Used Automatic Cars for Sale

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How buying a used automatic car through Carwow works

Find a car

Use Carwow to browse and compare used vehicles, advertised by a network of trusted dealers. You can search by make and model, or apply filters to find the perfect car for you.

Contact the dealer

Once you’ve found a car you’d like to buy, you can contact the dealer to arrange the next steps, whether that’s asking a question or taking it for a test drive.

Buy the car

When you’re happy to buy, you can do so at a fixed price, safe in the knowledge all models sold through carwow are mechanically checked and come with a warranty.

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Used automatic cars FAQs

Do automatic cars use more fuel?

It depends on the particular make and model. As a rule of thumb, yes, automatic models use a little more fuel than cars with a manual gearbox, but these days the difference in economy is very small.

Are automatic cars being phased out?

No. If anything it’s the other way around. It’s hard to find a large modern car with a manual gearbox as most are automatics. All electric cars are autos and almost all hybrids use an automatic transmission. Manual gearboxes are still popular with small car buyers, but even if you are shopping for a small used car there are plenty of autos to choose from.

What is the best second-hand automatic car to buy?

Wow, that’s a tough question. If you want a small car, the latest Renault Clio hybrid is hard to beat. The Toyota Yaris hybrid also makes a good buy. If you need a bit more space, try a Ford Focus with the PowerShift auto ’box. If you want a premium badge, look at a second-hand BMW 3 Series automatic or the larger 5 Series. The Volvo XC40 is a good second-hand automatic if you want an SUV, while the Mercedes S-Class is a great luxury saloon with an automatic gearbox.

What is the life expectancy of an automatic car?

The life of any car will depend on how well it is maintained and how it is driven. The automatic gearbox itself should last 150,000 miles or more and can be replaced to keep the car on the road.

What is high mileage for an automatic car?

The average mileage for a UK car is around 7,000-8,000 miles each year, but that will vary a lot.

Many small automatics like the Honda Jazz auto are often driven by low-mileage drivers who make a lot of short, local journeys. On the other hand, a car like the Mercedes E-Class automatic is likely to start out as a company car, potentially covering tens of thousands of miles each year.

High-mileage automatic cars aren’t necessarily bad used buys, as a car will tend to sit in top gear on the motorway. Short stop-start journeys will put more wear on the gearbox and transmission than long journeys at a near-constant speed.