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Buying a car from CarMax reliable?

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macrumors 68040
Original poster
Dec 16, 2011
3,893
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So, i'm preparing to purchase my first car and I'm very excited.

This car is a vehicle I'm going to have for a while. At the very minimum, up through college (I'm a junior in High School right now), therefore getting a cheap clunker is not very optimal.

I've been looking at a lot of CPOs online, and so far I've looked in person at a 2011 Toyota Yaris, 2012 Mazda3, and I also looked at a new 2014 Mazda2.

I decided today to look at CarMax and see what they offered and I was surprised to find a 2011 Mazda3 with the same options and less miles as the CPO Mazda3 for almost $4k less! As I continued to look through their inventory I was finding better deals left and right! a 2013 Yaris (much better styling than the 2011 Yaris I looked at) for $2k less! ($13k vs. $11k).

Now, I'm curious. Has anyone from MacRumors purchased a car form CarMax? Does CarMax offer any kind of warranty? Anyone have any consumer hell experiences with service or a vehicle? Would you recommend CarMax as a place to buy a car?
 
2 years of CPO add. warranty is worth a lot for many.

My last two cars were CPO.
Yes, I could have gotten a better deal somewhere else, but the extra peace of mind for two years was worth it for me.

-t
 
They're very popular here in Orlando and I know several people who have bought cars from them and have turned out to be good purchases. From what I understand, CarMax performs a very thorough inspection the cars they purchase for resell. If I were in the market for a pre-owned vehicle, I wouldn't hesitate to check them out. Good luck!
 
Gregg2 said:
CPO?

CarMax is reputable. But every car has its own story.
Click to expand...

Certified Pre-Owned.


To the OP:

CPO can be great for piece of mind. Some CPOs are a longer warranty than the original new car coverage.

Generally, if you’re a budget, the sudden cost of repair work can be painful. While you might pay more up front, it’s probably financed across 36-60 months, so it’s not _that_ much more month-to-month.

It’s like any sort of paid warranty, it’s a gamble :)
 
I have only experience with Audi and BMW CPOs, but both were great.

The cars were cleaned and detailed, and almost looked new, even though they were a few years old. Absolutely meticulous.

Also, since you only get CPOs from dealerships, they need to fulfill very strict criteria and test to be able to offer a vehicle as CPO. Not all cars qualify. You can be sure the cars are in very good mechanical condition.

Both BMW and Audi CPOs add 2 years of additional warranty to the original mfg. warranty.

-t
 
CarMax stands buy the cars they sell. Plus they have a better selection than most used car dealers.
 
MacNut said:
CarMax stands buy the cars they sell. Plus they have a better selection than most used car dealers.
Click to expand...

Yes, CarMax is convenient, because they ship any car anywhere for a few hundred bucks. It's much easier to find what you're looking for.

HOWEVER, they don't necessarily have the best deals.

I just recently bought a CPO from a local dealer, after watching the market for a few months. The deal I got for a CPO with 2 more years of warranty is better than what I can currently see CarMax offering anywhere in the US.

Sure, hit and miss. You gotta be patient to find deals.

-t
 
CPO will always bring in a premium dollar. CarMax is good for sure. And alot of times you can get a third party warranty that is reputable for a good price (Cheaper than the CPO premium)
 
Even CarMax occasionally sells a lemon. It's how they handle it that makes the difference. A friend of mine bought a car from CarMax in Stockbridge, GA. For three months, CarMax worked to try and fix the issues. One day, when she was so frustrated she was crying at the repair shop, someone from the leadership told her that CarMax would make it right. They did. They gave her the full credit for what she paid toward that car toward another. She is a very happy customer.
 
Purchased my Volvo from CarMax. 20k miles later its been a great machine. I always am meticulous with my cars so they are always in need of a little TLC when I get them but I was very surprised at the level of detail CarMax puts into making their used vehicles a cut above the rest.
 
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