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Online Car Buying

How to Buy and Ship a Car Online (Without Getting Scammed)

The market for buying used cars has been faced with a number of obstacles over the last few years. With supply chain issues over COVID, to semiconductor and microchip shortages spiking post-pandemic, not to mention rising interest rates, have all compounded to make it a difficult time to feel confident when purchasing used. 

However, despite these challenges, there’s still good deals to be had. The used car market faced the worst of its setbacks in 2021, and has since made somewhat of a recovery according to a 2023 Consumer Reports article. But regardless of the current market conditions, with the possibility of online car buying and shipping, your pool of available vehicles has just expanded exponentially. Your search is no longer confined to your city, but is now available nation-wide, leaving you with more options, greater flexibility and better pricing than ever before.  

Best Online Car Buying Sites

There’s a lot of car buying sites to choose from, but only some are worth using. With making a purchase this substantial, it’s always best to ensure that the website you’re buying from is a credible one. 

Here are our top 3 sites to choose from:

 
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CarMax

Millions of cars are ruled out by their thorough vetting process, leaving only the best selection of used vehicles. You can purchase stress free and drive your new car for 30 days or up to 1500 miles and still bring it back for a full refund. https://www.carmax.com/
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CarGurus

One of the largest used car buying sites, CarGurus has over 5 million cars to choose from. They’re a great option if you need financing, as you can get prequalified for a loan through their site. https://www.cargurus.com
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Carvana

The most thorough of them all; Carvana vehicles undergo a 150 point inspection and provide a 100-day or 4189-mile limited warranty. https://www.carvana.com

How to Buy a Car Online Without Getting Scammed

Along with all of the reputable sites out there, there are unfortunately lots of scammers looking to take advantage of your budget and time. Look out for these top used car scams when looking to buy your car for online delivery:
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Fake Buyer Phishing Scams:

You’re unknowingly directed to pay for your car plus shipping via a fake (legitimate looking) website set up by your scammer. Your scammer then keeps the payment in its entirety and you never receive your car.
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eBay Car Shipping Scams:

Scammers take advantage of eBay’s Vehicle Purchase Protection Program benefits by taking your money from a car purchase without delivering your car. Ensure that you always message sellers through eBay’s platform and keep documentation of all your communication.
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The Bait and Switch Scam:

Fake shipping companies attempted to extort you for more money claiming they need extra capital to move or release your vehicle, effectively holding your vehicle hostage.

For an extensive list of what to look out for and how to protect yourself, check out our article here. 

How to Get Your Car Delivered

After you’ve made the difficult decision of actually choosing which vehicle to purchase, leave the rest to us at ShipLux; delivery with ShipLux is the easiest part! Our two main options for shipping are enclosed-car or open-car transport, below are some pros and cons to each:

Open Shipping 

Enclosed Shipping 

Pros: 

  • Trips are made more often, resulting in shorter shipping times.
  • Open-Car transport is often less expensive.

Pros: 

  • Car arrives untouched by the elements, clean.
  • Cars are matched with the ideal transport vehicle, making transporting your vehicle entirely catered to you. 

Cons: 

  • Car arrives having been exposed to the elements and will likely need to be washed.
  • Your car is assigned to a transport vehicle on a first come first served basis and it might not be the perfect match.

Cons: 

  • Trips are made less often, resulting in slightly longer shipping times.
  • Enclosed-car transport is often more expensive.

Whichever option you decide, ShipLux is here to help you every step of the way. Contact us today for a no-obligation quote today.

FAQ

Why Buy A Car Out of State?

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How Do I Get My Car If I Buy Online?

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