Which is Better for Selling the Car?
Between CarGurus and Cars.com, CarGurus is a better option for selling your car. It accepts most cars and only requires a valid VIN to confirm if they can buy your car. You have two options to sell, letting you get the most money for your vehicle.
If you go the instant cash route, you can request a quote from anywhere in the country, unlike Cars.com. After all, the latter still needs to confirm whether instant offers are available in your area.
Additionally, CarGurus offers are valid for up to 7 days or 250 additional miles, providing you more time to consider their offer or check other car-buying sites. This is way better than the 3-day validity at Cars.com.
Although payment processing can take up to two days, CarGurus offers a direct bank transfer, which lets you skip a trip to the bank. It also guarantees a free pick-up service, so you can complete the sale without leaving your home.
Best for Older & Damaged Cars
Buys used, damaged or junk cars
Free tow and no hidden fees
Pays by ACH trasfer or check
Top Pick for Junk Cars
Free, no-obligation cash offers
Offers free paperwork service
Pays on the spot upon pick up
Highly Rated by Customers
Excellent customer service ratings
Honors guaranteed offer for 7 days
Can pick up a car within 48 hours
Great for Low-Mileage Cars
Gives a real offer in 2 minutes
100% hassle-free online process
Free car’s Value Tracker available
CarGurus vs. Cars.com Comparison
| Company | CarGurus | Cars.com |
|---|---|---|
| Logo | 
| 
|
| Cars accepted | Most cars | Eligible vehicles |
| Fees | $0 for instant offers, $4.95 listing fees | $0 |
| Requesting quotes | Online application | Online application |
| Offer validity | 7 days or an additional 250 miles | 3 days |
| Payments offered | Cash via bank transfer or check | Depends on the dealership |
| Payout | Within 2 business days | Same day |
| Car pick-up | Free pickup | Depends on the dealership |
| Physical locations | None | Partner dealerships |
| Turnaround time | Up to 3 business days | Up to 72 hours |
| Customer service | Chat, phone, and social media | Chat, call, fax, and social media |
| Reviews | 2.4 | 3.1 |
Cars Accepted
CarGurus buys cars in most conditions. However, you’ll need to check if your vehicle is among those. To do that, go to their website and enter the Vehicle Identification Number or license plate number. Cargurus will consider your car based on its
- Aftermarket customizations
- Age
- Other relevant factors
In comparison, Cars.com will accept your car as long as they are not any of the following:
- Without VIN
- Imported illegally or not built in the US
- Registered at a car auction
- Trade-in commercial vehicles
- Had a taxi, fire, livery, or police history
Fees
Both companies offer free services, such as getting an instant offer and having your car inspected. CarGurus can even pick up your car for free if you decide to sell them.
However, Cargurus charges a $4.95 listing fee if you prefer to use their platform to sell your car to private buyers.
Requesting Quotes
CarGurus lets you request a quote through their Sell Your Car webpage. You’ll need to enter your car’s VIN here. If you don’t have the VIN, you can provide the license plate number and state where your car is registered.
From there, its website will direct you to another page where you can specify more details about your car’s condition, history, and mileage. Before sending your online application, you’ll need to enter your email address.
Within minutes, you’ll receive the instant cash offer from CarGurus, with the option to schedule a pick-up time.
Cars.com also has its own version of the Sell Your Car page on its website. However, it starts with entering your zip code to confirm if instant cash offers are available in your area. If it is, you’ll need to enter the VIN or license plate number next.
After providing that information, you’ll need to enter the following:
- Mileage
- Condition
- Number of keys
- Ownership
- Leasing details, if applicable
Once done, the website will ask for your contact details, such as phone number and email, so participating dealers can contact you with their offers.
Offer Validity
CarGurus allows you 7 days or an additional 250 miles to accept their offer. Beyond these, you’ll need to complete the online application again to get an instant offer. Meanwhile, Cars.com offers only 3 days of validity.
Payments Offered
CarGurus pays in check or bank transfer once you accept their instant cash offer. Payments offered at Cars.com vary across their partner dealerships, and it’s best practice to check it with them first before accepting their instant offer.
Payout
CarGurus processes payments within 2 business days of finalizing the sale. Meanwhile, Cars.com partner dealerships pay within the same day of selling your car to them.
Car Pick-up
CarGurus mostly operates online, and you can only sell your car to them by having them pick it up. Fortunately, this option is free.
Most partner dealerships at Cars.com, on the other hand, may not offer free pick-up services. However, you can confirm with a partner dealership if they can pick up your vehicle before accepting their offer.
Physical Locations
Cars.com has physical locations across the country through its partner dealerships. When you accept an offer from their dealership, most of the time, you’ll need to bring your car for inspection and completion of the sale.
Turnaround Time
Overall, selling to CarGurus and Cars.com can take up to 3 days or 72 hours. Getting an online quote from CarGurus can only take 2 minutes, while their pick-up duration might take only an hour.
However, CarGurus processes long payment times of up to 2 business days, which can increase the overall turnaround time.
Similarly, filling out an online form at Cars.com can take only a couple of minutes. However, dealing with partner dealerships and setting up an appointment to have your car inspected can take much of your time.
Customer Service
CarGurus offers three ways to contact customer service: chat, phone, and social media. On their website, you can find a blue chat icon; just click here to connect with a chat representative.
If you prefer to talk to them by phone, their hotline is 877-492-4737. You can also connect with them on social media through their Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Cars.com also offers the following channels to connect with their support team:
Reviews
| Company | CarGurus | Cars.com |
|---|---|---|
| Logo |
|
|
| Trustpilot | 2.4 | 3.1 |
| Better Business Bureau | 1.46 | 1.56 |
| Consumer Affairs | 3.7 | 4.0 |
CarGurus received positive reviews from car sellers at Trustpilot and Consumer Affairs. Most of the compliments are about the
- Efficient process
- High offers compared to other dealerships.
- The straightforward process of listing their cars
- Able to find private buyers quickly
- No hidden charges
In contrast, CarGurus received complaints at the Better Business Bureau about customers receiving spam calls after listing their cars on the CarGurus website. However, the company was able to address these issues.
Cars.com received great reviews on Trustpilot and Consumer Affairs, with customers liking their website as a resource for buying and selling cars. At BBB, most negative reviews came from car buyers and dealers looking to list their vehicles on the platform.