buyers only. BC broker-agent licence B70016.
Strategy and Clarity: book and pay online. Negotiation and Concierge: start with the free call. Tell us the vehicle, or tell us you have no idea yet; either works.