CarGurus Review 2024

CarGurus at a Glance 

 Optional add-ons

CarGurus has thousands of vehicles on its platform, which can sometimes make it difficult for your car to stand out from the pack. However, sellers can pay $19.99 for a featured listing to help sell their vehicles faster. 

Deal exclusions

All buyers and sellers need to be at least 18 years old. Otherwise, the website accepts vehicles of any make and model, and there is no cap on mileage. Additionally, there are no geographical constrictions as long as your car is in the United States. 

However, CarGurus has the right to remove a listing if it determines the price violates the Guidelines for Dealer Pricing and Marketing. 

 CarGurus Pricing

CarGurus charges sellers $4.95 for a 30-day listing. If your vehicle doesn’t sell within 30 days, you can renew your advertisement. When buying a listing you also get:

• Managed text/chat messaging to help you avoid missed sales opportunities

• Pre-qualified, new car, and CPO leads

• Access to CarGuru experts who can help you improve your ads

• Dealer Rating Badges to provide third-party validation on your site

• Dealer Branding page that lists more details about your dealership to drive more business to your lot and website 

• Deep linking to convert CarGurus website clicks into leads on your website 

• Mobile app that allows you to make price adjustments on the go 

When you do sell your vehicle, you’ll be charged a $99 processing fee. The fee is not applicable if you remove your vehicle from the site before selling it. 

How to Sell a Car with CarGurus

While the time it takes to sell your car can vary greatly, you’ll only need a few minutes to create a listing on CarGurus. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Prep your vehicle and take photos: While it’s not required, it’s best to clean the interior and exterior of your car to boost your chances of making a sale. Additionally, you should take pictures of your vehicle from all angles. 

2. List your car: Click “Sell my car” at the top of the website. Then, you’ll be prompted to enter a few details about your vehicle, such as the VIN and mileage, to get an accurate price estimate. Then, to create the actual listing, you will need:

• Specifications

• Location

• Description

• VIN

• Photos 

After listing your car, you can continue to add more information and photos. Buyers can contact you through CarGurus’ anonymous communication system. Once you’ve agreed to sell, the buyer can visit you for a test drive. Both the buyer and seller are allowed to negotiate on pricing. 

3. Car Pickup: After the sale has finalized, CarGurus will come to you to pick up your vehicle. All you need to do is schedule a time that works for you. 

4. Payment: After you sell your car through the site, CarGurus will send you a payment within two business days via direct deposit. 

Also, keep in mind that you’re responsible for taking care of all paperwork when selling your car through CarGurus. You’ll need to go to the DMV to fill out a title transfer form, which transfers ownership from you to the buyer. In addition, you’ll need to fill out a bill of sale and release of liability form, which can also be done at the DMV. 

Is CarGurus Legit? 

CarGurus has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and has been accredited through the bureau since 2009. It also has a score of 3.9/5.0 on Consumer Affairs. 

What’s Unique About CarGurus?

CarGurus gives each vehicle a deal rating, ranging from great to overpriced. Great deals from top-rated sellers always rank at the top of the site. CarGurus’ deal-rating algorithm looks at thousands of details, such as accident history, price, location, and reviews to give cars a rating. The algorithm is extremely rigorous, and only 30% of vehicles receive a good or great rating. 

Additionally, CarGurus allows sellers to set up text notifications, so they’ll be alerted immediately when a buyer contacts them. However, your phone number will remain private during this process. CarGurus also anonymizes buyers until they purchase. 

Help and Support

CarGurus offers a detailed support and knowledge center on its website, as well as an FAQ page. You can contact the support team at 877-492-4737, and a specialist will get back to you as soon as possible. However, the best way to get in touch with customer service is by filling out a contact form through the website. You can also use the website’s live chat feature to get immediate answers to your questions.  

What About the CarGurus App?

The CarGurus app is available on both Android and iOS devices. The app has a rating of 4.8/5.0 and over 134k reviews in the Apple App Store. It has a rating of 4.7/5.0 and over 46k reviews in the Google Play Store. 

The CarGurus app allows you to do everything you can do through the company’s website. You can create a listing, message buyers, and sell your car through the app. 

Bottom Line

Overall, CarGurus is an excellent platform for selling your vehicle online. You can list your vehicle in a few minutes, and while you need to pay for your listing, the price is fairly reasonable at $4.95/month. The website has more visitors than any other car-shopping website, so it’s a great place to get your vehicle in front of a bunch of potential buyers. Selling your vehicle is as easy as creating a listing, as CarGurus will come to pick up your car for you and send you your money within two business days via direct deposit. 

FAQs

Is CarGurus legit?

CarGurus is a reliable platform for buying and selling vehicles. Sellers receive up to $75,000 in protection, and the site has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. 

Does CarGurus affect credit? 

CarGurus allows eligible buyers to receive pre-qualification for vehicle financing. A soft inquiry will be conducted, which has no impact on your credit score. 

Does CarGurus take trade-ins? 

CarGurus does not purchase any vehicles itself, so it doesn’t accept trade-ins. However, the site can give you a free price estimate for the vehicle you wish to trade in.