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Edmunds Review

Sunday, November 3rd

2024 Used Car Site Reviews

Edmunds Review 4.5 Star Rating

Edmunds

4.5 Star Rating
  • Prices from $1,999 to $638,788
  • Includes CarFax
  • Cars from dealerships
  • Payment calculator available
  • "A+ rating from the BBB

Edmunds has earned trust in the automotive world for over fifty years, offering a wide array of resources to help you pick the right used car. You can access video test drives, detailed reviews, and vehicle comparisons. Their editorial team drives around half a million miles each year to provide honest evaluations of many vehicles on their site. Plus, Edmunds focuses more on selling used cars than new ones, so you can be sure that the company specializes in what you're shopping for and they have a massive inventory to back it up.

Start browsing right away

Begin your search on the site by entering the make or model in the search bar at the top, or by selecting the Used tab. If you have flexibility regarding the make and model, use the By Type or By Price options to stay within your budget or preferred body style. You can also just browse Edmunds' entire inventory if you just enter your zip code. Once you start browsing, you can further narrow down the listings by factors like price rating, body style, drivetrain, number of cylinders, and more. And trust us, with this many cars on sale, you're going to want to find some ways to narrow the field.

Over 100,000 used cars listed

Edmunds focuses mainly on used car inventory, offering a larger selection of pre-owned vehicles compared to anyone else in our review. Edmunds had 114,273 used cars available within a 50-mile radius of our location. This included 28,047 sedans, 57,652 SUVs and crossovers, 11,618 trucks, and 3,509 coupes. You can also find home delivery available for 93,187 of these listings.

Best Used Car Sites

Edmunds helps you get the best price

When you select a vehicle listing near you on Edmunds, the site directs you to a page that has all essential details in an easy-to-navigate scroll format. Edmunds recommends requesting a quote to obtain the dealer's best out-the-door price, since many dealers can't advertise their lowest prices online. To aid you in negotiations, Edmunds provides helpful tools like tracking how long a car has been listed and noting any price adjustments. This gives you the necessary information to make a well-informed decision. The listings also show information like crash reports, maintenance history, and how many previous owners the car has had.

Prices from $1,999

The prices are highly competitive at Edmunds, with some very low-price options. You can expect the costs to range from $1,999 to $638,788. The lowest-priced car is a 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and the highest-priced car is a 2024 Rolls-Royce Cullinan. We also looked at our example cars - the Toyota Corolla, the Nissan Rogue, the Tesla Model 3, and the Jaguar F-Type - to see how prices at Edmunds compare to other sites.

  • Toyota Corolla: $1,895 (1998 with 253,106 miles) - $27,500 (2023 with 13,353 miles)
  • Nissan Rogue: $3,000 (2013 with 206,231 miles) - $38,285 (2024 with 3,243 miles)
  • Tesla Model 3: $14,500 (2018 with 129,727 miles) - $43,998 (2023 with 14,918 miles)
  • Jaguar F-Type: $24,950 (2019 with 71,366 miles) - $81,998 (2023 with 23,833 miles)

Policies are dictated by the dealerships

Edmunds lacks its own delivery or return policies, as these are set by the individual dealerships. If you want to know about these policies, you'll need to contact the dealership of the car you're interested in. It would be nice if Edmunds had standardized policies, but this approach is common among many companies we've reviewed. You'll need to directly engage with dealerships to get specific details about returns and deliveries.

Best Used Car Sites

Solid reputation with the BBB

Edmunds has an excellent reputation, with an "A+" rating and accreditation from the BBB. While you can trust their service, it's important to review the individual dealerships as well. Since most of the policies at Edmunds are determined by the dealerships at the time of sale, you'll want to do a little reputation research on the dealership you're buying from, especially for customer service aspects such as returns and test drives that are managed by the dealerships.

The most cars available on one site

Edmunds has improved its user interface since the last review which has definitely brought up its score significantly. That plus, the mind-boggling amount of cars for sale on Edmunds makes it a highly competitive service. While it doesn't have as many in-house delivery or test drive features as our top option, you can get those things from the dealership, Edmunds just isn't as much of a middleman. For this reason, it earns a high rating, and if you want the largest selection out there, check out Edmunds.

Where Can You Find the Best Used Cars?

Buying a car can be one of the most exciting moments in your life. Whether you're picking up your first set of wheels with Mom and Dad, or replacing your old reliable with something new-to-you, buying a car is exciting. But it's also expensive. That's why many people decide to start by looking at used cars rather than something fresh off the lot.

The options open up significantly when you start looking at used cars (and some of them are even better than new ones). Looking for something low-cost but with modern safety features? Finding a low-mileage used car is a perfect way to score a deal. Looking for a classic car that isn't manufactured anymore? The used car market is where you want to start. No matter what you're looking for, you can find millions of used cars out there that fit the bill, and they'll come out much cheaper than buying something new from the dealership.

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Used Car Site FAQ

They say that a new car depreciates, or loses value, the second you drive it off the lot. That's true! When you buy a used car, you're getting a better value: not everyone can afford a brand-new car, but there are plenty of affordable "pre-owned” vehicles within most budgets.
There are pros and cons to each one. When you buy from a dealership, you usually get certain assurances: that the car has been inspected from top to bottom, maybe some fixes for minor items or even bigger ones like new tires or brakes, and the ability to return it within a certain timeframe if you don't like it or something malfunctions. However, you're paying for those perks: comparing apples-to-apples, a private sale will almost always be cheaper than getting the same car through a dealership.
Absolutely! There are many services that make it easy to find the car you want, and some of them will even bring the vehicle to you for a test drive and/or let you buy it online and have it delivered to your home. It's a great idea to do your research before you buy a used car, even if you're planning on going to a dealership.
As a buyer, you absolutely want an inspection before buying a used car from a private seller. Most private sale contracts are "as-is”, so unless you have a lot of automotive expertise, we don't recommend you try to determine for yourself if a car is road-worthy. A professional inspection can save you a lot of time and hassle if things aren't as they appear - or give you the peace of mind that you've found a great vehicle. If you're selling a used car, it may not be worth it to provide an inspection: your buyer(s) will probably want to have one done by a mechanic they trust, rather than taking your (mechanic's) word for it.
Yes! Selling your car online is a fantastic way to reach more potential buyers. You can add photos, provide a detailed description and contact information, and voila: you should have no shortage of interested customers, without having to put a "for sale” sign in the car window.
That depends on the site. You can often list your car for free, with premium "upgrades” if you want to add pictures, a car history report, or have your vehicle featured above others in your category.
Most sites serve as a go-between and don't guarantee that the car will sell - or that the car you buy will be problem-free. Be sure to read customer reviews of any used car service you're considering, and see if the Better Business Bureau has anything to say too.
There are almost too many to list! Any used car site that offers easy navigation with useful filters, tools that help you accurately gauge a vehicle's fair market value, and simple (and non-intrusive!) ways to connect with the vehicle sellers is a good choice. For extra reassurance, you can see if the BBB has given the used car service high marks for excellence.
Compare the Best Reviews

Continued from above...

Used car shopping can be as frustrating as new car shopping if you have to go in person. Haggling for prices and trying to talk with dealership salespeople can easily turn your excitement into frustration. But with online auto sales, you can dodge all the unpleasantness of dealership sales tactics and shop for used cars from the comfort of your own home. Plus, you won't lose out on opportunities to try out the vehicle, as most places allow a test drive period when you select something. You can fully research your vehicle online, and most retailers allow you to have the car delivered directly to your home. Today's used car buying process is completely different from what it was even ten years ago.

Getting your next used car through online services is a breeze. You can browse through different makes, models, colors, and years. Like the look of the Ford Mustang before the 2020 update? Check out used vehicles online. Online auto sale platforms give detailed information about each car, such as safety ratings, features, detailed photos of the interior and exterior, and prices (with monthly payment or lease calculator tools). For safety and mechanical features, you can see details and trim levels with advanced driver assistance systems, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane assist. By browsing the inventory of many dealerships and sellers, finding a top-level model is much easier than shopping locally.

One of the biggest advantages of buying a used car online is access to a wider array of options than shopping in person. Most online auto trading sites have a larger inventory from dealerships across the country, allowing you to find the exact model and color you want, depending on how far you want to go to get your dream car.

With so many places to buy used cars, it might be hard to know where to start. Don't worry - we've put together this list of factors to consider when looking for a used car online, to make sure you get the best deal and experience:

  • Resources. Look for sites that have details about each vehicle. This includes photos of the car, details about mileage, the CarFax report, location, dealer, pricing history, and any past fender benders. You want to make sure your used car isn't going to need more maintenance than it's worth.
  • Selection. Choose a platform that has a wide variety of used cars in the style you're looking for. Are there a range of makes and models? Do you have access to older and newer cars?
  • 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).
  • Cost. Ultimately, cost plays a major role. Which site has the car you like at the desired trim level for the best price? Does the price include extras like home delivery? Can you find extra deals through financing or other avenues offered at the auto sales site?

To help you find your next used car, Top Consumer Reviews has evaluated and ranked the best online car shopping options available today. Whether you need a new family car, a vehicle for towing, a first-time car for a college student, or the dream classic car you've been saving for, we hope our research will help you save time in the car-buying process and connect you with a vehicle you'll love to drive.

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