Car reviews and advice

CarGurus makes buying your next car simple. To start your search, begin with either our Used Cars, New Cars, or Certified Cars search pages. Enter your desired make and model and the zip code where you'd like to search. We'll provide a selection of vehicles, complete with pricing, mileage, and our Instant Market Value. Find one you like? Just hit the "Request Info" button on the search results page to contact the seller. For more information about budgeting, researching, test driving, and negotiating, see our article on How to Buy a Used Car.

CarGurus works with thousands of dealers across the country to help shoppers find the right car at the right price. In addition to independent and franchise car dealerships, CarGurus also lists vehicles for sale from private sellers. Using our Used Cars, New Cars, or Certified Cars search pages, you can set various search radii. Search for a vehicle within 10 miles of you to keep it close to home, or search nationwide for the largest selection. If a dealer from outside your search area will deliver, we'll show their results, too, including any charges.

There are a handful of tips for timing your next car purchase. Many shoppers swear by waiting until the end of the month to secure a good deal, but that's not always a guarantee of success. In general, we recommend timing purchases with model year turnover rather than focusing on month-end or calendar-year-end shopping blitzes. Shopping on the weekend can be a bit more hectic due to higher demand at the dealership, and many deals advertised during holiday weekend sales events are also available at other times during the same month. For more tips and advice, see our article, When Should I Buy a Car?

The choice to buy versus lease a vehicle is largely dependent on your budget and lifestyle. Choosing to buy means that you'll have more flexibility regarding the vehicle's use, and it will become an asset—you'll own it—once you've paid it off. However, buying is generally the more expensive option. Leasing is typically less expensive from a monthly cost standpoint, but most lease agreements put a limit on how many miles the vehicle can be driven. Additionally, lease deals are often dependent on the lessee's credit. For more information, see our article on leasing and buying.

A great used car is one that's in good, safe condition and that fits your budget and your needs. Shoppers can help ensure the former by having potential purchases inspected by an independent mechanic, while the latter will depend on various details related to the buyer's finances and lifestyle. See our article, What to Look for When Buying a Used Car, for more information, including what laws exist to protect consumers during and after a vehicle transaction.

There are more ways to sell your car today than ever before. As a first step, head to the CarGurus Sell My Car page and enter a few details about your vehicle. This will generate an instant offer to sell your car 100% online, as well as a range of offers from local dealers. Whatever option you prefer, start the process with CarGurus to understand your car's current market value.

Selling your car online with CarGurus Instant Max Cash Offer is simple: Enter a few details, receive an offer, schedule a time to have the vehicle picked up, and get paid. Selling a car to a private party will take a bit more time and you'll need to get some paperwork in order. For more information, see our article on How to Sell Your Car Online.

If you're going to sell your car, you'll need to provide proof of ownership. In most cases, possession of the vehicle's title constitutes proof. However, there are a number of reasons why the seller might not have the vehicle's title. In some states, the financial institution that provides financing also holds the vehicle title until the loan is fully paid off. Or perhaps the title was misplaced, or the vehicle has been abandoned. Whatever the situation, we can help provide answers about How to Sell a Car Without a Title.

Most new-car purchases are financed through auto loans. In fact, taking out a low-interest auto loan to help with a vehicle purchase can be a wise financial decision. From finding a lender to understanding credit scores and loan terms, you can find more information here. Shoppers can finance a vehicle purchase through a bank or credit union, and dealerships will often be able to source financing for shoppers as well. CarGurus recommends financing in advance of a dealership visit, which you can accomplish in seconds here.

Some shoppers want to move through a vehicle purchase as quickly as possible. Others revel in negotiation. Whatever your process, CarGurus recommends that every shopper perform adequate research, understand the details of the transaction, and, when buying a used car, invest in a pre-purchase inspection. For more information about negotiating a car purchase, read our article on How To Negotiate a Car Price.

At CarGurus, we use Instant Market Value to determine whether a car's price makes it a fair, good, or great deal—or if it's overpriced. CarGurus Instant Market Value (or IMV) relies on a sophisticated algorithm that updates continuously to stay on the cutting edge of market trends. IMV also factors in details like dealership reputation. We use IMV to sort our listings, helping to keep things unbiased: You'll see the best deals first when you shop on CarGurus.