Shift Car Sales Review for 2024

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Last Updated: March 10, 2023

Pros and Cons of Shift Car Sales

Shift Car Sales: An Overview

Shift is a legit online used car platform based in San Francisco. The marketplace was started in 2013 as a facilitator of consignment car deals. After a few years, the platform started acquiring used cars and changed the business model to buying and selling used cars.

Today, Shift.com is one of the biggest marketplaces for selling and buying used cars. The platform claims to handle every aspect of used vehicles independently, including DMV paperwork, financing, and test drives. Shift requires passing a 150-point inspection to sell and buy used cars. The company also has professional and certified technicians to review the service records and previous history of the vehicles you want to sell. If your car meets the standards set by Shift, you can put it on the website for sale.

Shift is the best platform for those who want to sell their used cars at competitive rates and get paid quickly. The online marketplace deals with different types of used vehicles, such as:

• Junk cars 
• Used cars 
• Accident damaged cars 
• Non-running cars 
• Water damaged cars

Shift.com is a legitimate company having more than 75,000 happy customers. The platform also has a 4.1-star rating on Trustpilot, 2.9 stars on Facebook and seems to have the least amount of complaints from online car retailers. However, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) must still accredit the marketplace. 

Categories of Vehicles Shift.com Supports

Shift.com sells two categories of cars, which are:

Value Vehicles

Value vehicles have more signs of wear and more miles than standard cars. However, these cars still pass the 150-point inspection of the company to bolster their excellent mechanical condition. In addition, value vehicles are categorized because of their affordability.

Certified Vehicles

On the other hand, certified vehicles come in excellent physical and mechanical condition. Shift also offers a 30-day money-back warranty on its Certified vehicles. In addition, certified cars have good functionality and are more expensive than Value vehicles. 

Process of Selling a Used Car on Shift

Shift features the most uncomplicated process for selling your used cars on its website. The basic process includes the following steps:

• Please provide your vehicle information, like its make, model, age, mileage, and license plate 
• Provide your car's history by answering some questions
• Once you've provided all the information about your vehicle, you will get its estimated value within 2 minutes 
• Save the assessed value or schedule evaluation for later 
• If you go with the estimated value of Shift, the next step will be an appraisal. The Shift Concierge will inspect your vehicle. You can book an appointment at the Shift location or your place. The Concierge will evaluate the condition and functionality to ensure you've provided the correct information.
• After a 150-point inspection, you will receive a final offer from Shift that will be valid for seven days.
• If you sell your car within seven days, the next step will be paperwork and payment. The Shift Concierge will manage all the paperwork and leave it with your vehicle. Payments often take 24 hours to process but take 3-4 days to appear in your bank account.
  

Process of Buying a Used Car on Shift

Like car-selling, Shift.com features the simplest, most transparent, and most accessible car-buying process. You can find your favorite car and book test drives on the official website of Shift. It lets you complete the used car buying process within a day by using the following approach:

Search for Vehicles

Browsing through Shift inventory is the first step of buying a car through Shift.com. You can use filters on the website to search for different types of vehicles.

Book a Test Drive

After selecting a car, you can book a test drive at your nearest Shift location or home. A Shift Concierge will help you inspect the vehicle, drive it, and ask questions about its mechanical and cosmetic condition. If you wish to buy the car just after test driving, Shift Concierge will handle all the paperwork and leave the car with you.

Payment Procedure

Test drive is entirely optional for buying a car through Shift.com. Instead, you can directly schedule delivery and deposit money online. If you use this approach, a virtual Purchase Advisor of Shift will work with you to handle financing and delivery.

Shift Fees

Shift is a well-known online marketplace famous for its fair and competitive rates. Unlike other dealers, Shift does not demand hidden fees from its users. Instead, it charges a delivery fee if your purchased car is outside your immediate area. The company also does not include any state tax or title in the final price of your purchase.



Here is a quick breakdown of Shift fees:

Delivery Fee

Shift charges a delivery fee for most purchases, consistent with other online car dealers. However, this delivery fee may vary depending on your location.

Services Fee

Shift charges an affordable service fee for its Concierge services. However, the company needs to provide exact information on its official website about services fee.

Shift Deposit Fee

Shift allows you to place a deposit of $250 on a vehicle you schedule a test drive for. This deposit fee is non-refundable whether you purchase the vehicle or not. However, this fee can hold your selected car for 72 hours.

Shift Vehicle Selection Comparison

I went ahead and put some numbers together to see the variety of vehicles that Shift has to offer when compared to competitors such as Carvana, CARMAX, or Vroom. It comes as no surprise that Shift has way less cars, since it's a much smaller company operating in less locations. However, it does make up for a lot with their customer service.

Shift Warranty

Shift offers a 30-day money-back powertrain warranty on its Certified vehicles, but Value vehicles lack this feature. Along with a warranty, Shits also features a GAP insurance and protection package:

GAP Insurance

GAP insurance offered by Shift.com aims to fill the gap between what your vehicle insurance pays and what you will owe in the event of an auto theft or accident. This insurance ensures you don't need to pay more than the car is worth. It can extend the existing car insurance up to $50,000.

Protection Package

You can buy Shift's vehicle protection package with a 30-day powertrain warranty and GAP insurance. This protection plan covers rental cars, towing, mechanical repairs, and roadside assistance. The program offers more range than the powertrain warranty. As it includes:

• Emergency fuel 
• Key lockout 
• Towing 
• Suspension 
• Power steering 
• Air conditioning 
• Drive axel 
• Cooling system 
• Electrical 
• Engine 
• Transmission 



Shift provides no information about the cost of its GAP insurance and vehicle protection plan.

Shift Online Reputation vs Carvana and Vroom?

Shift, Carvana, and Vroom have received mixed reviews regarding their online reputation across various platforms. So let's take a closer look at how they stack up:

1. Trustpilot: On Trustpilot, all three companies have received mixed reviews, with Shift holding a slightly higher rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, compared to Carvana's 4.0 and Vroom's 1.2.
2. Better Business Bureau (BBB): The BBB has not accredited any of the three companies, with Shift holding a D- rating, Carvana holding an NR rating, and Vroom holding an F rating. Shift has received by far less complaints than Carvana and Vroom, with Vroom having horrendous reviews with a note about a Government action against the business.
3. Facebook Reviews: On Facebook, Shift has received positive reviews with a rating of 2.9 out of 5 stars, while Carvana and Vroom have hidden or not enabled their Facebook ratings.

Shift seems to have a better online reputation than Carvana and Vroom. While all three companies have received mixed reviews, Shift has a higher Trustpilot rating and BBB rating than Carvana and Vroom. Additionally, Shift has received more positive reviews on Facebook. However, it's important to note that online reputation is just one factor when evaluating online car dealers. Factors such as car selection, pricing, and buying process should also be considered.

Shift Sell Car Reviews

Overall, Shift.com has a positive rating from its users. Most positive customer reviews revolve around the fair and simplest car-buying and selling process. Only a few users complain about the transparency of the platform. The Shift also has an excellent rating on Trustpilot, Facebook, and Cars.com.

Final Verdict: Is Shift Worth the Hype?

Shift is an excellent option if you're looking for a legit online platform to sell your used car or buy a used car. It is a renowned platform for its fair, convenient, and transparent services. The forum requires you to complete a 150-point inspection process to sell a car on its website. When you buy a Certified used vehicle through Shift, you will enjoy a 30-day powertrain warranty. In addition, you can purchase a GAP insurance and vehicle protection program from Shift to avoid the expensive auto repairs associated with used cars.

The Car Data Review Methodology for Online Car Dealers

We have developed a comprehensive methodology for evaluating online car dealers at The Car Data. Our methodology involves a multi-step process that takes into account a variety of factors that are important to car buyers. Below is an overview of our methodology:

1. Online Reputation: We heavily weigh the online reputation of online car dealers by evaluating their presence on popular review websites and social media platforms. We examine the overall sentiment of customer reviews and the frequency of negative reviews.
2. Official Complaints: We evaluate official complaints against online car dealers with official agencies, such as the BBB (Better Business Bureau) or Attorney General's Office, and examine their resolution.
3. Car Availability: We assess the availability of cars the online dealer offers and their quality. This includes the selection of models, the variety of features available, and the number of cars in stock.
4. Ease of Use of Services: We evaluate the ease of use of the online dealer's services, including their website's navigation and user interface, and analysis of the convenience of their purchasing process.
5. Other Factors: We also consider other factors such as financing options, warranties, delivery options, and any additional services offered.

By taking into account these factors, we can objectively evaluate online car dealers, helping our readers make informed decisions when purchasing a car online.