Where to search for cars these days?

Since Facebook and Craigslist have devolved in chaos when searching for anything automotive, where else is there to look?

Enthusiast forums. Autotrader/Cargurus/Cars.com all have private party filters as well

Autotempest can help cast a wide net, but I don't have much luck if I'm looking for specific packages.

That said, Autotrader has additional filters for optional packages that I find useful–assuming you know/remember what the package you're looking for is called.

calteg said:

Autotrader/Cargurus/Cars.com all have private party filters as well

Yes, but it's still 99% dealers on those sites. 

Forums can be good, but most of them have a tiny portion of the traffic they had 10+ years.

Unfortunately, the festering E36 M3-pile known as Facebook Marketplace seems to be the only place for cheap cars and owner-to-owner sales. It sucks.

I'd argue that there are far fewer private sales vs years past, especially in the over $10k range.

In that range, people still have loans on the cars and aren't savvy to sell a car that way.  Most need the simplicity of "trade in" since they are likely not in a position to carry two car loans while they wait for the old car to sell.  

Also factor in how many cars on the road are leased.  All those go back to a dealer or at least a dealer auction.  

For all that is bad with FB, it is very effective for me for selling sub $5k cars.  Craig's may have been better and still could be good but the eyes are already on FB.  

In reply to John Welsh :

*SIGH*

I was afraid someone would say that.  And as long as people use Facebook there is no reason for Facebook to be better.