Where to get cars

With its sleek design and awe-inspiring performance, the BMW X6 M is a triumph of style and substance. But rival models provide a more comfortable ride during everyday driving. Unfathomably fast on an open road but easy-going around town, the Audi RS 6 Avant is a high-powered luxury wagon with few equals. It's expensive, yes, but not many vehicles could make a run to Costco so exhilarating.

The Audi A6 Allroad is an SUV alternative that combines luxury and style in a package with moderate off-road capability. But price and features make it only an average choice against tough competition.

The Mini Hardtop is a sporty compact car with styling that makes it a standout. It offers several responsive engines with excellent handling, but the rear seats don't have much room and you'll have to pay extra for smartphone connectivity. The GLA successfully delivers the build quality, luxury, and style expected from Mercedes-Benz in an affordable subcompact crossover. Freshened this year and now available in a sporty RS model, the Equinox continues to offer the kind of value, technology, and feature content that's a Chevrolet hallmark.

A bland interior and lack of cargo space keep it from being a class leader. This potent two-seat thrill machine is a tremendous bargain, offering handling grip, acceleration, and ride quality that few can match, even at a much higher price point. The Chevrolet Corvette should be at the top of any sports-car shopping list. Exhilarating performance, striking styling, and modern technology make the big coupe fun to drive. But it is less enjoyable for daily errands thanks to its small cabin and tiny trunk.

At TrueCar, you're in charge of the process from start to finish. Here's how. Get a personalized offer from a dealer online, including manufacturer incentives and discounts.

Next, build a custom deal that includes the value of your trade-in and monthly payments. Cash out, or trade in for a new or used car. Build Your Deal Build Your Deal: Create a personalized deal, customize your payment, and evaluate your trade-in — all online.

Shop New. Shop Used. The site also offers a simple submission process that lets sellers know quickly whether or not their car will be accepted.

As a fun bonus, Doug DeMuro will occasionally choose a listing to review bringing extra eyes and buyers to specific auctions. 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. There seem to be as many used car sites as there are types of used cars, buyers, and sellers.

Nonetheless, AutoTrader stands out above the rest due to its long history of selling used cars online and advanced search tools that make it easy to find the perfect car. For those looking for a simplified shopping experience, CarsDirect lets shoppers compare listings from local dealers without getting overwhelmed while Autolist offers the best mobile shopping experience.

For classic car enthusiasts, Hemmings offers a bounty of classic car listings, car parts, car shows, and car talk to satisfy the most diehard vintage car fanatics. Used car sites let people either buy or sell used vehicles online. Most offer robust search engines, car history reports, and buying guides to help buyers find exactly what they want.

Many sites also offer market guides and car reviews to help guide buyers and sellers and some even offer financing calculators and partnerships with lenders and insurance companies.

Used car sites typically charge sellers who want to post an ad for their car. Auction sites will also take a commission fee which can start at 4.

Used car sites that connect shoppers with private sellers can do little to offer a safe shopping experience. What they can do, however, is provide as much information as possible to help buyers make the most informed decision. Sites that aggregate listings from many online marketplaces can typically do little to ensure that the listings they display are trustworthy, and buyers must always do their due diligence when shopping for a car.

We looked at over a dozen used car sites for this review and selected sites that either had built a lot of trust through a long history of selling cars or that created safe and personal experiences for shoppers looking for specialty vehicles.

Because buying a used car can be overwhelming, scary, and stressful, we also made sure to choose sites that offered detailed search engines to help shoppers compare the features they most wanted.

Sites that offered comprehensive buyer guides and current car reviews topped our list since these resources can help shoppers make informed buying decisions. Better Business Bureau. Yahoo Finance. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for Investopedia.

At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Your Money. Personal Finance. Your Practice. Popular Courses. Best Used Car Sites for Expand. Best Used Car Sites for Bottom Line.

Compare Providers. Best Overall : AutoTrader. Learn More. Pros Over three million listings nationwide Search filters for nearly any option or feature Car research, financing, and insurance tools. Cons Charges to post a listing Poor vehicle screening process Trade-in restrictions based on location.

Best Basic Option : CarsDirect. Pros Find deals from local dealers Apply directly for no-credit or low-credit loans Fast and flexible customer service. Cons Dealer listings only no private sellers Listed prices not always accurate Car down payment may be needed. Best for Classic Cars : Hemmings. Pros Blog and newsletters for classic car lovers Buy and sell classic car parts as well as cars More affordable than ClassicCars.

Best for Mobile : Autolist. Pros Compiles listings from dozens of sites Top-rated mobile app Fair price comparison tool. Cons No option to place ads No financing tools or options. Best for Cheap Cars : CarGurus. Pros Advanced pricing tools Question and answer board Advertise cars for free.

Cons No vetting of sellers Charges advertisers when their car sells. Best for Comparing Options : AutoTempest. Pros Compiles listings from the largest number of sites Smart search pages display targeted buyers guides Car pricing tool helps shoppers find the best deals.

Pros Low listing and commission fees Every vehicle includes a history report Some listings featured by a YouTube celebrity. Cons No listings for cars made before No financing options available No buyer and seller tools or resources. Bottom Line There seem to be as many used car sites as there are types of used cars, buyers, and sellers. How We Chose the Best Used Car Sites We looked at over a dozen used car sites for this review and selected sites that either had built a lot of trust through a long history of selling cars or that created safe and personal experiences for shoppers looking for specialty vehicles.

Article Sources. Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts.

We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy. Investopedia is part of the Dotdash publishing family.