Best Place To Sell Your Car (2024 Guide) (2024)

Selling your car can sometimes seem like a daunting task, especially if you’re not sure where to start. Each potential avenue for selling your vehicle comes with its own set of pros and cons.

In this comprehensive guide, we at the MarketWatch Guides team will help you review your options to sell a vehicle of any make, model or condition. We’ll also cover local options and our picks for the best websites to sell your car.

Best Places To Sell Your Car

If you want the best price for your car, consider placing an ad on a private seller marketplace or to potential buyers in your local area. However, dealers and online car buying services may be your best choice if you want an easy process with a quick turnaround. Learn more about your options below.

1. Private Markets

Selling your car to a private buyer means that you handle the process from start to finish and have full control over the details of the sale. You’ll provide critical vehicle information such as your make, model and odometer reading. You’ll also need to describe the condition of your car and attach photos so buyers know what they’re getting.

While a classified ad is a traditional way to sell privately, these days owners can sell privately online as well. Online marketplace platforms like Facebook, Craigslist and eBay Motors are well-known options but may be unregulated and risky. Dedicated car selling companies like Cars.com and CarGurus also feature private seller marketplaces and can guide owners through the selling process. Watch out for listing fees, however, which some services charge for selling your vehicle through their platforms.

Private-party sales can lead to higher profits since sellers aren’t dealing with third parties and additional service fees. However, the increased profit potential comes with extra responsibilities, including advertising, scheduling test drives, meeting prospective buyers in person and handling the paperwork. You’ll need to be ready to invest your time and energy with this car selling method.

Factors To Consider

• More profit: You may profit more since no third parties are involved.
• Negotiation power: You have complete control over the negotiation process.
• More effort and time: Selling on private markets requires more work for advertising and vetting, and it often takes longer than other car selling methods.
• Safety concerns: Always ensure transactions are conducted in safe, public locations.

2. Dealerships

If a quick and hassle-free experience is your priority, local car dealers can be a convenient option, but you’ll likely pay a price. Dealerships are businesses, so they aim to purchase your car at a lower price to sell it for a profit — meaning they may not offer the most money. However, by working with a dealership, you gain the convenience of a quick sale and avoid the hassles of paperwork and finding buyers.

Factors To Consider

• Convenience: Dealers handle most of the paperwork and other details.
• Speed: Selling to a dealership is typically faster than selling to private buyers.
• Lower offers: Dealers typically make lower offers than private buyers.
• Limited negotiations: There might be less room to haggle. Some dealerships even have no-haggle policies.

3. Car Selling Companies

The digital age has introduced companies like CarMax and CarGurus, revolutionizing the car selling process. These online services function like dealerships or offer access to existing dealerships and private sellers in tandem, allowing owners to handle most of the selling process completely online.

To sell your car to an online company, you’ll want to gather information such as your vehicle’s license plate number, make, model and year. Most car selling companies will ask you a number of questions about your car before making an online offer or providing a trade-in value. Some companies require a pre-sale inspection before instant cash offers are finalized.

Note that each online car selling company is different. While CarMax is renowned for quick, reliable service, it doesn’t offer convenient vehicle pickup services like other companies. Always explore multiple platforms to ensure you’re getting the best offer and finding the one that best fits your selling needs. Our team finds online companies to be one of the best ways to sell a car.

Factors To Consider

• Speed: Instant quotes are common and the process is generally very quick.
• Convenience: With many online car selling services, the process is completed entirely online.
• Fees: Many online car selling companies include extra fees for shipping, handling and other services.
• Price: Offers can vary considerably between providers, so it’s worth comparing multiple options.

4. Junk Buyers

If your car is nearing the end of its life, consider junk buyers and junkyards. These services can offer a quick (albeit lower-paying) option for sellers looking to part ways with high-mileage or irreparable vehicles. Always shop around before agreeing to an offer, even from a junk buyer, and ensure you understand the terms, including any towing fees that might be deducted from your final payment.

Factors To Consider

• Quick sales: Junk buyers are ideal for selling non-functioning vehicles quickly.
• Ease: Selling to a junk buyer requires less effort than selling to a private buyer.
• Low offers: Junk buyers typically offer scrap metal prices, which may not amount to much.
• Limited negotiation: Prices from junk buyers are often fixed.

5 Recommended Platforms for Car Selling

Online car selling companies can streamline the selling process and reduce the amount of personal time and resources you’ll need to invest in the sale.

Our team researched the online car selling marketplace and reviewed companies based on factors like industry standing, cost, support services and customer experience. Below, we cover the five top-scoring car selling companies from our research and why each stood out from the rest.

1. Cars.com: Editor’s Choice

Best for: Selling newer vehicles in good condition

Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating: A+

Car selling services: Direct purchasing, private marketplace, trade-in

Cars.com earned a 9 out of a possible 10 in our review and was named our “Editor’s Choice” thanks to its sale and trade-in options, excellent industry reputation and more. The company has a network of over 20,000 dealerships spread across the country, and you can get instant offers that are good for three days when you list online. Cars.com collects customer reviews on its partner dealerships and posts ratings for each, which makes the process of filtering the good dealerships from the bad easier.

Cars.com also has a private marketplace feature that helps you provide a detailed profile for your car and set the right price to ensure you attract some offers.

After careful analysis, we found Cars.com to have the overall highest performance across all car selling companies we reviewed. Check out how the site did in each of our rating categories below:

Cars.com Offers

We asked Cars.com for offers on two different vehicles. Notice that Cars.com makes offers in ranges pending confirmation of vehicle details:

Read more: Cars.com review

2. Carvana: Most Seamless Process

Best for: Selling newer vehicles in good condition

BBB rating: NR

Car selling services: Car selling, trade-in, financing

During our research, we rated Carvana 8.9 out of a possible 10 and gave it our Most Seamless Process award. Carvana is a one-stop shop for online car buying, selling and financing, meaning customers can accomplish a lot on one platform.

Carvana’s offers for used vehicles are competitive and valid for up to seven days, giving you plenty of time to weigh your options. The company also provides handy car valuation tools to provide insight into your car’s selling potential, helping you make an informed decision.

Take a look at how Carvana scored in all of our rating categories:

Carvana Offers

We asked Carvana for offers on two vehicles in good condition. While these offers may not be as high as those you might receive through private marketplaces, they are strong compared to offers from other companies:

Read more: Carvana review

3. Peddle: Good Choice for Older Vehicles

Best for: Selling older, high-mileage or junk vehicles

BBB rating: A+

Car selling services: Direct purchasing

Peddle earned 8.7 out of a possible 10 from our team due to its strong industry reputation and outstanding customer experience. Not only does Peddle have an A+ rating from the BBB, but customers on the platform have rated the company 4.6 out of a possible 5 stars.

If you’re trying to sell a vehicle with high mileage or extensive damage, Peddle is an excellent alternative to junk buying services and junkyards. The company also accepts junk or inoperable vehicles and sometimes offers well above scrap metal prices. Sellers working with Peddle enjoy access to instant offers and convenient towing services.

See how Peddle performed in all of our rating categories below:

Peddle Offers

Our team requested offers from Peddle for two high-mileage, older-model vehicles that owners commonly want to sell for junk or parts. Peddle offers tend to be higher than what scrap metal buyers might pay:

Read more: Peddle review

4. TrueCar: Good for Quick, Fixed-Price Offers

Best for: Selling new and old vehicles in good condition

BBB rating: A+

Car selling services: Third-party dealership purchasing

We awarded TrueCar an 8.7 out of a possible 10 for the company’s excellent industry reputation and positive customer feedback. The company holds a high rating from the BBB and customers on the platform give it 3.8 out of 5 stars.

TrueCar works with third-party dealerships to provide fast, guaranteed offers for vehicles. During our research, we found the company was willing to make offers on both old and new vehicles. While offers for newer vehicles tended to be lower than other providers on our list, TrueCar made competitive offers on higher-mileage, older vehicles in good condition.

Below are TrueCar’s scores in each of our rating categories:

TrueCar Offers

Our team requested offers from TrueCar for two older-model vehicles:

5. Facebook Marketplace: Good for Private Local Sales

Best for: Selling vehicles in any condition

BBB: N/A

Car selling services: Private marketplace

In recent years, Facebook has become one of the default choices for selling cars and trucks locally. The social media platform’s market feature (Facebook Marketplace) allows users to quickly and easily list vehicles for sale. Ads include pictures, pricing details, vehicle descriptions and secure communication features.

Facebook Marketplace allows sellers to reach local audiences quickly, but the platform also offers a broader reach to potential buyers in adjacent cities and states. If a buyer is willing to travel or commit to agreed-upon meeting terms, this reach increases a seller’s chance of getting their ideal asking price.

See how we rated Facebook Marketplace in each of our review categories below:

Facebook Marketplace Prices

Sellers on Facebook Marketplace can set their own prices for vehicles. We strongly recommend looking into what vehicles similar to yours are selling for on Facebook, eBay Motors and other private marketplaces when deciding your price. We also recommend using car valuation resources like Edmunds and Kelley Blue Book (KBB) to determine what your vehicle is worth.

We looked at the asking prices of newer vehicles in good condition on Facebook Marketplace. While reasonable, asking prices on Facebook Marketplace were lower than offers made for similar vehicles by other platforms on our list:

How To Get the Best Price for Your Car

To get the most out of selling your car, follow the steps below.

Repair and Clean Your Vehicle

First, consider completing any minor repairs and fixes that could increase the appeal or value of your vehicle. Consider the price of repairs against how much you could ask for with a car in better shape.

Next, give your vehicle a thorough cleaning. Get both the interior and exterior looking good, and remove any personal items before listing your car for sale.

Know Your Car’s Value

Next, make sure you research your car’s potential value. Check prices and offers from multiple potential buyers and marketplaces, including private marketplaces, online car selling services and dealerships. Consult guides like KBB or Edmunds for a well-rounded perspective on fair market values.

Build a Great Ad

Whether you’re advertising your car in a local paper or on an online marketplace like Craigslist, the quality of your ad matters. Create an honest, detailed ad that answers any questions you might have if you were a buyer. List your car’s condition, any known defects and special features that may seem eye-catching to potential buyers.

If possible, use high-quality photos that show your vehicle from multiple angles. Take pictures of both the interior and exterior. It’s important to be honest, as previously unreported damages can lead to lower offers (or even cancellations) from private buyers or car selling companies during the inspection or test-driving processes.

Best Place To Sell Your Car: The Bottom Line

The best place to sell your car depends on various factors, including your car’s condition, how much time and effort you can invest and your desired price and convenience level. Here’s a quick recap of your options:

• Private sales: Private buyers and marketplaces offer the highest profit potential but require extra effort for advertising, vetting buyers and paperwork.
• Dealerships: Traditional car dealerships are ideal for a hassle-free experience but typically make lower offers for vehicles and are less flexible than other buyers.
• Online platforms: Online car selling companies combine convenience, speed and control of the sale to provide the ultimate car selling experience.
• Junk buyers: Best for cars in poor condition, junk buyers offer quick but low-paying solutions.

Best Place To Sell Your Car: FAQ

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about the best place to sell your car:

Our Methodology

Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best platforms to sell your car. We collected data on several providers to grade each company in five key areas. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the car selling platforms that scored the most points topping the list.

Here are the factors our ratings take into account:

• Industry Standing: Our research team considers ratings from industry experts and years in business when determining this score.
• Platform: Platforms that offer a variety of features, including instant offers and multiple sales options, are more likely to meet consumers’ needs.
• Cost: To compare providers’ average offer prices, our team conducted a secret shopper analysis for a variety of vehicle types. We also considered the fees companies charge to use their platforms.
• Support: Car selling companies that offer strong transaction support received the highest scores in this category. This includes offerings like free pickup service as well as how quickly you receive your payment.
• Customer Experience: This score is based on customer satisfaction ratings on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot as well as our team’s experience reaching out to each platform.

*Data accurate at time of publication.