Experiences/opinions about Car Max
- Thread starter mr12182
- Start date
They used to be awesome at warrantying cars that they had no business providing a warranty for. Doug DeMuro wrote a whole series on the payoff from the extended warranty on a Range Rover.
Don’t know if that’s still the case.
Don’t know if that’s still the case.
I would steer away.
A banker friend of mine said they will not write loans for as long of a duration as the same used vehicle from a dealership or some other used car establishments.
Too high of an incidence where they have gotten back an upside down or broken vehicle before it was paid off.
A banker friend of mine said they will not write loans for as long of a duration as the same used vehicle from a dealership or some other used car establishments.
Too high of an incidence where they have gotten back an upside down or broken vehicle before it was paid off.
I've bought two cars from CarMax and have had nothing but positive experiences. The process is as "enjoyable" as it can be - simple, straightforward, and relatively quick.
Gotten warranties both times and never had an issue with them.
I prefer getting cars that are ~2-3 years old with ~30-40k miles. This is like CarMax's sweet spot: cars coming off leases.
Gotten warranties both times and never had an issue with them.
I prefer getting cars that are ~2-3 years old with ~30-40k miles. This is like CarMax's sweet spot: cars coming off leases.
I know one person who has bought twice from them and had zero issues with both vehicles.
That being said, I still believe the same points about buying vehicles applies today that applied decades ago. The only difference is the information about all vehicles is out there, free of charge, and easy to find.
One has to know exactly what they are buying before even looking at a specific vehicle. Know the make, model, engine/transmission/"everything" about that specific vehicle. Meaning, you should be intimately familiar with the details both big and small about the exact vehicle you're looking at. The engine and drivetrain, what specifically are they and what is their history. The platform the vehicle is based on, how old is it and how many vehicles is that platform used for.
I could go on and on.
All the information anybody would ever want to know about any vehicle sold today is indeed out there. Saying "I don't have time" or "I don't know enough about vehicles to understand the information" aren't valid excuses today. Educate yourself. Vehicles nowadays are technological marvels - with both weaknesses as well as strengths - and there are people galore out there whose job it is to tear into every car there is to know their strong and weak points.
It'd be stupid to not to use that information.
That being said, I still believe the same points about buying vehicles applies today that applied decades ago. The only difference is the information about all vehicles is out there, free of charge, and easy to find.
One has to know exactly what they are buying before even looking at a specific vehicle. Know the make, model, engine/transmission/"everything" about that specific vehicle. Meaning, you should be intimately familiar with the details both big and small about the exact vehicle you're looking at. The engine and drivetrain, what specifically are they and what is their history. The platform the vehicle is based on, how old is it and how many vehicles is that platform used for.
I could go on and on.
All the information anybody would ever want to know about any vehicle sold today is indeed out there. Saying "I don't have time" or "I don't know enough about vehicles to understand the information" aren't valid excuses today. Educate yourself. Vehicles nowadays are technological marvels - with both weaknesses as well as strengths - and there are people galore out there whose job it is to tear into every car there is to know their strong and weak points.
It'd be stupid to not to use that information.
I’ve bought 5-10 cars from Carmax over the years.
Me every experience was positive. Currently own 3 vehicles all purchased from there.
They have great inventory. They’ll ship it to your nearest location(a lot of the time it’s feee). And you can come check it out with no obligation to buy.
Me every experience was positive. Currently own 3 vehicles all purchased from there.
They have great inventory. They’ll ship it to your nearest location(a lot of the time it’s feee). And you can come check it out with no obligation to buy.
We bought our last two kid’s cars from Carmax. A Honda Accord and Toyota Corolla. In researching their prices against what else I saw in the market, both seemed like good deals. I also liked how online you could find the exterior/interior colors you wanted, mileage, etc. and compare prices with several Carmax locations throughout the country to get exactly what you were looking for. You might pay for transport to you if you purchase from a significant distance away.
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Hey there! I know this thread is old, but I still wanted to share my 2 cents to revive this thread. I've had some experience with Car Max, and I gotta say, it's pretty awesome. They have a huge selection of cars, and they're all in great condition. Plus, their prices are usually pretty competitive with traditional dealerships. I've bought a couple cars from them, and I've always had a good experience. Btw, if you're looking to get a car from out of state, you might wanna check out Cross Country Car Shipping. They're a pretty reliable company that can help you get your car delivered to you. I've used them before, and they're pretty legit. Here's their website if you wanna check them out: www.crosscountrycarshipping.com. Anyway, hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
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I've shopped them a few times, but never bought. Seem easy enough to deal with, but in the markets I've been in, their prices were thousands more than what you could get from a dealership if you were willing to wait and look for the right deal.
It's probably your easiest bet if you need to buy a car this weekend, but if you've got time to shop, I always eventually find much better deals. But it might take weeks.
It's probably your easiest bet if you need to buy a car this weekend, but if you've got time to shop, I always eventually find much better deals. But it might take weeks.
We sold my last company vehicle, a 2019 Kia Sorrento LX with 40,000+ miles to CarMax in Omaha. Provided car details and they quoted us $25,000. Took it in they inspected it and wrote the company a check for $25,000.
I agree with Lou here. When I bought the current Tradmobile, I was negotiating via email with numerous dealerships until I got the car I wanted for the right price. That process took several weeks.
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Don't listen to bagdropper, that all sounds like a lot of work and kind of a bummer.
Your best bet is to think of a color you really like, then find the coolest looking car in that color on Car Max and just buy it.
SO much more fun and far less stressful!
I liked it for “testing” a bunch of vehicles at once. If it was a year or two old model and hadn’t changed, you could quickly get a sense of how the vehicle felt. Many I ruled out as soon as I sat in them - too low, the console pushed into my leg, third row too tight, etc. Helped me narrow it down and save time when I bought new at the dealer.
Also got a bid on a used car and took it to the dealer when they tried to lowball me on the trade in. I showed them the car max offer and they raised it.
Also got a bid on a used car and took it to the dealer when they tried to lowball me on the trade in. I showed them the car max offer and they raised it.
I really hate the thought of having to do an extensive amount of research and back and forth to buy a car.
I like that Carmax gives me a huge selection of cars from throughout the country, with details and a price for each.
I've bought two cars from carmax and would definitely use them again. It's pretty quick and painless, and at least in the two instances where I've used them, I didn't notice that their pricing was that much higher than other places.
Could I have saved $500 by shopping around? Maybe, but it's not worth it to me to prolong the process that much, and have to deal with more salesmen calling and emailing me. Get in, get out, go home - just like w OP's mom.
Yep, that's their entire reason for existing. It's worth $2-3k (it's well more than $500 more expensive) for a lot of people to avoid the hassle, multiple trips to dealerships, haggling, dealing with dealer trickery, etc. And a lot of times you need a car in short order.
But there's also reason why their (and Carvana's) model haven't remotely transformed the used car market like originally predicted, they've just settled into a niche. Nobody ever got a good deal at a Carmax.
If you can make peace with spending a 10%+ premium for convenience or a nationwide selection, there's nothing wrong with it. It's not like they obscure their business model or do anything fishy, they sell at a higher profit margin in exchange for painless car buying.
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