

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 COMPARE CARS FOR FREE#
After the initial payment, ads can be renewed for free every 30 days for up to a year. 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. Those who want to sell on Autotrader, however, will have to pay. 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. 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.Īutotrader also publishes a number of resources for car buyers and sellers. One of Autotrader’s best features is its advanced search function which makes sorting through its millions of listings much less daunting. The site hosts over three million vehicle listings and offers detailed car reviews, finance calculators, and more. 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. 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. CarGurus also lets owners list their cars through its marketplace for free. 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.ĬarGurus 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. Since no one can pay to boost their listings, only dealers that consistently offer the best deals will get the best scores.ĬarGurus 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. 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. 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. CarGurus was created in 2006 by TripAdvisor co-founder Langley Steinert to help consumers post questions and reviews of cars and local dealers.
