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Which is Better for Selling the Car?
Of the two companies, Hemmings and Autotrader, Autotrader is the better platform to sell your car. The company accepts more vehicle types, as long as these are new or used. While they have instant cash offers, you can also list your car on its marketplace for only $49.
Additionally, Autotrader’s instant offers are guaranteed for 7 days or an additional 50 miles, unlike Hemmings’ buyers, who can withdraw their offers anytime.
Moreover, selling your car to Autotrader takes the burden of sorting shipping off your shoulders. You only need to bring your vehicle to one of their dealerships to finalize the sale.
Finally, selling your car to Autotrader through their instant cash offer seems faster. You don’t need to wait for your listing to go live and for offers to come in.
Hemmings Summary
Excellent coverage for potential buyers with 200,000 subscribersFree site searches to compare vehiclesSpecialized platform for classic carsOption to place a classified ad or auction
Autotrader Summary
Sell or buy a wide variety of vehiclesMore than 14 million buyers per monthGet fair deals for your second-hand carEfficient customer service
Hemmings vs. Autotrader Comparison
CompanyHemmingsAutotraderLogo
Cars acceptedMostly classic carsNew and used carsFeesUp to $129.95 listing fee$0 for instant cash offer, $49 for listing feeRequesting quotesCreate a listing and auctionOnline applicationOffer validityDepends on the buyer7 days or an additional 50 milesPayments offeredDepends on the buyer and sellerCheckPayoutWithin 24 hoursSame dayCar pick-upDepends on the sellerDrop-offPhysical locationsDepends on the sellerParticipating dealers across the USTurnaround timeAt least 24 hoursUp to 48 hoursCustomer serviceOnline form, email, phone, fax, and mailPhoneReviews21.9
Cars Accepted
Hemmings is an online platform where you can sell classic cars and classic car parts. Besides these, you can also sell:
Exotics
Muscle cars
Sports
SUVs
Trucks
Meanwhile, Autotrader will buy your car as long as it doesn’t have any of the following:
Scarce market data
Market volatility
Was in an auction for the last 45 days
Unresolved recalls
Title issues
Modification
Fees
Hemmings charges listing fees depending on how you want to sell your car on their platform. Listing it on a traditional classified ad costs $129.95. If you prefer to sell it at auction, you’ll also need to pay a $99.95 fee.
There’s also a Make an Offer option where you can sell your vehicle directly to Hemmings registered buyers. This option costs $99.95 as well.
Autotrader allows you to list your car on their website, but for only $49.95. If you prefer to get an instant offer instead, you don’t have to pay any fees when you complete the online process.
Requesting Quotes
To get offers for your car, you’ll need to list it first on Hemmings. The process starts with going to their website and clicking the Buy & Sell option. Then, you’ll need to complete their online form with your vehicle details and upload photos of your car.
After finishing the listing draft, make sure to click Save and Continue. This allows you to enter your payment information. Hemmings will evaluate your listing and include it in their next print issue. Once there, you can expect offers to come in.
Besides listing your car on their traditional classified ads, you can also auction your vehicle on Hemmings. The process is pretty similar as you also need to provide your vehicle details.
However, you’ll need to wait for a Hemmings agent to confirm that your car is included in the auction. These events are usually scheduled starting on a weekday and last for 7 days. You’ll need to be available to answer bidder queries during the auction.
Compared to Hemmings, Autotrader has a pretty straightforward process to request a quote. Just fill out their online form and get an offer based on the Kelly Blue Book valuation.
If you prefer to sell your vehicle to private buyers, you can also list your car on the platform. The process requires you to provide information about your car and contact details, and upload photos. Finally, make sure to publish your ad.
Offer Validity
Offers you receive through Hemmings typically depend on the buyers. After all, these are potential buyers that can back off at any time. Your listing on their classified ads, however, is active for up to 6 months, which gives you more time to attract new buyers.
Autotrader offers, meanwhile, are valid for 7 days or additional 50 miles, whichever comes first.
Payments Offered
Hemmings doesn’t handle the financial aspect when you sell your car. Considering this, you’ll have the freedom to choose your preferred payment method and get your buyer on board with this.
On the other hand, Autotrader only offers check payments when you sell your car to them. If you list your vehicle on their platform, you’ll also be free to choose your preferred payment method.
Payout
Both companies pay you on the same day of selling your vehicle. Hemmings even recommends you request your payment first before sending out your car and important documents, protecting you from bogus buyers and scammers.
Car Pick-up
Since you’ll be the one sorting the logistics once your car sells, having it picked up is one of the options you can offer to your potential buyers. Autotrader, meanwhile, only allows you to drop off your car at one of their dealerships.
Physical Locations
Hemmings essentially lets you privately sell your car, so you can decide if you want the buyer to pick it up from a physical location at their cost. Autotrader, on the other hand, has a store locator page where you can locate their nearest dealerships.
Turnaround Time
Selling through Hemmings can take as fast as 24 hours since you’ll be the one directly transacting with your buyer. However, this doesn’t include the time it takes for your car to appear in their classified ads or auction.
As for Autotrader, selling can take up to 48 hours. This process also includes getting an instant offer, taking your car to one of their dealerships, and finalizing the sale there.
Customer Service
Hemmings customer service is open through the following:
Autotrader’s customer support team is available through their hotline at 1-866-288-6872.
Reviews
It’s relatively hard to look for customer reviews on Hemmings as the company is not listed in the Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot. However, it has a 2-star rating on Yelp, which is pretty low considering that the platform specializes in classic cars.
Customers claim that the listing fees are too high and that there are fake buyers on the platform. Considering that it’s a buy-and-sell platform, it’s important to consider that possibility and be extra careful when transacting.
Autotrader, meanwhile, encountered these issues with their buyers and sellers:
Problems with purchased cars
Some buyers thought they didn’t get their money’s worth
Potential buyers and sellers thought Autotrader sold their contact details to dealerships
Despite these issues, some sellers claim that Autotrader dealerships gave them higher offers for their cars. Also, the company was able to resolve most customer complaints and even received an A+ accreditation from BBB.
Hemmings & Autotrader Alternatives
Peddle
Peddle Summary
Buys used, damaged or junk car nationwideGet instant quote on (855) 925 4302Free towing within 48 hours after offerReceive payment upon car collection
Sites like Peddle make the car-selling experience easy and convenient. Unlike Hemmings and Autotrader, where you need to pay fees to list your car, Peddle lets you sell it without paying anything.
You can get an online offer and have their local tow service pick it up for free. Additionally, you can sell your car to Peddle even if it’s wrecked or junk.
CarBrain
CarBrain Summary
Get an online offer within 2 minutesGet cash for your car in under 48 hoursCarBrain buys cars in over 7 conditionsUp to 7 days to accept CarBrain’s offer
If you’re looking to sell a vehicle that is ineligible in Hemmings and Autotrader, CarBrain is among the top alternatives you should check out. You can forget about listing fees, auction fees, and logistics costs, as their services are free.
From requesting a quote to having their tow team pick up your vehicle, CarBrain ensures no money leaves your pocket. It’s also efficient as you don’t need to waste time on fake offers and lowballers.
Wheelzy
Wheelzy Summary
Wheelzy stores are open 7 days a weekGet offer in minutes – (855) 510-1108Free towing of your car from your locationInstant payment via cash or check
Compared to Hemmings and Autotrader, Wheelzy is another company that buys vehicles in most conditions, even non-running ones. The only condition your car should meet is the manufacturing year, which is 1981 or later
As for accepting their offer, you can set up a time for Wheelzy to pick up your car and hand you a check payment.
The company even claims that they provide guaranteed payments. This means that their tow service partner will come to pick up the vehicle and hand you a check payment for the amount indicated in their online offer.