Is Cazoo Legit and Safe? A Complete Review

Cazoo is a UK-based online platform that lets you buy or sell used cars completely online. It was once praised for making car buying simple — browse, pay, and get your car delivered right to your door. However, Cazoo faced financial trouble in 2024 and went into administration, which raised doubts about its safety and reliability. Now, it mainly acts as a car marketplace rather than a direct seller. While Cazoo is a real and legitimate company, it’s wise to be cautious, check each dealer carefully, and understand who you’re actually buying from before making any payments.

What It Means: “Legit,” “Safe,” “Genuine,” “Scam”

Before judging Cazoo, let’s define our key words clearly:

• Legit / legitimate / genuine: a business that is operative under the law, honors its promises, is transparent in ownership, and acts fairly with customers.
• Safe: your money, personal data, and rights are protected; you are unlikely to be scammed or lose everything.
• Scam: a business that misleads, hides defects, refuses to deliver, or vanishes.
• Security: technical measures (SSL, encryption, authentication), plus legal protection, liability, warranties, checks.

So when someone says “Cazoo is legit and safe,” we ask: does it hold up in real life? Does it deliver on warranties, does it protect your rights, does it stay solvent?

Let’s dig in.

What Is Cazoo & How It Works

To test “Cazoo is legit,” we need to know what Cazoo is and how it operates.

What’s Cazoo?

• Cazoo began in 2018 in the UK as an online used-car retailer. You could buy a secondhand car entirely online, no showroom visit.
• It promised a “Amazon of used cars” experience—full inspections, delivery to your door, return period.
• Later, Cazoo expanded into continental Europe but later pulled back to focus on the UK.
• In 2024, Cazoo entered administration (a form of insolvency process in the UK) because of financial distress.
• After insolvency, Cazoo was acquired by MOTORS, which relaunched the Cazoo brand as a marketplace (not directly selling all cars).

So, Cazoo today is more of a platform or marketplace connecting buyers and dealers, rather than a full retailer as before.

How Buying from Cazoo Works (Old & New)

Here’s how the process used to work, and how the model is shifting:

1. Browse & choose: You browse cars on Cazoo’s website (filters for model, age, features, etc.).
2. Inspection / checks: The car is said to undergo internal inspection (100+, 150-point checks) at Cazoo’s facility.
3. Order / payment / delivery: You pay online, then either pick up or get the car delivered within a timeframe (e.g. 72 hours).
4. Return / trial period: There was a 7-day money back guarantee (with mileage limit) so you could return if dissatisfied.
5. Warranty and extras: The car came with a warranty (e.g. 90 days) and roadside assistance (e.g. via RAC).
6. Marketplace model: Under its new iteration, Cazoo mostly acts as a listing site — dealers list cars on it, it facilitates the connection, rather than holding all inventory themselves.

The shift matters: a marketplace has different risks and responsibilities than a full retailer.

Features, Promises & Security Claims

Let’s look at what Cazoo claims, what features they offer, and what security mechanisms are in place (or lacking).

Cazoo’s Promises & Guarantees

• Inspections / 300-point check: Cazoo claimed every vehicle passed a 300-point inspection. But a BBC Watchdog investigation questioned whether that check was always real; customers got faulty cars, and Cazoo struggled to present evidence of the checks.
• Return window / money back guarantee: 7 days to return if you don’t like it (within mileage/few restrictions).
• Warranty & roadside assistance: Some period warranty (e.g. 90 days) plus assistance coverage.
• Delivery guarantee: Promised to deliver within certain hours (e.g. 72h) in many cases.
• Fraud guidance & buyer protection advice: Cazoo publishes advice to customers on how to spot scams, verify sellers, and protect themselves.
• Transparency in listings: Cars are listed with photos, condition descriptions, defects, service history.

These features are strong on paper. But the question is: are they always delivered?

Security, Consumer Protections & Risks

• Scamadviser rating: The site cazoo.co.uk gets a fairly high trust score in Scamadviser, with SSL certificate valid, domain age, safe hosting, etc. They conclude “very likely not a scam but legit and reliable.”
• Trustpilot reviews: Mixed reviews: some praise the service, others complain about issues with dealerships listing on their platform.
• Ownership & financial risk: Because Cazoo went into administration, its assets, warranties, and obligations are under question. If a business is insolvent, it may not be able to honor its guarantees.
• Watchdog criticisms: The BBC investigation challenged the robustness of inspection claims.
• Forum complaints: Some users report misinformation about expiry dates of parts, or dissatisfied with returns.
• Administrator risk: If Cazoo is winding up, you could become an unsecured creditor. Some forum users suggest that.
• When buying on finance: Risk that if Cazoo fails, your finance provider and rights become complicated; some forums warn of that risk.

Thus, the security and legitimacy of Cazoo is under pressure now due to financial distress.

What Users Are Saying — Praise & Warnings

Real voices from real customers carry weight. Here’s what people say about “Cazoo is legit / Cazoo is safe” in practice.

Positive / praise

• Some Trustpilot reviews applaud the simplicity: buying a car was “straightforward, clean, and delivered in good condition.
• Some users had good experience selling their car to Cazoo with minimal hassle.
• A few forum voices say that Cazoo’s listing detail was good, photos high res, defects noted, return policy was there.

These positive reports suggest that sometimes, things do work as advertised.

Complaints / red flags

• One user in forums complains about having misinformed expiry dates (e.g. warranty or component).
• In moneysavingexpert forums, people question whether Cazoo is insolvent, and warn customers they may not get what they paid for.
• The BBC Watchdog investigation found cars bought from Cazoo had serious faults (faulty brakes, leaking roofs, broken parts) which suggests the inspection claims may not always be genuine or transparent
• Forums warn of buying “unseen” cars: some buyers feel uneasy because they never physically inspected before purchase.
• Some users notice that many bad reviews are single-review accounts, raising suspicion whether some negative reviews are manipulated or real.
• In business news, Cazoo’s collapse into administration suggests large structural problems.

So the negative side is strong—especially for serious issues like financial risk, warranty failure, inspection failures.

Pros & Cons: Is “Cazoo Legit” & “Safe”?

Let me summarise in human form what I see as the strengths and risks of Cazoo being legit and safe.

Pros

• Real and established brand: Cazoo is a genuine UK company with a solid online presence.
• Easy to use: The website makes it simple to browse, compare, and buy cars from home.
• Dealer network: Now works with trusted dealers rather than handling all cars itself.
• Vehicle checks: Listings often include service history and inspection details.
• Secure payments: SSL encryption protects your personal and financial information.

Cons

• Past financial troubles: The company went into administration in 2024, which shook trust.
• Mixed customer reviews: Some buyers reported car defects and poor after-sales support.
• No direct guarantees: Refunds and warranties now depend on individual dealers.
• Limited accountability: Cazoo acts more as a middleman, so issue resolution may take longer.

So while Cazoo is legit in many senses (it existed, did real business, has a brand presence), the safety—meaning whether your investment and rights are fully protected—is under stress given financial and operational risk.

My Verdict: Is “Cazoo Legit & Safe”?

Putting all this together, here is my honest take:

• Cazoo is not a scam in the sense of a phantom site: there’s a real business, real cars, real customers. It was legitimate in structure.
• But “Cazoo is safe” is no longer solid: its financial collapse into administration means many promised protections are in jeopardy.
• The brand’s shift to a marketplace may reduce some direct risks, but introduces dependency on third-party dealers (less control).
• Because of its financial risks, I would not trust Cazoo for expensive purchases unless I verify small things first (warranty, proof, seller).
• I’d say Cazoo is a legitimate but now high-risk car platform. It used to be safer; now, with insolvency in its history, you must be extra cautious.

In human terms: I once believed in Cazoo’s promise of “buy from your sofa, 7-day returns, no surprises.” Today, I feel more like: “Buy, but double, triple, quadruple check everything before handing money over.”

Tips if You Consider Buying via Cazoo (Safely)

If you still want to try Cazoo, here are practical tips to reduce risk:

1. Use protection (credit card / regulated payment) — so you can dispute if things go wrong.
2. Opt for cars with full service history, more warranty, and low mileage — the safer bets.
3. Inspect immediately upon delivery — document any defects with photos.
4. Check whether the warranty is backed by a third party (RAC, insurer), not Cazoo itself — if Cazoo is insolvent, third parties may still honor it.
5. Limit the risk of unseen purchases — if possible, inspect or view in person.
6. Keep all documents, receipts, email exchanges, inspection reports — these help with claims or disputes.
7. Check the car’s MOT, history report, recalls independently.
8. Test the return policy carefully — whether Cazoo honors it or gives hidden fees.
9. Don’t put down huge deposits far ahead of delivery — try to minimize your exposure if business fails.
10. Watch for signs of business instability — if you hear rumors of insolvency or delays, reconsider.

Cazoo FAQ

Q: What is Cazoo now?
A: As of June 27, 2024, Cazoo is a car search marketplace — it no longer owns most of the cars listed. It connects you to dealers who list their vehicles.

Q: Does Cazoo deliver vehicles?
A: Because Cazoo is now a marketplace, delivery is done by the dealer. You must contact the dealer for delivery options.

Q: Does Cazoo offer a money back guarantee?
A: No, Cazoo says it no longer offers a money back guarantee itself—those terms depend on each dealer.

Q: Can I get a pre-purchase inspection?
A: Yes. Cazoo partners with ClickMechanic to offer inspections (for a fee) before you commit.

Q: How should I pay for a car?
A: Use safe methods like bank transfer or credit card. Avoid cash or untraceable payments. Always ensure the seller is verified.

Q: What about vehicle history / damage records (e.g. CAT-S)?
A: Cazoo provides a vehicle history check showing accidents, write-offs, import/export details, etc. But you should also verify with the dealer.

Q: Can I get a copy of an old advertisement?
A: Yes. Cazoo stores raw data (date listed, key details), but not the original photos. You can request it via their contact form.

Q: How do I raise a complaint about a dealer?
A: Use Cazoo’s “Contact Us” form and indicate the dealer involved. Cazoo says it holds dealers to standards and will handle complaints.

Q: Who owns Cazoo now?
A: The brand and marketplace were acquired by MOTORS (Motors.co.uk Ltd.).

Q: Wasn’t Cazoo in financial trouble?
A: Yes. In 2024, Cazoo entered administration due to financial stress.

Q: What about cars sold before June 2024?
A: For cars bought earlier, the original Cazoo terms may apply. You may need to deal with former warranties, inspection claims, etc.

Q: Does Cazoo have an app?
A: Yes — after the relaunch under MOTORS, Cazoo launched a mobile app.