DriveTime Review
It costs $0 to sell your car to DriveTime within 48 hours. The platform provides an instant cash offer online, which their participating dealerships are required to honor. The 7-day offer validity seems pretty sufficient, too, if you’re looking to check offers from other platforms. If you have questions, you can contact customer support by phone, email, and social media.
Pros
- Instant cash offer within minutes
- Choose a dealership to claim the offer
- No charges to sell your car
- Quick turnaround time (48 hours)
Cons
- Directs you to another company to sell car
- Risk of getting spam messages
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
How Does DriveTime Work?
DriveTime is an online platform where you can buy cars and is known for its flexible in-house financing model. Besides purchasing vehicles, it also offers trade-in and selling options if you’re looking to get some cash for your car.
How it works is pretty straightforward. Just go to the DriveTime website, scroll a bit down, and click the blue “Get Your Instant Cash Offer” button. From there, it will prompt you to enter your zip code and click “Go.”
After these, the website will redirect you to the website of Kelly Blue Book or KBB. Once there, you’ll need to provide any of the following:
- License plate and state,
- Vehicle Identification Number or VIN
- Your car’s make and model
But to ensure a more accurate offer, providing either the license plate number or VIN is your better option.
To proceed with the online cash offer, you’ll need to provide a more thorough description of your car, including its:
- Features
- Equipment
- Modifications
- Mechanical condition
Additionally, you can upload photos of your vehicle so KBB can further estimate a more accurate value for it. You can also take advantage of the interactive guide on the website to provide specific details on your vehicle’s parts.
Finally, you’ll need to provide your contact details and from there, you’ll see the offer for your car on the website. Additionally, the offer includes how long it’s good for, which is 7 days, and what dealerships you can bring your car to claim the offer.
How Much Can You Get for Your Car With DriveTime?
How much you can get for your car with DriveTime depends on several factors, such as its specific condition, as well as fluctuating market conditions, and your location.
But to give you an idea, here’s how much some makes and models were sold for:
| 2013 Ford F150 SuperCrew Cab | $16,161 |
|---|---|
| 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime | $52,365 |
| 2012 Honda Civic Coupe | $6,620 |
| 2002 Ford Ranger Super Cab | $13,775 |
| 2015 Honda Accord Ex-L | $17,000 |
Who is DriveTime Best for?
DriveTime is an excellent platform for people looking to upgrade their cars. It allows you to browse for your next car, get an offer for your current one, and use the offer to purchase your preferred vehicle.
It’s also an excellent platform if you’re looking to sell your car quickly since the turnaround time can take only 2 days.
DriveTime Payment Options
DriveTime dealerships pay in check within the same day you sell your car to them.
What Types of Vehicles Does DriveTime Purchase?
DriveTime can buy your car, whether it’s new or used. However, there are some conditions where DriveTime might not buy a vehicle, such as:
- Title issues
- Insufficient market data
- Unresolved recalls
- Low value due to condition and age
- Modifications
- If it has been at an auction within the last 45 days
- Market volatility
How Fast Can You Sell Your Car With DriveTime?
After completing the online application, DriveTime usually sends an offer within minutes, along with the list of participating dealerships you can bring your car to for inspection.
The offer is good for 7 days and once you bring your car to the dealership, they will inspect it to confirm the condition. Dealerships are required to honor the instant offer as long as the information provided in the online process is accurate.
After the dealership confirms the condition and finalizes the offer, you’ll have 1 day to accept it. So, if you’re looking to complete the sale within the same day you bring your car to them, make sure to bring these as well:
- Vehicle title or lienholder information
- Vehicle registration
- All keys, remotes, and manuals
- Service and repair records
If your car is leased, check with your leasing company to know what documents they need.
Once you finalize the sale at the dealership, you’ll get the check payment for your car. Overall, selling your car with DriveTime can take as fast as 48 hours.
DriveTime Fees: How Much Does it Cost to Use DriveTime?
DriveTime doesn’t charge any fees when you sell your car to them.
DriveTime Reviews: is DriveTime Legit?
DriveTime received a 4.2-star rating on Trustpilot with most of the compliments coming from their car buyers as the platform is mainly for them. But as the car selling option is technically offered by KBB, I decided to check the customer reviews there as well.
KBB only has a 1.2-star rating on Trustpilot and some of the complaints from their customers are about dealerships not honoring the offer. Others also mentioned receiving spam messages from dealerships after completing the online offer.
Despite this, however, some customers were able to sell their cars without any hassle. Some also pointed out that it’s important to provide accurate information during the online process to get a cash offer that dealerships can honor.
Additionally, customers liked that they were able to sell their cars within an hour at their chosen dealership. So, overall, DriveTime (and KBB) remains a legitimate and safe platform for car-selling
What Are the DriveTime Pros & Cons?
DriveTime Pros
- Instant cash offer within minutes
- Choose a dealership to claim the offer
- No charges to sell your car
- Quick turnaround time
DriveTime Cons
- Directs you to another platform to sell your car
- Risk of getting spam messages from several dealerships
How Good is DriveTime Support?
DriveTime has excellent customer support, considering that customers mostly praised it on Trustpilot. Additionally, its website offers various resources, such as FAQ sections and blogs, to help customers with their car research.
You can also contact them through the following channels:
- Phone: 888-418-1212
- Email: customerservice@drivetime.com
- Social media accounts: Twitter and Facebook
DriveTime Review Verdict: is It Worth Selling Car With DriveTime?
If you’re looking to sell your car quickly and hassle-free, it’s worth considering selling it with DriveTime. You can get an instant cash offer online, which their participating dealerships are required to honor. Just make sure to provide accurate information during the online process.
There are no fees to sell your car to DriveTime. Plus, you can sell your car as fast as within 48 hours. And if you have questions and want to talk to their support team, you have 3 ways to do so (phone, email, and social media.)
The 7-day offer validity seems pretty sufficient, too, if you’re looking to check offers from other platforms. Once you’re ready to claim the DriveTime offer through KBB, as long as you have the paperwork ready, you can get your check payment within the same day.
DriveTime FAQ
What is DriveTime?
DriveTime is a used car retailer founded in 2002 in Tempe, Arizona. Its online platform allows customers to research and purchase vehicles, as well as explore financing options. The company also works with Kelly Blue Book, connecting them with people looking to sell their cars.
What was the original name of DriveTime?
Prior to 2002, DriveTime was known as Ugly Duckling, a car rental company owned by Ernest Garcia II.
Does DriveTime have an app?
Yes, DriveTime has a mobile app you can download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. However, the app has features to help you buy, rather than sell, cars.
How many DriveTime locations are there?
DriveTime has 146 dealerships in the US.
Does DriveTime offer trade-in?
Yes, once you receive an instant offer, you can use the amount towards your next car at a DriveTime dealership.