Cars.com Review: 5 Things To Know Before You Buy or Sell

Cars.com is a popular automotive shopping website you can use to buy certified, used and new cars as well as research car values. But is Cars.com the right dealer for you?

Team Clark has explored the process of buying and selling vehicles with Cars.com and compared it to other methods to find out. 

In this article, I’ll look at how Cars.com works and what the process is for buying and selling cars. I’ll also look at how you can use Cars.com as a research tool and give you the pros and cons of buying and selling cars there. 

This article was updated in October 2023 and I review it every eight months. Detailed notes on all updates can be found here.

Table of Contents:

• How Does Cars.com Work?
• Buying a Car Through Cars.com
• Selling a Car Through Cars.com
• Using Cars.com as a Research Tool
• Final Thoughts: Pros and Cons

Below, you’ll find detailed information about how to get started on the site, how to buy and sell a car with Cars.com and the pros and cons I found when using Cars.com.

How Does Cars.com Work?

According to the company’s website, Cars.com has been in business since 1998 as a digital marketplace and solutions provider for the automotive industry. The company connects car shoppers with sellers.

You can visit Cars.com online or download the app for iOS or Android devices. As of October 2023, the Cars.com app had a 4.8 out of 5 stars from 515K ratings on The App Store and 4.7 out of 5 stars from 131K ratings on Google Play.

Cars.com doesn’t hold a physical inventory, and it doesn’t own the vehicles listed on its website. Instead, it provides a way to shop for new, used and certified pre-owned cars at several different car lots in your area. Once you’ve found a car that you’re interested in, you can contact the seller directly through the website or app to set up a test drive. From there, you can purchase the vehicle directly from the dealer. 

You can use Cars.com to shop for new or used cars or research the value of a car before you buy or sell it. The website also offers a “Sell My Car” feature that usually allows you to create an online listing.

Buying a Car Through Cars.com

Cars.com makes it easy to find nearby vehicles for sale. When you visit the website, you can start searching by make or body style. You’ll be able to indicate whether you’re looking for a new, used or certified car, if you have a maximum price you’re willing to pay and how far away from your ZIP code you’d like to search.

Once you’ve entered what you’re looking for, click “Search” to see the results. When I searched for a Toyota Camry near Lexington, Kentucky, in October 2023, the site gave me 72 results. From there, I was able to filter those results by location, car type, year, trim, price, mileage and more.

Some cars are also labeled with one of four badges: 

• Great Deal. This badge means that the vehicle is priced significantly below the market average. 
• Good Deal. This badge identifies cars priced at or slightly below market average.
• Fair Price. Vehicles priced slightly above market average will have this badge.
• Well-Equipped. This badge highlights vehicles that include additional features that affect the price. 

Once you’ve found a vehicle you like, you can click on it for additional information. You’ll be able to see the vehicle’s free CARFAX report in addition to its mileage and location, additional pictures, seller’s notes and more. 

If you want to contact the seller, you can send a message using the tool on the right side of the screen or use the phone number listed to call the seller directly. If you want to send a message through Cars.com, you can enter your name and email address, what you’d like to do (check availability, request a virtual appointment, check home delivery options, etc.) and edit the pre-written message if you want to before sending it. 

Of course, if you call the seller directly, you’ll be able to avoid entering your information online. Note that Cars.com and its sellers/partners reserve the right to contact you for marketing if you use their website to contact a dealership.

The sale of the car itself will take place between you and the dealership.

Selling a Car Through Cars.com

If you’re looking to sell your car, Cars.com can be a great resource. To get started, visit the website and click “Sell Your Car” at the top of the screen.

From there, you can choose to get an instant offer through Cars.com or to create a listing and sell your car privately.

If you choose to get an instant offer from local dealers, you’ll start by entering your car’s details. You can do this by entering the license plate number and state, your car’s VIN or manually by make and model. 

Once you’ve entered your car’s details, you’ll get an instant offer. Then, you can schedule an inspection with your local dealer to confirm your car’s value. After that, you’ll be able to receive your payment in the form of a check or use the value to trade-in your car. 

Alternatively, you may choose to sell your car privately. Cars.com lets you post a listing on the website for free by entering your car’s VIN or license plate along with additional details. 

Visit Cars.com online for additional tips on how to sell your used car.

Using Cars.com as a Research Tool

Whether you’re trying to decide which car to buy or you’re looking to get an estimate of how much your car is worth, Cars.com has resources to help.

You can start by clicking on the “Research” tab at the top of the screen. From there, you can research any specific car model, new or used. You can also scroll down to see different car makes and models. 

Once you’ve found a vehicle that interests you, you can see an overview including the expected price range, photos, MPG and more. Cars.com also includes a section highlighting “The Good” and “The Bad” along with a rating out of five stars.

You can also click through “Our Take” for a full review and list of features, “Reviews” for consumer reviews, “Safety” to see recalls and test ratings, “Warranty,” for additional information and “Compare” to see similar cars. 

If you’re looking for the value of your specific car, Cars.com’s book value calculator is no longer active. According to Cars.com customer service in November 2021, “We are currently updating our on site research tools, so our book value calculator is no longer active. I would recommend using the Kelly Blue Book site in the meantime.”

If you’re looking to buy instead of sell, you can still use the website’s car finance calculators to estimate payments and affordability.

Final Thoughts: Pros and Cons

Overall, Cars.com is a good resource to check out whether you’re shopping for or preparing to sell a car. Even if you’re just gathering information, the website offers good resources under the “Research” tab including expert reviews and the car finance calculators.

When I checked out Cars.com, I looked up the values of a few popular vehicles including my own. I did the same thing on a few competitors’ sites including Edmunds, Autotrader and CarGurus. While there were slight differences in the value estimates, they were all within the same range. For this reason, I feel that Cars.com is relatively reliable.

When it comes to the actual cars that are listed on Cars.com, you’ll see the price that the dealership is listing on the website. If it’s considered a fair, good or great deal, you’ll see a badge by the listing.

After checking out Cars.com myself, here are a few of the major pros and cons I found with the website: 

Pros:	Cons:
Cars.com is a reliable resource for finding vehicle values and additional unbiased research.	Cars.com doesn’t have a physical inventory, which means you’ll just be put in contact with nearby dealerships.
You can directly compare prices and features on up to four cars at nearby dealerships with the website’s “Compare” feature.	Cars.com doesn’t purchase vehicles directly, which means you’ll have to meet with local dealers or create a private listing to sell your car.
You can research the average price range for your car if you’re preparing to sell, or use the finance calculator to help determine which car to buy.	Unlike CarGurus, Cars.com doesn’t offer financing. If you want to get pre-qualified before shopping, you’ll have to take care of that on your own.

Have you purchased or sold a vehicle using Cars.com? Let us know about your experience in our Clark.com Community!