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Carmax - What's Your Experience?

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  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Bah only 225 bucks away from KBB trade in?

    That is GREAT. KBB is almost always high to get that close to it is a good deal.

    Call up Kelly and ask if they will buy your car for $14,725.
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    Hey, it's going to cost them $225.00 for "reconditioning" before selling it to a retail customer. That's what Kelly says.
    :)
    p.s. My son took his 2003 Corolla S 5spd with abs, side bags, and moonroof and 43k miles and they low balled the hell out of him. He called me while he was still at the store and told me the price they offered him and I told him to run out of there fast! He's going to sell it himself.
    ;)

    Mackabee
  • irismgirismg Member Posts: 345
    I keep seeing people posting about job interviews, and people posting what a bad idea to sell their car to Carmax, but what I'VE come here to learn is how people who bought feel about the Carmax experience. Specifically:

    1) Is it worth it not to jack around with a salesperson about how much off the window price the car should be, and was the price for paying for that privilege too high or just right?

    2) If the car you bought from them is less than two years old, how pleased were you with the quality of the car, and how satisfied were you that it wasn't re-sold flooded merchandise?

    3) Did they allow you to buy the remaining factory warranty and transfer it in your name.

    4) If you traded your car, did they give you fair price?

    and 5) If you financed through them, how competitive were they?

    Someone PLEASE post buying experiences, good or bad! Thank you
  • voicemailkingvoicemailking Member Posts: 83
    I worked for Carmx for 5 ears in sales. Was fairly sucessful. Made a good living and was on next to the top sales tier. The cars are o.k...the prices are very inflated. the repair work is poor and the paint work sucks. When i left, i needed a car for my son. we knew what we wanted. I truly wanted to buy from Carmax. i bought the same vehicle that i considered at Carmax at a local dealer for $1400.00 less, paint was better overall condition was better and it had 10,000 miles less....what do you think, Carmax is for the lazy, uneducated just want it now mentality. I would do my homework and buy elsewhere, keep the money in your pocket! :shades: :shades:
  • andeetandeet Member Posts: 142
    When I walk around both new and used lots here at Carmax here. I've noticed on the used side, detailers leave ALOT wax residue and they do terrible touch up.

    My old Scion xA had rubber tire tread scrapes on the lower front bumper that I ran over on a interstate that it had when I trade it in.

    When I saw Carmax was reselling it...I went there on a Sunday. I looked around the whole car looking for scratches and small dents that I made while owning it. They still had few rock chips in the front end, left the tire tread scrapes, and still had some Siberian Husky fur laying in the interior. The only thing; they did I noticed off the bat...they removed the driver's door dent.

    I hope whoever bought it; enjoy the dog paw scratches in the back passenger doors' panels, a plug/patch tire I drove over a nail. Only good thing; I used the A/C once.

    Some days I wish I would of gotten this perfect black '06 Subaru Impreza that my town's Subaru, Toyota, and Honda (Yes, they sell the three big Japanese makers on the same lot) dealership had. It was manual, they were asking 18,000 for it, and it was base model but it had alot more safety features than the Scion tC. They were originally wanted 22k for it but didn't want to jump on it cause I HAD to buy from Carmax again. :cry:
  • irismgirismg Member Posts: 345
    For your information, I do my homework, and that's one of the reasons I scan forums such as this. I pull several windows in my browser comparing the prices and the mileage for specific models, and I don't find them off by that much. I don't need service and I don't need a paint job. You can get that done at any mechanic you want regardless of where you buy your car. As I've tried to explain before, I want to hear from people who actually left the lot with one of their cars. If these people don't exist, I'm perfectly willing to go find out for myself, since they do have a money-back guarantee.

    You call the people who made you a good living lazy and uneducated? If all you've got to offer is name-calling, keep your words in your mouth! You've just made your so-called experience worthless to me.

    Thank you.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    You call the people who made you a good living lazy and uneducated?

    It sounds like a disgruntled former employee to me. If one had that little regard for the customer then it's best to have left the business! :)

    In any case, the emphasis here should be on customers' experiences with Carmax. Let's avoid steering off onto those wild tangents.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • andeetandeet Member Posts: 142
    Like I said before...I brought two brand new Scions from Carmax. Yes; the sales department did wonderful service. They talked to Toyota Financial couple times getting me the loan period I wanted & needed.

    The xA deal personally required me to have 6 year loan on it cause I was making minimal wage since they actually went out of their way; meaning they actually got on the phone with TFS right in front of me and asked. I signed the deal. My tC deal...got better job wanted something more power. So I decided on putting negative onto the tC loan. They talked TFS down APR to 8.5% from 13%.

    I would keep buy brand new Toyotas from Carmax but I don't know about used...maybe if I need good high mileage car for 8 grand I may test the waters. The only major mad issue I have with Carmax is their service department
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    you realise, you're loosing money by not buying used, until such time as you have better credit and the ability to put a good deal down.

    i don't think carmax is doing anything "special" for you in this regard.

    you're sort of doing it to yourself.

    ---

    i suggest you get out of the mode of switching vehicles often (you want to perhaps sell the tC and get a used vehicle now)?

    try getting more savvy on your finances; you'll be tossing less away in interest payments.

    think of it as another raise.
  • greanpea68greanpea68 Member Posts: 1,996
    You call the people who made you a good living lazy and uneducated? If all you've got to offer is name-calling, keep your words in your mouth! You've just made your so-called experience worthless to me.

    I think what he is trying to say is...
    Carmax has been very succesfull at getting people to believe that they have the best prices.

    So in other words people go their and take what they say at face value.

    Good job on carmax's objective.

    But if you shop around ( not being lazy ) you will find a better deal. It sounds like they don't do much to service the cars in the shop . Maybe Carmax is hoping that evryone will buy a warranty then put the car to warranty when they come back a month later for something not working properly.
    I am not saying this is what happens just speculating.
  • andeetandeet Member Posts: 142
    Yeah I know; but do you realize that if I brought a used tC for price tag of 19,500 with 11k. I'm wasting more money that way plus a higher APR.
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    Why would you pay more for a used tC when you can buy them new for less?
    - :confuse:
    Mackabee
  • andeetandeet Member Posts: 142
    I did do that. Got my '07 for 17,700 when at used lots they usually run 18-19 grand. Some lots want 20 grand which I never understood why.
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    yeah, but you rolled negative equity into it, right?
  • andeetandeet Member Posts: 142
    Yes, and some of it is already paid plus by the end of this year this $3k is going to be paid off completely. So I'm not going to trade in my '07 tC for a used car. Cause that's a stupid move on my behalf..Trading in with two negatives for something more money.

    I've been warned already if I trade in the tC; I would have to buy BMW or Benz with huge $4k down payment. Sorry to tell you but that's not my style..I'm more Lexus Girl and then again; Toyota/Lexus Financial would kick my rear if I did walk into Lexus dealer trying to trade in my tC.
  • svrsvr Member Posts: 1
    I'm thinking of joining Carmax as an LGM, and would appreciate candid and objective feedback from current and former employees as to what they like and don't like about working there. And what do you think about the company's long-term prospects? Thanks for your time.
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    What's an LGM?
    Mackabee
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Something Manager?
  • voicemailkingvoicemailking Member Posts: 83
    Location General Manager
  • greanpea68greanpea68 Member Posts: 1,996
    Is that the same thing as a general manager?
    or
    Is that like a swap manager? Does Carmax even swap cars with other Dealers? :confuse:
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    If I have said one I have said it a thousand times. If you want a no haggle experience you can go to any dealer in the world. Simply walk in and say, I do not wish to haggle, I want a used 2006 Zorch XLVTF, I will pay sticker. No one will turn you away or tell you, "Sorry, we don't except sticker price offers here, Only at Carmax can you pay full sticker, they are down the street two blocks on your left".
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    joel, IMHO that is disengenuine.

    i've seen plenty of dealers bump vehicles with add-ons taking the "sticker" well above MSRP... and, the "additional dealer markup" hadn't even been applied to the car yet.

    i've also been told, you cannot purchase the vehicle without the dealer adds.

    so then, your statement is a tad over-simplistic and inaccurate.

    factually, people can pay over sticker at a non-Carmax dealer.
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    I was referring to used cars, I always forget that Carmax has new car dealers to. I also know that (at least here in Nashville) that they pre-install Lojack Security Systems on there cars. So much that they have a full time Lojack installer that works for them. So they are doing the same thing that you were speaking of as far as the dealer adds go.
  • andeetandeet Member Posts: 142
    At Kenosha, Wisconsin location; they like to pressure you into doing it even if Wisconsin law enforcement departments don't even track cars with Lojack. They tried selling it to me until one of their sales managers talked my sales consultant down stating "Wisconsin cops don't even track using Lojack. So it would be a waste."
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    Things like Lojack are a risky pre-install. That is one of those items that you can't just blow off if the customer does not want it because there is a true cost to it. You buy the system from Lojack when it is installed so you have already spent the money prior to selling it. If a customer does not want it then you are out at least $130. $65 for the install and another $65 for the un-install. If you don't un-install it or if the customer never comes back for you to remove it you are out $630.

    Where things like Simonize paint seal all you really have invested is $5 in supplies and 1.5 hours of labor for some guy in the clean shop at $8.00 PH. So if a customer does not want it you are out $17. You don't pay for the actual warranty till the customer pays for it.
  • jhs70jhs70 Member Posts: 213
    I took our chariot to the Dulles Carmax a week or so ago and had a pretty decent experience. I got there way too early because I thought it opened sooner than it did. It was hotter than Hades even at that early hour, but a manager saw me standing there sweating :cry: and offered to let me sit in the air-conditioned customer's lounge until they opened. (He didn't do that for some of the other early birds!) Boy was that nice! Then when the time came, he let me be first in line. Treated me great. When the appraisal came I thought it was a good appraisal. And fair. In fact it was within $500 of volvomax's appraisal on the Real World Trade value forum last April!

    Now for my question. My wife was told by another local car dealer that carmax assesses a $200 "fee" of some kind when they actually go through the buy process with your vehicle. I looked in all my carmax docs and I sure don't see anything pertaining to that. Anyone know for sure?

    Thanks.
  • jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,296
    Early birds? First in line???

    Was if free hot dog and coke day?
    2021 Honda Passport EX-L, 2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere.
  • andeetandeet Member Posts: 142
    You guys got offered hot dogs and soda! :confuse:

    First deal, I had free popcorn but had to pay for my can of Mountain Dew. LOL

    Second deal, I wish they would offered me some type of a stiff drink or least bottle of Miller Lite. Man I could of used it! What a stressful six hours; worst than final exam time in college.
  • jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,296
    offered me some type of stiff drink or at least a bottle of Miller Lite.

    LOL. Sounds good to me. Would definitely make the car buying experience a lot smoother and refreshing. :shades:
    2021 Honda Passport EX-L, 2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere.
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    Just imagine if you could turn car buying into a drinking game.

    When you sit down at the desk the salesmen pulls out a bottle of tequila and two shot glasses.

    Every time the Salesmen says something stupid like"Sir that model is not available with Air Conditioning" you both take a shot

    Every time the customer says something stupid like "my friend bought the EXACT same car except for the leather CD and moon roof for $3000 less, I want the same deal" you both take a shot

    Both partys would be snockered in the first 30 minutes :D
  • andeetandeet Member Posts: 142
    Well that would be consider as "The Way Car Buying Should Be"... LOL

    Sorry I couldn't help myself
  • irismgirismg Member Posts: 345
    And where is the no-haggle, low price experience? I don't care how many times, once is enough.
  • andeetandeet Member Posts: 142
    You'll get the experience at any new vehicle Carmax lot...You can buy base models without any additional accessories below MSRP.
  • cc7cc7 Member Posts: 1
    Hey andeet,

    At what Carmax location was your Scion xA located? What was the year and color?

    I would really appreciate your reply.

    Thanks!
  • kms87kms87 Member Posts: 8
    I am likely going to drive a couple of hours to an adjoining state to sell my car to carmax (there is no location in my home state). Does anyone see any potential problems in doing that? Anything I should be cautious about?

    I originally had a buyer lined up for my car that could not obtain financing, which is why I didn't trade when I bought my new car.

    TIA
  • voicemailkingvoicemailking Member Posts: 83
    Make sure that they will not have a problem with your out of state title, and they can prove there are not any liens on the car.
  • kms87kms87 Member Posts: 8
    I do have a loan balance outstanding, but the titleholder indicated that this should not hinder the sale. Carmax also mentions that cars can be sold there that have a loan still outstanding. You really think it being out of state poses an issue that otherwise would not be a problem?

    I have checked and my credit union (that holds the title) will be open when I'm at the store so they would be able to speak with someone.
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    I would guess a lein would be more of a problem than an out of state title.

    My guess - Carmax will make the check out to you and the lein holder. Both of you have to co-sign it to get any money. Which means you have to take the check to the lein holder, sign it, they will apply the check to your loan, and any left over money they will give to you while they process the check into their accounts.
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    You will probably sign a conforming title form. It is no more then a POA for Carmax to sell your car and sign your title when they get it.

    They will call and get a 10 day payoff and pay off instructions, they will send the check directly to the bank and the bank will send them the title.

    If you have equity they will cut you a separate check. if you have neg equity you will have to pay them the difference.

    It is no different then trading a car in with a pay off.
  • andeetandeet Member Posts: 142
    2006, Silver Streak Mica was at Kenosha, WI. I would laugh if you happened to buy it or if you happened to work at the Keno location. Since you asked that question... LOL

    -----------
    About week ago I went onto Toyota Financial website. To check my balance. Toyota made a brand new site and for some strange reason. My account stated I only paid one payment so far when it's been six months. So I went through all the paperwork and saw Carmax agreed to pay my negative. Figured out that my last six payments were going to pay off this small loan with Carmax and it did.

    I know buying another car from Carmax with negative made it easy for me. Unlike my brother; who traded in his '04 Mitsubishi Ralliart Lancer for '08 Lancer. His old loan company kept calling him for past couple of months stating his loan isn't paid off. I personally never had that conflict.
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    So I went through all the paperwork and saw Carmax agreed to pay my negative. Figured out that my last six payments were going to pay off this small loan with Carmax and it did.

    Huh?????

    So your saying that you have had a Toyota account for 6 months and only made one payment, and that the rest of the money you have been sending was to pay off the balance on your trade?

    Thats wild
  • andeetandeet Member Posts: 142
    That's what I'm figuring out. In one of the papers for Carmax stated "Carmax agrees to pay off the negative..." something like that. I think it's linked to the fact they wanted to resell the trade in? I am currently base all the figures with Toyota Financial's site and it's still kind of off.

    Let's just say I'm getting a nice lesson from Financial Fairy about car financing
  • joel0622joel0622 Member Posts: 3,299
    I would highly recommend that you call TMC now and ask them if your account is current. I would also call Carmax Credit or what ever they call it and ask if your trade is PIF.

    From the sounds of things it is very likely that you could step out side one morning and find your car gone.

    I could be way off base but the way you explained it makes me worry.
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    agree. poster should be proactive and get it straightened out / confirmed.
  • kms87kms87 Member Posts: 8
    Bingo joel--this is exactly what occurred on Saturday when I went to sell them my car. BTW---they did give me a fair price, so I was happy overall with the experience.
  • tchixtchix Member Posts: 6
    We went to carmax to get an appraisal of our car - we were planning to buy new and wanted a carmax offer as a backup if the trade-in offer wasn't great. While there, the salesman suggested (not too pushy) that we look at some of their "newer" cars because we could save some money. We did. For the mini-van we were looking at (Odyssey), CarMax had a 2006 in the trim level we were looking at. It had 50,000 miles on it. And if we had bought that car from CarMax, it would have been only 2000 less (total out the door) than what we paid yesterday at the dealership for a *brand new* one, with 28 miles, 3 yr warranty, etc. I just dont get it.
  • voicemailkingvoicemailking Member Posts: 83
    some people just do not have the extra $2000.00, but i agree with you new was the way to go. Carmax was never very competitively priced on Hondas though.
  • driverjdriverj Member Posts: 8
    Hello everyone,

    My brother is looking to sell his Honda Pilot to Carmax. One issue he has is the car was hit on the fender but was fixed by the dealer and looks like the way it was. Is this going to be an issue during the sale of the vehicle to Carmax? Would they even want to buy the vehicle?

    Thanks in advance.

    Judd
  • andeetandeet Member Posts: 142
    I finally got sick hearing my "insiders"(Carmax employees who I knew on a professional level) complain about me not applying for full time. I saw online they had parts position open so I applied for it. After a week, I gave up waiting for a call. Then last Friday came along; they called and invited me for their "Job Fair."

    I go through the interview and answered questions like "If we called your supervisor; what would be the negative he or she will say about you?" Which I happened to find out at my work; Carmax legally can't ask that question to any employer. I was pretty straight forward...cause I knew I screwed up anyway.

    Then I asked him "Will my current 401k account will rollover to Carmax?" (I personally knew the answer was "Yes" cause my job's Benefits office stated it will when I enrolled) He gave me "I don't know that information...." I also asked him "What are the hours of the job?" He gave me puzzled look and said "I'm in Customer Service so I really can't tell you." And finally I asked him; "If hired; what is the starting hourly pay?" Once again gave me confused, dumbfounded look and said "This is not the interview to ask. That's more of second interview question..." He gave me the crap statement of "Due to many interviews today; we will contact you by phone within next few days." I knew they weren't hiring me since those are the classic Carmax rejection words that the interviewer uses. Guys at work stated he was basically "Jerking me around" and if they were treating me like that trying to get in there. Think how they treat me once I'm hired.

    Yeah, I think I will not hang by the phone and wait for their "call." And I will also take back all those nice and wonderful things about the company, "Car buying experience," and even standing up for them few times. They officially lost my business of service and future car buys.

    I'm even thinking of walking in there with my rejection letter and snap at some managers. I'm sorry but this is my third interview and some how they are rejecting me like this without proper explanation? But some companies would realize I seriously want a position at their company!
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    Which I happened to find out at my work; Carmax legally can't ask that question to any employer.

    Actually they can ask that question, if your current or past employers are smart they won't answer that question but carmax can ask it.

    Then I asked him "Will my current 401k account will rollover to Carmax?"

    Depending what Carmax offers in a 401K that wouldn't be the best ideal. You should roll it over into an IRA.

    I'm sorry but this is my third interview and some how they are rejecting me like this without proper explanation?

    What explanation would be proper? As long as their decision wasn't made on the basis of race, sex, religion or national origin its really no one business why they didn't. They simply cannot hire everyone that walks through their doors.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

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