Since 1997, Autotrader has become one of the most widely-known automotive shopping websites. You can use it to buy used and new cars, research car values or list your own car for sale.
But is Autotrader the right dealer for you? Team Clark has explored the process of buying and selling vehicles with Autotrader and compared it to other methods to find out.
In this article, I’ll look at how Autotrader works and what the process is for buying and selling cars. I’ll also show you how you can use Autotrader as a research tool and lay out the pros and cons of buying and selling cars there.
Table of Contents:
How Does Autotrader Work?
Buying a Car Through Autotrader
Selling a Car Through Autotrader
Using Autotrader as a Research Tool
Final Thoughts: Pros and Cons
Below, you’ll find detailed information including how to get started on the site, how to buy and sell a car with Autotrader and the pros and cons I found when using Autotrader.
How Does Autotrader Work?
Autotrader aims to be a comprehensive online solution for buying and selling new, certified and used cars. The online approach lets you quickly compare vehicles available in your area.
According to the website, Autotrader offers the largest available selection of vehicle inventory from dealers and private sellers and the most complete research and comparison tools. I also checked out the app on The App Store, and it had a 4.7-star rating (out of 5 stars) based on 289.7K reviews as of January 2023.On Google Play, the app had a 2.8-star rating based on 29.8K reviews.
Autotrader doesn’t hold a physical inventory, and it doesn’t own the cars that are listed on its website. Instead, it provides a way to shop for new and used cars across several different car lots in your area. Once you’ve found a car that you’re interested in, you can contact the seller directly to set up a test drive and/or purchase the vehicle.
You can use Autotrader to shop for both new and used cars or research the value of a car before you buy or sell it. You can also list your own car for sale on the website for $49 with free ad renewals. That means you can keep refreshing your listing until it sells at no additional cost. If your car is eligible, you may also be able to get an instant cash offer for your car. If you want to accept the offer, you can take it to a nearby participating dealership for cash or trade-in credit.
Buying a Car Through Autotrader
Autotrader makes it easy to search for cars for sale. You can start from the homepage by entering a make, model and ZIP code. You can also click the “Used Cars” or “New Cars” tab on the top of the screen to get started.
If you aren’t sure exactly what you’re looking for, you can browse the available selection by clicking “Browse by Make,” “Browse by Style” or “Advanced Search.” I was also able to scroll down the home page and see cars available at dealerships near me, cars for sale with dealer home services and recommendations based on previous searches.
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No matter how you choose to begin searching for your new car, you’ll see relevant results (as well as a few ads), once you’ve selected what you’re interested in.
When I searched for a Toyota Camry near Lexington, Kentucky, there were 174 search results. From there, I was able to narrow the selection by condition, year, color, location, price, vehicle history, mileage, features and more.
As you browse available vehicles, you’ll see labels like “Good Price,” and “Great Price.” There aren’t any labels to indicate negative pricing, and I found that many cars didn’t have labels at all. These labels are from the Kelley Blue Book Price Advisor, a tool from Autotrader’s partner website.
Once you’ve found a car you’re interested in, you can click on it to see additional pictures and information. You’ll also be able to read seller comments, which may include details about what’s excluded from the quoted price you see online. On the Camry I looked at, the dealership noted that tax, title, licensing fees and processing or preparation charges would be added to the internet price.
If you want to contact the seller, you can send a message on the right side of the screen.
The sale of the car itself will take place between you and the dealership.
Selling a Car Through Autotrader
If you’re looking to sell your current vehicle, listing it on Autotrader could be a great way to find a buyer. A listing costs $49 to create, but you can leave it up for up to 365 days at no additional charge.
To begin, click “Sell My Car” at the top of the page. Then click “Look Up My Car.” Once you do, you’ll be able to enter your license plate number and state or your vehicle’s VIN number to get started.
According to the website, when you list with Autotrader, your vehicle’s history report will be included for free. Additionally, your ad will be listed on Autotrader and KBB.com with unlimited free ad renewal every 30 days up to 365 days in total.
Organize your paperwork, clean your vehicle and determine your car’s value in order to price it accordingly. As far as paperwork goes, you’ll need your vehicle history report, maintenance records, as-is documentation, odometer disclosure, vehicle title, bill of sale, and potentially a transferrable warranty. For help pricing your car, you can use Autotrader’s “Value a Car” tool, powered by Kelley Blue Book.
Write a detailed description and take photos. It’s important to be transparent in your listing and include several pictures of the inside and outside of your vehicle.
Be prepared. When buyers start contacting you, you’ll need to be ready to answer their questions and set up test drives.
Once you’ve found a buyer, come to an agreement on the price and finalize the transaction while protecting yourself financially and legally. Then, transfer the title and ownership.
For more information on how to create the best used car ad for Autotrader, check out this article.
Your vehicle may also be eligible for an instant cash offer. To check your eligibility, visit the website and enter your car’s license plate or VIN number. You’ll then be able to choose your car’s specific features and condition.
If your car is eligible, you’ll get an instant cash offer that’s good for seven days. If you want to accept the offer, you can bring your car and the offer to a participating dealer for cash or trade-in credit.
Using Autotrader as a Research Tool
In addition to being able to browse available cars and list your own car for sale on Autotrader, you can also use the website as a research tool. Whether you’re trying to estimate a monthly payment, considering trading in your car or wondering which car is best for you, Autotrader can help. To get started, scroll over the “Car Research & Tools” tab at the top of the page.
Under “Helpful Links,” you’ll find links to resources such as deals for cars, trucks and SUVs. Under “Car Research & News,” you can click on “Research and Information” to read car reviews, get expert car advice, compare cars more.
The “Car Buying Tools” section features a lot of great resources including things to consider before buying a specific car, a car loan payment calculator, car affordability calculator, car trade-in tips and more.
You can also use the “Value a Car” feature provided by Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book to find the value of the car you’d like to sell or buy.
You can begin by indicating what you plan to do: sell a car, trade in a car or buy car. From there, you’ll be able to enter details about the specific car you’re describing. Then, click “Get Car Values” to see the estimated values. You’ll see the estimated values for various conditions ranging from fair to excellent. You’ll also see a list of the car’s features, options and equipment.
This information can help you decide whether or not you want to purchase a new car and whether you want to sell or trade in your current vehicle. You can also use the list of features, options and equipment to create a detailed used car listing if you decide to sell your car yourself.
Final Thoughts: Pros and Cons
Overall, Autotrader is a good resource to check out whether you’re shopping for or selling a car. Even if you’re just gathering information, the website offers great resources under the “Car Research & Tools” tab as well as the “Value a Car” page. There, you can find out what specific cars are worth and read reviews.
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When I checked out Autotrader, I looked up the values of a few popular vehicles including my own. I did the same thing on a few competitor sites including Edmunds and CarGurus. While there were slight differences in the value estimates, they were all within $1,500 of one another. For this reason, I feel that you’re going to see relatively reliable car values on Autotrader.
When it comes to the actual cars that are listed on Autotrader, you’ll see the price the dealership is listing on the website. If it’s considered a “good” or “great” deal, you’ll see a label above the price.
After checking out Autotrader myself, here are a few of the major pros and cons I found with the website:
Pros:
Cons:
Autotrader is a reliable resource for finding vehicle values and additional unbiased research.
Autotrader doesn’t have a physical inventory, which means you’ll just be put in contact with nearby dealerships.
You can compare prices, deals and inventory at nearby dealerships online.
Autotrader doesn’t purchase used vehicles directly, which means you’ll have to wait for a buyer if your car isn’t eligible for an instant cash offer.
You can list your own car for sale for $49, but you can refresh the ad and keep it posted for as long as necessary at no extra cost.
Autotrader doesn’t offer financing. If you want to get pre-qualified before shopping, you’ll have to take care of that on your own.
Do you have experience using Autotrader? Let us know your thoughts in our Clark.com Community!
In addition to these two sections, there's a "Attention Grabber" section which you can use to include a key selling point within a 30-character limit. This key information is then displayed to potential buyers under the selling price on your live advert.
For those who are unsure about what car they want, Autotrader lets shoppers research and compare cars by body type, mileage, price, and other criteria. In terms of numbers, Autotrader has more than 3 million vehicle listings from 40,000 dealers and 250,000 private owners, with more than 14 million buyers per month.
The World's Most Expensive Car Just Sold for an All-Time Record of $142 Million. The sale places the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut” in the top 10 most valuable items ever sold at auction in any collecting category.
Don't respond to any email that appears to come from Autotrader (for example, by displaying our logo) and urges you to complete the sale or purchase of a car listed on our site. Such emails are a sure sign of a scam. Other signs of fraud are emails that: Claim the security of a transaction is guaranteed by Autotrader.
If you're looking to sell your current vehicle, listing it on Autotrader could be a great way to find a buyer. A listing costs $49 to create, but you can leave it up for up to 365 days at no additional charge.
List Your Car. Tell us about your car and set your price. Pay $49 to publish your listing across Autotrader and KBB with a free vehicle history report from AutoCheck.
What's In Your Ad? Be sure to list the phone number that makes it most accessible for buyers to reach you. If you're only available at certain times, clearly list when you will take calls about the vehicle. Remember, it's essential to make yourself as available as possible to potential buyers.
Autotrader ads run for 30 days, and you can extend your ad for free in 30-day increments up to 365 days total, all for the same price. Generally, buyers are more likely to make inquiries and schedule weekend test drives. After several weekends without any calls, changes are in order.
Select a size or quality setting that makes the image 640 x 480 or larger for best results, but limit the total size of the photo file to under 10MB. We resize and optimize all images for presentation and speed on our site.
Audience composition can reveal a site's current market share across various audiences. autotrader.com's audience is 75.50% male and 24.50% female. The largest age group of visitors are 25 - 34 year olds (Desktop).
autotrader.com's top 5 competitors in May 2023 are: edmunds.com, cars.com, cargurus.com, carfax.com, and more. According to Similarweb data of monthly visits, autotrader.com's top competitor in May 2023 is edmunds.com with 18.0M visits.
Let's see which vehicles were named the best in their class:
Toyota Corolla — The best-selling Compact car of all time. Ford F-Series — The best-selling Pickup truck of all time. Volkswagen Passat — The best-selling Mid-size sedan of all time.
Yes, JATO data for 53 markets worldwide, plus information for other key markets and estimates for others, indicate that the Tesla Model Y was the world's best-selling car in the first quarter of this year.
America's Most Popular Car Colors (according to iSeeCars.Com) Grayscale colors (white, black, gray, and silver) represent a total of 78.5% of all vehicles on the road in the United States. White sits atop the list as the most popular choice.
What is the most dependable car brand? Here are the brand rankings based on the number of problems per 100 vehicles, according to J.D. Power's 2023 U.S. vehicle dependability study. The industry average is 186. The highest-ranking premium brand was Lexus, and Kia was the highest-ranking mass market brand.
The fastest-selling used car is the Tesla Model Y, topping a list that is dominated by alternative-fuel vehicles. Analyzing over 224,000 new and used cars sold in June 2022, iSeeCars.com found that overall, the average new car takes 37.2 days to sell and the average used car takes 52.1 days to sell.
Yes, you should always include your VIN in your ad when selling your car. This is not personal information and buyers cannot look up personal information if they have it. Including your VIN helps buyers verify the vehicle is advertised correctly and allows them to purchase vehicle history reports.
Bank transfers are a secure and efficient way to exchange money in a car sale. The buyer's bank will verify the availability of the seller's funds before processing the transfer. This assurance offers added security for the seller, making a bank transfer an excellent option for high-dollar transactions.
To answer the introductory question: Yes. It is completely safe to give out your VIN (it is within plain sight, after all). Sharing your VIN when selling your car is critical to you getting the best value for your vehicle.
With the VIP Guarantee feature we offer a refund for the fees you paid for an ad, minus the cost of an inspection (up to a $129.99 value) when applicable, if you fail to sell your car on AutoTrader.com within 120 days.
By clicking on the analytics button on your ad you will be able to see statistics relating to: Searches - this is the number of times your ad has appeared on a search results page. Views - this is the number of times your ad has been clicked on and viewed by potential buyers.
Car owners can indeed get paid to put ads on their cars—a procedure known as “wrapping”—but some solicitations to join such advertising companies are scams. Unfortunately, this is a field where fraudsters abound. The sums that legitimate advertisers amount to a little extra income per month.
How much money can you make through car advertising? Each company has a unique application and approval process, but if you're offered a campaign, you can generally expect to have your car wrapped with an advertisem*nt for a few months, earning anywhere from $100 to upwards of $500 a month.
According to Chowdhry, the industry average is $1,000 per vehicle sold (in the US market in 2015). Most of the biggest spenders are luxury brands: Jaguar (owned by Tata) leads the pack, spending $3,325 in advertising per vehicle sold. Lincoln is in second place with $2,550 per unit.
PSX is a secure marketplace where both seller and buyer build a bridge of trust through investigation, verification, communication, and transaction, expedited and validated by PSX. Unlike other peer-to-peer transaction options, PSX not only acts as a third party but also guarantees the integrity of the money transfer.
Every car ad on Autotrader includes the sellers contact details so buyers can contact them directly from the ad via email or phone. When calling a dealer you will be prompted to enter the Autotrader Car ID listed beside the phone number to identify the car you are enquiring on.
When you're selling a car, cashier's checks, certified checks, and money orders share the same benefits and risks: the funds are guaranteed, but only if the check is genuine. Personal checks are much riskier, however, because their funds are not guaranteed.
Never give out your phone number in public social media posts. Watch out for red flags. Avoid making transactions with people who offer you deals that sound too good to be true (i.e., overpaying for an item you listed for sale) or people who pressure you to make a deal quickly. Understand marketplace policies.
Autotrader.com has a rating of 3.19 stars from 155 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally satisfied with their purchases. Autotrader.com ranks 13th among Car Buying sites.
What does it mean when a listing displays “Newly Listed”? When you see a “Newly Listed” indicator you'll know the car has just posted to our site within the last seven days. You're looking at a new listing!
Photos can be vital marketing tools when selling a used car. Autotrader allows you to include as many as 30 photos of your used vehicle with each listing, giving you plenty of opportunity to showcase your vehicle to potential buyers.
On average, stock photographers make $0.02 per image per month with stock photos, while professionals make $0.05–$0.25 per image per month. Royalty-free sales earn between $0.10 and $99.50, while extended licenses bring up to $500. Stock photo agencies pay $0.32 per sale of a royalty-free license on average.
What is the Target Market for Luxury Vehicles? The target audience for luxury markets focuses on people between the ages of 25-44 years old. This is no different when it comes to luxury vehicles, with the exception of the market swaying a bit wide in both directions.
Drawing on the databases of most online marketplaces including Craigslist, Autotrader, and CarsDirect, AutoTempest offers the largest online car marketplace, making it our top choice as the best site for comparing used cars.
United States: Top 5 Car parts & tires online stores
Carparts.com is the online shop with the highest eCommerce net sales that is selling products in the Car parts e-commerce market in the U.S., with a revenue of US$559 million in 2021 generated in the U.S., followed by advanceautoparts.com with US$401 million.
Since 1926, Kelley Blue Book has been one of the most trusted names in the auto industry. You might say we literally "wrote the book on car values". And today there's no better place to find the value of your current car than KBB.com.
Research by AA Cars, the breakdown firm's second-hand car database, found the fastest-selling cars of 2022 were predominantly fuel-efficient city cars, with the BMW 116i hatchback claiming the top spot. It was followed by the Peugeot 108, the Kia Creed and the Hyundai i20.
The Swedish automaker Koenigsegg defined standards and beat world records with its release. It is the fastest car in the world right now. No other car has reached, surpassed, or even challenged the Jesko Absolut.
Neiman said one of the best times to buy is at the beginning of the year. January and February are when dealers are trying to make room for newer inventory and consumers often desire to buy the next model-year vehicle.
Automakers were using their tight supply of computer chips to build pricier and more profitable SUVs and pickups. They built fewer affordable new models — a trend that sent more buyers to used-car lots. The result was increased demand and higher prices for used vehicles.
Inducted 2001. Joe Girard laid claim to the title “The World's Greatest Retail Salesman.” In fact, the Guinness Book of World Records bestowed that title on him for twelve consecutive years. The numbers speak for themselves. During his 13-year career (1963-1977) he sold more than 13,000 cars…
At 38 mph top speed, the Peel 50 is the slowest car in the world, but it also holds the Guinness World Record as the smallest production vehicle ever made at 54 inches long and 39 inches wide.
The Koenigsegg Gemera is the world's quickest production car that hits the 0-60 mph mark within 1.9 seconds. It's the very first four-seater by Koenigsegg and the world's first Mega-GT that weighs 4,079 pounds.
The key to car flipping success is finding and buying undervalued cars at a low cost and selling them high. That means searching Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, eBay Motors, newspaper classified ads, and auctions to find a good deal. Keep your purchasing budget low and also budget for any repairs the car needs.
Introduction: My name is Terence Hammes MD, I am a inexpensive, energetic, jolly, faithful, cheerful, proud, rich person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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