Wondering where to sell a car? Compare 9 popular sites to sell a used car online
Whether you're looking for a hassle-free process or the highest offer, here are popular websites where you can sell a car online in Canada.
With the rise of car-selling websites in recent years, you may be wondering where’s the best place to sell a used car. There are now many options for selling your car online in Canada—you can sell a car through marketplaces, online dealers or bidding sites. Learn more about your options to help you get the best offer or have the easiest experience.
What’s the best site to sell your car in Canada?
If you’re trying to find the best websites to sell a car in Canada, check out these popular picks below:
1. Clutch
One of the most popular car-selling websites in Canada is Clutch, an online dealer. It gives instant offers for eligible vehicles and you’ll get quick online payments.
- How to sell a car online: Open the Clutch page and click “Sell or trade”. Fill in your VIN and a few quick details about your car. Wait for Clutch to make you an offer (if you meet eligibility criteria). Agree to your offer and arrange for payment and car pick-up or delivery.
- Serviced provinces: Ontario and Nova Scotia.
- Who should consider it: People who want a hassle-free way to sell a used car
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2. Canada Drives
Another popular car-selling website is Canada Drives, an online dealer. It lets you sell your used car online in Canada with quick offers and online payments for eligible cars.
- How to sell a car online: Open the Canada Drives page and click “Sell/trade”. Fill in an application with your vehicle details and wait for Canada Drives to make you an offer (if you meet eligibility criteria). Agree to your offer and arrange for payment and car pick-up.
- Serviced provinces: Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
- Who should consider it: People who want a quick sale for a newer vehicle with a reputable online car dealer.
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3. Craigslist
Craigslist is a popular anonymous online marketplace available across Canada where you can sell your car.
- How to sell a car online: Open the Craigslist main page and create a post. Specify details about your car and your contact information. Post your ad and wait for buyers to respond. Get paid in cash, by e-Transfer or with cryptocurrency.
- Serviced provinces: All provinces and territories.
- Who should consider it: People who want to sell private sale vehicles online using a simple and user-friendly car-selling website that’s easy to access.
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4. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is another car-selling website that lets you sell your used car online in Canada to verified buyers as long as you have a Facebook profile.
- How to sell a car online: Open Marketplace and input your Facebook login details. Click “Sell” and select “Vehicle for sale”. Specify vehicle details, price and description. Submit your ad and wait for buyers to respond. Get paid in cash or by e-Transfer.
- Serviced provinces: All provinces and territories.
- Who should consider it: People who have a Facebook account and want to sell vehicles to verified buyers.
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5. AutoTrader
AutoTrader is an online automotive marketplace. Sell your car by posting an ad on AutoTrader’s platform for free. You can also pay a fee to get more visibility.
- How it works: Open the AutoTrader page and input car details, photos and contact information. Select a payment plan to create a priority listing or post for free. Click “post ad” and wait for buyers to contact you. Get paid with cash or e-Transfer. AutoTrader also gives you the option to sell to a dealer near you through its platform.
- Serviced provinces: All provinces and territories.
- Who should consider it: People who want to list their vehicle with a trusted car broker in Canada, on a site specifically designed for selling cars.
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6. Kijiji Autos
Kijiji could easily be the first car-selling website for many Canadians when they think, “Where can I sell my car?” Kijiji Autos is a branch off of the main Kijiji marketplace site that is specifically designed for people to buy and sell their used cars online.
- How to sell a car online: Create a Kijiji listing by first providing some basic information for the vehicle you want to sell: Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), year, make, model and trim. Kijiji Autos will then automatically fill in your listing with vehicle details pulled from its database. Buyers than contact you if they’re interested in your car.
- Serviced provinces: All provinces and territories in Canada.
- Who should consider it: People who want a free, easy listing process where you don’t have to fill in all of your vehicle’s details yourself.
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7. Autozen
Autozen is another used car-selling website in Canada that helps you sell your car online in Canada by connecting you up to hundreds of pre-qualified buyers so you can choose the best offer.
- How to sell a car online: Get a free car valuation on the website. If you like the price, list your car with Autozen and the company will come out to inspect it. Buyers compete for your car if it passes inspection. Accept an offer and arrange pick-up and payment.
- Serviced provinces: BC (Greater Vancouver Area) and Alberta (Edmonton and Calgary).
- Who should consider it: People who have a car 2011 or newer and want to choose from multiple bids.
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8. Used.ca
Used.ca is an online marketplace for everything from secondhand goods, to jobs and vehicles. You can post an ad to sell a car in your area on Used.ca’s city-specific sites (for example, on usedtoronto.com or usedvancouver.com).
- How to sell a car online: Once you’ve made a Used.ca account, you can post an ad to sell your car on its website by posting pictures of your vehicle and filling in information about the type of vehicle and its usage. Interested buyers will get in touch with you through your posted contact details (email or phone).
- Serviced provinces: Cities in provinces across Canada except for Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Who should consider it: People who want an efficient way to reach buyers within their own town or city.
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9. Go Auto
Edmonton-based Go Auto runs a network of dealerships located across several provinces. Through Go Auto’s website, you can sell your vehicle directly to the company or buy a vehicle from among its catalogue of 14,000+ sedans, SUVs, trucks, minivans, cargo vans and other types of vehicles.
- How to sell a car online: Enter your vehicle information on Go Auto’s website to get a free estimate in seconds. Book an inspection where a car appraisal specialist will look over your vehicle and give you a more precise quote. The process is free, and if you move forward, you can get paid within 24 hours. You don’t need to buy a vehicle through Go Auto to sell you car to the company.
- Serviced provinces: Cities in provinces across Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories.
- Who should consider it: People who want an uncomplicated sale with the option of trading in to buy a new vehicle and those who live near a major city in a serviced province.
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What are my car-selling website options?
Your options for where to sell a car online in Canada depends on the benefits you’re looking for. Selling your used car in an online marketplace like AutoTrader, Facebook Marketplace or Kijiji will take more time and effort as you post your ad, schedule test drives and deal with all kinds of buyers, but in the end, you may get the best price for your car.
Selling your used car directly to an online dealer or through a bidding site is much faster and easier, but you may not get the best price.
The age of your car matters too. If your car is older than 2013, you’ll need to find a private buyer at a marketplace, because dealerships typically do not accept cars older than that.
What paperwork do I need to sell my used car to a dealership?
You’ll usually need to supply the following documents or information to sell a used car to a dealership.
- Government-issued ID. Bring two pieces of government-issued ID such as your passport or driver’s licence to prove your identity.
- Vehicle registration. Provide an original copy of your registration which lists you as the owner of the vehicle.
- Vehicle identification number. Provide your VIN to validate your vehicle description and owner information.
The dealer will also need you to sign transfer forms depending on your province. And although not required, you may also want to provide maintenance records for oil changes, air filters and other repairs to show you’ve taken care of your car.
Tips to sell a car and get the best offer
Follow these tips when selling your used car to get the best price:
- Get your paperwork together.
Make sure you have your ownership. Depending on the province you are selling in, you may be required to provide the buyer with the car’s history report like a UVIP (used vehicle information package), your original vehicle registration, a safety standard certificate, the original bill of sale or an emissions test result. - Give it a good clean.
Get rid of any garbage or personal items, vacuum the interior and wash your car. Most buyers are very particular about the car they’re looking at, so you’ll want to make sure even hidden areas are cleaned, like your door sills, trunk and underneath the hood. Let your car air out on a nice day to get rid of any smells, and if you’re a smoker, stop smoking in your car a few weeks before the sale. - Consider having it detailed.
A great way to ensure your car is sparkling come test-drive time is to take it to a professional detailer. - Check the fluid levels and tire pressure.
Flat tires and low fluid levels show potential buyers you don’t properly maintain your car and can be a deterrent for those looking to buy it. - Write a compelling ad.
You’ll get more views and interest in your car if you write an ad on car-selling websites that stands out from the crowd. It’s important to be thorough too. Include information on the vehicle’s history and any additional or missing features. - List your car in several places.
Post your car on private marketplaces and with bidding sites, and compare offers from online and in-person car dealers. - Post high-quality photos.
Take pictures in the daytime and make sure your car is clean before you try to sell it. - Establish yourself as a trusted seller.
Use a verified platform and provide maintenance records to show you’ve taken care of your car. - Avoid taking the first offer.
Just because you get an offer doesn’t mean you have to accept it. Take your time and put the work in to get the best deal you can. - Pay for a sponsored ad.
Spend a bit extra to promote your ad so that your car is featured on the first page of an online marketplace.
Expert insight
"On your listing, it’s really important to make sure you give people all the information. Tell potential buyers the make, model, and year of the car along with the mileage and condition. Mention any repairs or upgrades. Include clear, well-lit photos of the vehicle from different angles.
If you provide details and good photos, you’re much more likely to attract serious buyers. If you’re upfront about any flaws or issues with the car, it can save you and the buyer a lot of time and hassle.
It also helps you. Being upfront means buyers can be selective in their inquiries—and they don’t waste your time if it doesn’t suit their needs. As a seller, be wary of prospective buyers who begin haggling even before seeing the vehicle. This should be an instant sign that these aren’t serious buyers—just shoppers looking for a bargain.
Remember, the condition of a used car can significantly affect its value; so haggling over a vehicle that’s not been seen or inspected is a red flag."
Do’s and don’ts of a good car advertisement
The golden rule of a good car advertisement is to be clear, transparent and concise. Your overall aim is to present an accurate advertisement of the car so that prospective buyers know exactly what they’re getting into.
Withholding information, such as a car’s mileage or mechanical problems, will just make them click off your advertisement or prevent them from trusting you as a seller.
Do’s
- Talk about the most important things buyers want to know: how many kilometres your car has on it; its make, model and year; and any maintenance it’s had like new tires, brakes or a recent oil change.
- Include any information about you that buyers might find beneficial, such as your reason for selling, whether you regularly garage the car and if you’re a nonsmoker. If you have a great service record, mention it.
- Highlight if the car has low mileage for its age or any extra features (upgrades and features) buyers might enjoy.
- Be up front about any repairs you’ve needed to carry out on the car, or those that need to still be carried out.
- Include plenty of pictures of your car.
Don’ts
- Write an overly long or wordy advertisement.
- Use too much technical jargon or exclamation points.
- Use photos you found online or ones that are misleading or edited.
3 tips for taking photos of your car
The most important photos you need to take of your car are the three-quarters shots: One of the front three-quarters of your car and one of the back three-quarters. In addition, buyers will also want to see pictures of the interior front and rear seats, engine bay and both the front and back of the car.
Follow these tips to get the best pictures of the car you want to sell:
- Get as much of your car in the frame as you can. Make sure the car is within the frame of the photo and centred for full shots of the exterior.
- Make sure you can clearly see the car in each photo. Pixelated photos or those from far away won’t give potential buyers a clear picture of what to expect.
- Check the lighting. Avoid taking photos at night unless it’s a photo which you feel showcases the car in a great way. Early mornings and late afternoons can be great times to take photographs and you can easily use your phone’s camera editing tools to touch-up the image.
How to handle a test-drive
Once you have an interested buyer, they’ll want to test-drive the car to see how it handles. Some might even ask to drive it to a mechanic and get it inspected during this time. What do you do?
Get a copy of their driver’s license and other contact details before agreeing to the test-drive. You can also ask to hold on to their vehicle’s keys in return for taking yours. And consider going on the test drive with them to ensure they don’t drive away with the car.
Most insurance companies will cover your car while someone else is driving it, but you still might want to contact your insurer just in case to find out exactly how you’re covered.
What are some of the other best places to sell my car?
In-person car dealers
Bring your car to a dealership in your local area to sell it in person or trade it in.
- How it works: Visit a local dealership and gauge their interest in buying your car. Get an offer and negotiate to get the best price you can. Submit the appropriate paperwork and get paid in cash or by e-Transfer.
- Serviced provinces: All provinces have in-person dealerships you can sell your car to. Do your homework to find a dealer with a good reputation.
- Who should consider it: People who would rather do business in person or have a preferred dealership they want to work with.
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Auction houses
Sell your car to an auction house for a set price and they will sell it off to the highest bidder.
- How it works: Contact your local auction house to see if they accept used cars. Get an offer and negotiate to get the best price you can. Submit the appropriate paperwork and get paid in cash or by e-Transfer.
- Serviced provinces: Most provinces will have auction sites in big cities.
- Who should consider it: People who would rather do business in person or have a car they want to sell “as is” or for parts.
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Closing the deal
Once you’ve got an interested buyer, you’ve both agreed on the price and the sale is complete, sign over the title and contact your local provincial service centre to let them know you sold the vehicle. This prevents you from being responsible for anything related to the car that occurs after the sale.
Be on the lookout for scams from buyers who seem too good to be true, such as those offering more than the asking price or those contacting you via email telling you they wish to buy the car from overseas.
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