Best place to find used cars for sale by owner

Buying a new or used vehicle is a big decision. Car buying in the twenty-first century is made simpler with the ability to utilize an app for car purchases. All vehicles can be purchased online, including cars, trucks, minivans, and SUVs. With the ease of car buying online, consumers do not have to leave the comfort of their couches to perform research, browse, inquire, or finance their next vehicle.

While apps make the car buying process more accessible, knowing which used car websites are best can be challenging. With this list of used car sites, you can shop with confidence that you will find the vehicle you are looking for and that the car prices emulate what the car is worth.

Here is a list of the best used-car websites today.

Autotrader.com

Because Autotrader.com nearly predates the internet itself, it has a longstanding reputation built upon decades of trust. Available as a website since 1997, Autotrader has over 3 million listings nationwide drawn from 40,000 dealers and 250,000 private sellers, and its vehicle selection is immense. In addition, the Autotrader website has a wide variety of filters that can help you narrow your search down to exactly the type of vehicle you are looking for.

In addition, you can save your searches and even apply for insurance and a car loan through the Autotrader site. Autotrader enables shoppers to obtain car values and to advertise their vehicles for sale. New-car reviews and a car payment and affordability calculator are also included on the Autotraders site.

Go to Autotrader

Edmunds.com

Edmunds originated as a paperback booklet available at newsstands. And decades of experience have made the firm a well-respected name in the automotive industry. Today, their website allows you to save searches, create favorites, and filter your selections.

Although their search functions look similar to the ones available on other sites, Edmunds often has more features and options to choose from. Features that allow buyers to narrow and refine more thoroughly. Edmunds also has a wealth of advice and articles to help educate people about the car-buying process and the vehicles themselves. Edmunds presents the true market value and the actual cost to own each used and new car on their site.

Go to Edmunds

Autotempest.com

Like other websites on this list, AutoTempest draws its search results from multiple sources. Their website and app work similarly to other sites, including saving searches. They have a lot of additional helpful information, including an up-to-date blog, buying guides, and car reviews.

While you can filter your car searches, the criteria for doing so are much more limited than other sites, although some might consider it streamlined. Either way, the essential information is provided. Choices include make, model, distance, price, year, mileage, vehicle type, transmission, and whether a private party or a dealer is selling the vehicle.

Go to Autotempest

KBB.com

Thanks to Kelley Blue Book, the words "Blue Book price" have been a part of the American vocabulary for nearly a century. The KBB website and app trade on this longstanding name recognition. Not only are they known for providing accurate estimates of your car's market value, but their site has tools for checking your credit score and calculating monthly payments.

Expert reviews, top ten lists, and recall postings make this site a longtime go-to favorite for automotive information. KBB also covers motorcycles, snowmobiles, and personal watercraft such as jet skis. KBB also offers an instant cash offer section on their website utilizing local dealers to inspect the vehicle's condition. In addition, the KBB web page offers a price advisor, showing what consumers should pay for a given vehicle based on their purchase area. And like other sites on this list, KBB offers cost-to-own information and a vehicle-comparison tool.

Go to Kelley Blue Book

Hemmings.com

For classic car, truck, or motorcycle collectors, this is a "do-not-miss" destination. In addition to vehicles, Hemmings helps you locate hard-to-find parts for project cars like that Dodge Challenger collecting dust in your garage. Advanced search options allow you to search for vehicles or parts by make, model, type, price range, and category.

Hemmings offers a more classic car community feel through maintaining a blog and regularly sending out newsletters. Hemmings also sells merchandise related to this niche market. In addition, they have an email list, fantastic videos, special events, not to mention apps for Android and iOS, and several print publications to which to subscribe.

Go to Hemmings

CarsDirect.com

This site works to simplify online car buying, and like Autotrader, it has been in business since 1998. CarsDirect can help you find financing, the best deals in your area, and seasonal deals from local dealerships. The search criteria on the site include make, model, distance, price, mileage, year, color, engine, and even photo availability.

CarsDirect also features buying guides, rankings, and vehicle comparisons. Like similar sites, you can save your searches and vehicles of interest. The website also has educational videos, including reviews, car news and reports, and tools that include a trade-in valuation.

Go to CarsDirect

Craigslist.org

Primarily a classified site, Craigslist does not have many fancy graphics or options offered by competitors. Still, the site's selection is pretty broad, and postings usually include photos. You will need to be super savvy and utilize auto checks if you are going this route because the site is rife with scammers. Still, it is possible to negotiate a worthwhile deal.

Search filters through Craigslist include distance, price, make and model, year, mileage, condition, number of cylinders, drivetrain and fuel type, color, size, title status, vehicle type, and transmission type. In addition, some car buyers may be interested that some sellers on Craigslist accept cryptocurrency like Bitcoin in exchange for the vehicle they are selling. You can also create email alerts for the specific attributes of a car you are trying to find.

Go to Craigslist

Cars.com

Today, Cars.com is one of the most significant automotive search engines, with thousands of listings covering almost every car. There is also a tool that rates the value of the used cars for sale relative to the current market trends. Cars.com has fewer private sellers but is a great way to search dealers in your area and compare pricing for similar vehicles.

Cars.com also has extensive sorting options to narrow your search by the specs and features you are looking for and leaving out those you do not want. In addition to consumer reviews, the site has built up an extensive archive of expert reviews written by its editorial staff.

Go to Cars.com

eBay.com

eBay Motors is no longer just an auction site for rare vehicles. Dealerships and private sellers list thousands of used and new cars to peruse using classified-style listings. Whether you are shopping for a custom show car or a late model Chevrolet with that unique body style, eBay likely has at least one of each of these vehicles. Other great searches on eBay motors include the "Replica/Kit Make" section, as well as the "Racecar (Not Street Legal)" category. eBay is one of the best car sites to find almost anything imaginable.

The eBay search engine provides detailed search criteria: make, model, pricing, location, and delivery options. eBay also offers a market price analysis that shows how asking prices compare to other vehicles sold on eBay. In addition, eBay now offers seller ratings that assist consumers' purchase decisions.

Go to eBay.com

Carmax.com

Carmax specializes in high-quality certified pre-owned used cars, many available with the internet-famous Carmax warranty. This website is not the best for those looking for a killer deal because of its no-haggle policy. Still, it is an excellent webpage for people who want an effortless car shopping and buying experience. For those looking for the ease of browsing and buying online, without the anxiety-inducing Craigslist test drive, Carmax can be a good option.

Browse, buy, and the car can be ready for pick up at one of the 225 Carmax nationwide locations all online or on their mobile app. CarMax offers search criteria such as vehicle price, category, brand, model year, popularity, and lifestyle. While CarMax.com is not as user-friendly as other automotive sites, they offer car-buying tips and an easy-to-use car payment calculator. +

Go to Carmax

Carvana.com

Carvana is another used car dealer that built a business around making the buying experience more accessible. Buy with confidence with a seven-day money-back guarantee, and have your car delivered to your door. In addition, all Carvana vehicles have accident-free vehicle history reports and pass a 150-point inspection. You can also sell your vehicle to Carvana, even without buying from them. After filling out a form, Carvana offers a real-time purchase offer, which takes just a couple of minutes.

With used car values near all-time highs, it may be an excellent time to see what your car is worth. Carvana is also the inventor of the Car Vending Machine, changing (the look of) car sales forever. It is a neat gimmick worth checking out if you want to purchase a car in person.

Go to Carvana

Carfax.com

Carfax originated as a source of vehicle history information provided to buyers and sellers of used cars. They quickly became the leading name in vehicle history reports. As a result, most dealerships today offer a Carfax report with their used vehicles. As a result, Carfax has the most extensive and comprehensive vehicle history database in North America.

Carfax utilizes over 112,000 data sources to pull their information on each used vehicle report requested. These data sources include auto auctions, fire and police departments, collision repair facilities, fleet management, and rental agencies, and many more. Now, Carfax is also an online used car dealer, offering vehicle searches through make, model, and zip code or body type and price. In addition, Carfax narrows your choices further by allowing you to choose if you want to find a vehicle with one owner, no accidents or damage, personal use, and service history.

Go to Carfax

TrueCar.com

TrueCar.com is an automotive pricing and information website for a million used cars and new vehicles. TrueCar allows customers to evaluate what other individuals in their local area have paid for the specific vehicle they are searching for. TrueCar utilizes local certified dealers to present customers with upfront prices and offers a tool to evaluate your current car's worth.

TrueCar allows you to narrow your search by vehicle brand, model, and offers to customize the build of the vehicle you are searching for; or offers a standard trim or model to choose from. Unlike some other used car websites, TrueCar does not directly sell vehicles but instead helps you find the perfect vehicle to fit your needs. TrueCar is associated with car-buying programs from over 250 companies. Like Autolist, Truecar indicates whether deals are excellent, great, fair, or high-priced. TrueCar also offers car loan and car lease calculators.

Go to TrueCar

Vroom.com

Vroom.com is a New York City-based used car retailer that offers a full-service e-commerce experience that enables consumers to buy, sell and finance cars entirely online. Vroom also offers shopping by vehicle type and offers trucks, SUVs, and sedans. In addition, Vroom promises quality inspected cars when shopping with them and further guarantee a free CarFax vehicle history report as well as a free limited warranty. The limited warranty consists of coverage for 90 days or 6,000 miles. Most of the vehicles offered on Vroom's website are still under the original manufacturer warranty.

Vroom offers a car buying process that skips all of the haggling and hassle and streamlines the vehicle buying process for you. Vroom will ship your vehicle to your home address or a nearby location of your choice, making pick up and delivery simple. In addition, Vroom guarantees your vehicle choice by offering a seven-day return guarantee. You are allowed seven days or 250 miles to determine if you want to keep your vehicle. If you are not satisfied with your choice, Vroom will arrange for the car to be returned to their inventory.

Go to Vroom

CarGurus.com

CarGurus is a company that seeks to build trust through transparency. Therefore, you will find many of the same search options on their website as you will find on the other sites. However, you will also find the CarGurus valuation of a given vehicle based on typical search criteria in addition to usual automotive webpage search options.

The algorithm used by CarGurus is similar to the methods used by KBB. The information CarGurus uses to make this determination includes a comparison tool that utilizes car listings and pricing data on recently sold vehicles. Ratings are based on mileage, trim, vehicle history, and many other factors. CarGurus honestly rates each available car deal as overpriced, high, fair, good, or great, making car research easier.

Go to CarGurus

Autolist.com

Because Autolist is an aggregator (like Kayak.com), the easy-to-use Autolist site displays millions of vehicles from many different sources. Users can view details such as the length of time a given vehicle has been on the market, plus any price changes for that vehicle. In addition, Autolist has one of the highest-rated used-car apps available. The Autolist app works with both Android and iOS phones. Like the website, it checks multiple online databases to help you locate your dream car.

The app also has instant price-drop alerts and high-res pictures to help you find the best deals on local listings. Shoppers can even apply for financing and find lenders through the Autolist app. Autolist also offers a unique feature called family sharing. With family sharing, as many as six family members can share information through the app in real-time, making family decisions slightly easier. Autolist also provides automotive reviews, industry insights, a Rotten Tomatoes-style aggregator of older vehicle reviews, and buyer's guides to help steer you through the car-buying process.

Go to Autolist

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