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AutoTrader vs Driveway

Friday, October 4th

2024 Car Selling Site Reviews

AutoTrader Review 3.5 Star Rating

AutoTrader

3.5 Star Rating
  • $49 to list your car for sale
  • KBB Instant Cash Offer
  • Include up to 30 photos at no extra charge
  • No-cost ad renewals every 30 days for up to a year
  • Free vehicle history report included in your ad
  • Payment via Stripe in 1-2 business days
  • "A+" rated and accredited by the BBB

Autotrader is a popular platform for buying and selling cars, offering both instant offers from dealerships and private listings with the help of Kelley Blue Book. With Autotrader, you can get an instant cash offer from a participating dealer or list your car privately, and the company's secure payment system makes the transaction process easy and hassle-free. While some users have reported negative experiences with private listings, Autotrader's instant offer option has received positive reviews, making it a competitive choice for those looking for a quick and fair sale.

Driveway Review 2.5 Star Rating

Driveway

2.5 Star Rating
  • Sell directly to Driveway
  • Buys cars after inspection
  • Vehicle drop-off or pickup
  • Payment via check or direct deposit

Driveway is a convenient online platform that lets you get an instant quote for your used car from the comfort of your own home, with the option to have your vehicle picked up at your home or a location of your choice. While the process is straightforward, you'll need to wait for a team member to contact you with an offer, which can take some time. With a mixed reputation and no standout features, Driveway is a site to consider, but you may want to explore other similar sites that offer faster service and more features before making a decision.

What's the Best Way to Sell Your Car?

When many of us consider selling a car, we often think first of the traditional methods. In the past, inputting your car's details on a site like Kelley Blue Book for a sale value and heading to a dealership (and hoping they match the KBB price) was the standard way to handle car sales. But with the growth of online sites for buying and selling cars, the traditional methods of selling a car are a thing of the past.

Now there is no waiting with a "for sale" sign on your windshield and waiting for interested buyers to come knocking on your door. Today, most people sell their cars totally online, and it's often a quick and easy process. With the numerous tools available, you can set a competitive asking price and attract potential buyers from all over.

The Best Car Selling Sites Compare Car Selling Sites Compare Car Selling Site Reviews What are the best Car Selling Sites Best Car Selling Site Reviews

Car Selling Site FAQ

Yes! The days of taking out an ad in the classifieds are gone - most private sellers sell their cars by listing them online. The process is simple and makes it possible for thousands of prospective buyers to see your vehicle.
Nothing! There are several sites that allow you to list your car for free. Of course, most of these sites offer upgraded listings for a fee, if you'd like to put up more photos, have your ad up for longer than 30 days, or include your vehicle's CARFAX report.
Start by determining a fair market value for your car: most people use Kelley Blue Book to do that. Then, make sure your vehicle is reasonably clean - you don't have to spend a lot of money for a professional detailing, but at least make sure to wash it well and do a thorough job of cleaning out the inside (no crumbs, fast food wrappers, or unpleasant odors!). Finally, set up your online listing for maximum visibility: the more information you provide, including photos, the more prospective buyers you'll get.
At the very least, you'll need to have the vehicle's title in hand (or available for electronic transfer at your DMV). If you still owe money on your car, contact your lender to find out their process for getting the title. Other paperwork that can help you sell your car includes documentation of the service history (e.g. oil changes, tire rotations), initial purchase documents if you bought the car new, and a vehicle history report from a service like CARFAX.
For safety reasons, you may want to arrange to meet at a neutral public location like a parking lot or even outside of the police station. If the buyer wants to take a test drive - as they should! - you should get a photo of their driver's license and be sure to ride along with them.
Absolutely! While you may not get as much money for your vehicle this way, it eliminates a lot of the hassle you'll experience when selling to a private buyer. There are online services that specialize in advertising your car only to dealerships. You could get an instant cash offer, or a dealer might ask to do an in-person appraisal first.
That's up to you, but a smart buyer will probably request one from a mechanic they trust instead of taking yours at face value. It might be better to wait until you have a buyer and let them choose if and where to have an inspection done.
Call your insurer! If you're planning on getting a new car, you may have to keep your policy in place so that there's no lapse in coverage.
Compare the Best Reviews

Continued from above...

When deciding how to sell your car, you have two main options on car sales websites: accepting a cash offer from a dealership, either online or with a physical location near you, or creating a listing to sell it privately. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. Dealership offers can be convenient because they eliminate the need to screen potential buyers, schedule multiple viewings, and verify payment methods. Some online services will even pick up the vehicle from your specified address at no extra cost.

However, this convenience may come at a cost. Not all services that offer cash for cars will accept vehicles in any condition, and you may be able to get more money for your car if you sell it privately. This is because private buyers are often trying to avoid the markup that dealerships put on used cars before selling them to customers. As a result, you may be able to start with a higher asking price when selling privately. Many people choose to do both: shop around for the best cash offer while also creating a private listing to test the market.

Regardless of which method you choose, there are certain documents you'll need to have ready. In most cases, you'll need to provide current and valid registration papers, any available key fobs and manuals, a valid state-issued photo ID, and have any owners named on the title present at the time of sale. The specific requirements may vary depending on the state where you live and the terms of the car-selling service you choose.

With so many sites to help you sell your car online, it can be hard to know where to start. To help you make an informed decision about which one is best for you, consider the following criteria:

  • Sales method. Does the site provide a "cash offer” style experience or allow you to list privately? Many sites offer both, but not all of them. Making sure you can sell the way you want at a particular site can help you narrow down your options.
  • Tools. Does the platform have helpful tools to get you set up? Does it help you price your car appropriately or interface with Kelley Blue Book? You don't want to be doing a ton of work to set up a listing.
  • Payment. This is a big one. How are you going to get paid? Will you walk away with cash in hand, a bank transfer, or a check in the mail? There are lots of methods. Make sure your chosen platform offers payment through a system that works best for you.
  • Reputation. Check customer reviews and ratings to see what other car enthusiasts say about a particular auto sales site. Look for feedback on how trustworthy the platform is, how it handles customer service, and the overall buying process (including test drives, delivery, and returns).

To help you simplify selling your car, TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked the most popular sites available online today. We hope this helps you sell your car quickly and get the most money possible out of your sale. Happy listing!

The Best Reviews of Car Selling Sites