Joeman57

Just wondering what you guys think of CarMax in general and CarMax Corvettes in particular.
I mean other than the price which of course has to factor in the hassle free purchase(supposedly) and the warranty etc. Has anyone purchased from them or know anyone who has?
I see quite a few 2012 and 2013 Grand Sport ( model that I'm looking for) and some with very low miles....hmm

Signal_20

Hassle or haggle free pricing translates to they get their asking price but give you under value for your trade. I can’t understand how the car buyers could ever fall for such a rip off sales tactic. Do this, put the book retail price no more just whatever book comes to on your windshield. When you pull in and the salesman jumps you as soon as you get out asking you what that is just say that is my no hassle or no haggle trade in so it saves us all the aggravation just like your price. See how good of an idea they think it is then. Yes I am a pot stirrer but despise sales tactics that assume all people are stupid and they make them believe selling you a car they won’t negotiate on is a good deal for anyone but them. And to answer your question about those particular dealers they along with Saturn originated that tactic so that’s my answer sir. Sorry to digress so much.

Jim

EVRose

I got my 05 there in 2010. It was the only one I looked at and an hour after seeing it I was driving it home. Got a 7 year warranty for $1200. Used it to get my balancer replaced. I paid, I think, $300. They paid the rest no questions. Great experience, very good price and car was near mint condition, and still is!

1968swbbigblock

Carmax typically goes above and beyond the typical used car lot with any of their cars
Very particular about replacing aftermarket Parts with oem, non runflats get replaced
With runflats etc
I understand maxcare warranty is perhaps the best aftermarket warranty
They are upfront with trade in pricing as the offer stands weather you buy from them
Or not
Car max is also the second biggest wholesale auction house second to manhiem so they buy
A lot of cars keep the best for thier lot and kick the rest to thier auctions to other dealers

Joeman57

Question is then why did it end up at auction for them buy it in the first place. Isn't a car that ends at auction a sign that something is not quite right?
If the car is in great shape why would a dealer send it to auction?

1968swbbigblock

Car max gets thier cars through all kinds of channels but many come from buying from an owner that wants to sell or trade.
Today just because a car is run through any auction is not a mark on its heritage, even gm sells all of thier corporate cars via auction
I've seen many forum members sell to car max because it's quick money, often times as good as the open market topped with a non judgemental buyer.

AORoads

I agree w.1968, and I've sold cars to them for about 15 years. Altho I've never bought from them like Eric EV above, I'd also take his word on the car he got.

I also know the co. pretty well from a corporate perspective.

Finally, I'll give you one recent (two days ago) conversation with a top Merc Bz. technician sitting near me in a restau. I asked him about prices at his MB dealer, pre-owned, CPO of MB, cars with least problems, most problems, years he liked but didn't see much of, etc. In other words a pretty lengthy conversation. In the end he said, if you want the best prices, a pretty darned good car that's been inspected well, and a pretty good aftermarket warranty, go to CarMax. Really, that's what he said and yes, I was a bit surprised. Does it apply to Corvettes? I would bet it does.

cv67

trading in is just easier sometimes, avoid the hassle time wasters and walk out with what you want;Id gladly take 1-2k less than I "think" it may sell for on private sale.
x2 on auctions, many lots dont want inventory other than 1-3 yr old popular low mi cars so off they go.

HBsurfer

I have bought and traded in my last five daily drivers from CarMax. Fair pricing. Not the best and certainly not the worst. Right in the middle on the buy and the trade in. In and out in less than an hour every time. No problems at all with the cars I have bought there. Most are lease returns with less than 25,000 miles. I never buy new when I can get a two year old model with less than 30,000 miles for half price.

flyingbunnys

I bought my SAAB at carmax and got the warrenty. They documented it all well down to a pin size dent along the wheel well and a minor scuff on the back of the drivers seat that I would have never noticed. You will know exactly what you get woth carmax. Also their warrenty replaced two sheared coil springs including the wheel well that had some minor scuffs and a small crack and the tire that blew because of the coil spring. They also replaced two front window regulators. Too bad my warrenty ended before the two rear window regulators broke. Only cost me the deductible each time.

I'd recommend car max. Though their prices seem high than some other places.

dshamrick

I bought mine from CarMax something like 5 years ago now. I never put much stock into the no haggle price as I always thought I could do better on that part of it.

Their price point, at least what I looked at, was lower than most starting prices but just a bit higher than what I might have been able to do. Maybe. But, and this was a big But for me, they had the car I wanted. Could not find it elsewhere and brother I looked.

BuyAVette is fairly close but my impression when I went there was that they though a lot of their cars.

The experience at CarMax was a bit different in that they will hold a car for a short period of time, but you want it you buy it or you take your chances. That being said, their load process gives you 5 days, no cost to you, to basically buy out the loan you get with them. So, financed it there because you almost have to to drive it home, then the next day went to the credit union, got the check for the exact same amount, took it there and shazam. Closed that loan.

They have something like a 5 day no questions asked return policy. They can do all of these things because, like it was stated earlier, they inspect their cars very well and only sell newer cars.

The closer for me was silly, but I had looked online at this one vette and was settled on it but it was about 200 miles away. When I went in to ask about getting it moved, it was no longer listed. Salesman said that probably meant it was sold. Three days later, poof, it showed up, same car at the closest CarMax to me. Called the guy, he put it on hold and I drove it home.

I walked around the car like 2 times over 45 minutes and say almost nothing wrong with it.

I would have absolutely no problem buying there again. In fact, we looked there when we wanted to replace out dying mountaineer.

Welker1

No it isn't necessarily a sign there is something wrong with the car. Many trade ins end up going to auction because the dealership that took them in doesn't want it on their lot. For example, a Chevrolet dealership that takes a Dodge in on trade will often send it to auction. Also, some dealerships only sell new cars and will send trade ins to auction.

hotrod_tim

I saw mine in Tucson and had it shipped to northern CO for 450, the bad parts are it took almost 3 weeks to get it (the 450 is NOT a hot shot price) for the test drive the sales man slammed the demo tag (in its pouch) in the hatch like it was a civic breaking the latch. The good, they replaced it and refunded my shipping because I had to wait 2 days for parts and service. Overall I got the color combo i wanted with the options I wanted and at a fair deal....my sales person was lame though

mcandrew67

I have sold numerous cars over the years to Carmax, and obviously I got better pricing than selling to regular dealers.
I have also bought a few cars from them, not a Vette, the price was fair and comparable or less than a dealers used car lot. I always do my home work buying and selling. When I trade I look at book values, go to Carmax and get their price to buy, look at sold prices of similar cars on Ebay etc, then go to the dealer to look to trade.
If I trade, I add in the tax savings to see if it is a better deal than Carmax.
Most often I found that the dealer offer is less than Carmax, but will come down to their price and I get the tax savings on top of it.

dryadsdad

I purchased mine through CarMax. It was located 500 miles away. Max transported the car to me for my viewing. If I didn't want it, I had to pay $99 for the transport, but I liked it just fine noting the description was spot on.

I made the deal and have been perfectly satisfied with all aspects of the car and the company.

danzio56

I actually just bought my 2010 GS from them in July. I love the car and although I've never sold a car to Carmax, this was as hassle free of a purchase I've ever made on a vehicle.

The price was actually right in the middle of retail book value. They do a multi-point inspection and at least put fresh oil in it, and they put brand new Michelin PS (non run flats) on the car too!

I figured I got a good enough deal on the car that I went ahead and bought the 5 year 75K warranty just for peace of mind.

dryadsdad

A friend bought a Caddy from them. 2,000 miles later, the differential froze. Turned out the fill plug was missing. Although there was no warranty at that point, Max gave them a new differential at no cost because it said its inspection should have found a missing or loose fill plug.

919cw313

I don't mind no haggle pricing. If it's more than you want to pay then you don't have to waste your time looking at it in person.

ben z

Bought mine from Carmax. Love the no-haggle price thing. If I think it's too high I just don't waste my time going to see it. Simple as that.
They don't do more than a cursory detail, that is, they don't repair/redye/repaint anything to disguise wear and tear or damage. WYSIWYG.
That said, they put 4 new tires on mine but they are not runflats or even high-end performance tires, just AS. But that's what I prefer, so it was fine with me. Also, they either didn't know or didn't inform me it had aftermarket mufflers. And I didn't know until someone knowlegeable told me. I found a set of stock to revert, but I think maybe if I had gone back to Carmax they might have paid for it. I don't know.

The price of their Maxcare warranty was really surprising. Almost half what I was quoted by the company I usually go through.

FAUEE

Most cars go to auction. Dealers may find it easier to sell a truck than a vette in that area, maybe they have too many sports cars on the lot already, etc.

CarMax also takes in a lot of trades, don't discount that. CarMax is a great place to buy a car, you're gonna get a top shelf car, but you will.also pay for it. I would buy a car from them if they had what I was looking for.