Carvana experience

[CKN]

I think what you're missing is that everyone's CPO car does this even Mercedes. Lots of threads in the Mercedes forum where people think they're buying a CPO car that was gone over with a fine tooth comb when in reality they did nothing and people have to bring it back for stuff that should have been fixed under the CPO terms. So if they're advertising a 150 point inspection it's just fluff. Same kind of fluff you get when bringing in a car for an oil change and they claim they do a bunch of items as a free inspections when they don't actually do anything. When buying anything, the standard rules apply, buyer beware.

The difference being is that it is very difficult-if not outright impossible to undo a vehicle purchase at "traditional" car dealerships-either new or used. At Carvana that is an option.
-
7 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE
This guarantee will give you the ability to return the vehicle to Carvana for any reason and receive a refund, within 7 days of delivery.

Carvana Certified Program | Peace of Mind | Carvana.com

At Carvana, Peace of Mind comes Certified. All of our vehicles are backed by a bumper-to-bumper “no-nonsense” warranty and a 7 day money back return policy. Learn more now!

www.carvana.com

 

[Kira]

I want to jump in here....especially with CKN having just posted.

I know I'm a fossil. I also know I don't trust people. I haven't gone to Carvana or any other site but the bottom line is that a buyer sees a car, reads the description, agrees to the price (any room for negotiation?), awaits delivery...then it all comes down to the 7 day period where you decide if they misrepresented the vehicle or not.

Don't rip me for abbreviating the process description but that what it seems to be.

Do customers get charged a delivery fee?

Somehow I feel I should donn my flame suit.

 

[zzyzzx]

And once a year they give $1000 cash back for any purchase on Black Friday week.

I have my doubts that will be repeated this year.

 

[Toros Cosmicos]

The age old car dealership business model is gasping it's dying breath. Carvana and before them, Carmax both provide progressive alternatives to a buying experience that is archaic and hated by most people. Carvana seems goofy to me but the concept, if tweaked and executed well will gain traction with time.

 

[CKN]

I want to jump in here....especially with CKN having just posted.

I know I'm a fossil. I also know I don't trust people. I haven't gone to Carvana or any other site but the bottom line is that a buyer sees a car, reads the description, agrees to the price (any room for negotiation?), awaits delivery...then it all comes down to the 7 day period where you decide if they misrepresented the vehicle or not.

Don't rip me for abbreviating the process description but that what it seems to be.

Do customers get charged a delivery fee?

Somehow I feel I should donn my flame suit.

The resistance coming from this model (with all due respect) is mostly coming fro "old school" guys-which seem to be in the very vast majority on this site. You used the term "fossil"-so OK. The issue I have is those on here on knock the business model Carvana has...with non-sense rubbish because they are "old school" and would never buy a car this way anyway. No flaming here. AT least your concerns are thoughtful.

I don't believe you can negotiate on the price-as many on here posted on cars they sold to Carvana, and have seen them relisted, they don't make alot of money (generally) per vehicle. Most people don't wish to negotiate. That's why Carmax is so popoular.

Not sure if you get refund on the delivery fee or not-it wouldn't surprise me that it would be non refundable. This way it would discourage from those using Carvana for a one week test drive over and over again.

I'm wondering if Carvana only sold used Crown Vics-if the sentiments would be the same..........

 

[JeffKeryk]

Do customers get charged a delivery fee?

Good question...
My understanding is, if the car is "local" (not exactly sure what that means) there is no delivery fee. But over "local" there is a fee.
Is the fee refundable? Ya got me.

I believe this is a good way to buy or sell a used car. If it turns out not to be, I'm sure we will hear about it.
It is definitely a convienient way to shop.

 

[chunt]

Good question...
My understanding is, if the car is "local" (not exactly sure what that means) there is no delivery fee. But over "local" there is a fee.
Is the fee refundable? Ya got me.

I believe this is a good way to buy or sell a used car. If it turns out not to be, I'm sure we will hear about it.
It is definitely a convienient way to shop.

It was definitely a convenient way to sell my car. Kelly Blue Book lists a range for trade in values for used cars and Carvana gave me just a touch above that range. I doubt that I would have got that much from a traditional dealer. I didn't have to leave home, quick and easy and no salesman to fuss with.

 

[Kira]

Fossil, old school...heck, I'll take paranoid. People say, "caveat emptor" and I'm with that.

Now-a-days big money creates new, streamlined business models. How much grease (bribes) they pumped into the development of any relevant legislation is never discussed. Honestly, how many reading this truly felt exempting internet purchases from local taxation was fair or necessary?
And was the decision to do so even debated?
Hmmm, and where did the idea come from?

The few mentions of warranty work were positive; so that's good.

I guess it does boil down to breadth of selection, attractiveness of the warranty and the 7 day trial.

 

[JustinH]

Good question...
My understanding is, if the car is "local" (not exactly sure what that means) there is no delivery fee. But over "local" there is a fee.
Is the fee refundable? Ya got me.

I believe this is a good way to buy or sell a used car. If it turns out not to be, I'm sure we will hear about it.
It is definitely a convienient way to shop.

Yes I paid $100-$200 to transport my car from New Mexico to San Antonio. There would have been no fee if I purchased a car already on site in San Antonio, or I went to New Mexico to pick it up myself.

 

[Wolf359]

The age old car dealership business model is gasping it's dying breath. Carvana and before them, Carmax both provide progressive alternatives to a buying experience that is archaic and hated by most people. Carvana seems goofy to me but the concept, if tweaked and executed well will gain traction with time.

There's a certain segment of the population that doesn't like to haggle. For them, carmax is fine because they probably won't get taken at the traditional car dealerships. But for those who know how to haggle and can drive a hard bargain, those are the ones who avoid Carmax because they charge the most. Basically your bias against the status quo is showing. It exists for a reason. Carmax addresses one segment of the buying public, it doesn't work for all of it. Carmax has been around for years. They haven't really made a dent in the number of used car dealers out there.

As for Carvana, time will tell if they will be around. They're losing money and expanding so they can lose money faster. Lots of companies end up folding this way, investors get tired of waiting for them to make a buck and when the spigot dries up, they'll be gone in a couple months. Maybe the investors will stick around a while and they'll have a rep of being able to deliver used cars cheaply. But in order to increase their profits, they're going to have to increase the spread that they charge. That would probably cut into their business. But they need to grow it now in order to have enough volume so that when it does cut into their business they still make a little money.

 

[SeaJay]

I would never use Carvana why would anyone buy or sell a car over the internet other than Craigslist or eBay where you can actually look at it always on Craigslist and occasionally on eBay. I would want to look at it in person and test drive it and everything before buying it or selling it and check everything under the hood. Just my thoughts.

For buying, I agree. But I wouldn't care if they made an offer over the internet and honored it, assuming I was happy with the offer.

 

[Toros Cosmicos]

There's a certain segment of the population that doesn't like to haggle. For them, carmax is fine because they probably won't get taken at the traditional car dealerships. But for those who know how to haggle and can drive a hard bargain, those are the ones who avoid Carmax because they charge the most. Basically your bias against the status quo is showing. It exists for a reason. Carmax addresses one segment of the buying public, it doesn't work for all of it. Carmax has been around for years. They haven't really made a dent in the number of used car dealers out there.

As for Carvana, time will tell if they will be around. They're losing money and expanding so they can lose money faster. Lots of companies end up folding this way, investors get tired of waiting for them to make a buck and when the spigot dries up, they'll be gone in a couple months. Maybe the investors will stick around a while and they'll have a rep of being able to deliver used cars cheaply. But in order to increase their profits, they're going to have to increase the spread that they charge. That would probably cut into their business. But they need to grow it now in order to have enough volume so that when it does cut into their business they still make a little money.

Yeah. You're right. The being closed on Sundays when 90% of folks shop for cars on a weekend is brilliant. So is the " I need to ask my manager" routine. A sustainable business model if there ever were one.

 

[OIL_UDDER]

I'm speaking on behalf of my Mom but she had a great experience. Will never go back to dealership. No lie.

 

[01rangerxl]

I want to jump in here....especially with CKN having just posted.

I know I'm a fossil. I also know I don't trust people. I haven't gone to Carvana or any other site but the bottom line is that a buyer sees a car, reads the description, agrees to the price (any room for negotiation?), awaits delivery...then it all comes down to the 7 day period where you decide if they misrepresented the vehicle or not.

Don't rip me for abbreviating the process description but that what it seems to be.

Do customers get charged a delivery fee?

Somehow I feel I should donn my flame suit.

Yeah, they probably don't do so much business up there. It's a Camry delivered to your apartment, not a Ranger or Volvo parked at the country store.

There's nothing wrong with it, but there's nothing special about the product either. Their pictures are really good, dust and all. Basically every car dealership is trying to offer the same thing post-corona.

 

[Silver]

5 days

I think this tells us they don't do any mechanical checks on their vehicles. Wow.

 

[CKN]

I think this tells us they don't do any mechanical checks on their vehicles. Wow.

You wouldn't buy a car online anyway....would you?

 

[Silver]

You wouldn't buy a car online anyway....would you?

Heh, probably not although in most cases you take just about as big a risk when buying one in person, and with the return policy it doesn't seem all that bad. When I first learned of Carvana I was like no way, only a fool would do that. But the more I think about it and realize just how big a risk there is in buying in person, it doesn't seem that much worse. To me what makes the difference is warranty and/or return policy.

 

[hytibilly]

1. I'm trading in my 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid Titanium for a 2019 Ford Fusion Hybrid Titanium. Pick up is scheduled for tomorrow.
2. Carvana offered me $2,700 more than anyone else for my trade-in. Their price to purchase the 2019 is the same as everyone else's. There was also a $500 off code for a referral.
3. There's a seven-day return period that's a lot better than a thirty-minute test drive. My local dealers won't even let me take the car for a PPI "because there's a warranty." Yeah, but that doesn't cover abuse or frame/collision/body damage.
4. Carvana is open with their fees. What you see is what you pay. Used car lots were just randomly adding fees to jack the prices up. (Like *mandatory* extended warranty coverage they don't tell you about until they've wasted an hour of your time test driving the car, etc.) Dealers, in the past, have charged for "VIN etching".
5. EDIT: The delivery fee is not refundable. I looked for a car without a delivery fee, which was easy because I am in a major market.
6. I looked at Avis, Hertz, and Enterprise car sales. Trade in values were crap, and one of them doesn't even accept trade-ins in NY. But they do have rent-to-own programs, which give you a better chance to get a PPI and your own inspection. They also have a 12,000 mile, one-year powertrain warranty.
7. Carvana is much likelier to pay for repairs if you are within the seven-day return period. I can't understand anyone who trusts their "150 point inspection" and "100 day warranty" or whatever. Get a PPI right away, and harass Carvana as much as possible in the first seven days, and then the first 100 days. Push, push, push.
8. Carvana is probably making a killing on the extended warranty and the sub-prime auto loan market. If they break-even on their operations selling cars and servicing the warranty, they are probably making bank on their loans.

 

[CKN]

1. I'm trading in my 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid Titanium for a 2019 Ford Fusion Hybrid Titanium. Pick up is scheduled for tomorrow.
2. Carvana offered me $2,700 more than anyone else for my trade-in. Their price to purchase the 2019 is the same as everyone else's. There was also a $500 off code for a referral.
3. There's a seven-day return period that's a lot better than a thirty-minute test drive. My local dealers won't even let me take the car for a PPI "because there's a warranty." Yeah, but that doesn't cover abuse or frame/collision/body damage.
4. Carvana is open with their fees. What you see is what you pay. Used car lots were just randomly adding fees to jack the prices up. (Like *mandatory* extended warranty coverage they don't tell you about until they've wasted an hour of your time test driving the car, etc.) Dealers, in the past, have charged for "VIN etching".
5. EDIT: The delivery fee is not refundable. I looked for a car without a delivery fee, which was easy because I am in a major market.
6. I looked at Avis, Hertz, and Enterprise car sales. Trade in values were crap, and one of them doesn't even accept trade-ins in NY. But they do have rent-to-own programs, which give you a better chance to get a PPI and your own inspection. They also have a 12,000 mile, one-year powertrain warranty.
7. Carvana is much likelier to pay for repairs if you are within the seven-day return period. I can't understand anyone who trusts their "150 point inspection" and "100 day warranty" or whatever. Get a PPI right away, and harass Carvana as much as possible in the first seven days, and then the first 100 days. Push, push, push.
8. Carvana is probably making a killing on the extended warranty and the sub-prime auto loan market. If they break-even on their operations selling cars and servicing the warranty, they are probably making bank on their loans.

So yes-drive the car the allotted miles in 7 days. Anything that needs replacing should manifest itself. (transmission, suspension, brakes, ) etc. Your idea of an inspection is sound as well. If anything breaks after than-it would have broke no matter where you purchased the car.

 

[hytibilly]

So yes-drive the car the allotted miles in 7 days. Anything that needs replacing should manifest itself. (transmission, suspension, brakes, ) etc. Your idea of an inspection is sound as well. If anything breaks after than-it would have broke no matter where you purchased the car.

A pre-purchase inspection at the dealer is a big deal. I read a horror story where a purchaser (not Carvana but a used car lot) took the car to a dealer for a warranty repair only to find out that there is a warranty block on the VIN for some reason (the car was raced/tracked or ran out of engine oil). So I'm going to pay the premium for the dealer to do the inspection, and see if any TSBs come up that can be repaired.

Over the weekend, I'm going to lift the car myself, take the wheels and body shields off, and see if there's anything obvious like blown shocks, leaking transmission, etc. Then I'll take it for an hour-long drive to see if anything pops up. Wish me luck! =)