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.
Good
Whether you're in the market for selling or buying a new set of wheels, Autotrader is a great place to start your search. This popular automotive website brings together vehicles from dealers and private sellers, making it a great platform to sell directly to dealers or create private listings. Every month, millions of people visit Autotrader to research, buy, or sell a car, providing a huge potential customer base if you're looking to get a fair price for your vehicle.
Get instant offers or list privately
Autotrader offers two ways to sell your car: you can get an instant offer from a participating dealer or list your car privately on Autotrader's platform starting at a $49 fee. The instant quote route is the fastest way to sell your car - simply enter your license plate or VIN, provide details about your vehicle's condition, and receive cash or trade-in credit offers from a nearby dealer. These offers are valid for seven days, after which you'll need to bring your car to the dealer for an inspection to verify the information provided during the quote process. You then have one day to redeem the cash offer.
Dealership's prices are guaranteed
If you're worried about getting a quote and then dealers changing the price later, don't be. Any dealership that participates in this program is required to honor the instant cash offer unless they find that you misrepresented your vehicle's condition or drove more than 50 miles after the inspection. This way, you won't face any surprises when trying to sell your car to a dealership through Autotrader.
Lots of listing tools + KBB
While Autotrader is well-known for its private listing service, it does come with a fee of $49. However, you can renew your ad at no charge every 30 days for up to a year if it takes that long to sell your car. Your ad will be listed on both Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book, exposing it to millions of active shoppers. You'll have the ability to include up to 30 photos and receive a free vehicle history report. You'll also have access to the KBB Private Party Value tool, which helps you determine a fair price for your vehicle. When potential buyers contact you through the contact form on your ad, Autotrader will forward their information to the email address you specify, keeping your identity anonymous until you choose to respond.
Autotrader manages secure payments through any method
When you sell your car through Autotrader's Private Seller Exchange, you can rest assured that the transaction will be secure and hassle-free. The company charges a small fee of 0.99% (as little as $99) of the final sale price. The platform offers financing options to buyers. It also handles secure payment through the Stripe platform and title transfer, accepting various payment methods such as wire transfer, ACH electronic payment transfer, debit card, or credit card. The company verifies funds instantly for cash payments via ACH or CC, while wire transfers take 2-48 hours to verify. Once a buyer is approved, the company may request additional information to complete the sale, which typically takes 1-2 business days. Regardless of the buyer's payment method, you'll receive your payment promptly.
Reviewers are happier with instant offers
Although Autotrader has an impressive "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau and accreditation, we found mixed reviews outside of the BBB. Many people who have sold cars through Autotrader reported receiving an overwhelming number of spam and scam emails after posting their listings, making it difficult to find legitimate buyers. This has led many people to describe their experience as a waste of time and money. The positive reviews usually revolve around the speed and fairness of instant cash offers from dealerships, so that may be a more recommended route.
A competitive option for instant cash
We appreciate that Autotrader offers both options - instant quotes and private listings - giving you control over how you want to sell your car. The company has been around for a long time and has a good reputation with the BBB. However, we do have concerns about the self-listing part of the site due to negative user experiences. We recommend exercising caution when using this feature and considering the instant cash offer as an alternative.
Continued from above...
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.
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:
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!
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