Carmax has a certain market niche.

Very few cars sold under $25k.

Any cars traded in, they are looking for at $2k profit at auction.

Carmax self finances, so they often give loans to people who have trouble getting loans from banks.

They focus on volume.

Anonymous wrote:People complain about the prices of cars at Carmax, but they're not that much higher than a regular dealership. Carmax still has to be competitive with their pricing. Sure, if you're a good negotiator, you might be able to talk a regular dealership down in price, but if you're not, Carmax pricing isn't too bad. And no, I don't work for Carmax.

I agree. The prices are higher, but not THAT much higher. And my time is valuable. To buy through a regular dealership, you have to look at a bunch of different dealerships, who may or may not have good information online (requiring you to visit different dealerships), then spend time negotiating, spend time while they attempt to upsell you on a million different things, etc.

I bought 2 cars thru 2 different Carmax outlets in 2 different states last summer. Everything is online, with good information about each car, a really good search engine, and an easy way to compare different cars. You can see all their inventory nationwide or within a given radius or at a specific Carmax outlet. You make an appointment to test drive, and when you go in they have the car all ready to go. The purchasing process is easy and fast. A terrific experience start to finish in both cases. We are very happy with both cars.

People complain about the prices of cars at Carmax, but they're not that much higher than a regular dealership. Carmax still has to be competitive with their pricing. Sure, if you're a good negotiator, you might be able to talk a regular dealership down in price, but if you're not, Carmax pricing isn't too bad. And no, I don't work for Carmax.

I have purchased two vehicles from them, and no complaints. I say this as a person that isn't shy about escalating concerns/getting a manager. I enjoyed the quickness/easiness of it.

I had a great experience with buying from Carmax in NoVA. It was like 12 years ago, though.

The cars reeked of smoke and seemed dirty inside. The prices were high. W

Just bought second car from Carmax and about to sell a second car from Carmax.

Quick and easy. Test drove at 5 pm -drove home at 7 pm.

I think we are up to 5 cars bought from Carmax. It all about high customer service and a quick and easy buying experience for us. No doubt you pay a premium for it but not any different that cars being sold under a CPO scheme at a dealer.

Very easy and straightforward. I bought my car there 8 years ago. Went in for an appointment in the morning after identifying 3-4 cars on their website that I was interested in, looked at them all, picked one, and drove it home by lunchtime. They had other options at nearby locations if I didn’t like one of the cars they had there at that site.

It’s more expensive than an equivalent car from an individual sale or dealer. You are paying for the convenience and wide selection.

That car now has 150k miles (bought it with 15k) and is going strong. That’s luck of the draw, of course, but I’ve gotten my money’s worth out of it even with the Carmax premium.

A transmission mechanic told us that the Carmax warranty (which costs extra) is great but we bought elsewhere because their prices are higher.

You do need an appointment if you want to actually test drive cars.

Anonymous wrote:I am in the market for a used car for my teen. Is CarMax a good place for buying a used car? Their prices seem to be higher than other dealerships.

It can be. The pros of Carmax is that you have a lot to choose from, the buying process is easy, and they have liberal return policy. The con is the price. You will pay much more than if you buy from dealer.

The cars at carmax aren’t any better than from a dealer. It’s a used car and the quality is predicated on prior use and care from previous owner.

Regardless of where you end up purchasing, ALWAYS get pre-purchase inspection from independent mechanic of your choosing. Yes, even when buying from Carmax.

I very much prefer Carmax to a dealer. So much easier, no haggling, and if you're not tied to a particular make and model of car, it's nice to have lots of options.

Prices are higher because they are easy. How much is your time worth it to you?

I bought several cars from Carmax and always had a great experience. I even had an issue with one of my cars long after I bought it and they were very quick to make it right.

I am in the market for a used car for my teen. Is CarMax a good place for buying a used car? Their prices seem to be higher than other dealerships.