You need a new car but you don’t know where to go and what to do. Too many unauthentic options available on the search pages. This flood of mixed information is overwhelming enough to not let you make a smart decision. In this situation, Edmund takes away all your worries by bringing the car sellers and buyers onto a single platform to help you purchase a car. In this complete guide, you will learn what the website is about and how you can efficiently use it for buying a car on Edmunds.
The Edmund website and mobile app is a platform for car lovers who wish to buy new or used cars online. With advanced search features and tools, you can use the filters to buy, compare, and find new and used vehicles with your area's zip code option available. The app enables you to connect with the dealers in one go. The platform also gives you appraisals, when you are selling your car. It is known as one of the best sites to sell a car online.
Buying a car on Edmunds is few steps simple process:
When you go to the homepage, there are options to look for new and used cars, or get an appraisal for your vehicle. When you are prepared for shopping, choose one, “Shop Used” or “Shop New” .
You must use the filter to find the exact match you are looking for. Enter the make and model, type, and specify a price range. If you want to find a car in your area, enter your zip code. You can find some best cars at a certain cost featured by Edmund. They have also published helpful guides so you can easily buy a car on Edmund.
The Edmunds used car option also takes you through the same process. While the basic filter is the same; car’s model, type, price range, and area zip, for old car’s search you can add year, mileage, car history, coating color, and many other features to help you find the right vehicle.
The vehicles listing depend on your search for the type of vehicles you are looking for.
When you want to purchase a new vehicle, the Edmund app or website will redirect you to an overview page that displays the vehicle’s images, ratings and reviews, price range, and few other features.
But if you are buying an old used car, the platform will redirect you to a listing page, which should show you dealership information, the car’s history, total mileage, and other important features.
If you strongly feel for a vehicle after completing your due diligence, you need to go for one of the options, either tap on “Get Dealer’s Best Prices” for a new vehicle model, or tap on “check availability” if you want a used vehicle.
Choosing any of the options will bring a pop up page asking you to enter your name and surname, to share with the dealership. As a second option, you can call or text the dealership in a direct contact to initiate the purchasing deal.
Now that you are in contact with the dealer over a call or in person, you can finish the rest of the deal with the dealer yourself.
How to Use the Edmunds Used Car Appraisal Tool
To use the Edmunds used car appraisal tool, follow the below 6 steps process:
Firstly go to the Edmunds “Appraise My Car” or “Instant Used Car Value” page. This is a free tool; it requires no sign-ups or personal information before using it.
You can identify your vehicle in two ways:
If you enter your VIN or License plate, you can get an accurate appraisal. Because with this, Edmunds automatically identifies your vehicle, and streamlines the rest of the process.
With this option, manually select your vehicle’s year, make, and model from dropdown menus; you can use this if VIN is not available at that time.
Condition which can typically be: “outstanding,” “clean,” or “average”
The more honest and accurate you are, the accurate and realistic the value will be.
After providing the information, the appraisal tool should generate a report showing important value estimations as follows:
The trade-in value is for you to know how much a dealership can offer you, you must be prepared accordingly. But if you are selling your vehicle on your own, the private-party value may get better results. And if you are buying the same model, dealer retail price will give you a context and idea. CPO pricing can help you understand and compare certified options.
You must negotiate with leverage, the dealers respect Edmunds’ data, when you give a reference from it, you can crack a better deal. If you are buying, always start your conversations $500 above the Edmunds trade-in value for old cars. You should get and consider multiple offers and use Edmunds value as leverage. Lastly, clean your car thoroughly in detail, it can make a great difference in appraisals.
Buying a car on Edmunds comes with certain advantages and disadvantages, here are a few of them:
It has options to find and compare both old and new vehicle models.
Offers realistic price estimate of your car through True Market Value system
It has comprehensive research tools
It is robust, free, and does not ask for personal information
It has instant cash offer features for vehicles that are eligible
It is not very useful for private party sellers
The appraisal value may be less than Kelly Blue Book estimates
The private sale listings are very limited
It is not a direct buy and sell marketplace, transactions are routed through dealerships
Very less customer reviews for car models and dealership
When you buy a car on Edmunds, you will have to ship it to your destination, or to your friends and relatives if you bought it for them. Therefore, you will need a professional car transport company to help you ship the car.
Firstly, find a few professional and reliable carriers, contact each company and give them your car’s model, type, pickup/delivery location, and transport method you want. You can also use a car shipping cost calculator available on their websites to generate quotes. Now compare the quotes and choose the right quote for you. Always check reviews and ratings of the company you choose, and verify their insurance and registration details.
After you make a reservation with a carrier, they will give you a pickup schedule. Before that, prepare your car for the inspection; remove your personal items, clean it thoroughly, reduce the fuel tank to 1/ 4, and take good quality pictures. They will ship your car on the agreed date.
You can track your car while in transit. They will deliver your car on the desired date and location. Make sure to get it inspected for possible damages, and be present there while receiving it.
When you are aware of the trend in the car’s market whether buying a new or used vehicle, you can possibly find a fair deal and save yourself from paying extra just because you didn't know the true worth of that car. This is why websites like Edmunds are created for buying a car online to find better deals, and know the current market trends.
Whether you buy a new or used car, you need to understand the regulatory details such as vehicle taxes, laws for online car purchasing with respect to interstate regulations. It may be easy for you to purchase a vehicle in the area you live in, but you will have to understand its legal dimensions like transfer of ownership, insurance, taxes, and inspection formalities. It is smart to skim through these regulations for your peace of mind.
Buying an Edmunds used car or any other one can be better for the environment because it lowers the need for new manufacturing. Producing a new car uses a lot of energy, metals, plastics, and fuel, which creates tons of carbon emissions contributing to global warming. Also online car shopping can help in reducing the need to travel to dealerships, and let you find cars in other states that are not in use.
Buying a car on Edmunds can be a smart choice to make. It enables you to research, compare, and buy new vehicle models and used cars. Using the advanced search filters you can find a car of your choice with price, model, color, and other features. You can also get an appraisal of your used car to find its realistic market value. The platform directly connects you with the dealership to finish your transactions. You must ship your purchased car with a reliable carrier, and educate yourself about the regulations regarding buying a new or used car.
Yes, Edmunds is a trusted automotive website. It provides expert reviews, car rankings, pricing data, and tools that help millions of buyers and sellers make smarter car decisions.
The appraisal tool is fairly accurate since it relies on real-time market data. While no tool is perfect, Edmunds is widely respected for providing realistic car value estimates.
Edmunds is headquartered in Santa Monica, California. From there, the company runs its editorial team, research tools, and pricing services that serve car buyers and sellers across the U.S.
On Edmunds, you will find expert reviews, car comparisons, pricing calculators, and Edmunds used cars listings, which help buyers research vehicles, check values, and connect with trustworthy dealerships.
Yes, it is safe. Edmunds itself doesn’t sell cars but connects you with reputable dealers and verified listings, offering guides, tools, and information to support secure purchases.
Yes Edmund is now a completely owned subsidiary of Carmax. Carmax acquired the remaining stakes in Edmunds back in 2021.
