Best Used Car Websites

CarGurus was created in 2006 by TripAdvisor co-founder Langley Steinert to help consumers post questions and reviews of cars and local dealers. The company later added a marketplace to its site with a car evaluation tool that makes it our choice as the best site for cheap cars.

What sets CarGuru apart from most other online auto markets is that it gives each car a “deal rating” and sorts the results from the best deal to the most overpriced. Since no one can pay to boost their listings, only dealers that consistently offer the best deals will get the best scores.

CarGurus also uses advanced algorithms that compare every detail of a car to similar cars on the marketplace to assess the market value of any vehicle. Combined with information on how long a car has been listed as well as whether its price has risen or dropped over time, this helps shoppers know if they’re looking at a good deal or if they have room to negotiate.

CarGurus still offers a trove of car reviews and other research tools to help educate and inform car shoppers about the quality of new and used cars. CarGurus also lets owners list their cars through its marketplace for free. A quick comparison tool helps sellers set a realistic price, and the site’s pre-created fields ensure that the most useful information is included in every listing.

Launched in 1999, Autotrader was one of the first nationwide, online marketplaces for new and used cars and is our choice for one of the best car sites due to its reputation, reach, and abundant research guides. The site hosts over three million vehicle listings and offers detailed car reviews, finance calculators, and more.

One of Autotrader’s best features is its advanced search function which makes sorting through its millions of listings much less daunting. Beyond simple make, model, and year, the site offers detailed filters that let users select nearly any search criteria, including gas mileage, exterior and interior colors, transmission type, technology, and more.

Autotrader also publishes a number of resources for car buyers and sellers. These include comprehensive how-to guides, current car reviews, research and news articles, car payment and financing calculators, and even the ability to apply for a loan and shop for car insurance.

Those who want to sell on Autotrader, however, will have to pay. The site charges $49 per listing which includes up to 30 photos, reports showing how many people have viewed the ad, and simultaneous listings on Kelley Blue Book. After the initial payment, ads can be renewed for free every 30 days for up to a year.

Similar to Autotrader which launched the first online car marketplace for private sellers, CarsDirect launched the first website to help dealers sell directly to customers online in 1999. CarsDirect is owned by Internet Brands. It’s our choice for the best basic option because of its simplified search engine and helpful buyer resources.

CarsDirect does more than simply show listings from local dealers, however. It also showcases the best deals in a buyer’s area as well as upcoming seasonal deals and pricing on upcoming models to help car shoppers focus their search.

Although CarsDirect’s search filters aren’t as detailed as Autotrader’s, the site’s clean results page shows everything a buyer needs to know, including the CARFAX report and a “Check Availability” button that takes shoppers directly to the listing on the dealer’s website.

Each listing on CarsDirect features a link to a simple four-step loan application that takes just 60 seconds to complete. CarsDirect then sends the applications to its network of lenders and returns a list of financing options with estimated monthly payments. Shoppers can also click straight through to the dealer’s website and explore financing options with them directly.

CarsDirect also offers a number of resources for car buyers, including reviews, car news, videos, reports, and a trade-in valuation tool. Users can even save their favorite searches and create email alerts based on the exact type of vehicle or deal they’re looking for.

Originally created as a small four-page car magazine in 1954, Hemmings has become a leading classic car website featuring over 10,000 searchable car ads. Combined with a car parts marketplace and tons of classic car resources, it tops our list as the best site for classic cars.  

In addition to serving as an online marketplace for classic cars, Hemmings also has a number of resources for true classic car enthusiasts. These include pricing guides, buying tips, virtual dealer and auction showrooms, as well as a blog, newsletter, and multiple magazines for classic car lovers.

Although Hemmings’ main rival, ClassicCars.com, also has more than 10,000 listings, Hemmings boasts a searchable database of classic car parts for sale as well as its own selection of classic car die-cast models, apparel, books, wall calendars, and more. 

Hemmings offers a number of advertising packages depending on the needs of each seller. Users can post a two-week-long auction listing for $99.95. For those selling outright, Hemmings charges $129.95 per ad, which includes a small 35-word ad with one photo for magazine advertisements, and unlimited words with up to 35 photos for online advertisements. All ads that include it run for one month in the Hemmings Motor News magazine and for six months online.

Founded in 2011, Autolist makes it easy for shoppers to browse millions of used car listings compiled from car shopping apps and dealer websites. Both its website and user-friendly app display valuable information on each vehicle, changes in price, and the CARFAX report.

Signing up for a free Autolist account also lets users set up email alerts for vehicles based on specific search criteria. In 2020, CarGurus purchased Autolist which also allowed owners to sell their cars online with an intelligent tool that calculates a fair asking price for their car based on other vehicles in their area.

AutoTempest was developed in 2008 as an aggregator of online classifieds for cars. It tops our list as the best for comparing options since it draws results from the largest number of databases, including Craigslist, eBay, Cars.com, TrueCar, Carvana, and more.

Besides the sheer number of sites it accesses, one of the advantages of AutoTempest is that it can automatically filter listings in your area when possible. For instance, if a shopper is in Chicago, the site will only compile postings in the Chicago area. Users can also just select the sites they want to get results from to fine-tune their search. For example, you can limit searches to just TrueCar and CarsDirect if you want.

AutoTempest lets shoppers search by basic search parameters as well as mileage, price, and more. Searches can also be saved and accessed later from either a web browser or AutoTempest’s mobile app.  

AutoTempest also offers a number of useful resources for car shoppers, including car reviews, buyers guides, checklists, tips for negotiating, and more. Car owners can even sell their cars directly to Carvana through a partnership with the company.

Cars & Bids was created in 2020 by automotive reviewer and YouTube celebrity Doug DeMuro to help modern car enthusiasts buy and sell cars quickly and safely. The site is our choice for the best auction site because of its ease of use and focus on protecting both buyers and sellers.

Unlike other auction sites which can take weeks to get a seller’s auction live, Cars & Bids gets cars listed as quickly as possible and works with sellers to figure out the best schedule. The site also offers a simple submission process that lets sellers know quickly whether or not their car will be accepted.

In an effort to protect car buyers, Cars & Bids provides a vehicle history report for every vehicle it auctions free of charge instead of asking the seller to pay for one. As a fun bonus, Doug DeMuro will occasionally choose a listing to review bringing extra eyes and buyers to specific auctions.  

Cars & Bids offers free listings, taking a 4.5% buyer's fee with a minimum of $225 and a maximum of $4,500. The site also offers a detailed description of its buying and selling process as well as FAQs that walk buyers and sellers through every step of the auction process.