Are you tired of seeing thousands of car ads everyday without having accurate information on these cars? An average person sees over 10,000 ads per day and the only way to save yourself the stress and find perfect cars is with car research websites.
But which car research website should be your first choice? In this article we will discuss the top 7 best websites you can research for new or used cars. We’ll also take a look at their pros and cons.
Importance of Research Before Buying a Car
With the increase in the number of car frauds, fake ads, car cloning, and other risks in the car market, doing research is one way to protect yourself and your investment. Proper research helps you understand the market completely, compare prices, assess reliability, and identify the best options based on your needs and budget.
When car buyers have all the necessary information on any vehicle, they can negotiate better, avoid common frauds and scams, and feel even more confident in their purchase decisions.
Best Used and New Car Research Websites
Would you rather search for vehicle data manually? You can save a lot of time by doing your search online with one of these websites. Some allow you to search with the VIN, license plate number, or year, make, model, and trim, to find the specifications, condition, and even past records of any vehicle.
In no specific order, here are some of the top new and used car research websites:
Findusedonline.com
FindUsedOnline is currently one of the top car research websites for both sellers and buyers. For sellers, FindUsedOnline provides a unique ad listing feature that requires just the VIN. After the VIN has been provided, car data including images will be displayed with the help of their car image API from Vehicle Databases.
Buyers can also access a wide range of vehicle information, compare several vehicles, check for accurate market values, and make the right choices..
Pros
Access to trade in, private party, and dealer retail values.
Instantly decodes Vehicle Identification Numbers to provide specifications and history reports
Several ads on all vehicle types, makes, cities, and models.
Detailed ad listings
Cons
Relatively new compared to other websites on this list.
They have a large inventory, but it’s not as large as others on the list.
CarAndDriver.com
Next on our list of top car research websites is caranddriver.com. They provide expert reviews of all car types, makes, and even models. With this site, you can find results of road tests, performance checks, accurate information on handling, design, specifications, comfort, roominess, features, and more.
Interested in sports cars, sedans, SUVs, electric vehicles, and other vehicle types? Check out caranddriver.com.
Pros
Detailed and accurate reviews and ratings
Provides a list of the top 10 cars, trucks, SUVs, and other vehicle types.
Car and Driver’s Lightning Lap event tests high-performance cars on challenging tracks
Cons
Limited pros and cons for every vehicle
Focus on performance and not reliability, long-term ownership costs, etcetera.
CarsDirect
CarsDirect provides a car research and car buying platform with a target of making car purchases better and affordable. They provide dealers with award-winning and high-quality new, used, and special finance leads and advertising options to drive more sales and sell more cars.
For consumers, they provide detailed vehicle specifications, features, and pricing. Consumers can compare several vehicles and make the right choices. With their car buying advice, reviews, auto financing, and detailed vehicle information, any one can end up with the car of their dreams online.
Pros
Car buying assistance
Accurate vehicle specifications, features, and pricing
CarsDirect doesn’t charge any fees to consumers
Auto loans for all credit types
Cons
Online reviews are primarily negative for their business
Customer service is available from Monday to Friday only
They are not a direct lender themselves
CarEdge
CarEdge fair price shows just how much it would cost to buy any vehicle. For example, most consumers tend to get drawn into ads with unbelievably low prices and at the end, they may spend more than they expected.
With CarEdge, car buyers can have an idea of the Out-the-Door Price, including the tax rate and other fees.
Pros
Accurate market vehicle data
There are no fake ads or sponsored listings
The CarEdge Fair Price improves transparency and trust
Cons
Supercars are not included
Premium features are not free
Kelley Blue Book
Kelley Blue Book is one of the leading providers of vehicle valuations for car sellers, buyers, dealers, and other businesses. They also offer reviews and expert insights, making it a common research website for consumers.
In addition to these insights, they provide reliable car listings, market insights, car buying guides and more. Don’t forget to check out KBB while you’re doing your research.
Pros
Accurate trade in and private party vehicle valuations
Displays user reviews and ratings for vehicles, if available
Expert insights on performance, safety, features, and more
Cons
Ratings may be influenced by market trends
Valuations may not account for price changes due to location
Edmunds.com
Edmunds is another top provider of vehicle valuations for both new and used cars. They provide in-depth vehicle reviews, covering features, handling, and technology. Their True Market Value (TMV) pricing also helps buyers understand what others are paying for a vehicle (the current average transaction price).
Edmunds also provides comprehensive car buying advice from experts, auto news and industry developments leading to better decision making for consumers.
Pros
Detailed vehicle reviews on features and vehicle handling
True Market Value (TMV) showing the current average transaction price
Provides access to car buying advice
Cons
Not so extensive used car listings
Primary focus is often on new models.
TrueCar
The major focus at TrueCar is price transparency. They have a tool that estimates the buying power of consumers using their credit score and even suggests vehicles they can purchase without running into debt.
There is also an option to select the year, make, and model of the car you are interested in and you will get some suggestions to fit your budget.
Pros
TrueCar provides transparent pricing leading to better negotiations
Partnership with certified dealers
Users are notified when prices drop on specific vehicles they’re interested in.
Cons
TrueCar’s pricing relies on dealer participation
There are some privacy concerns with sharing personal information.
Don’t make the mistake of committing to a car purchase without gathering information on the seller and the vehicle you are purchasing. With these car research websites, you can find enough information to make the best choices.
If you are a car dealer or you manage a car business and want to build your own car research websites by any chance. You can check out the VIN APIs provided by Vehicle Databases and you should be able to set up a reliable website with access to their database of over 60 million car records.
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