How to Sell Your Car the Modern Way: We Put Seven Online Services to your Test
We sell two cars to look into online car-selling tools from AutoNation, Beepi, Carvana, Roadster, Shift, TrueCar Sell, and Vroom.
Jul 2016
Selling trucks and cars is a question of your time versus money: Do you select quick cash by trading it in with a dealership or wait it and sell your car or truck privately to secure a higher price? Neither choices are particularly pleasing. The trade-in process in a dealer always seems like it's without transparency along with the private marketplace is full of your energy-wasting tire kickers who don't seem intent on buying.
Fortunately, the modern online dealership platforms, along with startup companies for instance Beepi and Vroom which may have created peer-to-peer automotive sales networks, have devised new approaches to buy and then sell on cars online that better serve consumers' needs. Most of the modern tools require users to complete little a lot more than answer a couple of questions about their vehicle and upload a small number of photos as a way to receive a price quote or offer. In return, these facilities promise for making or secure offers for your motor vehicle higher than those from traditional dealerships. If turn-of-the-century e-commerce sites for example eBay Motors and Autotrader will be the vehicle-selling (and -buying) equivalents towards the dating sites eHarmony and , then to understand latest efforts to become the automotive Tinders—quick as well as simple.
Out from the Red and to the Black
2015 was obviously a record year for new-vehicle sales inside United States as low interest rates, a strengthened economy, and cheap gasoline all joined together to create a strong environment for sales of brand-new cars and trucks. But consumers certainly haven't abadndoned used cars: Automotive auction company Manheim noted in their 2016 Used Car Market Report that franchised dealerships saw an rise in used-vehicle sales for your sixth consecutive year in 2015.
As consumers buy more vehicles, they've also been turning over the tips for their previous vehicles a lot more, producing swelling inventories of pre-owned cars and trucks. These used vehicles aren't a lot of junkers, either: Manheim reported which the average mileage of cars and trucks sold at auction not too long ago was at the smallest level since 2011. This is largely due to your increase in vehicle leasing.
Leasing is bringing more cars into your used market in an earlier part of their life cycle,” said Eric Lyman, second in command of industry insights at TrueCar. He added that this number of vehicles being leased in 2016 is concerning 50 percent over a decade ago, comprising approximately 30 % of all new-vehicle sales today.
With TrueCar predicting a growth in used inventory levels through 2021, the sheer quantity of vehicles available to buy is producing improved way of buying and selling pre-owned vehicles, together with encouraging the growth of new market players.
There is an opportunity to enhance the used-vehicle transaction process for all those parties,” Lyman observed, adding that the modern e-commerce tools are streamlining the procedure for consumers and dealers.”
Searching for your Holy Grail
Talk is reasonable, though. To see if these 21st-century vehicle-sales tools actually provde the cash and convenience they promote, two C/D editors channeled their inner Hunter S. Thompson and looked for quotes form of hosting vehicles these folks were looking to market—a 2015 Chevrolet Camaro V-6 1LS and also a 2013 Chevrolet Spark 1LT, both with manual transmissions, naturally.
However, before we can easily evaluate the quotes we received, we had to determine the cars' market values. In finding this, we trusted two well-respected sources: Black Book , a typical vehicle-valuation tool employed by dealerships, and Kelley Blue Book The breakdown for your near-mint-condition cars is below. Mean value is shown and marked by an asterisk when services offered nearly range.
Kelley Blue Book Private Party Value
Black Book Trade-in Value
We set our baseline to get a Holy Grail offer at Kelley Blue Book's private-party value; however, as pragmatists, we had arrived content to chalk up any offer higher than the mean of KBB's trade-in value being a win.
The Dealership Option
After learning our cars' market values, we first got a quotation from a proven dealership group. This led us to AutoNation's We'll Buy Your Car feature, an internet based tool that requires nothing more than answering a number of questions about the car, that may even be done through the comfort of a single's couch. This is usually a good thing, too, because, despite its name, AutoNation doesn't operate dealerships nationally. Regardless, this company doesn't prevent anyone inside the 48 contiguous states while using We'll Buy Your Car, since AutoNation will get a car regardless of whether it doesn't have a very store in your state. After we submitted our answers, AutoNation sent us these rather underwhelming offers via e-mail a lot less than 30 minutes later:
AutoNation We'll Buy Your Car
We then gone after another dealership-based option: TrueCar. Although TrueCar will not sell cars, its app, TrueCar Sell (which can be still rolling around in its beta stage but available to your public), allows vehicle proprietors to answer questions and upload images with their car from specific angles to a database that local dealers certified by TrueCar can access. These stores then invest in these cars and trucks. Approximately a day after you submit an automobile, the hottest deal is sent over.
TrueCar Sell
Nationwide
5 Days
None stated
2013 Chevrolet Spark
1LT 5-speed manual; 21,500 miles
While interest within the Spark was strong, garnering an added $1000 in contrast to AutoNation, the Camaro still did not appeal to your Midwest dealers bidding upon it, as well as the winning bid ultimately arrived $2100 behind AutoNation's.
New Kids within the Block
After punching the established players, we turned our sights towards the five market newcomers: Beepi, Carvana, Roadster, Shift, and Vroom.
Beepi
Although buyers nationwide will use Bay Area-based Beepi , sellers can make use of the service on condition that they live in a reasonable distance (a Beepi spokesman says several hours away is often a good benchmark) of Phoenix or Tucson, Arizona; Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, or San Jose, California; South Florida (think Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties); Tampa, Florida; Austin, Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio, Texas; New York City (all five boroughs plus Westchester and Long Island); Seattle, Washington; and also the Washington, D.C., metro area (consisting of parts of Maryland and Virginia). The limitation didn't stop our two Michigan-based editors from acquiring a general thought of what the peer-to-peer car-selling and -buying platform was able to offer for vehicles. Mind you, the numbers we have from Beepi are not offers but initial estimates. They were strong, though, in comparison with the AutoNation and TrueCar options. To get the official offer, sellers need being located in one on the aforementioned states and schedule an appointment for just a Beepi inspector to perform a 240-point inspection. Afterward, a proposal is made that may be collected once the car is purchased online. A bonus is the fact that you're in a position to continue driving it through the sale period, provided the extra mileage isn't unreasonable. (The Beepi spokesman noted this company doesn't specify a defined mileage, but he clarified which it should be a lot less than 1000 miles.) If your vehicle does not sell within 1 month, Beepi will purchase it on the price quoted by this company after the inspection. Beepi also provides an alternative for those who don't wish to wait up to four weeks to get paid: The company will write a cheque immediately, although choosing this choice costs $500.
Beepi
Accepted Market Location of Vehicle Being Sold
Available inside of a reasonable distance (a couple of hours drive) of Phoenix, Arizona; Tucson, Arizona; Los Angeles, California; Sacramento, California; San Diego, California; San Francisco, California; San Jose, California; South Florida (think Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties); Tampa, Florida; Austin, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Houston, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; New York City (all five boroughs plus Long Island and Westchester); Seattle, Washington; and also the Washington, D.C. metro area (consisting of parts of Maryland and Virginia)
Time to Accept Offer Estimate
None stated
Maximum Miles Allowed Before Accepting Estimate
None stated; though sellers can also add a reasonable (below 1000 miles) amount of miles for their car through the sales period
2015 Chevrolet Camaro
2013 Chevrolet Spark
Carvana
Backed by DriveTime, a used-car dealership group that are experts providing poor credit auto loans,” Carvana works within dealership model within the sense so it purchases a unique inventory. Although there are a few vending machines” where customers can come up up a motor vehicle purchased on the service, there aren't any dedicated Carvana stores. All transactions are executed online.
Selling a vehicle to Carvana mandates that customers answer a couple of questions about their vehicle before an offer is shipped over. The vehicle will then be picked up and inspected to substantiate the information found here is accurate.
Unfortunately, if your motor vehicle isn't currently located within 100 miles of merely one of its 14 hubs (Atlanta; Nashville; Richmond, Virginia; Charlotte or Raleigh, North Carolina; Birmingham, Alabama; Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, or Tampa, Florida; or Austin, Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio, Texas), then you will be stuck paying a shipping fee.
Carvana
Available within 100 miles of Birmingham, Alabama; Jacksonville, Florida; Miami, Florida; Orlando, Florida; Tampa, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Raleigh, North Carolina; Austin, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Houston, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; or Richmond, Virginia
Time to Accept Offer Estimate
one week
None stated
2013 Chevrolet Spark
Roadster
The service is on a California residents. After a holder submits basic information and images of her or his vehicle, Roadster shops your vehicle or truck to its network of bidders. Within 2 days, the business provides a deal. Should the owner accept the offer, Roadster will schedule pickup in the vehicle together with confirm your vehicle's condition.
Roadster
California
3 days if selling outright; few days if trading in
Maximum Miles Allowed Before Accepting Estimate
None stated
2013 Chevrolet Spark
Shift
Like Beepi, Shift can be a peer-to-peer network. Unlike Beepi, however, there is absolutely no 30-day sales guarantee, along with the vehicle needs to get brought to a Shift hub where it can go through a 150-point inspection after which sit until it sells. When a new owner can be obtained, Shift cuts the seller an inspection. The service is currently tied to areas in or near California and Washington, D.C., plus the online tool provides only nearly price range for the vehicle.
Shift
Los Angeles, California; Orange County, California; Sacramento, California; San Diego, California; San Francisco, California; Washington, D.C.
Time to Accept Offer Estimate
14 days
None stated
2013 Chevrolet Spark
Vroom
An online dealership, Vroom 's basic model is practically identical to that regarding Carvana. It's also very similar when it comes to submitting vehicle information—although you should submit photos of your respective car or truck. Unlike Carvana, however, Vroom is accessible nationwide. And Vroom also went back with some with the most compelling offers. We noticed that this company is actively seeking inventory, being a Vroom representative also taken care of immediately our Spark owner's Craigslist ad, offering to buy your vehicle. Upon accepting Vroom's offer, the organization will pick up your car from your residence and perform quick visual inspection to produce sure things are all as represented.
Vroom
Nationwide (48 contiguous)
one week
No over 250 miles
2015 Chevrolet Camaro
2013 Chevrolet Spark
The Results
Although we received estimates for two cars of all seven online vehicle sales tools we tried, we found out that our Michigan location limited us to 3 options: AutoNation We'll Buy Your Car, TrueCar Sell, and Vroom. For our Camaro-owning editor, this worked out for that best: Vroom's $18,000 offer was certainly the highest received. While it fell in short supply of Kelley Blue Book's private-party value by $1973, it did best KBB's mean trade-in value by $222 and was $1397 across the average of most estimates received.
Our Spark-owning editor fared less well. Although Beepi put together an impressive mean offer of $7994 with the diminutive hatchback, our Michigan location led to limited options which were significantly less lucrative. While Beepi wouldn't inspect our Spark, we're confident it'd have passed the business's scrutiny with flying colors and could have received a lot of money. Nevertheless, the master had no fascination with driving over the country inside the 84-hp minicar. Plus, with Beepi estimates lasting only approximately twenty four hours, there is no guarantee the little Spark actually can be valued so high through the time we made it to a far-flung hub with additional miles within the odometer.
Offer range
2013 Chevrolet Spark
Average offer; overall
2015 Chevrolet Camaro
2013 Chevrolet Spark
Average offer; established players
2013 Chevrolet Spark
Average offer; market newcomers
2013 Chevrolet Spark
The Conclusion
Although these online platforms had varying requirements for information and photos—and Beepi, Shift, Carvana, and AutoNation didn't require any photos whatsoever—we found every one of them easy enough to work with that we wouldn't hesitate recommending those to even semi-computer-literate folks. It's also important to remember that individuals tested two specific vehicles in a particular reason time. Just because one service quoted us more (or less) for every single of our vehicles weighed against another service doesn't mean the difference in estimated offers among services could be universal to all or any vehicles all the time.
We all value our time differently, and our Camaro-owning editor valued his at $1973. After agreeing to offer his Camaro to Vroom, he got the essential paperwork via FedEx. Vroom then arranged to own car found for shipment to its facilities in Texas. A brief visual inspection confirmed the vehicle was in excellent condition, as we'd represented, and this was it. Within 2 days, the bucks was wired over. A few days later, Vroom listed the Camaro available on its site, costing $21,980, giving the business the potential to pay off just under $4000 (without accounting for your company's costs, including postage for paperwork, shipping on the car, sales prep, and overhead expenses).
Our Spark owner was obviously a bit more stubborn, posting his car initially on Craigslist after which, after having a lackluster response, spending $50 to read it on Autotrader. Interestingly, Autotrader subsequently emailed ads promoting Kelley Blue Book's Instant Cash Offer service, that is very similar to that relating to TrueCar and AutoNation, netting a not to lucrative offer of $5741. But private offers associated with a amount were less forthcoming. It seems that, in the current cheap-gas world, not many buyers are looking for just a Spark. Both postings combined—pricing $8000, which was in the low end of similar listings—did not generate more than a few leads over greater than a month. Our seller even went as far as to post the Spark on Kijiji , that is essentially Canada's version of Craigslist, because gas prices just over the Detroit River in Windsor, Ontario, are nearly 25 percent over in Michigan. But still no luck. So he finished up resubmitting his details to Vroom and TrueCar. The Vroom offer was exactly the same $6500, but TrueCar, at $6000, was $500 less the second time around. So away and off to Vroom the Spark went also.
Technically, we didn't find the Holy Grail, but we did come pretty close. If having the most money for the car or truck will be the ultimate goal—and you're ready to wait against each other—it seems an exclusive sale probably 's still best; however, when your aim should be to waste very little time as is possible while still acquiring money for your motor vehicle, and the other of these tools will be the solution. In our experience, the top answer was Vroom, featuring its combination of compelling offers and nationwide availability.
Mean value useful for services that offered about range.
We sell two cars to look into online car-selling tools from AutoNation, Beepi, Carvana, Roadster, Shift, TrueCar Sell, and Vroom.
Jul 2016
Selling trucks and cars is a question of your time versus money: Do you select quick cash by trading it in with a dealership or wait it and sell your car or truck privately to secure a higher price? Neither choices are particularly pleasing. The trade-in process in a dealer always seems like it's without transparency along with the private marketplace is full of your energy-wasting tire kickers who don't seem intent on buying.
Fortunately, the modern online dealership platforms, along with startup companies for instance Beepi and Vroom which may have created peer-to-peer automotive sales networks, have devised new approaches to buy and then sell on cars online that better serve consumers' needs. Most of the modern tools require users to complete little a lot more than answer a couple of questions about their vehicle and upload a small number of photos as a way to receive a price quote or offer. In return, these facilities promise for making or secure offers for your motor vehicle higher than those from traditional dealerships. If turn-of-the-century e-commerce sites for example eBay Motors and Autotrader will be the vehicle-selling (and -buying) equivalents towards the dating sites eHarmony and , then to understand latest efforts to become the automotive Tinders—quick as well as simple.
Out from the Red and to the Black
2015 was obviously a record year for new-vehicle sales inside United States as low interest rates, a strengthened economy, and cheap gasoline all joined together to create a strong environment for sales of brand-new cars and trucks. But consumers certainly haven't abadndoned used cars: Automotive auction company Manheim noted in their 2016 Used Car Market Report that franchised dealerships saw an rise in used-vehicle sales for your sixth consecutive year in 2015.
As consumers buy more vehicles, they've also been turning over the tips for their previous vehicles a lot more, producing swelling inventories of pre-owned cars and trucks. These used vehicles aren't a lot of junkers, either: Manheim reported which the average mileage of cars and trucks sold at auction not too long ago was at the smallest level since 2011. This is largely due to your increase in vehicle leasing.
Leasing is bringing more cars into your used market in an earlier part of their life cycle,” said Eric Lyman, second in command of industry insights at TrueCar. He added that this number of vehicles being leased in 2016 is concerning 50 percent over a decade ago, comprising approximately 30 % of all new-vehicle sales today.
With TrueCar predicting a growth in used inventory levels through 2021, the sheer quantity of vehicles available to buy is producing improved way of buying and selling pre-owned vehicles, together with encouraging the growth of new market players.
There is an opportunity to enhance the used-vehicle transaction process for all those parties,” Lyman observed, adding that the modern e-commerce tools are streamlining the procedure for consumers and dealers.”
Searching for your Holy Grail
Talk is reasonable, though. To see if these 21st-century vehicle-sales tools actually provde the cash and convenience they promote, two C/D editors channeled their inner Hunter S. Thompson and looked for quotes form of hosting vehicles these folks were looking to market—a 2015 Chevrolet Camaro V-6 1LS and also a 2013 Chevrolet Spark 1LT, both with manual transmissions, naturally.
However, before we can easily evaluate the quotes we received, we had to determine the cars' market values. In finding this, we trusted two well-respected sources: Black Book , a typical vehicle-valuation tool employed by dealerships, and Kelley Blue Book The breakdown for your near-mint-condition cars is below. Mean value is shown and marked by an asterisk when services offered nearly range.
Kelley Blue Book Private Party Value
- 2015 Chevrolet Camaro
- 2013 Chevrolet Spark
- 2015 Chevrolet Camaro
- 2013 Chevrolet Spark
Black Book Trade-in Value
- 2013 Chevrolet Spark
- 1LT 5-speed manual; 21,500 miles
We set our baseline to get a Holy Grail offer at Kelley Blue Book's private-party value; however, as pragmatists, we had arrived content to chalk up any offer higher than the mean of KBB's trade-in value being a win.
The Dealership Option
After learning our cars' market values, we first got a quotation from a proven dealership group. This led us to AutoNation's We'll Buy Your Car feature, an internet based tool that requires nothing more than answering a number of questions about the car, that may even be done through the comfort of a single's couch. This is usually a good thing, too, because, despite its name, AutoNation doesn't operate dealerships nationally. Regardless, this company doesn't prevent anyone inside the 48 contiguous states while using We'll Buy Your Car, since AutoNation will get a car regardless of whether it doesn't have a very store in your state. After we submitted our answers, AutoNation sent us these rather underwhelming offers via e-mail a lot less than 30 minutes later:
AutoNation We'll Buy Your Car
- Accepted Market Location of Vehicle Being Sold
- Nationwide (48 contiguous)
- few days
- No greater than 250 miles
- 2015 Chevrolet Camaro
- 2013 Chevrolet Spark
- 1LT 5-speed manual; 21,500 miles
We then gone after another dealership-based option: TrueCar. Although TrueCar will not sell cars, its app, TrueCar Sell (which can be still rolling around in its beta stage but available to your public), allows vehicle proprietors to answer questions and upload images with their car from specific angles to a database that local dealers certified by TrueCar can access. These stores then invest in these cars and trucks. Approximately a day after you submit an automobile, the hottest deal is sent over.
TrueCar Sell
Nationwide
5 Days
None stated
2013 Chevrolet Spark
1LT 5-speed manual; 21,500 miles
While interest within the Spark was strong, garnering an added $1000 in contrast to AutoNation, the Camaro still did not appeal to your Midwest dealers bidding upon it, as well as the winning bid ultimately arrived $2100 behind AutoNation's.
New Kids within the Block
After punching the established players, we turned our sights towards the five market newcomers: Beepi, Carvana, Roadster, Shift, and Vroom.
Beepi
Although buyers nationwide will use Bay Area-based Beepi , sellers can make use of the service on condition that they live in a reasonable distance (a Beepi spokesman says several hours away is often a good benchmark) of Phoenix or Tucson, Arizona; Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, or San Jose, California; South Florida (think Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties); Tampa, Florida; Austin, Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio, Texas; New York City (all five boroughs plus Westchester and Long Island); Seattle, Washington; and also the Washington, D.C., metro area (consisting of parts of Maryland and Virginia). The limitation didn't stop our two Michigan-based editors from acquiring a general thought of what the peer-to-peer car-selling and -buying platform was able to offer for vehicles. Mind you, the numbers we have from Beepi are not offers but initial estimates. They were strong, though, in comparison with the AutoNation and TrueCar options. To get the official offer, sellers need being located in one on the aforementioned states and schedule an appointment for just a Beepi inspector to perform a 240-point inspection. Afterward, a proposal is made that may be collected once the car is purchased online. A bonus is the fact that you're in a position to continue driving it through the sale period, provided the extra mileage isn't unreasonable. (The Beepi spokesman noted this company doesn't specify a defined mileage, but he clarified which it should be a lot less than 1000 miles.) If your vehicle does not sell within 1 month, Beepi will purchase it on the price quoted by this company after the inspection. Beepi also provides an alternative for those who don't wish to wait up to four weeks to get paid: The company will write a cheque immediately, although choosing this choice costs $500.
Beepi
Accepted Market Location of Vehicle Being Sold
Available inside of a reasonable distance (a couple of hours drive) of Phoenix, Arizona; Tucson, Arizona; Los Angeles, California; Sacramento, California; San Diego, California; San Francisco, California; San Jose, California; South Florida (think Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties); Tampa, Florida; Austin, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Houston, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; New York City (all five boroughs plus Long Island and Westchester); Seattle, Washington; and also the Washington, D.C. metro area (consisting of parts of Maryland and Virginia)
Time to Accept Offer Estimate
None stated
Maximum Miles Allowed Before Accepting Estimate
None stated; though sellers can also add a reasonable (below 1000 miles) amount of miles for their car through the sales period
2015 Chevrolet Camaro
2013 Chevrolet Spark
Carvana
Backed by DriveTime, a used-car dealership group that are experts providing poor credit auto loans,” Carvana works within dealership model within the sense so it purchases a unique inventory. Although there are a few vending machines” where customers can come up up a motor vehicle purchased on the service, there aren't any dedicated Carvana stores. All transactions are executed online.
Selling a vehicle to Carvana mandates that customers answer a couple of questions about their vehicle before an offer is shipped over. The vehicle will then be picked up and inspected to substantiate the information found here is accurate.
Unfortunately, if your motor vehicle isn't currently located within 100 miles of merely one of its 14 hubs (Atlanta; Nashville; Richmond, Virginia; Charlotte or Raleigh, North Carolina; Birmingham, Alabama; Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, or Tampa, Florida; or Austin, Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio, Texas), then you will be stuck paying a shipping fee.
Carvana
Available within 100 miles of Birmingham, Alabama; Jacksonville, Florida; Miami, Florida; Orlando, Florida; Tampa, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Raleigh, North Carolina; Austin, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Houston, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; or Richmond, Virginia
Time to Accept Offer Estimate
one week
None stated
2013 Chevrolet Spark
Roadster
The service is on a California residents. After a holder submits basic information and images of her or his vehicle, Roadster shops your vehicle or truck to its network of bidders. Within 2 days, the business provides a deal. Should the owner accept the offer, Roadster will schedule pickup in the vehicle together with confirm your vehicle's condition.
Roadster
California
3 days if selling outright; few days if trading in
Maximum Miles Allowed Before Accepting Estimate
None stated
2013 Chevrolet Spark
Shift
Like Beepi, Shift can be a peer-to-peer network. Unlike Beepi, however, there is absolutely no 30-day sales guarantee, along with the vehicle needs to get brought to a Shift hub where it can go through a 150-point inspection after which sit until it sells. When a new owner can be obtained, Shift cuts the seller an inspection. The service is currently tied to areas in or near California and Washington, D.C., plus the online tool provides only nearly price range for the vehicle.
Shift
Los Angeles, California; Orange County, California; Sacramento, California; San Diego, California; San Francisco, California; Washington, D.C.
Time to Accept Offer Estimate
14 days
None stated
2013 Chevrolet Spark
Vroom
An online dealership, Vroom 's basic model is practically identical to that regarding Carvana. It's also very similar when it comes to submitting vehicle information—although you should submit photos of your respective car or truck. Unlike Carvana, however, Vroom is accessible nationwide. And Vroom also went back with some with the most compelling offers. We noticed that this company is actively seeking inventory, being a Vroom representative also taken care of immediately our Spark owner's Craigslist ad, offering to buy your vehicle. Upon accepting Vroom's offer, the organization will pick up your car from your residence and perform quick visual inspection to produce sure things are all as represented.
Vroom
Nationwide (48 contiguous)
one week
No over 250 miles
2015 Chevrolet Camaro
2013 Chevrolet Spark
The Results
Although we received estimates for two cars of all seven online vehicle sales tools we tried, we found out that our Michigan location limited us to 3 options: AutoNation We'll Buy Your Car, TrueCar Sell, and Vroom. For our Camaro-owning editor, this worked out for that best: Vroom's $18,000 offer was certainly the highest received. While it fell in short supply of Kelley Blue Book's private-party value by $1973, it did best KBB's mean trade-in value by $222 and was $1397 across the average of most estimates received.
Our Spark-owning editor fared less well. Although Beepi put together an impressive mean offer of $7994 with the diminutive hatchback, our Michigan location led to limited options which were significantly less lucrative. While Beepi wouldn't inspect our Spark, we're confident it'd have passed the business's scrutiny with flying colors and could have received a lot of money. Nevertheless, the master had no fascination with driving over the country inside the 84-hp minicar. Plus, with Beepi estimates lasting only approximately twenty four hours, there is no guarantee the little Spark actually can be valued so high through the time we made it to a far-flung hub with additional miles within the odometer.
Offer range
2013 Chevrolet Spark
Average offer; overall
2015 Chevrolet Camaro
2013 Chevrolet Spark
Average offer; established players
2013 Chevrolet Spark
Average offer; market newcomers
2013 Chevrolet Spark
The Conclusion
Although these online platforms had varying requirements for information and photos—and Beepi, Shift, Carvana, and AutoNation didn't require any photos whatsoever—we found every one of them easy enough to work with that we wouldn't hesitate recommending those to even semi-computer-literate folks. It's also important to remember that individuals tested two specific vehicles in a particular reason time. Just because one service quoted us more (or less) for every single of our vehicles weighed against another service doesn't mean the difference in estimated offers among services could be universal to all or any vehicles all the time.
We all value our time differently, and our Camaro-owning editor valued his at $1973. After agreeing to offer his Camaro to Vroom, he got the essential paperwork via FedEx. Vroom then arranged to own car found for shipment to its facilities in Texas. A brief visual inspection confirmed the vehicle was in excellent condition, as we'd represented, and this was it. Within 2 days, the bucks was wired over. A few days later, Vroom listed the Camaro available on its site, costing $21,980, giving the business the potential to pay off just under $4000 (without accounting for your company's costs, including postage for paperwork, shipping on the car, sales prep, and overhead expenses).
Our Spark owner was obviously a bit more stubborn, posting his car initially on Craigslist after which, after having a lackluster response, spending $50 to read it on Autotrader. Interestingly, Autotrader subsequently emailed ads promoting Kelley Blue Book's Instant Cash Offer service, that is very similar to that relating to TrueCar and AutoNation, netting a not to lucrative offer of $5741. But private offers associated with a amount were less forthcoming. It seems that, in the current cheap-gas world, not many buyers are looking for just a Spark. Both postings combined—pricing $8000, which was in the low end of similar listings—did not generate more than a few leads over greater than a month. Our seller even went as far as to post the Spark on Kijiji , that is essentially Canada's version of Craigslist, because gas prices just over the Detroit River in Windsor, Ontario, are nearly 25 percent over in Michigan. But still no luck. So he finished up resubmitting his details to Vroom and TrueCar. The Vroom offer was exactly the same $6500, but TrueCar, at $6000, was $500 less the second time around. So away and off to Vroom the Spark went also.
Technically, we didn't find the Holy Grail, but we did come pretty close. If having the most money for the car or truck will be the ultimate goal—and you're ready to wait against each other—it seems an exclusive sale probably 's still best; however, when your aim should be to waste very little time as is possible while still acquiring money for your motor vehicle, and the other of these tools will be the solution. In our experience, the top answer was Vroom, featuring its combination of compelling offers and nationwide availability.
Mean value useful for services that offered about range.