Best Sites to Buy Used Cars Online — who sells, who only lists, and what's guaranteed.
There are two kinds of site. Online retailers like Carvana and CarMax sell their own cars and give you days to change your mind. Marketplaces like CarGurus, Cars.com, Autotrader, eBay Motors and Facebook Marketplace list other people's cars, and the seller stands behind the car, or doesn't. The table below compares them on returns, protection and fees.
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Quick Answer
- What is the best site to buy a used car online?
- It depends on what you want protected. If you want time to return the car, buy from a retailer: CarMax gives a 10-day money-back guarantee and a 30-day limited warranty, and Carvana lets you start a return in the first 7 days after delivery. If you want the widest choice, search a marketplace, then check the VIN yourself.
- Do CarGurus and Cars.com sell cars?
- No. Both are listing sites for cars that dealers sell. Cars.com's annual report says "we do not sell vehicles", and CarGurus' help centre says it doesn't offer private sellers the option to list on the site at all.
- Is Vroom still selling cars?
- No. In January 2024, Vroom's board approved a plan to discontinue its ecommerce operations and wind down its used-vehicle dealership business, and the company suspended transactions through vroom.com.
Five steps on any site
The site decides who you buy from. The VIN decides what you're buying.
- 1Pick the kind of siteA retailer with a return window, or a marketplace with more choice.
- 2ShortlistFilter on price, mileage and how long the car has been listed.
- 3Get the VINMost listings show it; ask the seller if one doesn't.
- 4Check the historyTitle brands, salvage records and odometer readings are filed by VIN.
- 5Inspect or use the windowBook an inspection, or inspect during the return window.
The Main Sites Compared
What each company says about itself on its own pages and in its SEC filings, read on 7 November 2026.
| Site | Sells the car itself? | Return window or protection | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carvana | Yes, its own inventory | Return in the first 7 days after delivery | Home delivery by its own haulers, or pickup at a car vending machine |
| CarMax | Yes, its own inventory | 10-day money-back, 30-day limited warranty | Will transfer nearly any car in its inventory on request |
| CarGurus | No, dealer listings | None from CarGurus | No private-seller listings; history data from AutoCheck |
| Cars.com | No, dealer listings | None from Cars.com | "We do not sell vehicles" (annual report) |
| Autotrader | No, listings | None from Autotrader | AutoCheck reports on eligible listings since June 2025 |
| eBay Motors | No, dealers and individuals | Secure Purchase: up to $500K | Buyers pay a $25 service fee for Secure Purchase |
| Facebook Marketplace | No, local listings | Arranged between you and the seller | Check the seller and the VIN yourself |
| Vroom | No longer | — | Stopped selling through vroom.com in January 2024 |
A retailer's return window is the seller's own promise. On a marketplace, any warranty or return comes from the dealer or private seller, not the site.
Retailers vs Marketplaces
Carvana and CarMax own the cars they sell. That's why they can offer a return: Carvana's annual report says customers can start a return during the first 7 days after delivery, and CarMax's says every retail used car comes with a 10-day money-back guarantee and a 30-day limited warranty. CarMax's report also says each car must pass an inspection before it's offered for sale.
Marketplaces are search engines for other people's cars. CarGurus, Cars.com and Autotrader mostly list dealer inventory; eBay Motors lists cars from both individual sellers and dealerships; Facebook Marketplace is local classifieds. The site helps you find the car. The deal, the paperwork and any warranty are between you and the seller.
A return window doesn't replace
- A history check: a past salvage brand or rollback stays on the record.
- An inspection: seven days goes fast once the car is home.
- Reading the contract: return terms and fees are in the purchase paperwork.
- The title: make sure it is in the seller's name.
Site by Site
The facts that matter on each, from the company's own pages.
Carvana
Return within 7 days of delivery; delivery by its own haulers or vending-machine pickup.
CarMax
10-day money-back, 30-day warranty; cars inspected before sale.
CarGurus
Dealer listings only; history data comes from AutoCheck.
Cars.com
Lists dealer inventory; it doesn't sell vehicles.
eBay Motors
Protection up to $500K through Secure Purchase, for a $25 buyer fee.
Facebook Marketplace
Local, often private sellers. Every check is on you.
Who Stands Behind the Car
The single question that separates these sites: if something is wrong with the car after you buy it, whose problem is it?
From each company's own pages and SEC filings, read on 7 November 2026.
Check the VIN From the Listing
Whatever site you're on, copy the VIN and enter it here for a free preview of the title brands, junk and salvage records and odometer readings on file.
eBay Motors: What the Protection Covers
eBay's vehicle purchase protection page says buyers get "up to $500K in protection" when they buy with Secure Purchase, and that the protection is included at no extra charge for buyers and sellers. For transactions before August 1, 2026, the maximum was $100,000.
Secure Purchase itself is not free for the buyer: eBay's Secure Purchase page says buyers pay a $25 service fee through Caramel Dealer Services. Read eBay's terms for what is and isn't covered before you rely on it.
Buying From a Dealer Listing: Look for the Buyers Guide
Whatever site you found the car on, a dealer selling it has a federal obligation. The FTC's Used Car Rule applies to dealers who sell or offer for sale more than 5 used vehicles in a 12-month period, and the FTC's guide tells them they must post a Buyers Guide before they display a car for sale or let a customer inspect it.
The Buyers Guide is the window sticker that says whether the car comes with a dealer warranty or is sold as is. On an online listing, ask the dealer for it before you pay. Private sellers aren't covered by the rule.
What a Listing Tells You vs What the VIN Tells You
Every site shows the first column. The second is filed by VIN.
The listing
- Price, mileage, photos and the seller's description
- Sometimes a history report, if the seller or site attached one
- A return window, only if the seller is a retailer
- Whatever the seller chose to mention
Our full report, by VIN
- Title brands and NMVTIS junk and salvage records
- Insurance total-loss records
- Odometer readings
- Auction records with damage and photos, where the car was auctioned
- $14.99 single, $9.00 each in a 10-pack; free preview first
Our report does not include police or repair-shop accident entries.
Related Checks and Guides
History checks for listings, buying tips and the sites themselves.
Where These Facts Come From
Each company's policies come from its own pages or its filings with the SEC.
Read on 7 November 2026. Policies change; the purchase contract on the day you buy is what counts. CarCheckerVIN is not affiliated with any site named here.
Buying a Used Car Online — Frequently Asked Questions
Returns, protection, fees and history.
Is Carvana or CarMax better?+
On returns, CarMax gives longer: a 10-day money-back guarantee plus a 30-day limited warranty, against Carvana's 7-day return window. Carvana delivers with its own haulers or from vending machines; CarMax has stores and will transfer cars between them. Compare the price of the specific car, then check its VIN.
Can I sell my car privately on CarGurus?+
No. CarGurus' help centre says it does not offer the option to list or sell your car privately on the site.
Does eBay Motors protect buyers?+
Its Secure Purchase program offers up to $500K in vehicle purchase protection, and the buyer pays a $25 service fee through Caramel. Read eBay's terms for what is and isn't covered.
Do these sites give you a free vehicle history report?+
Some listings come with one. Autotrader added AutoCheck reports to eligible listings in June 2025, and CarGurus gets its history data from AutoCheck. If the listing has no report, run the VIN yourself.
Is it safe to buy a car on Facebook Marketplace?+
It can be, but nobody vets the seller for you. Meet in a public place, check that the title is in the seller's name, and run the VIN before you hand over money.
What should I check before buying from any site?+
The VIN. Our full report is $14.99 and lists title brands, NMVTIS junk and salvage records, insurance total-loss records, odometer readings, and auction records with the damage the auction recorded and its photos. Then an inspection, then the contract.
Run the VIN Before You Buy
Enter any 17-character VIN for a free preview. The full report is $14.99 once and lists title brands, NMVTIS junk and salvage records, insurance total-loss records, odometer readings, and auction records with the damage the auction recorded and its photos.
CarCheckerVIN is an independent vehicle-history service and is not affiliated with Carvana, CarMax, CarGurus, Cars.com, Autotrader, eBay, Meta or Vroom. Company names are used for comparison only, and their policies are described as published on 7 November 2026. Records in our reports reflect what was reported to our data providers. Our reports do not include police or repair-shop accident entries.
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