Best Used Car Sites in 2023

Used vehicle sites simplify the shopping process with thorough searchable listings, car reviews, buyer guides, and more, whether the customer is a first-time buyer looking for their first used car or a classic car aficionado searching for that rare vintage model. However, used vehicle websites are a fantastic resource for owners to locate a buyer (sometimes several purchasers) for their used automobile as well.

Based on factors including reputation, search capabilities, cost, buyer resources, and more, we evaluated the top used vehicle websites. Our top 5 picks are listed below.

 Best Used Car Sites in 2023

Sites to Buy a Used Car in 2023

1- Best Overall: Autotrader 
2- Best Basic Option: CarsDirect 
3- Best for Classic Cars: Hemmings 
4- Best for Mobile: Autolist 
5- Best for Cheap Cars: CarGurus

BEST OVERALL Autotrader

Due to its reputation, scope, and abundance of research resources, Autotrader, one of the first national online marketplaces for new and used vehicles, is our choice for the top site overall. Autotrader was first launched in 1999. The website has over three million vehicle listings and provides useful tools like loan calculators and in-depth auto reviews.

The advanced search feature on Autotrader is one of its better features since it makes sorting through the site's millions of listings considerably less intimidating. The website features comprehensive filters that enable users to choose almost any search criteria, in addition to the more basic make, model, and year options. These options include gas mileage, exterior and interior colors, transmission type, technology, and more.

Autotrader also produces a variety of tools for buyers and sellers of vehicles. These include thorough how-to manuals, up-to-date auto reviews, study and news articles, calculators for car payments and finance, and even the option to apply for a loan and compare car insurance quotes.

However, there will be a fee for those who wish to sell via Autotrader. The website charges $49 for each listing, which comes with up to 30 images, information on the number of viewers, and concurrent listings on Kelley Blue Book. Ads can be renewed for free every 30 days for up to a year after the initial payment.

BEST BASIC OPTION CarsDirect 

CarsDirect created the first website to assist dealers in selling directly to clients online in 1998, much like Autotrader did in 1999 when it launched the first online automobile marketplace for private sellers. The owner of CarsDirect is Internet Brands. Its streamlined search engine and useful buyer guides make it our pick for the finest basic option.

However, CarsDirect does more than just display listings from nearby dealers. To aid automobile buyers in narrowing their search, it also displays the greatest offers nearby as well as impending seasonal discounts and price on new models.

The search filters on CarsDirect may not be as thorough as those on Autotrader, but the site's straightforward results page displays all the information a buyer could possibly need, including the CARFAX report and a "Check Availability" button that directs visitors to the dealer's website.

Each CarsDirect offering includes a link to a quick, four-step loan application that can be finished in just 60 seconds. The applications are then sent to CarsDirect's network of lenders, who then provide them with a list of financing choices along with an estimate of the monthly payments. Customers can also visit the dealer's website directly and speak with them there to discuss financing alternatives.

Additionally, CarsDirect provides buyers with a variety of materials, such as reviews, news about automobiles, videos, reports, and a trade-in valuation tool. Additionally, users may remember their preferred searches and set up email alerts based on the precise kind of car or offer they're looking for.

BEST FOR CLASSIC CARS HEMMINGS

Hemmings, which began as a modest four-page auto magazine in 1954, has grown to become a well-known website for historic cars with 20,000 searchable automobile advertising. It tops our list as the best site for classic automobiles thanks to a marketplace for auto components and a wealth of classic car resources.

Hemmings offers a variety of information for true classic vehicle aficionados in addition to acting as an online marketplace for historic cars. There are price guides, buying advice, online dealer and auction showrooms, a blog, a newsletter, and numerous journals for classic automobile enthusiasts, among other things.

Hemmings offers a searchable database of vintage automobile components for sale in addition to its own collection of classic car die-cast models, clothes, books, wall calendars, and more. Its primary competitor, ClassicCars.com, has more than 30,000 items.

Depending on the requirements of each seller, Hemmings provides a variety of advertising packages. For $99.95, users can publish an auction listing good for two weeks. Hemmings charges $129.95 per ad for homeowners selling their homes outright, which includes a brief 35-word ad with one photo for magazine adverts and limitless words with up to 35 photos for web ads. All of the advertisements that are part of it run for one month in Hemmings Motor News and for six months online.

BEST FOR MOBILE Autolist

Autolist, which was established in 2011, makes it simple for customers to explore millions of used car listings collected from dealer websites and auto purchasing applications. Its user-friendly app and website both present useful data about each vehicle, pricing fluctuations, and the CARFAX report.

Users can create email notifications for vehicles based on specified search parameters by creating a free Autolist account. In 2020, CarGurus acquired Autolist, enabling owners to sell their cars online with an intelligence technology that determines a reasonable asking price for their car based on comparable automobiles in their area.

BEST FOR CHEAP CARS CarGurus

Langley Steinert, a co-founder of TripAdvisor, founded CarGurus in 2006 to enable customers to make inquiries and reviews on vehicles and nearby dealers. We've chosen the company's website as the greatest way to find inexpensive automobiles because it later added a marketplace and a tool for evaluating autos to it.

CarGuru distinguishes itself from the majority of other online auto marketplaces by assigning each vehicle a "deal rating" and organizing the results from the best deal to the most expensive. Only merchants that consistently offer the best offers will receive the highest ratings because no one can pay to enhance their listings.

To determine the market worth of any vehicle, CarGurus additionally employs cutting-edge algorithms that analyze every aspect of a car to other vehicles available on the market. This aids buyers in determining if they are looking at a good deal or if there is room for negotiation, along with information on the length of time a car has been listed and whether its price has increased or decreased over time.

CarGurus continues to provide a wealth of vehicle reviews and other research resources to assist in educating and informing car buyers about the caliber of new and used vehicles. Owners can also post their vehicles for free on CarGurus' marketplace. A rapid comparison tool aids sellers in establishing a fair asking price, and the website's pre-built fields guarantee that the most pertinent details are included in each listing.