Why are there no vehicle for sale meta searches like this

[Rmay635703]

Over the years, There have been multiple vehicle meta search sites that consolidate for sale ads across various platforms, locations, etc with minimal parameters.


https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/f...for-rust-free-fly-and-drive-cars/87920/page1/

But none that simplify tayloring the search to low rust areas.

Pretty much the lower rust states are understood.

Why haven’t any of the meta searches allowed limiting a search to those states?

Except for one car everyone I’ve bought I had to drive at least 100 miles, locally is very very sparse, the type of cars I buy I usually do nationwide searches and hone in, I would like to buy an older vehicle for a change but changing locations a dozen times is aggravating, not to mention I’m stuck doing that on all the big vehicle for sale apps z

 

[GON]

Over the years, There have been multiple vehicle meta search sites that consolidate for sale ads across various platforms, locations, etc with minimal parameters.


https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/f...for-rust-free-fly-and-drive-cars/87920/page1/

But none that simplify tayloring the search to low rust areas.

Pretty much the lower rust states are understood.

Why haven’t any of the meta searches allowed limiting a search to those states?

Except for one car everyone I’ve bought I had to drive at least 100 miles, locally is very very sparse, the type of cars I buy I usually do nationwide searches and hone in, I would like to buy an older vehicle for a change but changing locations a dozen times is aggravating, not to mention I’m stuck doing that on all the big vehicle for sale apps z

Maybe going to cars dot com or autotrader, use a zip code in Phoenix AZ, and then do a search for used vehicles withing 500 miles of Phoenix.

When I worked in Phoenix about 13 years ago, came across a guy who would buy vehicles in Wisconsin and ship an entire car carrier of Wisconsin vehicles to be sold on his Phoenix used car lot. This was his business model. Uneducated buyers thought they were buying "salt free" vehicles.

 

[duck__dodgers]

Because, like most companies, people---especially management--- who work at a company (Cars dot com, carbuzz, etc) "don't eat their own dog food" and aren't really "the car gals/guys" that their Linkedin bio says.

 

[eljefino]

If it were easy for everyone to do the value aspect would degrade so it's no longer worthwhile.

You're looking for arbitrage, a situation where a car in better shape sells for less money, to you, specifically. It's like being able to buy Apple stock for $200 while everyone else is paying $211.

Incidentally I got my tow dolly from a guy who brought rusted out Maine junkers down to South Carolina for a buddy's BHPH lot. He brought what he said were creampuffs back. If you're already making the trip, a backhaul doesn't need much profit to be worthwhile.

 

[Rmay635703]

If it were easy for everyone to do the value aspect would degrade so it's no longer worthwhile.

You're looking for arbitrage, a situation where a car in better shape sells for less money, to you, specifically. It's like being able to buy Apple stock for $200 while everyone else is paying $211.

Incidentally I got my tow dolly from a guy who brought rusted out Maine junkers down to South Carolina for a buddy's BHPH lot. He brought what he said were creampuffs back. If you're already making the trip, a backhaul doesn't need much profit to be worthwhile.

The cars I’m looking at are relatively “cheap” even when they are overpriced.

I have no interest in reselling.

Right now I’m looking at 1st gen Toyota RAV4’s (1999) and very specific Subarus.

I’ve found rust vrs sun damage is good enough in the Carolinas,
Arizona cars all have severe interior damage even if rust is low.

Not looking for a classic just a semi reliable, slow, low power beater that will last a few years.

Sadly most older southern cars have 400,000 miles on them and even searching nationwide there may only be 20 for sale

 

[duck__dodgers]

tough problem is that under a certain price (say $6,000), sellers will list on Facebook marketplace only (even Craigslist's demo has "aged out").....all the major national sites are too expensive for cheap cars.

You might just have to grind through all the local Facebook marketplace sites....though I imagine this would be an easy job for ChatGPT if it's allowed to scrape Facebook.

 

[redhat]

There is Searchtempest.com and AutoTempest.com that will search multiple areas of Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist.

 

[Rmay635703]

There is Searchtempest.com and AutoTempest.com that will search multiple areas of Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist.

They do but slow and very clunky, still stuck checking an odd dozen areas.

A feature I used to use was the ability of cars to combine any set of vehicle brands/models into one search, (along with setting the price range to anything) when I’m cross shopping that sped things up, now both are deprecated though I’ve found ways to bypass the limit.