Today online car buying has become very popular, and the Covid 19 lock downs can attribute this. With that being the trend, one might wonder which sites one would go for if looking to buy a new or a used car online. Below we round up the top contenders.
Researching and buying a used car or a new car has never been easier, especially today with the internet age. All the information that one would require to make an informed decision on which car to buy, whether new or a used vehicle, is available online. Whether you’re looking to buy a new or a used car, whether you’re looking for advice, or looking for some technical information regarding a car, all that can be found online without even setting your foot in the car dealership.
The days when one would visit a car dealership just to peruse what they have in stock are over. Even before the covid 19 struck the world, not many people used to visit a car dealership with no clue what kind of a car they were looking for. When stepping into a car dealership, one has information on what kind of a car one is looking to buy.
Today, buying a car has been made easy, especially with all the information loaded online; all one has to do is peruse and decide what type of car they will go for. Just a simple online search, you can have an idea whether the car dealership near you has the kind of car you’re looking to buy and even how much the purchase would cost if they were to opt for a car finance deal.
Here is a list of top sites where you can buy a fairly used car or a new car from the comfort of your house. The best websites for buying a new or a used car are,
1. Auto Trader
2. Cazoo
3. Carsnip
4. CarShop
5. Motors
6.FairSquare
7.CarGurus
8. Heycar
9. Carwow
10. Cinch
11. Carzam
12.FindAndFundMyCar
13.PistonHeads
1. Auto Trader
You know, Auto Trader has the most extensive selection of both new and used cars, and their cars have been sorted in a list of new and used cars.
Auto Trader is the dominant car website in the market, which has been enjoyed for many years now. Back in the day, the print version of the website was the go-to guide if you were looking for a car, but today it’s the most visited website in the UK when looking to buy a used or a new car. Here you will find both new and used cars, all makes and models. Buyers can also fine-tune their search by sorting cars by emissions, fuel type, vehicle size, mileage, economy, and so much more. In Auto Trader, one can check whether the car is eligible for monthly finance costs, which is now essential since car buying has moved to PCP monthly payment model. However, do not rely on the examples given on the finance payments available; you need to get independent car finance quotes. Remember that 90% of the cars found in Auto Trader belong to franchised and independent car dealers spread across the UK though it’s the most popular platform for private sellers.
2. Cazoo
Cazoo is one of the most popular websites to buy a new or a used car in the UK today. It has become so popular due to the numerous commercials hitting the television now and then regarding the platform. Founded in 2018 by Alex Chester man, the company has become one of the most popular places for car buyers. The company owns all the cars available on their platform, and all vehicles have to undergo a mechanical check; when you choose any of their cars, one is offered a car finance option. The car can also be delivered to you within 72hrs after purchase, and just in case you dislike the vehicle, you have seven days to return it and get a full refund. Buying a car from Cazoo wouldn’t be a bad idea considering they have 4.7 out of 5 trust pilot ratings for their units.
3. Motors
Though we can’t compare Motors with Auto Trader in terms of the number of listings on their site, Motors has made some great strides, especially these days with the high marketing TV adverts that have, in turn, increased the number of listings and visitors on the site.
Motors has a unique model of advertising their cars as they were the first merchants to introduce viewing cars by monthly payments where buyers would select cars based on their budget, road tax, and comfort. They also have huge stock sourced from independent dealers and franchisees across the UK, but a few private sellers. As a buyer, you can also advertise your car and put a price on it for four weeks. You will find the website very useful if you’re looking to buy either a used or a new car since there are so many car reviews to help you make an informed decision.
4. Heycar
One of the new players in the used car classified marketplace is Heycar. It has gained popularity in the United Kingdom and becoming a favorite to buyers who need a used car. Heycar was launched in 2019, and it’s a joint venture owned by Daimler and Volkswagen. The question is why Mercedes and Volkswagen would join the players in the used car classified scene to make more sales and attract more customers. At Heycar, you won’t find ads from third-party financial providers or insurance services, unlike what’s found in Auto Trader. Heycar only has listings from selected dealerships, and all the cars available there are less than eight years and have covered less than 100k miles. With such restrictions, this limits the number of cars available on the site, but it’s also an advantage to someone looking for a low-mileage, well-used vehicle. If you’re looking for something slightly used, older, then Heycar isn’t your go-to place.
5. CarShop
If you’re looking for a website for buying a used car online, then you have just come across one of the best websites in the UK for selling used vehicles. It’s a used car selling the only website, and it’s one of the leading car supermarkets in the UK. CarShop has one of the huge databases of cars, and it’s easy to use, and there is an extensive description of cars with around 3o photos for a single unit. What you will not find at CarShop, which is information available at Cazoo, is the damages or imperfections in a car.
If you spot a car you like at CarShop, you can reserve it for £99, which is refundable. CarShop also offers its clients HP finance option and PCP. You can also pay using your debit or credit card in total if you so wish and collect your car in the nearest CarShop store near you. Home delivery is also available but at an extra cost.
6. Carsnip
Carsnip entered the UK online car selling arena, describing itself as the UK’s largest search engine for used cars. Carsnip is more like Google; it’s the search engine for used cars in the UK. All you have to do is search a car either by brand or make, and you will be represented with results just like other car classifieds sites do. However, if you click on the model of the car which best interests you, you will be redirected to the dealer’s website rather than on Carsnip itself. The best thing about this is your cutting out the middleman, but it can get clucky since you need to keep searching again and again and being redirected to different dealerships. The dealers in carsnip do not pay to advertise their cars on the platform, but when the dealer sells through Carsnip, the platform is entitled to a commission share.
7. CarGurus
CarGurus is a version of the US and the Canada CarGurus. It was launched in the UK back in 2016 following its success in the US and Canada, the dominant online marketplace for used cars. The success has been replicated in the UK, and today, the site is among the most prominent marketplaces for buying used cars in the UK.
CarGurus cars are sourced from independent dealers and from franchises. The website offers price transparency as buyers are given advice on whether the cars are overpriced or within the current market value. When you click on any of their cars, you will see whether the price is great or a fair deal.
8. Carwow
Carwow is among the best websites for buying a new car in the UK right now. The website has been around since 2013, and it works a bit differently from all the sites listed above. Carwow is a marketplace for buyers who are looking to buy a new car only. Most of their vehicles have been provided for by franchised dealers. All you get to do is to choose the make and the model of the car you’re interested in, and Carwow will then engage the partner dealers who will turn give you an offer.
Launched in 2013, Carwow works a bit differently from the sites above. It is aimed primarily at buyers in the market for a new car, with all stock provided by franchised dealers. You select your make, model, and specification, then Carwow invites its partner dealers to make you an offer. The cars listed in Carwow range from £8,000 to over £80,000. Remember, when you choose the model of a car you are interested in, the dealers will offer you the best price for the car, and it’s up to you to make the decision which to go for.
Also, something worth noting is Carwow recently has introduced a used car section, but it’s pretty small in its crawling stages, so check it out too, in case you’re looking for a used car to buy in the UK.
9. Cinch
Cinch is also among the top websites for buying a new or a used Cinch in the UK today. When looking for a car on the website, you will find multiple ways to narrow down your search, and if you’re not sure what you want to drive, there is also a good matchmaker tool on the site to guide you on what is best fits you.
The tool will start with what budget you have, whether you’re looking to be financed? How many people will be likely in the car, and what sort of driving best suits your country roads, motorways, or A-roads? After carefully answering the questions, the tool will come up with suggestions and possible choices from the stock.
When you purchase a vehicle with them, there is a 225 point quality check, and your car will be delivered anywhere in the mainland UK within two hours. All Cinch cars are under seven years old and have less than 70,000 miles. You can also get finance packages which include monthly payments of PCP deals and HP deals.
10. Carzam
Carzam is the one website when you visit their homepage; even if you had a bad day, you would just smile due to the happy smiling faces that greet you when you load the site. Their goal has been to make everything look simple and straightforward to the customers. The website has a very fine touch on the search, and one can filter cars based on models, make, price, fuel type, age, CO2 emissions, number of doors, and so much more.
When you buy a car from Carzam, there is a 14-day money-back guarantee, and there is a 100-day warranty which comes with a breakdown cover and roadside assist.
The website is user-friendly, and buyers can easily filter their search by make, model, price, fuel type, CO2 emissions, number of doors age, among other parameters. When you spot on the car, you wish to buy, and you have the option of buying outright or go for monthly finance. At carzam, there are no salespeople or up-selling to worry you; the prices remain the same on what’s shown on the car, making it one of the best websites for buying a new or a used car in the UK.
11. FairSquare
FairSquare hasn’t been around for long, but it’s one of the players on websites for buying a used or a new car. The financing option is the selling point of FairSquare since their search is inclined to how much you can raise in a month. When you key in the amount you are able to raise, then a listing of what is available according to your capability pops out. FairSquare doesn’t have its own cars, but they take stock from dealer groups.
12. FindAndFundMyCar
Another major player in the online classified sites for buying a new and a used car is FindAndFundMyCar. The website has a unique selling proposition, and it’s different from all websites listed above as it links funding to every used car listed on the website. No wonder they’re a rather clunky name.
FindAndFundMyCar is a one-stop shop for every car buyer since one can get a car and funding all under one roof.
13.PistonHeads
PistonHeads has been around for a number of years, and it’s one of the dominant marketplaces for buying a used car or a new car in the UK. It’s among the biggest platforms offering extensive news on motors, and the motoring forum has over 20 million-plus car enthusiasts. For those who are looking for fairly used cars, rare vehicles, special editions, super-cars, and the classics, this is the go-to website.
Conclusion
Above is a list of reputable websites for buying a new and a used car in the UK today. Many of the sites listed above are dominating in the market and have vast stock listings catering all the consumers. In case you’re looking to buy a car in the UK, whether under finance or by any other way, the above websites have what you need.For local vehicle in the market click Website and Facebook page.
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