Shifter: The Anti-Dealership Way to Buy or Refinance a Car in Canada

Let’s be honest.

Buying a car in Canada usually feels like:

A four-hour hostage situation

A credit interrogation

Followed by a mystery payment you didn’t agree to

Shifter.ca was built because that entire process is broken.

Instead of dragging Canadians through dealerships hoping something sticks, Shifter flips the script:

You get approved first.

 Then you choose a car.

Not the other way around.

What is Shifter.ca?

Shifter.ca is a digital auto-finance marketplace powered by Dealerhop Finance Ltd.

It connects Canadians with:

Real dealerships

Real lenders

Real approvals

…without the dealership circus.

Shifter doesn’t sell cars.
Shifter doesn’t lend money.
Shifter matches you with a dealer and lender who already want to approve you.

Think of it as:

“Skip the showroom. Go straight to the yes.”

Why Shifter Exists

The traditional car-buying process looks like this:

Pick a car

Fall in love

Apply for financing

Get declined

Start over, embarrassed

Shifter does it backwards — on purpose:

Apply

Get approved

See only cars you qualify for

Pick one

Drive away

No heartbreak. No wasted Saturdays.

What Can You Do With Shifter?

Shifter isn’t just for buying cars. It’s built for three types of Canadians:

🚗 Buying a Car

You apply once.

Shifter matches you with a local dealer and finance manager.
You get three vehicle options that fit your:

Credit

Income

Budget

No fake “starting at” prices.

No “maybe we can make it work.”

These are real approvals.

🔁 Trading In

Already driving something?

Shifter lets you:

Roll in your trade

Handle negative equity

Upgrade or downgrade

Clean up your payments

Without re-explaining your life story at five dealerships.

💰 Refinancing

If your current car loan feels like a bad decision from 2021… Shifter fixes that.

You can:

Lower your interest rate

Cut your monthly payment

Extend your term

Or reset your loan

Handled through:

SafeLend Canada

Or Shifter’s dealer network

How Shifter Works

Here’s the short version:

You apply online

Shifter matches you with a dealer or refinance partner

You get pre-approved

You choose from real options

You finish online or locally

That’s it.

No haggling. No credit fishing. No wasted gas.

Why Shifter Is Different

Most dealers show you cars and hope they can make the financing work.

Shifter shows you financing first and only then shows cars that fit.

That means:

No bait-and-switch

No “just $20 more per week”

No fake approvals

No pressure

Just math that actually works.

Who Uses Shifter?

Shifter is perfect for Canadians who are:

✔ Self-employed
✔ Rebuilding credit
✔ New to Canada
✔ Upside-down on a loan
✔ Tired of dealership nonsense
✔ Just want a straight answer

If banks make you nervous and dealerships make you angry, you’re Shifter’s favourite customer.

Is Shifter Legit?

Yes — very.

Shifter is owned by Dealerhop Finance Ltd., one of Canada’s largest dealer-matching and finance platforms.

Shifter doesn’t decide your loan.

Shifter doesn’t mark up your rate.

Shifter connects you with:

Licensed dealers

Lenders who already want your business

They’re paid by partners, not by you.

Do You Have to Buy?

Nope.

Applying just shows you:

What you qualify for

What it costs

What your options are

You can walk away anytime.

No pressure. No commitment. No awkward follow-ups.

What Canadians Say

“I was sure I’d get declined. I didn’t. Now I drive a 2021 Corolla.”

 — Maya, Toronto

“First time I’ve ever bought a car without stepping into a dealership.”

 — David, Calgary

“Six months with no payments literally saved my semester.”

 — Hardeep, Winnipeg

Dealerhop’s Verdict

Shifter is what happens when finance people finally design a car-buying system instead of salespeople.

It’s smarter.
It’s fairer.
It’s faster.

And it works.

If you want to:

Buy a car

Refinance a car

Or just know what you actually qualify for

Shifter is where you should start.

Learn more at Shifter.ca