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CarMax has a rating of 1.42 stars from 65 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about CarMax most frequently mention check engine, customer service, and test drive problems. CarMax ranks 634th among Car Buying sites.
Last month I needed a car for my college-age daughter. We spent a few nights searching on Cars.com, Carvana and several other sites. Ultimately, we visited our local CarMax lot. It was a Saturday afternoon and the weather was good, so they were packed with shoppers. So much so, that being as we did not have an appointment we had to wait 45 minutes for a salesperson to free up. The time was well spent checking out their large selection of cars and SUVs so when the sales person became available, we settled on a list of 3 cars. Unfortunately, due to the volume of shoppers, our test drive for the day was limited to two. As we were still trying to decide on which car to buy, we returned the following day to try our third choice. At no time did we feel the pressure to buy, and the salesperson (Geoff) was both knowledgeable and friendly. Long story short, We decided on a Hyundai Elantra and after a search of the CarMax website we found the perfect one (2 years old and just 17K miles). CarMax transported the car in for free and after a quick test drive we purchased the car. We provided our own financing and declined an extended warranty, but it made no difference in the service that we received. All in all, a good experience and at a price lower than Carvana and all of the local dealers that we searched. Basically, they lived up to their commercials.
Carmax is great and convenient way to buy a car but they have the most incompetent customer service team ever. They will consistently ask for the same information over and over and over. They also state that phone calls are recorded but no one is ever able to verify what you were told in previous calls. As someone who has worked in customer service previously Im confused as to how there is no apparent note taking systems within this department.
Carmax is great and convenient way to buy a car but they have the most incompetent customer service team ever. They will consistently ask for the same information over and over and over. They also state that phone calls are recorded but no one is ever able to verify what you were told in previous calls. As someone who has worked in customer service previously Im confused as to how there is no apparent note taking systems within this department.
I have issues every time I try to use the site. It is not user friendly or intuitive and it times out every time I use it forcing me to repeat steps. Leaves me wondering if it's not designed that way to hamper individuals' efforts to post their payments on time? Hmmmm... Or is it just the old technology that's been pieced together as their business model changed over time and they didn't want to create a new, up-to-date system?
I have turned off paper statements multiple times yet they continue to come. The setting isn't displayed with account payment information where most companies place it -- it is buried deep at the bottom of the actual statements page. Mine reflected the correct setting when I last checked yet the paper still comes! And when I saved the item again, no confirmation is received... Guess I'll just start marking the statements as "return to sender" every month.
Finally, there's a need to be a means of sending an email message to Customer Support - not everyone wants to sit on the phone to talk with an individual. Many want to get in, take care of the task at hand and have an audit trail!
I needed some money and decided to sell my extra car. Well ended up having to wait 14 days for their cheque to clear as WellsFargo would not confirm clearance due to insufficient funds in their account! Think twice before selling to carmax
Products used:
I sold my car
We made an appointment and had a car shipped in to review. Told the car would be ready in this date at this time, but when we arrived right on time for appointment, we were told it wasn't ready. No one bothered to call us to delay or reschedule appointment, just wasted our time. We saw a Honda pilot on the lot that we liked, and we said we would like the 24 hour take it home test drive and we did. Car was filthy, drivers side visor would not stay up (safety issue) missing parts for the entertainment system, fogged up leaking front light holding water, plastic headed over. We immediately scheduled an appointment two days out to either turn the car back in or purchase it. This was the 6th vehicle we have purchased over the years and have always loved carmax, and the way they prep and repair cars for sale. (NOT THIS TIME) the fact that the process before took about an hour after selection to drive off with the car (NOT THIS TIME) IT TOOK US 6 HOURS TO DRIVE IFF WITH THIS VEHICLE ALTHOUGH WE HAD PRE APPROVED CREDIT, pre approved insurance, all documents. What carmax does now is grossly over schedule appointments and make people wait TWO HOURS past appointment time to actually talk to someone regarding purchase or test drive! In the past I purchased an INFINITY and a VOLKSWAGON and we were out the door in two hours! I know the used car demand has increased but carmax has greedily just kept booking appointments over the capability of their staff, and making people wait and wait and wait. Use to you got a vehicle for an ok price (not a screaming great deal) that had been prepped properly with minor repairs accomplished, in about 90 mins after selection if you had all documents, pre approved loan and insurance. This is no longer true. Until they return to adequate staffing, appointments that they honor, properly prepped and cleaned cars, we won't be back. Plus they have a machine charging $5 per small bottle of generic water! Thanks carmax.
I had done this before, but when I attempted to trade-in my car, I found that their "competitiveness" had left the barn. Briefly, I was offered almost $5k less than their asking price for the same model with more miles and in no better condition; mine was virtually flawless. I sold it privately one day later for $3k more than their offer.
Tip for consumers:
Check the bluebook prices before you trade or sell.
Over the years, I have bargained hard when purchasing a new car. So when I discovered CarMax I thought I had died and gone to heaven! Since then I have purchased five cars from them and sold two. Their prices are competitive, the cars are well inspected (they won't sell a car that has been in an accident), they have a wide selection and there is no pressure. And best of all, no haggling! I've found that there are great opportunities when buying up-scale cars that are one or two years old. All of them had mileage under 10k and because of early, high depreciation were much cheaper than new; they even had their original warranty. Because I tend to sell before the warranty expires, other than regular maintenance I've had no repair expense. What's not to like.
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