Anyone buy a car from CARMAX?

Yes. Would probably do again.

I liked it because I wanted a specific color, leather seats, 4wd, etc.

The dealers (used) I went to could not get me exactly what I wanted.


I found what I wanted at a lot in Tennessee, they shipped it to BTR for something like 200.00.

When it arrived, after inspection, I still had the option to back out and just loose the 200.00.

They did a fair trade on my trade in.

This was about 8 years ago.

Edit: From what I remember, the trade in was within the blue book range.


That being said, we have also bought 2 other cars online but not through Carmax.

One we got from a Jersey dealership and they delivered to the house.

The other we found at a North Carolina dealer. We agreed on price, I flew in and the dealer picked me up at airport and drove me to dealership and I signed the papers and drove off, no in person haggling.

I personally think online is the way to go and there are a lot of options out there.

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Low balled my trade

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Had the same. Went a mile down the road and got $7k more for my trade-in and paid $3K less for basically the same vehicle. Saved $10k and received free oil changes and car washes for life. Too bad the dealership is three hours from the house...

Below rough trade on all 2-3 times went there. I didnt want to buy a car (not fair price in my opinion), but wanted to get a trade offer to use at dealers. But could not use the low offer, especially when the ‘checklist’ was ‘excellent condition’. Never again

From my experience, their prices hover around KBB. Won't get a "good" deal, shouldn't feel screwed over. That's really the future of car buying.

It's worth the investment of the 30 minutes or whatever to get a quote on a trade-in.

I took their quote to a dealership as insurance against them low-balling my trade, which they did. Then it was as simple as pulling out their paper quote as a counter-offer and telling them I'd walk away if they didn't match it.

I don’t buy from anywhere where they have your calculated note on the door in increments of 5%.

Last time I was in their lot they shower your note at 5%, 10% and 15%.

This was in Fairfax, VA in 2017.

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I took their quote to a dealership as insurance against them low-balling my trade, which they did.

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I did this exact thing a few weeks ago. We ended up going to CarMax a few weeks ago just to get an official offer.

Then went down the way and made them better it if we were going to buy their new car.

We won all the way around I felt like.

I’ve bought 6 new cars in my life. I lost on the first 2 but you learn the process. It really comes down to an experience and confidence thing.

If they overwhelm you, they win. This past deal, they tried throwing a bunch of figures at you and I ended up correcting them when the math didn’t add up. Called them out on it.

So all the extended warranties, gap, etc. they tried to sell, usually cost about $6,500-7,000. I negotiated it down to a flat $1,500.00. You’ve got to know the game and the margins.

And I’ve owned enough vehicles in my life to know my break point is about $1,500 if you hold the car for 7 years. You likely will see a return.

No but I sold cars for them. I will tell all their shite is 2nd rate unless you luck up and find one they bought from the public. Even then it's iffy because they lowball the shite out of people. Big dealers keep their creampuffs and auction the 2nd rate stuff which Carmax usually soaks up. Carmax is not beyond taking a vehicle that has been wrecked throwing some metal and paint work at it and presenting it as never wreaked as long as the history report is clean. Finally they ask to much to scam as much downpayment as they can and they hike their financing rates up just like new car stores but you have no way of negotiating it back down.

Carmax is for suckers and easy marks.

Carmax loves people like you.