Buying a Vehicle from Carmax
Jul 12 '01
The Bottom Line Drive-through car buying- easy, fun, but somewhat stressful for the indecisive.
"Used Auto Salesman"
These three words conjure nightmare images of greasy, overweight men with too-short ties. We quake in fear of this image, seeing them rubbing their hands together with glee whenever the next "sucker" warily approaches the used car lot. The reality, of course, is different, our perception of the "used car salesman" being one created largely by Hollywood movies in which they need an extra sleazebag to bring up the quality of the film.
These days, used car lots are constantly improving the quality of the vehicles they offer, advertising the "quality checks" and calling used cars "certified pre-owned vehicles." Car dealers are recognizing that consumers are getting smarter about big purchases, and that buying a recent used car is a great way to save money.
One of the outgrowths of this movement is the Carmax Used Car store. More like a "mall" these dealers often deal in new cars but have made the newer used car their priority. This is a way of buying cars that is a radical departure from the traditional method, and may not be suited for everyone.
Where do these cars come from?
The cars sold by Carmax are usually no older than 1995 or 1996 models. Many are cars that were originally leased and then given back. What makes these cars a good buy is mileage- lease requirements often restrict mileage, thus these cars show less wear-and-tear, and become a very good value.
Another segment of the Carmax used car population is the rental car. Rental car companies like to keep fleets of new cars on hand, and these cars need to be sold after their quick terms of service so the rental company can invest in newer models. Buying ex-rentals is a little unsettling, but these are cars which have been examined frequently and fairly well-maintained. They come from all over the country, and if you're lucky, you'll find one that hasn't yet seen road salt or other nasty conditions from where you live (my car happened to be from Florida). Ex-rentals also tend to be low in mileage (mine was under 10K)as they are mostly used by tourists needing to get from airports to hotels and "just around town," instead of being driven on a daily basis by commuters.
A very small section of the lot is populated by trade-ins or cast-offs, and these are generally the older cars on the lot
Inspection
The Carmax dealers are very proud of their inspection process. They claim that only one out of ten used cars meets their requirements. I am inclined to believe this based on my experience thus far. Upon entering Carmax they show several used cars, hoods open. One was an "unnacceptable" vehicle that showed very mild wear and tear. Next to it was an "acceptable" vehicle, along with cards pointing out the differences between the two. These differences were very slight but led me to believe they are committed to providing high-quality, well-maintained vehicles. Now, advertising does not always guarantee truth, and I may be gullible for believing this, but their local reputation backs these points up.
Warranty
Because these cars are still fairly "new," many still have the original factory warranty intact. I can safely drive my used car for another three years under the original warranty. In addition to these warranties, Carmax offers its own warranty, good for 60,000 miles after you purchase the car. This is further evidence, in my mind, that they have faith in their vehicles, and I drove away feeling very protected from the mechanic induced horrors that had dogged me recently with my beloved old car (if I ever hear "you need new calipers and have no warranty" again I will scream). After buying a car from Carmax, they offer complete service, from oil changes to major repairs- this seems to be the best option if you do have a major problem with the vehicle, as they are very concerned with maintaining customer loyalty.
The Buying Experience
Whether you love Carmax or hate it largely depends on your personality and preparation. This is not the experience I would recommend to someone with no idea what they want, who is easily stressed out. This is fast-food car shopping. Carmax best serves people who know what they want before walking in the door, who also want to make a quick decision.
First, do your research. The reason this went so well for me was that I had already spent months on the Internet, trying to find which cars I thought would be good for me. I finally settled on the Nissan Altima or Toyota Camry. I would have to buy used, because of personal finances. Knowing WHAT you want is the most important aspect of shopping at Carmax.
If you are thinking of shopping here, it is imperative to visit their website (www.carmax.com) which provides a search feature that shows all the cars in stock, and pictures (usually) of said vehicles. Through this site you can narrow your search to two or three specific cars. Email the Carmax nearest you for more details about these cars (this is not necessary, but helpful). When you email the Carmax sales team, they put your name on a list of people interested in the specific car in their database, which later gives you an idea of how much time you have to make your decision (I beat out seven people for my car, all of whom decided to "think about it").
Now that you know exactly which cars you want to test drive, head to the store. If you have emailed them, go straight to the counter and ask for whoever replied to your e-mail (they will respond to you). Otherwise, just go up to any of the salespeople (there will be quite a few welcoming you, believe me). The salespeople at Carmax are a diverse bunch, but mostly they are recent college graduates and young people. They are very friendly once you're one-on-one despite the feeling of "circling vultures" that takes you over upon entering the front doors.
I was whisked off for a test drive within minutes, and had made up my mind before returning to the store that this was definitely the car for me. I found out the price ($1500 below blue book- this is the average under-blue-book price of their cars), and decided to take it to the next level.
The process of buying was very quick and very simple. This can be a little unsettling if you're not fully prepared to make a decision. First comes, of course, financing. Within minutes they have offers from three banks for you to choose from. Easy. Carmax takes care of registering, inspecting, licensing, and title for the vehicle. Within about twenty minutes you are at the point of no return, and all they need is a "yes" or a "no" and you are driving away with a new(er) vehicle.
This was definitely a little scary for me, as a first time car buyer, 22 years old, female, and by myself. Originally I had only intended on looking, but the process was so easy that I found myself about to actually go ahead and buy. My stomach was twisting in knots. At this point, Sean, my sales-guy, encouraged me to think for a few minutes and even allowed me to call my mother long distance for advice (yes, I ALWAYS turn to mom for advice. ALWAYS). Within two minutes I had made the decision to buy. After that, everything was simple, and I was driving my new(er) Altima that evening. I have no regrets about the experience, and the pricing and no-haggle policy did make it an easy and not-too-traumatic experience.
*note*
The salespeople at Carmax earn the same amount of money for every car sold. This means that they do NOT earn more for a more expensive car. Thus, the consumer has a comfort zone as the sales representative has no incentive to con you out of money. Nice touch.
Overall, this experience was great for me and I feel I approached it the right way. However, you will not have a good experience here if you don't know what you want, or don't deal well with pressure of any kind (probably less here than at other dealerships, but the quick, walk-in, drive-out atmosphere can be disconcerting). I highly recommend buying a newer used car here based on my experience, the price, and the quality of the vehicles offered.
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