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Cargurus vs. Truecar
What is Cargurus?
CarGurus Summary
- Receive payment within 3 working days
- Find out the market value of your car
- List your car for sale in under 5 minutes
- Up to $75,000 in protection for your sale
Cargurus is a web-based car marketplace founded in 2006 by Langley Steinert, who is also a founding member of TripAdvisor. Its headquarters is based in Massachusetts, US, but also has branches in the UK and Canada.
The website hosts over 5 million car listings at any one time and receives over 30 million visitors every month, making it easy to get a buyer for your used vehicle.
Cargurus rates each car in terms of the following parameters;
- Great deal
- Good deal
- Fair deal
- High price
- Overpriced
Hence, this ensures you get the best deal for your preferred vehicle depending on your budget.
How Does Cargurus Work?
Cargurus uses algorithms and data analytics to help buyers and sellers get the best deal on motor vehicles.
In addition, it has an Instant Market Vehicle (IVM) feature that enables the site to get accurate values of vehicles depending on various listings.
Similarly, the website stores your searches for easy access. Another advantage is that you can search for your favorite vehicle by filtering through the selection with specific parameters such as MPG, Vehicle certifications, and days on the market.
Cargurus doesn’t have an inventory of vehicles; however, it offers users a platform to shop for new or old cars or research values before selling or buying.
When buying a car on credit, they let you get pre-qualified rates for different lending institutions such as Capital One.
You can also buy cars with Cargurus by clicking on the New Cars or Used Cars on the website. To narrow down your search, you can enter the car’s model, year of manufacture, and make. ‘’
Here is how to get started on Cargurus.
For a detailed search, you can also filter with the following metrics;
- Car
- Body style
- Price
- Distance
- Contactless services
- Financing
- Mileage
If you’ve pre-qualified with a particular lender, then the search can generate monthly installments, APR, and loan terms.
After finding the car you wish to purchase, you can contact the dealer by sending a message, then schedule a test drive. In the case of prequalification, this information will also be made available to the dealer, including the vehicle’s VIN and Lender’s name.
When selling your car with Cargurus, you’ll pay $4.95 to create a list by accessing the Sell My Car option on the website. You can set the price and include photos which can help in getting a buyer quickly.
Another significant development for Cargurus is launching an online platform that enables dealers to buy used cars from customers. Also, Cargurus have an instant max cash offer on cars to facilitate vehicle sales to dealers.
What is Truecar?
TrueCar Summary
- Selling your car and receiving an offer is easy and quick, taking a few minutes
- You can see how factors, such as mileage and condition, affect your car’s value
- TrueCar pays through check as soon as you close the deal with the local dealership
- The True Cash offer is available for three days in case you need more time to part with your car
Truecar is a US-based company that operates a digital platform with vital information of new and old car prices depending on the user’s location.
The company was founded in 2005 by Scott Painter and Tom Taira and currently operates a network of more than 15000 certified dealers spread across various states.
The website is also packed with research information, including motor vehicle reviews and comparisons between different car models.
In addition, you can access specific tools such as a car loan calculator and a car lease calculator.
You’ll also find car rankings based on the model, price, features, accessories, make, and size.
Some of the cars available on this website include new and second-hand vehicles such as;
- Vans
- Convertibles
- Coupes
- Wagons
- Hatchbacks
- Sedans
- SUVs
- Trucks
- Cars
How Does Truecar Work?
As you already know, the Truecar company doesn’t have vehicles for sale; instead, it offers a platform where buyers and sellers can meet for a transaction. Therefore you can use the website to buy a new or used car in your location.
You can filter your favorite car by the search criteria location, make, model, body style, and years. In addition, you can narrow down your search to include;
- Exterior color
- Popular features
- Transmission
- Drive Type
- Engine
- Interior color
- Fuel type
- Bed length
- Cab type
- Roof height
For ease of selection, the vehicles have different price ratings, including;
- High Price
- Fair Price
- Great Price
- Excellent Price
Thus, you can see an estimate of the prices and decide on one that fits within your budget.
Once you get the car you want, the next step is to contact the seller and schedule a test drive.
You’ll also need to provide personal information such as name, phone number, and email address. You may receive calls or emails from partner dealerships and interested buyers.
In addition, Truecar allows car owners to sell or trade-in their old cars. Therefore, if you want to sell your car, you can get an instant quote, valid for three days at the nearest car dealer.
To get started, you’ll need to enter basic information, including the license plate, VIN, mileage, Make or Model, and your current ZIP code. You can also include a short description of the vehicle and attach photos for a more accurate quote from interested dealers.
The process for trading your car is similar, and all that Truecar does is match your requirements with the best dealership.
Cargurus vs. Truecar Fees
Cargurus charges users a flat fee of $4.95 per listing on the website. As well, you’ll pay $99 after selling your car. Dealerships pay $15 for every lead, but buyers are not charged to access the listings.
The Cargurus pay is a free service that offers secure payments, paperwork assistance, and ID verification. Here are the steps to get started:
- The first step is to list or get your preferred vehicle
- Next, meet with the other party for a test drive
- Then negotiate a favorable price
- Last, accept payments via Cargurus pay.
Truecars doesn’t charge any fees for individuals to use their services. However, they receive fees of up to $300 per vehicle sale from certified dealers depending on specific agreements.
Cargurus vs. Truecar Payments
After finding a buyer, you can get paid via Cargurus pay, an online payment platform. The sale process is easy and allows price negotiations. Further, you can get paid on the platform via cash or cheque.
Truecar doesn’t accept payment on behalf of the parties. Once you get your favorite car under Truecar, they’ll connect you to certified dealers in your region. After a test drive, you can pay the dealer via bank transfer or cheque.
Cargurus vs. Truecar Pick Up
Cargurus allows dealers to make instant offers on vehicles via the online platform. If you are selling a car, you can forward an online application. Once you accept the offer, the dealers will pick up and tow the vehicle with no extra charge.
Because Truecar doesn’t have an inventory of cars, they only offer a platform where sellers can list their vehicles, and buyers get their favorite models. Therefore, the company doesn’t offer any vehicle pickup services. However, the respective dealer may organize for pick up after a sale.
Cargurus vs. Truecar Towing
Cargurus doesn’t offer any Towing services since its mission is to provide a platform where car owners can connect with dealers and sell their cars. However, the respective dealer may organize for free pick up.
Likewise, Truecar only provides a platform for car sellers and buyers to meet. Therefore they don’t offer car towing services.
Cargurus vs. Truecar Customer Service
Cargurus has a pissedconsumer rating of 1.5 out of 5.0 which shows a high level of dissatisfaction. Most customers will not recommend the service due to a lack of feedback from support and slow response to issues.
Truecar has a customer service rating of 1.4 out of 5.0 on pissedconsumer. The overall rating reveals that most customers are mostly dissatisfied and will not recommend the service. The complaints are primarily due to dealers not being knowledgeable about prices.
Cargurus vs Truecar Reviews
Cargurus has a 2.5 out of 5.0 score on Trustpilot and 1.66 on Better Business Bureau(BBB). The poor performance is mainly from buyers who complain of poor communication, an unreliable payment system, and a lack of clarity regarding subscriptions.
Moreover, most Cargurus reviewers complain that dealers are too slow to respond to their issues and quite often don’t revert back. In addition, some reviewers have fallen victim to inaccurate listings whereby vehicles already sold still appear on the website.
However, before you get to the dealer, you can call first to express your interest and request a test drive.
Another shortfall of Cargurus is that the number of private car sellers is too low, which locks out those buyers who prefer this option. Most sellers express the view that the possession verification requirement for car listings can drag the sale process.
| Rating | Cargurus | Truecar |
| Price affordability | 2 | 2 |
| Diversity of products or services | 2 | 2 |
| Discounts and special offers | 2 | 2 |
| Website | 2 | 2 |
| Customer service | 1 | 1 |
| Average | 1.8 | 1.8 |
However, some positive reviews are from repeat customers who have used the service for many years. Most are happy with the fact that the customer service team is knowledgeable.
Truecar has a 4.1 out of 5.0 rating on TrustPilot and a 1.95 out of 5.0 score on Better Business Bureau (BBB). The impressive performance on TrustPilot implies that Truecar is a reliable and trustworthy platform where you can find legit car dealers.
However, the negative ratings are attributable to users receiving spam messages in their inboxes. To escape this scenario, avoid providing your personal information unless you are serious about buying a car.
Other users complain of not getting exact matches of vehicles from the dealer.
To get the exact match, narrow your search to include specific features you’re looking for in a vehicle. For example, you can include color, cc, fuel type, safety rating, and resale value.
Cargurus vs Truecar Comparison Summary
The discussion shows that both companies offer a platform where sellers, buyers, and dealers can meet to buy or sell new and used vehicles.
Overall, Cargurus is an excellent resource when you are selling or shopping for a car. It also has valuable information on recent car values, enabling you to understand different cars’ worth.
On the other hand, Truecar is a valuable platform to get your favorite car at the best price. You can also get a lot of information about cars via the Research Tab.
One notable difference is that Cargurus charges a flat fee of $4.95 for sellers to list their vehicles on the platform. However, Truecar is a free service that doesn’t charge users. However, it does charge dealers a specific fee of up to $400 for vehicle sales.
Therefore, Truecar is a good option if you’re on a budget and are looking for ways to save money.
Lastly, both platforms facilitate car owners to get instant quotes from dealers on their old vehicles. However, you can’t sell damaged car or totaled car.
Cargurus & Truecar Alternatives
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)
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
| Company | Wheelzy | Peddle | Cargurus | Truecar |
| Towing | Free | Free | Available through dealers | Available through dealers |
| Pickup | Available | Available | Available through dealers | Available through dealers |
| Offer | Instant | Instant | Available through dealers | Available through dealers |
| Offer validity period | 7 days | 7 days | Depends on the dealer | Depends with the dealer |
| Vehicles accepted | Used, junk, non-running,totaled and damaged | Used, junk, non-running,totaled and damaged | Accepts vehicles in good condition | Accepts vehicles in good condition |
| Payment option | Cash or cheque | Cash or cheque | Uses cargurus pay, cheque or escrow | Doesn’t accept payments on behalf of parties. |
Peddle
Peddle Summary
- Buys used, damaged or junk car nationwide
- Get instant quote on (855) 925 4302
- Free towing within 48 hours after offer
- Receive payment upon car collection
Peddle is a US-based car retailer that offers car buying service in a hassle-free process. As such you can sell any type of vehicle ranging from damaged, junk, used, and totaled.
Selling your car on the Peddle website is easy; all you need to do is fill an online form with specific information about the car, including make, model, VIN, and year of manufacture. After that, you’ll get an instant offer on your vehicle, and once you accept, a representative will come to your location, pay and tow the vehicle.
Wheelzy
Wheelzy Summary
- Wheelzy stores are open 7 days a week
- Get offer in minutes – (855) 510-1108
- Free towing of your car from your location
- Instant payment via cash or check
Wheelzy is an online-based car buying company with a presence in over 50 states. You can sell old car, junk car or damaged car in an easy process.
To get started, you need to fill an online application with the car details, including a small description of the current condition. Wheelzy makes an offer within two minutes, and you’ll have 7 days to accept it.
Upon accepting the offer, they will come to your location, pay, and tow away the vehicle.
