Reviewed June 12, 2026
Autotrader used to list the name and contact information of the person placing the ad of whatever vehicle you were viewing. Now they have turned their website into a personal information gathering website where you have to send a copy of your ID to contact one of their 'potential' sellers if an individual is selling their vehicle. IF it's a dealership, you can still see what dealership has the vehicle but let's face it, dealers make bank on their used vehicles.
Reviewed June 11, 2026
Stay away!!!!!! Friggen crappy. ALL REPLIES WERE SCAMMERS. Not a one real buyer. Biggest waste of money out there. Auto Trader may have been good years ago, but nothing but scammers now. POS.
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Reviewed June 10, 2026
Sucks. 0 stars. Don't try to privately sell your vehicle on this site. Nothing but scammers. It is a total waste of time. I literally got 2-3 scammers every single day trying to get you off of the platform or trying to buy above the asking price or trying to make you go to a third party site. Many are subtle and start out legit but it always ends up that they are phishing. I finally gave up and took my ad down. Don't waste your time.
Reviewed June 6, 2026
One scam after another! I have received the same email from 5 different contacts:
"Great, I’ve compared several websites and yours appears to be very reasonably priced.
I will be making payment with a bank-verified check. Once the check has been deposited, verified, and fully cleared by your bank, my mover will handle pickup, delivery, and the title transfer on my behalf.
Please provide your full name and complete mailing address and phone no so the check can be sent to you via overnight delivery first thing tomorrow morning. Rest assured, there will be no pickup until the check has cleared and everything is confirmed on your end."
Clearly wanting me to send my information-then buy some bogus car records from a website THEY provide. DO NOT USE AUTOTRADER.
Reviewed June 2, 2026
STAY AWAY! If I could give it zero stars I would. My ad has been up for only a couple of hours and the scammers are rife! Total waste of my time. The site also wouldn't upload my photos and when I sent 21 photos to the tech team they uploaded only 5 photos. It also won't let me change the location of my vehicle. I have typed in my zip code and it keeps saying I am in a state and town that I am not. I am currently on the phone with customer service who are refusing to give me a full refund and cancel my ad.
Reviewed June 2, 2026
I am selling a used car in the private buyer section. Got to say the software to load and edit my listing was great and easy. This even suggested a more current price for the vehicle. Get 100% for your system. Started getting replies in a few hours, within the second day I had 8 replies and was feeling pretty good. The problem was every one that replied was a scammer, and they are collage level good. The scam you ask, simple get the car owner to purchase a vin background and Yes you get one free with Experian vin (Supplied) by Autotrader). They will string you alone about bringing cash, coming by with the family, being right over or first thing in morning.
I corresponded with one for almost an hour, believing I finally got a legitimate buyer. All of a sudden they required a VZO they direct you to vinint (fyi VZO is voice zone oscillation?), Then they say that the Experian doesn't have the right information (complete garbage). You purchase you will never hear from them again. Just block the buyer. It is a scam. Problem the guys are coming out of the woodwork, autotrader could help the issue by labeling the location of both people, they are not dropping by if they are in Montana.
Reviewed May 29, 2026
I wish I had come to this site to look up Autotrader. I had used them years ago when it was a simple process to list a car. That is no longer the case. DO NOT USE THIS WEBSITE OR APP! Nothing but scammers and 1 stupid lowball (1/3 the asking price). They make you give them so much un-needed information when you list and they spend "0" time checking on the legitimacy of buyers! this was a egregious waste of money....I pulled my add after 4 days and I'll NEVER use them again!
Reviewed May 11, 2026
AutoTrader is unusable to sell a car. I’ve had a vehicle for sale on there for less than a week and received about 40 scam messages but no legitimate buyers. The only thing happening here is that AutoTrader takes your money to sell a car which is in itself a scam.
Reviewed April 26, 2026
I have listed on this site 3 times. Every time I have nothing but scammers. Should have saved my $$. Run far away. Too many AH here. Never again!!
Reviewed April 17, 2026
First week of trying to sell a private auto and nothing but scammers have responded. I used Autotrader about 6 years ago and had a great experience. Now, nothing but scammers. Considering dropping and advertising elsewhere. Note: As soon as the "interested party" asks you to send a phone message or email, block them immediately.