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Which is Better for Selling the Car?
Overall, Carvana is better for selling your car. First, its offer is valid for seven days or for an additional 1,000 miles while CarGurus‘ offer is valid for seven days or an additional 250 miles. Carvana also offers two payment options – cash or in-store trade-in value for your next car. Carvana also gives you an option to schedule a free pickup or drop off your car at Carvana’s location yourself.
CarGurus Summary
Receive payment within 3 working daysFind out the market value of your carList your car for sale in under 5 minutesUp to $75,000 in protection for your sale
Carvana Summary
Get an online quote within 2 minutesFree pickup wtihin 100 miles of a hubOffer valid for 7 days or 250 more milesHaggle-free process to sell your car
CarGurus vs. Carvana Comparison
CarGurusCarvanaCars acceptedAny cars, subject to restrictionIn good condition, 1992+Fees$0$0Requesting quotesOnline applicationOnline applicationOffer validity7 days or an additional 250 miles7 days or an additional 1,000 milesPayments offeredCashCash or trade-in valuePayoutBank transfer, checkCheck, direct deposit, direct debitCar pick-upFree pickupFree pickup or drop offPhysical locationsNone33 Car Vending MachinesTurnaround timeUp to three business daysUp to 72 hoursCustomer serviceChat, phone, emailPhone, email, online formTrustpilot Reviews2.42.7
Compare to Other Car Buying Websites
Peddle
Get your free offer instantly via online form or call on (855) 925 4302
$0 fees + you don’t have to pay for towing – Peddle will take care of it
Get paid in check during the pick up for any car (damaged, junk, wrecked)
CarBrain
Get an offer within 2 minutes and sell your damaged car within 24 hours
Free vehicle towing and no fees to getting rid of your damaged car
The tow truck driver will arrive with your check (nationwide service)
Wheelzy
Quick car evaluation without the hassle – sell your car within 30 min
Choose a convenient date and time for free pick-up, as soon as next day
Get cash in hand the same day the Wheelzy agent picks up your car
Cars Accepted
You might be able to sell your car to CarGurus as long as it has a valid VIN and license plate number. The company will determine your car’s eligibility after consideration of the following:
Vehicle’s age
Aftermarket customizations
Other relevant factors
But even if your car is ineligible for instant offers, you can still sell it by listing it on the CarGurus website. From there, private buyers can contact you and make an offer.
Carvana, on the other hand, purchases vehicles that are in good condition and have a year model of no earlier than 1992.
Fees
Getting an instant offer from either CarGurus or Carvana is completely free of charge. If you prefer to list your vehicle on CarGurus and sell it to private buyers, you’ll need to pay a $4.95 listing fee per vehicle. This will list your vehicle on the website for 30 days.
Requesting Quotes
CarGurus and Carvana work similarly when it comes to requesting quotes. You’ll need to go to their respective website and locate the option to sell your car. Then, you’ll see a field where you can enter either the VIN or license plate number.
On the CarGurus website, you’ll need to select the state where your vehicle is registered. You’ll also need to enter the zip code of its current location. Then, make sure to enter the following details as accurately as possible:
Trim
Transmission
Mileage
Color
Condition
History
Finally, you’ll need to provide an active email as that’s where CarGurus will send your instant offer.
Carvana will also ask for this information before they can send you an instant offer. For both companies, you’ll need to provide documentation of ownership and identity. Once done, you can set up the pickup schedule.
Offer Validity
The instant offer you receive from CarGurus is valid for up to 7 days or additional 250 miles. Carvana also offers a 7-day validity but their additional miles are up to 1,000.
Payments Offered
CarGurus pays cash for your car through bank transfers or checks. Unfortunately, the company doesn’t offer trade-ins. Carvana, on the other hand, pays cash and allows trade-in.
Payout
The fastest way to get paid with CarGurus is to link your bank account to your account when you set up the quote request online. This allows them to send you payments within 1 to 3 business days from the day they pick up your car.
In case your bank is not supported in their secure payment portal, you can opt for check payments. CarGurus sends out checks through mail within the same day they pick up your vehicle.
When you sell with Carvana, you’ll get paid in check the same day they come to pick up your vehicle.
Car Pick-up
Both CarGurus and Carvana offer free pickup when you sell your car to them. You can select a timeframe once you accept an offer.
According to CarGurus’ website, pick-up typically takes 15 to 30 minutes only. Carvana doesn’t provide information regarding its pick-up process.
Physical Locations
CarGurus has no physical locations where you can bring your car to sell. Carvana, meanwhile, has car vending machines where you can also drop off your car.
Turnaround Time
Getting an instant offer online takes only a couple of minutes for both CarGurus and Carvana. After all, you only need to provide information you most likely have.
But when it comes to scheduling pickup and inspection, it depends on the availability of their respective teams. Overall, selling to CarGurus can take up to 3 business days, while Carvana can take up to 72 hours.
Customer Service
You can reach the CarGurus support through email at [email protected]. When you log in to your account or initiate an instant offer request, you can also access their chat support team. Just click the chat bubble icon at the bottom right of the screen.
Finally, you can call their support team at 877-492-4737, available every Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 9 PM ET.
There are also several ways for you to contact Carvana’s support team. Through their website, you can access the chat support function. Their Contact Us page also has an online form letting you send your inquiries to their team and they’ll reply to you via email.
If you prefer to talk to one of their support representatives, you can call their hotline at 1-800-333-4554. Just note that this line is available every Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 10 PM EDT only.
Reviews
Looking over their Trustpilot ratings, CarGurus received an average of 2.4, while Carvana has a 2.7 rating. At the Better Business Bureau or BBB, CarGurus received a customer rating of 1.54, though its accreditation is A+, the highest accreditation there.
Carvana, on the other hand, is listed on the BBB but has no customer or accreditation rating.
What customers are saying about these companies is a mix of positive and negative comments.
For example, some customers like that CarGurus paid what they promised and that there were no hidden charges. Others also mentioned the quick payment processing. On the other hand, some sellers are complaining about the listing fees they had to pay.
Down at Carvana, sellers are quite happy with the offers they received and that they were able to complete the selling process within 24 hours. However, a user complained about not getting the correct amount for the call they sold to a participating dealership.
CarGurus & Carvana Alternatives
Peddle
Peddle Summary
Buys used, damaged or junk car nationwideGet instant quote on (855) 925 4302Free towing within 48 hours after offerReceive payment upon car collection
Sites like CarGurus and Carvana are popular these days due to the efficiency and convenience they offer when selling cars. Imagine not having to deal with private buyers and enduring low-ballers just to sell your car.
You also need not worry about sending your car to your buyer. Both CarGurus and Carvana offer the free pick-up option. Peddle, another car-buying company is similar to the featured companies in this sense. It enables you to get cash for your money within 48 hours after your initial application.
Here’s what the selling process looks like with Peddle:
Request an online quote
Accept their offer
Schedule to have them pick up your car
Get paid the same day they inspect and tow away your vehicle
However, Peddle buys vehicles in any condition. By that, it means you can sell them damaged, wrecked, and junk cars. Considering that, selling with Peddle is quite different since it’s a way to let go of old cars while earning some cash on the side.
Will you get a decent price for your working car, though? With how Peddle works, it’s hard to expect a great value from a company that caters to junkyard-type of vehicles.
Wheelzy
Wheelzy Summary
Wheelzy stores are open 7 days a weekGet offer in minutes – (855) 510-1108Free towing of your car from your locationInstant payment via cash or check
Similar to CarGurus and Carvana, selling to Wheelzy also takes straightforward steps. Just head over to their website and start filling out an online form to get your instant quote. In minutes, you’ll have a schedule for them to pick up your car.
But if you’re looking for an even faster and more efficient way of selling your car, you can also contact them by phone and talk to one of their sales agents.
CarBrain
CarBrain Summary
Get an online offer within 2 minutesGet cash for your car in under 48 hoursCarBrain buys cars in over 7 conditionsUp to 7 days to accept CarBrain’s offer
CarBrain is an online platform that specializes in purchasing damaged cars from individuals. You start by submitting an online form with information about your vehicle, and CarBrain will then give you an instant offer.
Once you accept the offer, the company will arrange for a local partner to come and collect the car. CarBrain offers a fair price based on the car’s make, model, age, and condition.
Selling your car to CarBrain is quick and convenient. It doesn’t require you to leave home. The CarBrain representative usually picks up cars within 24 to 48 hours aftter accepting the offer. The company charges no service fees and pays you by check at the time of the scheduled car pick-up.