Are you guys looking to purchase cars at affordable prices without too much of a hassle? Or are you looking to lease, trade or finance vehicles in a safe marketplace?
Then TrueCar could be one of your options, an online platform to perform all the things mentioned above. But to use a website like this, you need transparency from the company.
So, to get to the bottom of this I need to conduct my own research. To be able to answer the question ‘Is TrueCar legit?’
TrueCar Review
TrueCar was founded in 2005 by Scott Painter and Tom Taira to make selling and buying cars transparent. They are based in Santa Monica, CA and is the leading automotive platform for car selling.
TrueCar has a network of car dealerships over 15000 and they are all certified like Sam’s Club. They help users to find new as well as second hand cars with pricing, trading, purchasing and selling.
In 2020, they redid their look and branding and made some changes to their main website. They also partnered up with a program to help military members secure car deals.
Is TrueCar Legit?
Is TrueCar really the dealer for you? Can we trust them with our time and money?
TrueCar is legit and they have made buying or selling vehicles quite easy with their service. If you want a haggle free experience with shady dealers, then let TrueCar handle your car. They only work with certified dealerships, so you know you are getting the real deal.
But don’t get too excited though, you still have to know their do’s and don’ts.
TrueCar Products
Cars are mainly sold on TrueCar’s digital market platform, both new and used. As long as you have all the legal documents of your car you can register it for sale.
If you click on the product section, you will see a myriad of cars. Cars like SUV, trucks, vans and convertibles, sedans, hybrids and even sports cars.
You can see each car’s specifications such as model, make, body color, style and engine details. Most brands of cars are available such as Audi, Ford, Toyota, Hyundai, Chevrolet, Honda and many more.
TrueCar Pricing
TrueCar is free for users who sign up to use their digital marketplace. They only take payments when there is a location fee or an advertising fee for your vehicle.
The rest of the payments you will be making after TrueCar shows you the estimate. For things like state fee, dealer tax, licensing fees, documentation fees and other miscellaneous things.
TrueCar is known for their just pricing by gathering information from dealers and loan data. They also research other aspects such as registration info, insurance details and what others pay for similar vehicles.
TrueCar Refund Policy
TrueCar+ program only has a return policy of 7 days and a 300 mile usage. There are some restrictions which are applied and it depends on the dealers.
As long as you do not damage the car or make any changes to the exterior or interior. You can return the car.
You also cannot keep the car as a loan security which automatically shifts you off the return plan.
TrueCar Alternatives
TrueCar has some alternatives and they could also be worth checking out. They are:
CarGurus: CarGurus has a similar business model where they connect users with dealerships and new/used cars. They also started around the same time as TrueCar and are seen as a worthy competitor. They are based in the USA but you can also use them in places like London and Dublin.
Cars.com: Cars.com is yet another same looking website where you can look at different cars for selling and buying. You can contact different dealers to negotiate a full proof plan. All you need to do is sign up for the site.
TrueCar Customer Satisfaction
To make sure I am providing you with nothing but the truth, I pulled in some reviews.
Trustpilot says that they only deserve 3.9/5 based on 1000+ reviews. They based their report on users’ complaints and issues such as failed deals and models not in stock. But many people also praised their service saying every deal is transparently done with minimal hassle.
Consumer Affairs also has an exact score like above with 3.9/5 based on hundreds of reviews. Their pros included free service, no haggling and fair pricing. But complaints included high pricing and choice of dealerships have to be from their own partners.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1# Can I call TrueCar for customer support?
Ans: TrueCar provides customer assistance in a number of ways. To get in touch you can give them a call directly through their numbers; they have three. Or you can send them an email or their feedback address.
Q2# Does TrueCar have an app for phones?
Ans: TrueCar does indeed have apps for both Android and Apple. You can download the app into your phone and browse through at your convenience. They are available in Apple Store or Google Play.
Q3# Does TrueCar have a blog?
Ans: If you wanna learn tricks and tips on buying and selling cars, check out their blog. They reveal information about certain brands and models and share advice. They are updated every few days so you can get fresh news every single time.
Conclusion
Does TrueCar seem worth the sign up or are you still thinking ‘Is TrueCar legit?’ If you are then let me tell you that they are indeed legit but not without faults though.
They will provide you good service without having to go through stress with salespeople. But you might not always receive the best price and some dealers might refuse to honor the deal.
There’s no risk involved since you will be getting your car once you shake hands on a deal. So, with mixed results, are you willing to check out TrueCar?
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