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It costs $0 to sell your car to DriveTime within 48 hours. The platform provides an instant cash offer online, which their participating dealerships are required to honor. The 7-day offer validity seems pretty sufficient, too, if you’re looking to check offers from other platforms. If you have questions, you can contact customer support by phone, email, and social media.
Pros
Instant cash offer within minutesChoose a dealership to claim the offerNo charges to sell your carQuick turnaround time (48 hours)
Cons
Directs you to another company to sell carRisk of getting spam messages
Jump to: Full Review
Compare to Other Car Buying Websites
Peddle
Get a legit offer in minutes – provide VIN, mileage and condition
$0 fees + you don’t have to pay for towing – Peddle will take care of it
Get paid in check during the pick up for any car (damaged, junk, wrecked)
Wheelzy
Quick car evaluation without the hassle – sell your car within 30 min
Choose a convenient date and time for free pick-up, as soon as next day
Get cash in hand the same day the Wheelzy agent picks up your car
CarBrain
Get an offer within 2 minutes and sell your damaged car within 24 hours
Free vehicle towing and no fees to getting rid of your damaged car
The tow truck driver will arrive with your check (nationwide service)
How Does DriveTime Work?
DriveTime is an online platform where you can buy cars and is known for its flexible in-house financing model. Besides purchasing vehicles, it also offers trade-in and selling options if you’re looking to get some cash for your car.
How it works is pretty straightforward. Just go to the DriveTime website, scroll a bit down, and click the blue “Get Your Instant Cash Offer” button. From there, it will prompt you to enter your zip code and click “Go.”
After these, the website will redirect you to the website of Kelly Blue Book or KBB. Once there, you’ll need to provide any of the following:
License plate and state,
Vehicle Identification Number or VIN
Your car’s make and model
But to ensure a more accurate offer, providing either the license plate number or VIN is your better option.
To proceed with the online cash offer, you’ll need to provide a more thorough description of your car, including its:
Features
Equipment
Modifications
Mechanical condition
Additionally, you can upload photos of your vehicle so KBB can further estimate a more accurate value for it. You can also take advantage of the interactive guide on the website to provide specific details on your vehicle’s parts.
Finally, you’ll need to provide your contact details and from there, you’ll see the offer for your car on the website. Additionally, the offer includes how long it’s good for, which is 7 days, and what dealerships you can bring your car to claim the offer.
How Much Can You Get for Your Car With DriveTime?
How much you can get for your car with DriveTime depends on several factors, such as its specific condition, as well as fluctuating market conditions, and your location.
But to give you an idea, here’s how much some makes and models were sold for:
2013 Ford F150 SuperCrew Cab$16,1612021 Toyota RAV4 Prime$52,3652012 Honda Civic Coupe$6,6202002 Ford Ranger Super Cab$13,7752015 Honda Accord Ex-L$17,000
Who is DriveTime Best for?
DriveTime is an excellent platform for people looking to upgrade their cars. It allows you to browse for your next car, get an offer for your current one, and use the offer to purchase your preferred vehicle.
It’s also an excellent platform if you’re looking to sell your car quickly since the turnaround time can take only 2 days.
DriveTime Payment Options
DriveTime dealerships pay in check within the same day you sell your car to them.
What Types of Vehicles Does DriveTime Purchase?
DriveTime can buy your car, whether it’s new or used. However, there are some conditions where DriveTime might not buy a vehicle, such as:
Title issues
Insufficient market data
Unresolved recalls
Low value due to condition and age
Modifications
If it has been at an auction within the last 45 days
Market volatility
How Fast Can You Sell Your Car With DriveTime?
After completing the online application, DriveTime usually sends an offer within minutes, along with the list of participating dealerships you can bring your car to for inspection.
The offer is good for 7 days and once you bring your car to the dealership, they will inspect it to confirm the condition. Dealerships are required to honor the instant offer as long as the information provided in the online process is accurate.
After the dealership confirms the condition and finalizes the offer, you’ll have 1 day to accept it. So, if you’re looking to complete the sale within the same day you bring your car to them, make sure to bring these as well:
Vehicle title or lienholder information
Vehicle registration
All keys, remotes, and manuals
Service and repair records
If your car is leased, check with your leasing company to know what documents they need.
Once you finalize the sale at the dealership, you’ll get the check payment for your car. Overall, selling your car with DriveTime can take as fast as 48 hours.
DriveTime Fees: How Much Does it Cost to Use DriveTime?
DriveTime doesn’t charge any fees when you sell your car to them.
DriveTime Reviews: is DriveTime Legit?
DriveTime received a 4.2-star rating on Trustpilot with most of the compliments coming from their car buyers as the platform is mainly for them. But as the car selling option is technically offered by KBB, I decided to check the customer reviews there as well.
KBB only has a 1.2-star rating on Trustpilot and some of the complaints from their customers are about dealerships not honoring the offer. Others also mentioned receiving spam messages from dealerships after completing the online offer.
Despite this, however, some customers were able to sell their cars without any hassle. Some also pointed out that it’s important to provide accurate information during the online process to get a cash offer that dealerships can honor.
Additionally, customers liked that they were able to sell their cars within an hour at their chosen dealership. So, overall, DriveTime (and KBB) remains a legitimate and safe platform for car-selling
What Are the DriveTime Pros & Cons?
DriveTime Pros
Instant cash offer within minutes
Choose a dealership to claim the offer
No charges to sell your car
Quick turnaround time
DriveTime Cons
Directs you to another platform to sell your car
Risk of getting spam messages from several dealerships
How Good is DriveTime Support?
DriveTime has excellent customer support, considering that customers mostly praised it on Trustpilot. Additionally, its website offers various resources, such as FAQ sections and blogs, to help customers with their car research.
You can also contact them through the following channels:
Phone: 888-418-1212
Email: [email protected]
Social media accounts: Twitter and Facebook
DriveTime Review Verdict: is It Worth Selling Car With DriveTime?
If you’re looking to sell your car quickly and hassle-free, it’s worth considering selling it with DriveTime. You can get an instant cash offer online, which their participating dealerships are required to honor. Just make sure to provide accurate information during the online process.
There are no fees to sell your car to DriveTime. Plus, you can sell your car as fast as within 48 hours. And if you have questions and want to talk to their support team, you have 3 ways to do so (phone, email, and social media.)
The 7-day offer validity seems pretty sufficient, too, if you’re looking to check offers from other platforms. Once you’re ready to claim the DriveTime offer through KBB, as long as you have the paperwork ready, you can get your check payment within the same day.
Sites Like DriveTime
DriveTime vs. Peddle
Peddle Summary
Sell used, damaged or junk car nationwideGet instant quote on (855) 925 4302Free towing within 48 hours after offerReceive payment upon car collection
Sites like DriveTime and Peddle make it convenient to sell your used car through their websites. The online process tells you how much you can get for your vehicle, letting you decide to accept their offers without leaving the comfort of your home.
But compared to DriveTime, Peddle’s convenient process took it up a notch as the company only offers the pick-up option. It means you’ll need to set up a time for their local tow service to come to your location, inspect your car, and finalize the sale.
Additionally, Peddle accepts junk and damaged cars, whereas DriveTime only buys cars that are in working condition.
Recent Peddle Offers:
ModelYearMileageOfferToyota (Camry)2011150,000$2,225Volvo (S40)200137,000$430Mercedes-Benz (560)199192,000$1,930BMW (528)2008126,000$1,140Kia (Forte)2010145,000$635Honda (CR-V)201167,000$2,930Ford (Explorer Sport Trac)2004145,000$1,170Oldsmobile (Alero)2004162,000$400Audi (A6)2006106,000$530
DriveTime vs. 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
One of the top alternatives to DriveTime, if you’re looking to sell your car, is Wheelzy. This company charges $0 when you use their website to get an instant offer and even offers a free pick-up service.
Unlike DriveTime, Wheelzy accepts cars in most conditions, including those that are damaged, wrecked, and even junk. Just make sure that your vehicle is a 1981 or newer model. Finally, DriveTime offers two payment options, cash or check.
Recent Wheelzy offers:
ModelYearMileageConditionOfferHyundai (Tucson)2006200,000Doesn’t start$400Mercury (Sable Sedan)2003150,000Doesn’t start$225Mercedes-Benz (C)2001150,000Starts$222Ford (Edge)2010200,000Doesn’t start$1,200Ford (Flex)2009150,000Starts$1,000Lexus (RX)2002300,000Doesn’t start$750Chevrolet (Cobalt Sedan)2007200,000Doesn’t start$200Toyota (Corolla)2003250,000Drives$555BMW (528)2008250,000Drives$1,487
DriveTime vs. CarBrain
CarBrain Summary
Call for a free quote – (844) 407-2200Get cash for your car in under 48 hoursCarBrain buys cars in over 7 conditionsUp to 7 days to accept CarBrain’s offer
Similar to DriveTime, CarBrain is another online platform where you can get an offer for your car without physically bringing it to a dealership first. Like the former, CarBrain allows you to complete an online form where you provide details about your car.
However, CarBrain can purchase vehicles in any condition, including those with water damage, non-running, and junk vehicles. Additionally, you don’t need to worry about getting your car to them, as CarBrain provides free pick-up services.
And while the CarBrain website is pretty straightforward to use, you can also get an instant offer by simply contacting their hotline number (844) 407-2200.
Recent CarBrain offers:
ModelYearMileageConditionOfferMitsubishi Outlander Sport201150,000Collision damage, starts, doesn’t drive$1,270Jeep Grand201543,000Collision damage, starts, doesn’t drive$8,000Chevrolet201350,000Collision damage, does not start$1,335Dodge Charger2011143,448Collision damage, does not start$1,000Nissan Altima201382,000Collision damage, starts and drives$1,725Chevrolet Silverado2008250,000Engine damage, starts, doesn’t drive$1,750
Other Sites Like DriveTime
DriveTime FAQ
What is DriveTime?
DriveTime is a used car retailer founded in 2002 in Tempe, Arizona. Its online platform allows customers to research and purchase vehicles, as well as explore financing options. The company also works with Kelly Blue Book, connecting them with people looking to sell their cars.
What was the original name of DriveTime?
Prior to 2002, DriveTime was known as Ugly Duckling, a car rental company owned by Ernest Garcia II.
Does DriveTime have an app?
Yes, DriveTime has a mobile app you can download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. However, the app has features to help you buy, rather than sell, cars.
How many DriveTime locations are there?
DriveTime has 146 dealerships in the US.
Does DriveTime offer trade-in?
Yes, once you receive an instant offer, you can use the amount towards your next car at a DriveTime dealership.
