CarGurus vs Carvana for June 2024 | Best Used Car Sites (2024)

CarGurus

• "A+" rated and accredited by the BBB
• Over five million vehicle listings
• All cars rated with respect to value, from "overpriced" to "great deal"
• Use site to research cars, test drive reviews, price trends, buying tips and more

CarGurus is a great resource for finding used cars for purchase. Their interface makes it extremely simple to not only see vehicles for sale, but also to determine if they're fairly priced. You'll eventually need to connect to the dealership or seller - either through an inquiry sent via CarGurus or by going to the dealer site directly - but this service can get you plenty of info beforehand. CarGurus earns a solid recommendation.

Carvana

• Almost 50,000 used cars in stock at any given time
• "A-" rated and accredited by the BBB
• Pick up your car at a Carvana "vending machine" or have it delivered
• 100-day, 4,189-mile warranty
• 7-day money-back guarantee or up to 3 exchanges
• Shipping/delivery fees up to $599

Have you seen a Carvana delivery truck or "vending machine" near you? This is probably the online-only used car buying service with the most visibility. Thousands of people praise Carvana for being fast, easy and affordable, with plenty of cars to choose from and a 7-day money-back guarantee or exchange. And yet, not everyone comes out a happy camper here: we found lots of complaints describing extremely delayed deliveries, missing paperwork, and vehicles that should have failed inspection but were sold anyway. It's definitely caveat emptor here, but you might wind up with a used car you like.

The 11 Best Used Car Sites

CarMax

CarGurus

Cars

Autotrader

Edmunds

True Car

Carvana

Web2Carz

Cars Direct

Driveway

Vroom

Where's the Best Place to Buy a Used Car Online?

No matter what, your first step should always be research. You should determine exactly what's going to fit your needs (or your wants!). Do you have a particular make and model in mind, or are features going to be king regardless of manufacturer? Whether you're all about safety or you feel the need for speed, it's well worth your time to dig into the details of price, reliability and availability, especially when used car inventory is at an all-time low nationwide.

Fortunately, there are many websites that help you do just that - and then make it possible for you to find your perfect new-to-you ride. Some of these platforms even let you buy your car online and have it delivered right to your house. Before you start worrying about the safety of such vehicles, rest assured that most companies selling used cars will include a detailed, independently-verified history report right in the car's listing.

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You can see how many owners it's had, any accidents reported, and sometimes the service history detailing oil changes and other routine maintenance. Buying used cars online is a huge time-saver too: you don't have to make a long drive to a dealership hoping they'll have something on the lot that you'll like, and you can avoid a lot of the "pushy salesperson" experience.

Most sites that sell pre-owned vehicles also have tools for determining how much you can afford and prequalifying for financing - which is one less thing you'll have to do in person (assuming you don't take the 100% online route from the get-go).

Which site should you use for buying used cars? There are a lot of similarities among them, and among the highest-rated services you can choose fairly freely without worrying about missing out. But, here are some things to consider about any used car website you're looking at:

• Types of Used Car Sellers. Are you interested in buying from a private seller or a small, lesser-known local car lot? Or are you more comfortable with a big-name dealership? Are you interested in an online-only experience? Some sites for buying used cars give you listings from all four types, while others specialize just in partnerships with dealers.
• Research Tools. Not every platform gives you research tools, but there's no reason you can't use one site to gather information and another to actually find a car. If you're at the earlier stages of the buying process, you should at least start with a site that lets you see reviews and get an idea of the pros and cons of many different makes and models.
• Detailed Information. The best sites give you lots of information - almost to the point of it feeling like overload. We prefer services that offer free, detailed vehicle history reports and are completely transparent about who is selling the car - without having to use a contact form and subject yourself to spammy texts and emails.

TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked the best online services for buying used cars. We're confident that this information will help you get your next pre-owned set of wheels at a price you'll love!