Find Used Car Price Quotes Online
Comparison Shop to Find the Best Deal.
Requesting used car price quotes online from your local car dealerships is the best way to shop and compare prices on pre-owned vehicles.
Used car quote sites have excellent search tools that make it easy to cast your net far and wide and filter down your results to find that perfect used car.
Benefits of Used Car Price Quote Sites
The old way of shopping limited you to what vehicles were available and if you were missing a great deal just next door. Other than just making it easy to search millions of used cars, there are several benefits to using online price quote services; some of them include:
- They are easy, fast, and best of all – FREE.
- Millions of used and certified pre-owned cars are available to browse.
- Shop and compare prices from the privacy and comfort of your home.
- You can check used car prices on as many vehicles as you like.
- No pressure, no hassle, no obligation to buy – genuinely risk-free.
- Use online tools to research the cost to see if it’s below average or above market value.
- Research and compare different makes and models.
- Receiving a better price than listed in the advertised.
Why Use an Online Used Car Quote Site?
While searching through used car listings, the price in the advertisement is just the dealer’s starting offer to get you to contact them.
Dealers understand they must post their used cars online if they want to compete with the dealer next door. They also know you’re not only looking at the vehicle they’ve listed but several other used cars on their competitor’s sites as well.
The dealer is forced to be aggressive when pricing the vehicle when contacting them through one of these services. This means it’s typically pretty good when you receive a price quote from one of these services.
How to Get Local Used Car Price Quotes Online
Using online services like Ryde Shopper, Edmunds, Cars Direct, and Motor Trend will allow you to define your search to the local area. You can sort used cars available in your local area by year, make, type, price, mileage, and even color.
These sites will even let you make side-by-side comparisons. You can even get more detailed in your search parameters by designating fuel type, MPG, engine size, transmission, or drive type. Searching this way will decrease your search results dramatically.
Requesting a quote on a used car through one of these companies puts you in direct contact with an Internet manager and cuts out the back and forth haggling you must go through with a car salesperson when you visit a car dealership.
Don’t limit yourself to just one service; requesting multiple quotes on the exact vehicle through different used car listing sites is not uncommon. Try them all and find out which one works best for you.
Recommended Online Used Car Sites
Ryde Shopper has everything you need to find a used or certified pre-owned car. They focus more on finding you the lowest price instead of providing other additional information that can be distracting and deter you from your goal of buying an excellent reliable, used vehicle.
- Millions of used and certified pre-owned vehicles
- Free, no-obligation used car price quotes
- Search your local area
- Find clearance prices
- Select up to 5 local dealers
Search Local Used Car Deals >>
Edmunds has everything you need to find a used or certified pre-owned car. You can search millions of vehicles by make, model, or body type to find a complete list of available used cars in your area. These listings include photos, vehicle details, videos, and pricing. You will also see the "Listed On Date" to use as negotiating power.
- Millions of used and certified pre-owned vehicles
- Free, no-obligation used car price quotes
- Search used, certified, or all vehicles
- True Cost to Own information
- Car reviews and road tests
- Dealer ratings and reviews
Search Edmunds Used Car Inventory >>
MotorTrend is affiliated with Motor Trend Magazine. Their price quote service is one of the best-kept Internet secrets. The site is straightforward and ensures it loads quickly. Once you know the car you want, just input it, select all nearby dealers, and wait for your MotorTrend price quotes to roll in.
- Extensive dealer network
- Simple interface, easy to request quotes
- Search both used and new vehicles
- 100% free with no obligation to buy
- Special discount Internet pricing
View MotorTrend Used Car Pricing >>
CarsDirect has provided new cars, used cars, and auto finance-related services and information to car buyers online since 1998. With well over a million used cars listed on their site, you are guaranteed to find the vehicle you're looking for.
- 1,000,000+ used cars for sale
- Free, no-obligation used car price quotes
- Easy-to-use vehicle search engine
- Outstanding deals are highlighted
- Thousands of in-network dealers
Search Used Cars at CarsDirect >>
Once You Receive Your Free Quotes
Once you’ve received your quotes, weed through all of them and pick the cream of the crop. If you haven’t done so, run a vehicle history report on the ones you like. You don’t want to waste your time and energy buying a rebuilt car.
Once you’ve reviewed the title history and are happy with the results, your next step is to ensure the prices you’ve quoted are fair compared to what other people are paying for the exact vehicle in your area.
If you want to ensure you’re getting the best deal possible. You can compare your best car price quote with the dealer’s estimated used car cost.
Questions to Ask About the Used Car
While searching for a used car, prepare yourself with some questions to ask the dealer. These questions will help you make a good buying decision.
- Where did the vehicle come from? You will already know this because of the vehicle history report. However, you’ll know immediately if the dealer will start your relationship by being dishonest with you.
- Do you have more pictures? Don’t be afraid to ask for more; dealers are used to sending more pictures. Blow up the photos you already have and inspect them. Ask questions about any discrepancies you may see and ask for better or close-up shots of anything you may want to see more of.
- What is the vehicle’s repair history? They may or may not know. Most dealerships standing behind their pre-owned cars will have extensive repair histories.
- Does the car come with a warranty? There may be a remainder of the factory warranty, or the dealer may offer a small warranty with the sale of the vehicle. Read our extended warranty section before buying a warranty from a car dealership.
- How long have you had the vehicle? The longer a used car has been in a dealer’s inventory, the more likely they’ll be willing to be more flexible on pricing or discount the vehicle to get it off the lot.
- Is that the lowest you can go on price? No matter what price you’re quoted, always ask this question. Most dealer’s like it when you play a little hardball. Just because you got a quote doesn’t mean there isn’t a little more wiggle room in the price. Remember, if you don’t ask, you don’t receive.
Used Car Price Quote Scams
Most dealerships are honest and ethical businesses. There are still many out there that may still try and take advantage of you.
These unscrupulous dealers will employ various dishonest methods to make a used car quote appear more appealing than it is.
Misrepresentation of the Vehicle
The most common scam associated with used car quotes is the vehicle misrepresentation in the quote. This is a variation of the “bait and switch scam.”
Dealers must disclose specific facts about the vehicle by law, even if they make it less appealing to the customer. An example would be a clean vehicle with a junk or salvaged title.
Many times, a dealer will wait until right before you sign the vehicle’s contract before they disclose a discrepancy such as this.
A dealer may advertise the vehicle for sale and neglect to disclose a branded title. Even though the vehicle has been restored to 100% operating condition, the car will only be worth half of what it should be.
Always ask the dealer specifically about the title status of the car. They may provide you with a history report on the vehicle they have on file.
I recommend you spend the money and acquire a report personally. There have been many instances where a dealer’s staff has fabricated, or “doctored” reports in their favor.
You can avoid this scam entirely by running your own vehicle title history report by using the VIN from the vehicle.
Vehicle Disclosure or Fine Print
This is an older car dealer scam, but I’ve received emails that it still happens. A dealer will advertise a price on a used car, and in the small print, it will say, “Vehicle price is after $2,500 down.”
This would be more of the buyer’s fault (always read the fine print). This is not an excellent way to do business and should be illegal; it’s not, though, just unethical and misleading.
The Quote Does Not Match The Vehicle
Another scam an unscrupulous dealer may attempt is sending you a quote on a vehicle close to the car you inquired about. It may be the same year, make, and model, but the trim is not the same. It may be as simple as the mileage being off a bit.
Ensure the vehicle identification number matches the vehicle you inquired about and the quote you received.
The Dealer Keeps Calling Me
To avoid this, if the quote request requires a phone number, use your cell number. Set your phone to silent and let the caller go to voicemail. You can then screen them at a later time.
When listening to the voicemails, don’t only listen to the offer but also look for professionalism and customer service. You may be dealing with this individual when you buy a car. Also, remember that the salesperson might genuinely need to talk to you about the vehicle you’re looking at.
From my years of experience as an internet manager – My job was to follow up with every potential prospect until you told me to stop. If you would like me to stop calling, respond to my call or email, even if it’s to politely tell me that you’re not interested, changed your mind, or just virtually kicking tires.
Once you tell me to stop, I’ll stop. It’s the right thing to do, and it’s the law. You won’t hurt my feelings; I’m a professional car salesman and deal with rejection daily.
The Dealer Sold the Car and Didn’t Tell Me
I get many emails telling me a dealer will tell them a car is available to get them to come to the dealership, sometimes from far away. When they get there, the vehicle is not at that location, or they’ve sold it a few days before.
Use this tip if you’re looking at a vehicle far from your location or want to ensure the car is still available before driving to the dealer.
Proof a used car is still available.
Have the salesperson write a phrase on a piece of paper such as “Nice Sled” and the current date.
Ask them to put the paper on the car where you can see the VIN, take a picture, and send it to you.
Ensure the VIN is legible in the picture, so you know it’s the car you’re inquiring about. You may also want the salesperson to take a couple of extra photos with the note by the odometer stating the current mileage and on the car’s windshield.
This little trick lets you know the vehicle you’re looking at is still on the lot when you receive the pictures.
Quotes That Say, Come On In!
Some dealers’ responses may say, “Come on down” or “If you want the best price, you’ll have to come in.”
Send the dealer the following response if you receive an email like this.
Feel free to cut and paste:
——————————-
Thanks for the offer; at this point, I don’t need to come to your dealership. However, I’m interested in knowing your best drive-out price on the vehicle. If you’d like me to do business with you, please let me know if the car is still available and what is your best price. Thank your time, and I look forward to your response.
——————————-
If they don’t respond, you most likely don’t want to do business with them in the first place. Don’t worry, and move on to the following quote.
About the author
My name is Carlton Wolf, and I’ve been in the car business since 1994, both retail and wholesale. I created the Auto Cheat Sheet to better educate buyers about the deceptive sales practices used by many dealerships throughout the country. Please understand that not all car dealers are dishonest. However, you never know who you’ll be dealing with, though. I’m willing to share my knowledge and experience with anyone who listens. Keep in mind that I’m a car guy, not a writer.
