When it comes to selling your used car for the most money there are several things to consider. Trading it in is not the best option so you’ll need to take care of all the details on your own. It can seem overwhelming but it really does not have to be.

Here’s a short guide to preparing your car for sale and how to get the most money out of it.

Make sure you read to the bottom. We produced a video that covers everything more in-depth!

Research the current value

This is probably the most important and why I listed it as the first step. You always ant to know and accurate value of your vehicle before listing it for sale. If you price it too low then you don’t get as much cash as you could.

If you price it too high then it could never sell or sit there in your driveway for months. I always suggest using Kelly Blue Book to value your ride. Make sure you have the VIN number and you’ll be all set.

Make it clean and shiny

Make sure to give the car a really good clean. Do it at home if you have the right cleaning products or take it to a detail shop if you don’t have the time.

It’s really important to make sure the car looks as clean as it can. With a clean ride you have a higher chance of selling and getting more money. People want to know that you took care of the car.

Take great photos

It seems like a simple task that everyone should do, but you would be surprised at how many car listings from private sellers have the worst photos. This is good news for you! If you just take the time to wash your car and take really good photos of it, then you will stand out from the rest.

Make sure you take pictures of the front, back, side, and each corner angle of the car. For interior shots make sure you get the dash, door panels, seats and shot of the gauge cluster showing the mileage of your car.

As a general rule the more pictures you include the better, and don’t try to hide anything. Be upfront, open and honest about the condition of your car.

Replace the tires

When people look at a used car, they want to buy it and drive it with little to no work needed. The condition of the tires can be a huge factor and negotiating point for the buyer. If your tires are worn out then I highly suggest buying new tires for it. They don’t have to be the most expensive, just something that is shiny and new.

Adding that new tire smell to your used car will help make the sale faster and increase the amount you can sell it for!

Set your asking price properly

Let face it, most people are going to lowball you or give you an offer way less than what you need or want for the car you’re selling. I suggest asking at least $1,000 or $2,000 more for your car than what you need depending on the value of your car. This way you have some room to negotiate. The newer your car is the higher your starting price should be.

Don’t trade or sell it to a dealer

This may be the easy route but it is also the best way to guarantee you get the least amount of money for your car. You can expect 10-20% less for your car than selling it private party. It may take a little more time but it’s totally worth it in the end.

Sell your car through FlipRide

Selling a car private party has always been tedious and complicated, until now.

When you sell a car using FlipRide, all of these annoying little details are taken care of for you. In minutes, not days. We take care of the title transfer, sale agreement contract, get the buyer a loan, and pay the seller. See how it works and get in the express lane.

Watch this!

I see you made it all the way to the bottom. Way to go! Check out this video we made that walks you through all of these steps in more detail.

If you’re in the market for a new car, you don’t like going to the dealership and you want to save some money, buying one from a private party seller might be a good choice for you. There are many benefits to buying private party but there are a few things to consider if you take this route.

In this article we will go over the best way to buy a used car, the right questions to ask, how to get financing and all the other little details that must be done. Consider this your go to guide for buying a car private party.

If you decide the dealership is not the way you want to go, here’s a few tips and tricks that will make the private-party buying process a little bit easier. We’re here to help you find your next ride and protect you from purchasing a car that’s not in as good of shape as the seller claims.

It all starts once you find the car you like. Let’s go!

Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle

If you’re really close to purchasing the car at this point, make sure you ask the seller if you can have a mechanic inspect the car. If they don’t allow you to do that, it’s safe to assume they are trying to hide some major issues. If they let you inspect it that’s good news. You probably found a car that is mechanically sound.

Have your tech give it a look and confirm everything is good. If they find something that needs to be fixed or replaced, you can use it to negotiate a lower price.

Once you confirm it’s mechanically sound, it’s time to move to the next step.

Get a vehicle history report and service records

It’s important to know the documented history of the vehicle at this point. You can ask the seller for any service records they may have, or if there is a dealership they frequently had work done at. It’s good to know if they have done the regular maintenance and oil changes on the car.

Get a CarFax report. CarFax is a service that supplies vehicle history reports to individuals and businesses on used cars and light trucks in North America. A report will include the following.

• Title Information
• Reported mileage
• How many owners it had
• Ownership type (individual, or commercial)
• Accident or damage history

Unfortunately, the CarFax will not show if there is any unreported damage. That’s why the next step is so important.

Ask the seller these questions

It’s important to know some specific things about the car. Her’s a list of questions you should ask before you hand over any money to the seller..

1. Why are you selling it?

This may seem silly, but it’s actually one of the most important questions you can ask. Know ing why they are selling can tell you a lot about the car. The owner may just need a bigger car or selling for personal financial reasons.

However, the seller may also be getting rid of the car because it seems to always have problems and is a financial drain. If it’s a good car for them but they just need something different, that’s great. If it’s a car full of problems, you may need to look at something else.

2. Are you the original owner?

It’s good to know how many owners the car has gone through. The less owners the better. Typically a one owner car is easier to learn the history, If they have owned it for a while, that means they have more than likely taken good care of it. Odds are high they will have all the service records as well. Too many owners and the history gets unclear. One owner cars make the best used cars to buy.

3. Has it been in an accident?

It’s good to know from the seller if it has ever been in an accident or had damage that could have been unreported to CarFax.

4. Does it have a lien (financed)?

If the car is financed then it will take a few weeks for you to get the title. The person selling the car will not have the title in hand. It will be held by the bank and released to you after the seller used what you gave them to pay off the note.

5. Do you have the title?

The most important question to ask if the car is not financed. Make sure they have the title and it’s “clear”. By this I mean that it is not a “salvage” title. A salvage title means the car was totaled by an insurance company. It was then fixed and put back on the road.

Do not buy a car with a salvage title or if the owner does not have a title for it. If you really want the car, ask the seller to get a title so you can then come back and buy it. If they refuse, walk away.

6. How many miles are on the car?

A simple question but it’s good to hear it directly from the seller.

7. Has anything major been repaired?

You want to buy a car that is well maintained and in good running condition. If anything major has been replaced like the engine, transmission or other vital parts is good to know. If it has a new engine or transmission this can be good news if the motor has lower miles than the chassis. If major things were replaced, find out why before you buy.

8. Does it have any modifications or aftermarket parts?

It’s important to know if anything on the car is aftermarket or has been modified. Things such as suspension, wheels, engine parts that increase the power, etc.

Most modified cars are driven harder than most, but those people tend to take care of them. Especially on the higher end vehicles. Find out if anything has been done and decide if it’s what you want from there.

After you go through these steps, it’s time to actually buy the car! Here’s the final steps.

Agree on a Price, Get Financing and Close the Deal

The first thing you should do before talking about price is look up the air market value of the vehicle using Kelley Blue Book. This will give you a general idea of what the vehicle you’re looking at sells for. Cars with less mileage or damage will be worth more. Once you know what the car is worth begin the negotiation process.

Negotiate with the seller and agree on a price for the vehicle. Once you do this you’ll more than likely need to get financing, unless you have the cash. You could spend hours or even weeks trying to arranging financing for your private party purchase. Instead you could use FlipRide. We will help you get financing and make the whole process fast and easy.

During a private party sale it’s also up to you to get the title from the seller. If they have the title in hand it can be signed and handed to you immediately. If they owe money on it you’ll have to more than likely make the check out to the lender and wait a few weeks for the title. Then you’ll need to register the car in your name.

It take many steps to get this part of the process done, but at FlipRide we’ve got something cool that takes care of all this complicated stuff in minutes. Let me tell you about it!

FlipRide Makes This Whole Thing Fast and Easy

When you buy from a private seller you can save a ton of money, but it’s also a lot more work to find that perfect car. It’s up to you and the seller to handle all the paperwork involved in transferring the car into your name.

The good news is that we started FlipRide to make all of this stuff basically “done for you” in minutes, not days. Our app will guide you through the entire sale from start to finish. We’ll help get you financing, validate the identity of the seller and buyer, provide a bill of sale, transfer the title to your name, and protect your used car in minutes.

Give it a look, we think it’s kinda cool!

The free mobile app aims to make buying or selling a car safe, fast, and easy

BOISE, IDAHO — July 6, 2020 — FlipRide, a startup based in Boise, Idaho, has officially launched its new mobile app, bringing a revolutionary solution to buying or selling a used car. From the free FlipRide mobile app, users can buy or sell a car, get a car loan, transfer a title, and create a sales agreement in minutes.

FlipRide has hit the market as the fastest and safest way to buy a used car. The app launched in the Apple App Store and Android Marketplace on June 22, 2020, and is currently available in Idaho. The company plans to expand availability to states throughout the western US in 2020.

The FlipRide app aims to remove the hassle of buying or selling a used car. The mobile app walks users through the transaction, ensuring that the purchase is safe, legitimate, and easy for both parties.

Features built-in to the app include:

• Safe mobile payment, with the option for a cash down payment if it works for both parties
• Sellers receive payment directly deposited through ACH
• Buyers can pay digitally, eliminating the need to carry cash or check
• Get approved for a competitive loan from a trusted bank
• Automatically transfer the car title
• Create a legally-binding sales agreement
• ID verification of buyer and seller
• Compatibility with marketplaces

FlipRide is led by Travis Hawkes, CEO, David Gardener, CFO, and Ricky Lyman, CTO. The company is backed by StageDotO, a VC fund for early-stage investing. For more information on FlipRide, visit www.flipride.com or download the free mobile app.

About FlipRide

Travis Hawkes founded FlipRide in 2019 after a hassle-filled experience buying his son his first car. He recognized that buying a car is an incredibly exciting experience and that selling a car gives way to new opportunities — yet the transaction is rarely simple or quick. FlipRide is here to make that transaction better than it’s ever been, for good.

No matter what you do, it’s going to happen.

You post your listing on Facebook to sell a car for 15k and within minutes someone asks, “will you take 5k”? This is called “lowballing” and it’s one of the biggest time wasters.

There’s a 100% chance that lowballing will happened when you try and sell your car, truck or SUV on Facebook Marketplace.

It’s nearly impossible to stop this from happening. So how can we help you put a stop to it? Or at least make it happen less?

It’s simple. Use FlipRide and follow the steps in this article.

Start a sale by inviting a buyer to make an offer.

Start a sale

Here is how to get more activity and serious buyers on your Facebook Marketplace listing.

1. In your listing let people know the car can be financed with FlipRide.

That’s right! We created FlipRide so you can now offer financing to anyone buying a car from you.

Use the following text and add it to your Marketplace listing description. Just copy/paste.

Finance and purchase this car using the FlipRide app! Message me for details.

2. Add this to your listing as your last photos.

3. Posting a potential monthly payment will get people’s attention.

Use this calculator to find the buyers monthly payment and put it in your listing copy.

For example: Asking $15,000 or $250/month with FlipRide.

Your Auto Loan Info

Loan Amount ($)

Interest Rate (%)

Length of Loan (Yrs)

4. Include the following information about FlipRide in the posting so the potential buyer can learn more.

What is FlipRide?

By using FlipRide to buy this vehicle, you can easily get financing, transfer money, fill out all the paperwork and get a buyer-seller agreement all in one free, easy-to-use mobile app.

Want to know more? Here’s how FlipRide works, in a nutshell!

It’s free to sell with FlipRide.

Sell your car, transfer the title, and get paid. Download FlipRide today to see what it’s all about.

Congratulations!

You just sold your car using FlipRide and you’ve already sent us a photo through the app to prove your ownership. Now it’s time for the final step, sending us the title.

Since you told us that you own the car and have the title, then a screen in our app more than likely brought you to this page. Here’s how you can sign your Idaho Title and send it to us.

We’ll take care of getting it to the new owner’s finance company while you sit back and count your money!

Step 1: Signing your title.

This part is fairly simple.

Under the section “Assignment of Title” you will print your name in box 3 and sign your name in box 4. See image below for an example of what this looks like.

After your title is signed, you can then send it to us. That’s covered in step 2.

Step 2: Sending it to FlipRide

Sending your Idaho car title to us is simple. Just put your signed title in an envelope and send it to the following address.

FlipRide
2775 W Navigator Dr #110,
Meridian, ID 83642

That’s it!

The transfer will be complete once we receive a signed title.

If you are looking for another car after selling this one, we would love it if you used FlipRide again for your next used vehicle purchase!

If you have any question, please feel free to Contact Us.

Lets face it, there are only a couple of purchases you’ll be making in your life that take a lot of thought, and planning. When you’re spending thousands of dollars on one specific item, it’s not something to take lightly.

Purchasing a house would be your #1 most costly purchase, and 2nd would be a new, or new to you vehicle. Cars aren’t as cheap as they used to be, just like everything else in this world, prices have inflated.

Knowing what to look for when sitting down at the dealer, and getting ready to sign those papers to make that car your own is a very important part of the process.

After you have negotiated the price of the car, it is just as important to read the fine print that comes along with signing the documents that state how much you will be purchasing the car for. If you aren’t careful, or knowledgeable in this process, you can actually lose money instead of getting a great deal on your new purchase.

There are some fees that you have to pay when purchasing a car, such as Tax, Title, Licensing, and some destination charges. However, dealerships will add on their own types of fees, this allows them to pass along their cost of said fees to the customer. In their own way they are having you pay for things they should be paying for.

Let’s make sure you are educated in what you really should be paying for, and what you should not be paying for.

What You Should Be Paying For:

The fees I am about to tell you about are normal fees that come along with the car buying process, and they are not negotiable.

First: Title and Registration Fee

When you purchase that new car, it has to be titled and registered into your name, many dealerships will take care of this process for you. Registering the vehicle with states DMV or Department of Motor Vehicles is a requirement and a fee that you can not get away without paying, as these things are required by State Law. The dealer will collect this fee from you and then submit it for you as well. Basically you are paying them to handle all of that, instead of you having to do this yourself. They will also take care of getting your new plates during this process as well.

Second: Sales Tax

Just like anything else in this world that we purchase, that shiny new car of yours will also have sales tax that needs to be paid. No way around this one at all. Sales tax varies by state, so you will need to look up what your state requires from you when you purchase a car. Keep in mind as well, the sales tax rate is also not negotiable.

Third: Destination Fees or Charges

The destination fee, or destination charge, dealers will call this one or the other, covers the cost the dealership pays to get the car delivered from the factory. That’s right, those cars aren’t delivered to the dealers for free, they still have to pay a price to get them on their lot. These destination fees or charges can not be negotiated. Even if you choose to pick up your shiny new car from the factory itself, they can still charge this fee to you.

Last, but not least: Documentation Fees

When you purchase a car, there is a ton of paperwork that goes into the deal. From the papers you sign, to the papers that are needed to register your car, someone has to prepare and send all this for you. The dealer has to add on a documentation fee, or they may also call it a processing fee, handling fee or conveyance fee.

Different states handle how this is charged differently so do some research before heading off to the dealer for that new car. A lot of states will put a cap on how much a dealer is allowed to charge for this fee.

If you find the fee is too much for you, you can always try to negotiate the sales price down a bit to offset these fees.

With all these fees that you can’t get taken off of your deal, you also need to be aware of the fees you can use to negotiate with.

Fees That Might Be Negotiable

You’ve spent who knows how long hunting down that perfect new car, you’ve done the test drive, you have dealt with the sales person, and now it’s time to take care of the financing part of the process.

Here is where your power to negotiate comes into play. They take you into what they call the F & I Office, aka Finance and Insurance, here they will help you secure a loan for the car, unless you have already done this yourself prior to this moment.

In this office is where you are able to negotiate the cost, knowing that you can always say no to everything and still leave with your new car. They will try to upsell you on everything possible, but that’s the beauty of it all, this is all in your hands.

First: Advertising Fees

That’s right, the dealer is trying to offset their cost of having to advertise, whether that be by TV ads, radio ads, or any other form of advertising, they are trying to pass this along to their customers.

Keep in mind, if you go to a big name dealer, say Ford, Chevrolet, ect, those dealers get an advertising budget from those manufacturers, but still try to double dip when they can.

This is something you can try to negotiate out, but keep in mind this one could go either way. However, this may play into your favor as most places will try nearly anything to not lose a sale.

Second: Dealer Preparation Fee

This fee they slip in on you as well. I mean, you’re buying a new car from them, so shouldn’t the wash and detailing be a courtesy feature, just my thoughts on that. So keep an eye out for this one in that fine print section of your contract.

Third: Extended Warranties and Maintenance Plans

This one here is my personal favorite. Be careful to make sure you understand your manufacturer warranty on your new vehicle first. This maybe something you don’t even need. If you already have a 6 year/100,000 mile warranty why would you need to purchase a warranty that covers the exact same time frame and miles as the manufacturer warranty already does. Yes, an extended warranty is a good thing to have when the time comes and your manufacturer warranty is expiring. This can definitely be opted out of, or negotiated down.

Fourth: GAP Insurance

GAP Insurance is not negotiable whatsoever, but this is a completely optional purchase for you. This isn’t something that you have to have in order to walk out the door with your new car.

If you didn’t already know, the moment you drive your new car off the lot, it has already begun to depreciate in value. What GAP Insurance is good for is that it covers the difference between your loan and the value of your vehicle if it’s totaled or stolen.

Say you were to get into an accident, or have your car stolen just a week after purchase, your insurance company will only cover the cost of what the estimated value of the car is. They will NOT cover the amount you still owe on this car. That’s where the GAP comes into play.

Though it’s an optional purchase when buying your new car, it is still a good thing to have, because you never know what life may throw at your new ride.

In Conclusion:

It is just as important to know the amount you are willing to spend on your car, as it is to know what you can and not not negotiate when purchasing. IT’s always best to go into a large purchase with all the knowledge at your fingertips.

Being prepared, and knowing where you can save some of your hard earned cash is very important, wouldn’t you agree?

Buying used cars has almost become the status quo in our modern society. Finding a cheap and affordable slightly older vehicle is almost always more convenient than the nightmarish process of buying off a lot, but that doesn’t mean the process is inherently simple either.

In fact, with so many people out there willing to distort the truth or blatantly lie simply to get some money for their ‘lemon’ vehicles, the key (pun intended) to buying a used car all comes down to knowing the tricks and knowing what to look for before making the deal. Fortunately, when it comes to the car itself, we’ve got you covered with our ultimate list of what to check when buying a used car. However, what about the car owner themselves?

This is where we decided to delve deep and present to you the five most common used car sales scams individual sellers pull and how exactly to avoid them without fail.

Why Purchase a Used Car From an Individual Seller?

Before we can delve into the scams themselves, let’s elaborate on why individual sellers are a very common and highly viable option for used car purchases. For starters, in almost every situation, buying from a private seller leads to a cheaper price on your desired vehicle. You also won’t find financing our warranties on vehicles sold in between two individuals rather than from a lot.

On top of this, many people actually prefer to have quick and simple transactions which individual sellers provide. No sales pitches, sense of urgency tactics, or embellishments to make you buy the car. Instead, it’s simply two people talking about a car, going through the streamlined process, and then moving on with their lives.

Lastly, many people enjoy working with individual sellers because this means that they can inspect the car in a less pushy manner, can likely have their mechanic look it over before purchasing it, and can pay in cold hard cash.

With these benefits outlined, it’s no wonder why so many people turn to AutoTrader, CraigsList, and FlipRide in search of their dream used car within their budget. But, this is also where the scams start to unfold in some unfortunate cases.

What are the 5 Main Scams to Avoid and how to Spot Them?

Before outlining the five scams, it is important to note that car dealerships can rip you off as well. However, in any used car purchase, the best way to avoid the scams is simply to know what they are, how to detect them, and how to avoid them from happening to you. Having said that, let’s analyze these five scams thoroughly and see exactly how to skirt past these nefarious dealings each and every time below.

1. “I’ve only driven this car a few times so the mileage is very low”

When you hear this highly common phrase when looking at a used car, especially an older model car, you can almost always be sure that they are lying to you. Why? Well, the average miles per year on a used car sits at 12,000 meaning that if you are purchasing a 2005 vehicle, you can expect the odometer to read no less than 180,000 miles.

Therefore, if the odometer reads less than this, you are more than likely dealing with an odometer fraud case. The best way to determine this is simply to compare the mileage on the odometer with the mileage indicated on the vehicle’s maintenance records. You can also head over to CarFax for a free odometer check. The minute that any of these numbers don’t add up, your best bet is to not make the purchase and to simply move on to the next vehicle on your list.

2. “I know it’s way underpriced but I just want it gone”

Although we’d all like to believe we’ve found the deal of the century, there’s an old saying about that very feeling, “If it seems too good to be true, it’s likely because it is.”

Too good to be true deals on used cars are few and far between. As such, if someone says that they have a vehicle which goes for $10,000 used and they’re selling it for $1500, you can bet that this vehicle has some sort of underlying damage they are not revealing to you that is forcing them to sell it as quickly as possible.

When a vehicle is far less than it normally runs for online, this creates a sense of urgency to purchase it which makes the buyer less likely to look it over for damage or check its validity. With this being said, if the car is going for an astronomically low price, don’t bother trying to buy it and instead stay within a reasonable range of the car’s actual value to ensure you are receiving a fully-functional vehicle.

3. “The car comes as is but it worked just fine when I drove it”

When people use the phrase ‘as-is’, it is almost always because there is something wrong with the vehicle and they don’t want to relay that information with the potential buyers.

Instead, they say the vehicle hasn’t been driven in a while but worked fine for them the last time they drove it, they underplay any kind of damage, and then, when the vehicle’s damage becomes apparent, they deny it is because of them and blame you. The ‘as-is’ part of the ad also makes them feel as though they aren’t responsible for what happens after it leaves their property and this is where the problem herein lies.

The best way to avoid this particular scam is to ask them for the vin number and to check the vehicle online for any records of past damage. You can also request that your mechanic looks the vehicle over before you make any decisions. If the seller is hesitant or confrontational about either of these requests, you have your answer and can move onto the next vehicle option on your list.

4. “This is my friend’s car and I’m just here to sell it for them”

Although a true car enthusiast would likely immediately recognize the scam here, there are still some that won’t. For instance, my very own mother made this glaring mistake and purchased a stolen Camaro unknowingly only to have it impounded by the police and for her to be out thousands of dollars in exchange with no chance of getting her money back.

Therefore, if you haven’t heard this scam before, it simply is a way for someone to deny knowledge of the state of the car, any kinds of discrepancies in paperwork, and even who they are. The best way to work around this if you encounter someone like this is to check if the title and registration match, run the VIN online, ask for the ID of the seller and take a photo of it for your records, and still have the vehicle checked over by your mechanic before purchasing.

In this way, you can ensure that the vehicle is not stolen. However, if a person denies any of these requests, the next step to take is to leave and to call your local non-emergency police department line in order to report the vehicle and seller. While you may have seen through their ploy, others might not be so lucky so it is always best to call in a suspicious seller as soon as possible to save others from being scammed by them as well.

5. “This car was in a very minor accident with the last owner”

Lastly, if someone tells you the car has been in a minor accident but won’t give you any additional information, this may be because the vehicle was in more than a ‘minor’ accident and has serious damage that may not be cosmetic in nature. The best way to check this is to run the VIN online and look at its records and reports thoroughly.

However, you will also want to have your mechanic look over the vehicle at this point as well because not every accident is documented. If the individual simply smashed into a wall or hit a curb that damaged a rim, this wouldn’t be found online which could result in you purchasing a damaged car despite taking the initial precautions to avoid just that.

Once you have checked the vehicle over and looked at its reports to find they all check out, you can rest assured that the vehicle you are purchasing is reliable and you are making the right decision without being scammed in any way.

In the end, while these five scams are highly common and easy to catch with a keen eye, the best way to avoid any and all scams with ease is to buy your next vehicle through the wonderful process on FlipRide. With everything streamlined, all of the process easily verifiable, and every document saved in a convenient location, you can rest assured that you are getting the right car for you without the fear of being scammed in the process. To learn more, check out the FlipRide system and app today!

Here is how to get more activity and serious buyers on your Facebook Marketplace listing.

We created FlipRide so you can now offer financing to anyone buying a car from you. The buyer can get a car loan, you get paid fast, we transfer the title, and create a sales agreement in minutes.

In your listing let people know the car can be financed with FlipRide.

Use the following text and add it to your Marketplace listing description. Just copy/paste.

Finance and purchase this car using the FlipRide app! Message me for details.

Add these 2 images to your listing as your last photos.

Posting a potential monthly payment will get people’s attention.

Use this calculator to find the buyers monthly payment and put it in your listing copy.

For example: Asking $15,000 or $250/month with FlipRide.

Your Auto Loan Info

Loan Amount ($)

Interest Rate (%)

Length of Loan (Yrs)

Include the following information about FlipRide in the posting so the potential buyer can learn more.

What is FlipRide?

By using FlipRide to buy this vehicle, you can easily get financing, transfer money, fill out all the paperwork and get a buyer-seller agreement all in one free, easy-to-use mobile app.

Want to know more? Here’s how FlipRide works, in a nutshell!

It’s free to sell with FlipRide.

Sell your car, transfer the title, and get paid. Download FlipRide today to see what it’s all about.

Buying a car for a teen driver is a big decision. At the end of the day you want to feel confident about the car your kid is buzzing around in. That means while car shopping, the safety features, crash test scores, and reliability should come before the car’s cool factor. It may seem like white noise, but safety ratings and features are incredibly important.

According to the CDC, every day six teens aged 16 to 19 die from motor vehicle injuries, and drivers aged 16 to 19 are nearly three times more likely to be in a fatal car crash than drivers aged 20 and older. The bottom line: you want a car with outstanding safety features that can make up for what your inexperienced driver lacks.

Knowing that safety and reliability are the must-haves, every vehicle on this list has continuously received high safety ratings and good reviews. Practical price range was factored in next. For most of us, buying a brand new car for a brand new driver doesn’t really make sense. Buying used will definitely save you some cash and because safety features have come a long, long way, there’s a lot of used car options to choose from that you can feel confident putting your teen in.

In no particular order, here are the top ten used cars for teen drivers in 2020.

1. Honda Accord – 2013 and newer

Full disclosure: this was actually my first car ever (and no that isn’t why it’s at the top of the list). My sister and I “shared” the car, which really means the first time I ever got to drive it was when she went off to college. When she bought her own car, guess what she bought? Yep — a Honda Accord.

Honda Accord has been considered the gold standard for mid-size sedans for years and for good reason. They can seemingly run forever with little problems and are extremely reliable commuting cars. 2016 models and newer come with an awesome standard safety package that includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and lane and road departure intervention. The Accord also is an IIHS Top Safety Pick and has been for over 30 years. Its moderate price point doesn’t hurt either.

2. Toyota Prius – 2016 and newer

Looking for a good car that can be both the commuter car and your kid’s escape car? Consider a Toyota Prius. In addition to amazing fuel economy (like 50+ MPG amazing), it has near perfect safety scores from IIHS and a five-star rating from NHTSA. You can equip the car with Toyota Safety Sense which includes lane departure alert, a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, blind spot monitors, rear cross traffic-alert, and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

Another selling point is the impressive cargo space. With 27.1 cubic feet behind the back seat and 65.5 cubic feet with rear seats folded there’s more than enough room to haul gear, sports equipment and even that science project your kid spent the entire night putting together. 

3. Toyota Camry – 2016 or newer

Toyotas are notoriously reliable vehicles (hence two different models making the list) and the practicality and price point of the Toyota Camry is hard to beat. Though the Camry is a midsize car, it’s very spacious inside and has user-friendly technology that won’t take your teen’s eyes off the road. 

Awarded a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS, the Camry has a standard rearview camera and has a host of other safety features available like blind spot monitoring, forward collision warnings, automatic emergency braking and rear cross-traffic warnings. If you are looking for a no-frills reliable car and won’t break the bank, the Toyota Camry is it. 

4. Buick LaCrosse – 2016 or newer

Some people steer towards smaller, compact cars for their teens. The Buick LaCrosse can change those minds. With excellent scores in safety and reliability, the LaCrosse has been deemed the best large cars for teen drivers. It was awarded a five-star overall safety rating by NHTSA and IIHS gave it the highest possible rating in all the crash tests. 

Go beyond the LaCrosse’s impressive safety features with “Teen Driver” mode. Teen Driver is enabled as soon as your teen enters the vehicle with their personal key fob, which implements all the features that you choose like maximum speed limit, configurable audio volume limit, and more. Basically, those eyes on the back of your head are in the car now. 

5. Mazda CX-5 – 2013 or newer

The Mazda CX-5 is one of the best crossovers in terms of safety and budget. It’s a sporty compact SUV and has excellent handling, so your teen can get that “Zoom Zoom” feeling while you can rest assured knowing the car stands out for being safe. Plus, the interior is quiet and comfortable for a steady ride leaving your teen feeling confident and in control.

The CX-5 has earned a coveted Top Safety Pick+ designation from IIHS and a perfect crash test rating from NHTSA. Like all cars, the newer the model, the more safety features available. In the newest models, forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection are standard.

6. Subaru Forester – 2014 or newer

Subarus are super popular in areas of the country that get a variety of weather. The Forester is a practical car that comes standard with all-wheel drive, a rarity for a compact SUV. The roomy crossover earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating and received near perfect scores in NHTSA crash testing.

Subaru Forester is a great compact SUV for those who value practicality over style and are especially popular for hauling around gear and precious cargo. 

7. Toyota RAV4 – 2015 or newer

Toyota RAV4 is an excellent compact crossover. It’s earned a Top Safety Pick from IIHS and is known for being reliable and stylish. It has been popular with younger drivers since its inception and the car’s excellent handling and safety features bring peace of mind to parents. The optional all-wheel drive is fantastic for driving in varying weather conditions or heavy winters. 

If you are looking to give your new driver a sense of confidence with the size and handling of a smaller SUV, be sure to consider the Toyota RAV4.

8. Hyundai Tucson – 2015 or newer

The Hyundai Tucson is a top-notch small SUV with the best safety features available. Forward collision warning, automatic braking, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and parking sensors are available to the 2016 and newer models. The 2015 model still has some assistance, like lane departure warning and rear-cross traffic alert. 

The Tucson also earned the highest score in every crash test and was named a Top Safety Pick+ by IIHS. Known for being super reliable and a great price point, The Hyundai Tucson is a must-consider for compact SUVs.

9. Chevrolet Equinox – 2015 or newer

While the Chevy Equinox is a compact SUV, it feels like a full-size on the inside. The “multi-flex” second row can be stowed to open up the Equinox, making it an amazing choice for active teens. The newer models also have optional Teen Driver mode, which allows parents to coach their new driver by setting speed alerts, volume limits, tailgate warnings and more. The system has an in-vehicle report card, aimed to help new drivers improve performance over time.

Chevy Equinox is your go-to for lots of room, excellent handling and good gas mileage at an average price point.

10. Hyundai Santa Fe – 2014 or newer

In addition to being safe, the Hyundai Santa Fe is sleek and sporty. It’s earned Top Safety Pick+ rating from IIHS and has safety features available including rear-cross traffic alert, blind spot detection and a safe exit assist system that makes it safer to exit the vehicle. 

The Santa Fe has an upscale interior and lots of features, and the newer the model the better they get. The Sport model is a solid option for those that need two rows of seating. Alternatively the 3-row Santa Fe is one of the least expensive of its kind, but the third seat isn’t very roomy and significantly limits cargo space. Overall, it’s a good option for teens on the go.

In conclusion

When it comes to buying your teen’s first car, you want to take your time and not rush into a decision. With FlipRide, you can spend your energy finding the perfect car for your family. Once you’re ready to buy, things are easy with simple payment and document transfers. 

Having a new driver on the road is enough to worry about. Make ownership simple and painless with a little help from FlipRide.

Despite being a relatively new innovation, the evolution of automobiles has been swift and significant. Just compare a Ford Model T (1908) and a Tesla Roadster (2008) — both are a revolutionary vehicle for its time, yet they are hardly the same machine.

While eco-friendliness, gas mileage and modern technology are excellent and necessary advancements, by far the most important improvement in the history of the automobile is in its safety features.

A Not-So-Safe Start

When automobiles first became available to middle-class America in the early 1910s, traffic-related deaths soared. Uncontrolled driver behavior, poor road configuration, and automobile design were all to blame, yet it took far too long for Americans to connect the dots with vehicle design and safety. It wasn’t until the late 1920s that safety concerns took hold in manufacturing and upgrades started on things like brakes, windshields, and body structure.

Though cars were getting needed improvements, we wouldn’t see today’s bare-minimum standards like seat belts and airbags for another thirty years in the early 1950s. And still, it wasn’t mandatory to actually wear a seat belt until 1984 — and that only applied in certain states.

Stepping Up the Safety Standards

Vehicle safety has come a long, long way and yet every year, approximately 1.35 million people die in car crashes and an additional 20-50 million suffer non-fatal injuries. It may be better than it was, but that is still too many lives lost.

Rest assured, cars are getting safer every year. And as technology and research drive advances to safety features, it raises the bar for safety standards. To analyze which manufactures and models are making strides in vehicle safety, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) releases an annual report detailing the safest vehicles for the given year.

For the 2020 edition, 23 vehicles earned a Top Safety Pick+ from IIHS and another 41 earned Top Safety Pick. To earn a spot on the list, a vehicle must score the highest level of “good” on all six crash assessments, including a passenger-side crash test that evaluates the safety of passengers when there is a small overlap between cars involved in a crash. 2020 is the first year a “good” rating for all six tests has been required to make the list.

Vehicles on the list also had to score “good” or “acceptable” for headlight performance and had to score an “advanced” or “superior” rating for available front crash prevention in both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations.

2020 Results

Hyundai Motor Group, which includes vehicles under the Hyundai, Kia and Genesis brands, had 14 total vehicles on the list — the most of any other automaker.

Mazda had more Top Safety Pick+ winners than any automaker with five vehicles in top spots, including the Mazda CX-3 SUV and the Mazda 3 hatchback and sedan. Subaru was close behind with four vehicles in top spots, including the Subaru Forester SUV, the fan-favorite Subaru Outback and the new Subaru Crosstrek hybrid.

What didn’t make the list? Minivans and pickups. The noticeable absence was “due to the vehicles’ lack of automatic emergency braking in pedestrian detection,” according to USA Today.

Without further ado, here are the safest vehicles of 2020:

The safest small cars:

Honda Insight sedan – Top Safety Pick+
Mazda 3 hatchback – Top Safety Pick+
Mazda 3 sedan – Top Safety Pick+
Subaru Crosstrek hybrid – Top Safety Pick+
Honda Civic coupe
Honda Civic hatchback
Honda Civic sedan
Hyundai Elantra sedan
Hyundai Elantra GT hatchback
Hyundai Veloster hatchback
Kia Forte sedan
Kia Soul wagon
Subaru Crosstrek wagon
Subaru Impreza sedan
Subaru Impreza wagon
Subaru WRX sedan
Toyota Corolla hatchback
Toyota Corolla sedan

The safest midsize cars:

Mazda 6 – Top Safety Pick+
Nissan Maxima – Top Safety Pick+
Subaru Legacy – Top Safety Pick+
Subaru Outback (built after October 2019) – Top Safety Pick+
Toyota Camry – Top Safety Pick+
Honda Accord sedan
Hyundai Sonata sedan
Nissan Altima sedan

The safest midsize luxury cars:

Lexus ES – Top Safety Pick+
Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan – Top Safety Pick+
Tesla Model 3 – Top Safety Pick+
BMW 3 series sedan
Volvo S60 sedan

The safest large cars:

Kia Stinger

The safest large luxury cars:

Audi A6 – Top Safety Pick+
Genesis G70 (built after December 2019) – Top Safety Pick+
Genesis G80 – Top Safety Pick+
Audi A7 hatchback

The safest small SUVs:

Mazda CX-3 – Top Safety Pick+
Mazda CX-5 – Top Safety Pick+
Subaru Forester – Top Safety Pick+
Chevrolet Equinox
Ford Escape
Honda CR-V
Hyundai Kona
Hyundai Tucson
Kia Sportage
Lexus UX
Lincoln Corsair
Mazda CX-30
Toyota RAV4
Volvo XC40

The safest midsize SUVS:

Mazda CX-9 – Top Safety Pick+
Ford Edge
Hyundai Palisade
Hyundai Santa Fe
Kia Sorento
Kia Telluride
Subaru Ascent
Toyota Highlander
Volkswagen Tiguan

The safest midsize luxury SUVs:

Acura RDX – Top Safety Pick+
Cadillac XT6 (built after October 2019)– Top Safety Pick+
Hyundai Nexo – Top Safety Pick+
Lexus NX – Top Safety Pick+
Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class (built after July 2019) – Top Safety Pick+
Lexus RX

The safest large SUVs:

Audi Q8

In Conclusion

Everyone wants to feel safe driving their car. We believe everyone should feel safe buying or selling their car, too. By using FlipRide to buy or sell your vehicle, you can easily transfer money, paperwork and get a buyer-seller agreement all in one free, easy-to-use mobile app. With FlipRide, you can make sure the experience of buying the car is as safe as the car itself.