Which is Better for Selling the Car?
When deciding whether to sell your car through Cars.com or Autotrader, it’s essential to consider the specific services and fees each platform offers.
Cars.com is well-regarded for its user-friendly interface and array of resources to assist buyers and sellers. It accepts cars under various conditions, provided they meet specific eligibility requirements, such as having a valid Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and not being previously registered at an auction. Cars used for commercial purposes, like taxis or police vehicles, are generally not eligible. Listing your car on Cars.com can often be done for free, although there may be fees for premium listing features.
On the other hand, Autotrader allows you to sell new and used cars. It connects sellers to potential buyers via Kelley Blue Book for instant offers; however, if you choose to list your car on Autotrader’s website, a $49 listing fee applies. This fee includes the benefit of renewing your ad every 30 days for up to a year at no extra charge.
Autotrader Summary
- Sell or buy a wide variety of vehicles
- More than 14 million buyers per month
- Get fair deals for your second-hand car
- Efficient customer service
Cars.com Summary
- Useful resources to help you sell a car
- Excellent place to research the market
- Instant cash offer from a dealer
- Smooth and easy to use interface
Cars.com vs. Autotrader Comparison
| Company | Cars.com | Autotrader |
|---|---|---|
| Logo |
|
|
| Cars accepted | Eligible vehicles | New and used cars |
| Fees | $0 | $0 for instant cash offer, $49 listing fee |
| Requesting quotes | Online application | Online application |
| Offer validity | 3 days | 7 days or an additional 50 miles |
| Payments offered | Depends on the dealership | Check |
| Payout | Same day | Same day |
| Car pick-up | Depends on the dealership | Drop-off |
| Physical locations | Partner dealerships | Participating dealers across the US |
| Turnaround time | Up to 72 hours | Up to 48 hours |
| Customer service | Chat, call, fax, and social media | Phone and social media |
| Reviews | 3.1 | 1.9 |
Consider Best Alternatives
Best for Older & Damaged Cars
Buys used, damaged or junk cars
Free tow and no hidden fees
Pays by ACH trasfer or check
Top Pick for Junk Cars
Free, no-obligation cash offers
Offers free paperwork service
Pays on the spot upon pick up
Highly Rated by Customers
Excellent customer service ratings
Honors guaranteed offer for 7 days
Can pick up a car within 48 hours
Great for Low-Mileage Cars
Gives a real offer in 2 minutes
100% hassle-free online process
Free car’s Value Tracker available
Cars Accepted
Cars.com accepts cars in most conditions as long as they meet eligibility requirements, such as having a valid Vehicle Identification Number. The company will also purchase your vehicle if it’s not imported illegally or built outside the US.
It’s also crucial to confirm your car isn’t registered at an auction before you can sell it to Cars.com. Additionally, the company doesn’t buy vehicles used as taxis, police, livery, and fire vehicles.
On the other hand, you can only sell your car through Autotrader, then through KBB, if it’s new or used. Beyond these conditions, the company will consider your vehicle’s modifications, title issues, available market data, and unresolved recalls to determine eligibility for selling.
Fees
Cars.com offers two ways to sell your car: by accepting their instant offer or listing it on their website. Either of these choices won’t cost you anything.
Autotrader also lets you sell your car in two ways, but only their instant cash offer option is free of charge. When you list your car on their website, you’ll need to pay a $49 listing fee.
Requesting Quotes
To request a quote from Cars.com, go to its Sell Your Car webpage and click the Get your Instant Offer button. From there, you’ll need to enter your zip code to confirm if instant offers are available in your location.
Suppose it’s available. You’ll need to enter primary vehicle details, such as the VIN or license plate number and state of registration. Aside from those, you’ll also need to:
- Enter information about your car’s mileage
- Condition
- Ownership
- The number of keys
At the end of the online process, you’ll need to enter your contact details, like phone number and email address. This allows Cars.com to connect you with their partner dealerships, and they can contact you with their offers.
Selling to Autotrader works quite similarly to Cars.com. But noticeably, the company will direct you to the Kelly Blue Book website if you want an instant offer. You’ll need to enter your car’s VIN or license plate number there, as well as condition and history.
Finally, you’ll need to provide your contact details so Autotrader can connect you to their participating dealers. The dealers will contact you with their offers.
Offer Validity
Cars.com offers are only valid for 3 days, while offers from Autotrader’s participating dealers are usually valid for 7 days or an additional 50 miles.
Payments Offered
Cars.com instant offers come from their partner dealerships. Thus, payment methods typically depend on the dealership. Make sure to check with them about how they process payments before accepting any offers.
Meanwhile, participating dealerships at Autotrader usually pay in checks. It’s also worth checking to see if they offer other payment methods besides this.
Payout
Both companies will process payments within the same day of selling to them. With Autotrader, the dealership will hand you the check payment before you can leave their store.
Car Pick-up
You can check with Cars.com partner dealerships if they offer a free pick-up service when you accept their offer. Participating dealers at Autotrader, unfortunately, don’t offer pick-up services at all. To sell to them, you’ll need to bring your car to the dealership.
Physical Locations
Both companies work with partner dealerships across the US. You can get instant offers for your car and sell it to a participating dealer near you. Autotrader even has a store locator on its website.
Turnaround Time
Selling your car to Cars.com can take up to 72 hours. Meanwhile, selling it to an Autotrader dealership can only take up to 48 hours.
In both companies, completing the online application only takes minutes. However, connecting with the dealership and accepting their offers can consume most of your time.
Completing the paperwork and payments can also relatively make the selling process longer.
Customer Service
Cars.com offer the following ways to connect with its customer service team:
Autotrader’s customer support is available through their social media accounts, such as Facebook or Twitter. You can also contact them by phone at 866-288-6872.
Reviews
| Company | Cars.com | Autotrader |
|---|---|---|
| Logo |
|
|
| Trustpilot | 3.1 | 1.9 |
| Better Business Bureau | 1.56 | 1.21 |
| Consumer Affairs | 4.0 | 3.2 |
In reliable reviews sites like Trustpilot, BBB, and Consumers Affairs, Cars.com received higher average ratings than Autotrader. Most of the positive reviews are about came from customers who liked the
- Convenient car-selling process
- Helpful resources on their website
- Excellent customer service
However, some customers had issues using the website to list their vehicles, while car buyers felt their contact details shouldn’t be shared with dealerships.
Autotrader customers, meanwhile, liked the
- High offers from partner dealerships
- Quick responses from customer service
- Various options to list cars
However, some private sellers, who listed their cars on Autotrader, felt their listing fees were quite high. After all, platforms like Cars.com and even Facebook Marketplace offer them for free.
Other customers also complained about Autotrader connecting them with potential scammers and very few legitimate buyers.