Business Profile

Used Car Dealers

AutoTrader.com

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

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Complaints

This profile includes complaints for AutoTrader.com's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

Customer Complaints Summary

112 total complaints in the last 3 years.
44 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

If you've experienced an issue

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The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

Initial Complaint
Date:04/09/2024
Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I paid for an ad to sell my car, but after selling my car, Auto Trader wont remove the add despite repeated requests. I keep getting inquires, which are wasting my time to respond to and wasting the time of multiple people looking to buy a car that was already sold.
Business Response
Date: 04/22/2024
Thank you for reaching out to Autotrader via the BBB. We see this listing was removed on 4/21/24 when the account holder updated the listing in their account,
Customer Answer
Date: 04/22/2024

Complaint: 21544208

I am rejecting this response because it took numerous requests to have my listing removed and multiple people reached out to me trying to buy a car that was already sold. Auto Traders refusal to take action when requested inconvenienced many people and Auto Trader needs to do better in the future. I will never buy or sell with them again but many others will and they should not have to go through this process simply because Auto Trader refuses to take timely action.

Sincerely,

***************************
Business Response
Date: 04/29/2024
******, your ad was removed as the account owner removed the ad on April 20. I have reviewed your account and see that no additional messages were sent to your account by new buyers after April 20th. Note, we do NOT display your phone or your email on our platform. If you chose to share your email and/or phone with clients to take conversations off platform, we are unable to assist with those unsolicited contacts.
Initial Complaint
Date:03/21/2024
Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
On 16th March 2024 bought a car through Autotrader Private Exchange. (2022 Range Rover Sport)Initial price of the car was $68750 + fees = $75606. Autotrader confirmed to pay this amount and if negotiation changed the price they would issue a refund.Final negotiated price of the car was $62500 + fees = $68800 Therefore I am due a refund of $6806 Calls to Autotrader go unanswered, Tried 6 times thus far.Emails to autotrader go unanswered. Sent 4 mails thus far.Today is March 21st
Initial Complaint
Date:02/20/2024
Type:Delivery Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I have received nothing but phishing attempts as a result of placing an ad on this site. More than 30 messages exchanged and not a single legitimate inquiry.
Business Response
Date: 03/07/2024
***********,
Thank you for contacting Autotrader via the BBB. We have researched your case and see that you listed a 2016 ***** Fit for ****** on 2/18/24. The ad did post to our site and was live for shoppers to view. We unfortunately cannot guarantee your vehicle will sell on our platform. I see the ad was removed by the seller. If you would like us to reactivate the listing for you, please let us know by calling ************.
Initial Complaint
Date:02/01/2024
Type:Product Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
Remove my personal information from there website and possibly refund the transaction as this was not what I expecetd at all. see attched document.
Business Response
Date: 02/07/2024
*****,
THank you for contacting autotrader via the BBB. Unfortunately we are unable to refund a advertisement that was posted to our website. To have your personal information removed from our site, please use the following link.

**************************************************
Customer Answer
Date: 02/07/2024

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

*************************
Initial Complaint
Date:01/26/2024
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
My complaint is too long too many characters therefore I am attaching it as a document
Business Response
Date: 01/26/2024
******,
Thank you for reaching to Autotrader regarding a complaint you had about a dealership. Unfortunately Autotrader is unable to assist with the purchase and financing you made with a dealership. You would need to contact the dealership for assistance.
Customer Answer
Date: 01/26/2024

Complaint: 21203167

I am rejecting this response because:
I did not file against auto trader
I filed a complaint against ****************

Sincerely,

*************************
Business Response
Date: 01/29/2024
******,
The BBB sent your complaint to Autotrader. You will need to let them know this complaint was satisfied and have the BBB create a new complaint with that business as the BBB sent your complaint to Autotrader.
Initial Complaint
Date:01/17/2024
Type:Product Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I purchased an ad in Dec 2023 to sell my ******* I didn't receive a single qualified lead and just tons of spam/inquires from dealers for incredibly low-ball tradein values (if I wanted to sell it to a deal I wouldn't need autotrader). I got more traction and leads through a ******** marketplace ad than through autotrader. The service did not provide any value and the legit consumer leads are non-existant, so what did I pay for? It's very disappointing that Autotrader sells a service like this and isn't willing to consider a refund when it's not in any way provided the service they claim to sell. I called autotrader today and though the person on the phone was nice/polite, she said they don't do refunds. My ad ID is ******** and I placed the listing on 12/20.
Business Response
Date: 01/17/2024
******,
Thank you for reaching out to Autotrader via the BBB. We do not guarantee a vehicle will sell on our platform and thus are unable to post a refund. That being said, we did take a minute to review the last 2 lead sent to your account (as the complaint was for invalid leads), and the last 2 leads sent to your account 4 and 5 days ago, were never replied to in our tool. You will need to login to your account to interact with buyers of your vehicle. Please let us know if you would like to reactivate your account so you can sell your vehicle to these potential buyers.
Initial Complaint
Date:01/16/2024
Type:Product Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
Purchased 2012 ****** Prius from seller on Autotrader. There are multiple issues with the transaction and the business practices of AutoTrader: 1. The seller's guide (attached) does not state that the buyer is liable to pay $199 escrow fee. The fee details are presented after the buyer has met test driven the vehicle, agreed on a deal, and accepted the offer. 2. AutoTrader gives the impression that they will process the paperwork for you when they do not. In my case, the registration etc. needs to be done by visiting a local auto tag place. (See highlighted area from page 6 of Buyer Guide).3. AutoTrader sent improper title with corrections to odometer field which the *********** does not accept. This was verified by two local auto tag companies in ******* **. This demonstrates the paperwork was not properly validated for the services promised and thus causing further delay with the vehicle registration where the seller needs to acquire a new title. I reached out to AutoTrader management twice: 1/5/2023 (talked to Able or **** (sp?)) and then on 1/16/2023 and spoke with ****** asking for a refund of the $199 and that their services are misrepresented and there has been no resolution.
Business Response
Date: 01/17/2024
Sali,
Thank you for contacting Autotrader via the BBB. We have researched your case. The escrow fee may be up to 2% of sale price of the vehicle. For states Autotrader is not licensed as a dealer, to simplify the process, we will put together the packet to take to your local ***. Please note, this package is meant for the *** , and is likely the reason 3rd party registration tag companies are not accepting these documents. We see you have called in and spoke to agents who explained this process to you as well. We are unable to process a refund for you.

If you have any additional questions, please contact us at **************. **** has been briefed on your case and can respond as well.
Customer Answer
Date: 01/18/2024
The Autotrader Buyer Guide and/or the Escrow FAQs nowhere list the escrow fee of up to 2%. The up to 2%escrow fee is not disclosed.
The letter sent from Autotrader to process the registration clearly states that the paperwork can be taken to the local DMV, tax office or auto titling office (see attached page 1), which is contrary to the response. I went to *********************************** (****************************** and ********************************* ***************************************************** to get paperwork processed. Both have been in business for more than 30 years. Then, today I even went to the local DMV/******* ******************************************************** where I was told that they do not process title/registration paperwork and that I needed to go to an Auto Tag place instead. Thus, the response provided is inaccurate and the paperwork invalid and even incomplete. In fact, ******************* and Autotags mentioned that an original copy of the death certificate of the co-owner was necessary along with another form.
The point of the complaint is that the Autotrader buyer information and services for consumers are misleading and deceptive for those residing in ************. The site gives the impression that the seller should go through the Autotrader paperwork and that the buyer can purchase the vehicle even on the same day as long as you are close to a ***** Print location and that the paperwork will be processed via Autotrader (which is apparently not true)for ** residents. Then in my case, Autotrader still sent incomplete paperwork and not able to register the vehicle or transfer ownership of it.
Business Response
Date: 01/19/2024
Thank you for contacting Autotrader via the BBB. Here's a URL that discussess the escow fee.

***************************************************

Additionally, we are unable to share personal identifiable information with 3rd parties such as the BBB. Our titling team will be reaching out to assist with your DMV issue. Or, feel free to contact our Private ************************** at **************.

Regards,
Corporate Affairs
Customer Answer
Date: 01/20/2024
Complaint: 21153924

I am rejecting this response because:

1. Undisclosed and misleading business practices for PA buyers: I was presented and charged the $199 escrow fee after having test driven the car, negotiated with the seller and accepted the deal. The escrow fee (up to 2%) is not disclosed in the referenced FAQs: *************************************************** and the Escrow FAQs: *************************************************** and only presented at the time of processing the payment. The FAQs state "The escrow fee helps cover costs for shipping and other fees in securing your clean title so that you can remit tax and registration at your local DMV to receive your new perfected title and registration". Despite the amount not being listed, the sent title was nowhere close to being 'perfected' and could not be processed at either one of the two auto tag locations in the area. Autotrader also insisted I needed to go to DMV. Upon going to local PA DMV, I was told they do not process such paperwork and that I needed to go to a local auto tag place.

2. Unfulfilled 'escrow' services for PA buyers: If Autotrader is referencing the "What's the cost to by a car with Private Seller Exchange" which discusses the $199 documentation fee, in my case, Autotrader did not satisfy 2 of the four listed items.

a. 'They did not prepare documents (so that I did not have to!)'. In this case, they could not process the PA registration paperwork as they apparently not registered for this in **. In the Buyer's Guide "How do you register my car for me" for all other states, which would include **, Autotrader states: "Upon purchase, expect a temporary permit from a different state. No worries we'll handle the registration in your state. Depending on your state, additional paperwork might follow...." This is misleading as ** was is part of the "other states".

b. "Title Delivery to you or your lender (when applicable". Autotrader did not deliver the proper title and related paperwork to register the vehicle in PA.

As a PA consumer purchasing a vehicle from a local seller, the Autotrader services were unnecessary and misleading for the reasons listed above. The seller insisted we had to go through Autotrader. I incurred the extra $199 undisclosed escrow fee, Autotrader could not process the registration, and did not receive the proper title and documentation to register the vehicle.

Sincerely,

*********************
Business Response
Date: 01/24/2024
Sali,
Thank you for the note. We are unable to refund the escrow fee for your vehicle. Autotrader provided a packet of information to streamline the process at the BBB, and have been unsuccessful attempting to reaching you to assist with any issues you may have experienced at the DMV.

As was previously stated, we are unable to share personal information with 3rd parties such as the BBB. Please call Autotrader at ************** to assist.
Initial Complaint
Date:01/15/2024
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
On 1/2/24, my ad with Autotrader.com went live after posting the ad several days prior. I immediately noticed that the picture quality was terrible when viewed via a mobile device. This was confirmed by numerous individuals. I also noticed that any ad that was listed by a private party was not the same quality as a dealer ad. I called customer service and the agent was able to replicate the issue and said there was a problem and opened up a ticket with IT. On 1/12/24, I called again and spent 30 minutes on the phone to say the issue was resolved. Again, it wasnt as I and others were able to duplicate the issue. The phone call then dropped and Autotrader never called back. If I clicked Manage my Ad the pictures were high quality just as I uploaded them. If I viewed it as a potential buyer, the picture quality was downgraded. I have since shut down my ad and am requesting my $49 back. Screenshots have attached.
Business Response
Date: 01/16/2024
Thank you for reaching out to Autotrader via the BBB. We have reviewed the screenshots provided and identified no issues. We also reviewed your previous listing on our site and are unable to identify any issues with the photos. We are unable to offer a refund. Please call us at ************ if you have additional questions.
Customer Answer
Date: 01/16/2024

Complaint: 21149217

I am rejecting this response because:

The screenshots clearly show a reduction in quality and it was even documented by one of your own customer service agents.
Your agent even said wow, I cant read the words Cherokee Nation on the tag via the mobile ad but I can when I look at it another way.
This is a huge issue as most viewers look at it via a mobile device.

Sincerely,

*********************
Business Response
Date: 01/16/2024
Thank you for reaching out to Autotrader via the BBB. The screenshots provided do not display a tag. That being said, ************* on your ad, the vehicle tag displayed is extremely small, and when displayed on a mobile device would be hard to read as it would be on a smaller screen. We are unable to offer a refund on this complaint. If you have any questions, please contact us at **************.
Customer Answer
Date: 01/16/2024

Complaint: 21149217

I am rejecting this response because:
You are correct, these photos do not show the tag, as previously stated, this is what YOUR Agent said. If you go back and review the recorded phone call, youll note that there is an issue that was also identified by your agent.
Also the screenshots I provided clearly show a difference in quality.

Sincerely,

*********************
Initial Complaint
Date:12/24/2023
Type:Order Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
Paid $149 for ad and platform does not work properly. I am only able to see 1 of the photos out of 37 in the ad. I am unable to reply to the 1 message received. I have only had scammers contact m via my phone # in the ad. I have emailed and reported these issues to help on site with no response or resolution.
Business Response
Date: 01/31/2024
******,
Thank you for reaching out to Autotrader via the BBB. We have researched your case. All photos are showing on your listing. Here's the *** for your active listing with all photos appearing. *************************************************************************

The lack of good leads is likely due to the images uploaded. It appears all the images have been photoshopped, We would suggest uploading photos without all the background cut out as it makes the vehicle appear as if it's a model.

Unfortunately we are unable to offer a refund for this listing as it is active and shoppers have been able to interact with the seller.
Customer Answer
Date: 01/31/2024

Complaint: 21052039

I am rejecting this response because:
the photos are of the actual car without the surroundings shown. This should not have anything to do with every person interested being a scammer.
The issue of me not being able to respond vis email from your site upon receiving a message has not been addressed.

***********************************************
Business Response
Date: 01/31/2024
******,
For buyer's wishing to purchase your car, leads are sent to the email assigned to your account, and you would reply from there. There is no functionality on Autotrader Classics to reply to buyers on the platform. If you are unable to reply to an email sent to your personal account, you would need to contact your email provider.
Customer Answer
Date: 01/31/2024

Better Business Bureau:
I can see there will not be a resolution to this issue. I would not recommend a person to use this service to sell a vehicle in the future. Every potential buyer received through this service has been a scammer.

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is not satisfactory to me.

************************************************
Initial Complaint
Date:12/19/2023
Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
Within 24 hours of submitting an ad request to Auto Trader .com, I requested that my ad NOT BE PUBLISHED & that my $$ BE REFUNDED.Ad placed:Dec. 8, 2023 @ approx. 12:00 (noon) Autotrader Ad listing Thanks for listing your **** **** Econoline E150 Cargo with us! Your order for $49 is complete. You've just taken a big step by listing your car with Autotrader and it's a great step toward getting your car sold.Your ad ID is 10513394.Log into your account any time to review, edit, renew or remove your ad. Remember to click Save Changes at the bottom of the page when you're done.Our team will review your ad and send you an email as soon as it goes live.Where will my ad appear? Your ad will appear on Autotrader, KBB.com and perhaps on additional websites that we have partnerships with. 12/9/23 Auto Trader - Ad removal request:: Email Us To ask a question or offer feedback, please use the fields below.How can we help you?Select a choice ? Remove My Ad Please First Name ********* Last Name Hupala Email ****************** Comments Can I remove my ad & be refunded my payment since my ad has not been approved yet and has not gone live? Thank You Auto Trader Response:Thank you for contacting Autotrader.Your email has been sent and we look forward to reviewing it.Email confirmation was received 12/9/23 @ 5:35PM To: ********************************************> (This is the email address auto trader assigned to me.)This confirmation was received WELL AFTER I had sent my request to REMOVE THE **** believe that my REFUND should be honored.I have been in contact with their customer service ***** ***** several times now and they REFUSE TO REFUND, although they removed the ad promptly on 12/11/23 after I found their contact information online and connected with her explaining my situation and again REQUESTING MY REFUND. Once by phone call to: **************** & also via their website.I received NO BENEFIT FROM the ERRONEOUSLY posted ad on their website. Thank you

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AutoTrader.com is NOT a BBB Accredited Business.