Any Carmax fan

[M1Accord]

Their prices seem a lot higher now comparing to before. Not just higher because of manufactured inflation but just higher prior. Some of their 2-year old models cost more than MSRP of brand new current model.

Just wonder if there are hidden benefit of buying at Carmax.

 

[Tdbo]

No, the only real benefit of Carmax is that it is a no pressure, convenience driven, no haggle venue.
However, it does provide a nice platform to see a wide array of vehicles in one stop.
Personally, I'd rather do my homework, go through the gyrations (on my terms,) and reap the financial benefits of doing the work.

 

[Dave Hess]

I was looking for a Mazda3 sedan or hatchback for my grandson and 5 year old vehicle with 50K miles was just $1000 less than a new one back in 2018.

Crazy !!!

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

I bought my 09 G8 GT from Carmax back in 2010. Even though it had been around longer than when I did my first transaction with Carvana, Carmax was nowhere near as smooth and painless. I agree their cars seem to be priced much higher with all other things being equal.

 

[M1Accord]

No, the only real benefit of Carmax is that it is a no pressure, convenience driven, no haggle venue.
However, it does provide a nice platform to see a wide array of vehicles in one stop.
Personally, I'd rather do my homework, go through the gyrations (on my terms,) and reap the financial benefits of doing the work.

Yeah. For most of folks on here, we aren’t paying more than MSRP in current bad time and mostly somewhere between invoice and MSRP during normal time so the above benefits are null.

It is a nice place to see cars without pressure. And then go buy new from dealership.

 

[SeaJay]

It avoids the horror of having to negotiate and stay around for a couple of hours to complete the process and to drive away with a vehicle that has already been test driven and visually examined prior to the deal being closed.

 

[duck__dodgers]

Also the random "Normie" conceptualizes a car's price as monthly payment, so a car's sticker price is like white noise. people comparison-shop on monthly payment.

And not defending or praising Carmax, but so many dealers add line-item surcharges that the difference between Carmax (and their surcharge) and another random dealer (and their often higher surcharge) is as big as when you compare a carmax.com price and the dealer's cars.com or final negotiated price.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

I was looking for a Mazda3 sedan or hatchback for my grandson and 5 year old vehicle with 50K miles was just $1000 less than a new one back in 2018.

Crazy !!!

I’ve had good luck pitting different dealerships against each other when buying new. Both my Tacoma and my CX-30 I bought brand new for lower than what places ask for low mileage used.

I swear there’s enough people who fall for the “used is always cheaper” fallacy for lightly used vehicles they forget to cross-check with the new option. It artificially inflates demand and pricing in the sub ~20k mi market. Dealerships are incentivized to move new models, not as much the used ones.

 

[zzyzzx]

Just wonder if there are hidden benefit of buying at Carmax.

No

 

[SevenBizzos]

Carmax is fine. A lot of people just want to go buy a car. That's it. With some of the recent history of dealership behavior, I'd expect Carmax to become more popular.

 

[Leo99]

Yeah. For most of folks on here, we aren’t paying more than MSRP in current bad time and mostly somewhere between invoice and MSRP during normal time so the above benefits are null.

It is a nice place to see cars without pressure. And then go buy new from dealership.

If the dealership has the car in stock. My local Toyota dealer is still bare with inventory. Almost nothing new on the lot.

 

[dishdude]

I've sold them a couple cars, painless and super easy, they're great to deal with so I can see why people like buying cars there. It's not just them, but all 2-3 year old mainline cars don't seem to carry much of a discount off new anywhere you buy them.

 

[CKN]

I've sold them a couple cars, painless and super easy, they're great to deal with so I can see why people like buying cars there. It's not just them, but all 2-3 year old mainline cars don't seem to carry much of a discount off new anywhere you buy them.

Yea-there still are not many deals out there-that's for sure.

I just looked at two very nicely equipped F-150s. So-it's $68,000 for an XLT. So with trading in a my F150 the payments would be $551.- for 72 months. This was with $5,000.00 off with 1.9 financing. I know could have gotten a bigger discount on the new truck had I been really ready to buy.

So much for frequent trading anymore. Salesman agreed that trucks are ridiculously priced.

 

[proveitwithdata]

Their prices seem a lot higher now comparing to before. Not just higher because of manufactured inflation but just higher prior. Some of their 2-year old models cost more than MSRP of brand new current model.

Just wonder if there are hidden benefit of buying at Carmax.

If prices are above msrp of new....end the conversation and find a new one off the lot and make it yours?

Carmax only wins when they are inline with other used car places, easier to deal with both before and 7 days after purchase (return policy).

 

[Zee09]

I sold only and found Carvana far easier to deal with. Full service.

 

[dogememe]

I don't see any benefit to Carmax. Overpriced!

 

[M1Accord]

Also the random "Normie" conceptualizes a car's price as monthly payment, so a car's sticker price is like white noise. people comparison-shop on monthly payment.

And not defending or praising Carmax, but so many dealers add line-item surcharges that the difference between Carmax (and their surcharge) and another random dealer (and their often higher surcharge) is as big as when you compare a carmax.com price and the dealer's cars.com or final negotiated price.

My last car payment was 2013 and that was for my 2012 Fit.

 

[M1Accord]

Also the random "Normie" conceptualizes a car's price as monthly payment, so a car's sticker price is like white noise. people comparison-shop on monthly payment.

And not defending or praising Carmax, but so many dealers add line-item surcharges that the difference between Carmax (and their surcharge) and another random dealer (and their often higher surcharge) is as big as when you compare a carmax.com price and the dealer's cars.com or final negotiated price.

My last car payment was 2013 and that was for my 2012 Fit

 

[69GTX]

I only went to Carmax once, back in 2009 when looking for a nice, low mileage used Lincoln. I had already seen
one in great shape at a smaller dealer for $9,000.....a 2002 Lincoln Continental with 22,000 one owner miles. It was pretty mint.
I went through what Carmax had in similar Lincolns and Caddies, and everything was $8K to $12K but with 80,000-100,000 miles or more.
I couldn't get out of there fast enough and go back and buy the 22,000 mi car. Never returned to the Max.

 

[Skippy722]

They have a really good warranty.

Otherwise if I’m buying a used car they’re my first stop. I like to walk around and sit in various vehicles without being pestered by a sales person.