Menu
For Business Write a review File a complaint
CarMax Customer Service Phone, Email, Contacts

CarMax
Reviews and Complaints

www.carmax.com

Learn how the rating is calculated

1.9 25 Reviews 346 Complaints
Claim Your Business
Take control of your profile: address complaints and engage with reviews
Write a review File a complaint

CarMax Complaints 346

ComplaintsBoard
V
7:36 am EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

CarMax awful experience

I purchased a car from CarMax at the beginning of the year. Mind you this is the 2nd car I have purchased from CarMax and the 3rd car purchased from CarMax by my family. I had problems from the get-go with a 3rd party vendor they used to install my car alarm. The company did NOT complete the install and when I asked CarMax to confront them they made me do it.

Fair Enough... I complained and they promised to fix it. They did not. After 3 attempts at 'repair and proper install' the device decided not to work at all one day when I was leaving work. I downloaded the 'Service Install' manual for the alarm from the manufacturer's website and took my car back to CarMax a 4th time. I showed the 3rd party installer the install manual and pointed out everything he had not done (including installing safety mechanism for the remote start system) that was in the install instructions and ask him why. He told me that the manual was old and that those items I pointed out did not need to be done anymore.

I then informed him and CarMax that I had downloaded the manual from the manufacturer's website the day before and that the manufacturer had assured me that it was the current and most up to date 'Service Install' manual. After several other instances of issues for the same problem that had been 'fixed' according to both CarMax and the 3rd Party Vendor. I had them remove the item and refund my money.

Now my current issue with the same vehicle - About a month ago there was a very bad wind storm in our area (about 5 months after I initially purchased the vehicle). My car had some minor paint damage and I took it to a body shop to have it repainted under my insurance policy. Today I picked up the vehicle from the body shop. However, before they would let me leave that requested that the body shop owner come speak with me.

A few minutes later the owner came out and asked me if I was aware of the damage. A bit confused I asked what damage. He then informed me of the body damage they had found in 3 places that had been slyly covered up. The rear bumper had been completely repainted due to a rear end collision but with an incorrect color (it's close but he showed me the difference and I can see it completely now). The passenger rear door had a filler job from wreck damage that had also been repainted. He told me that they never would have found it if they had not had needed to remove paint to repair the wind storm scratches. And third the driver side front quarter panel had been damaged down low and had been repainted with a lot of touch up paint. He said that the vehicle had been wrecked and repaired possibly multiple times (although I would think it more likely that it was all one event).

I asked CarMax the first time I purchased a car about the wreck check. The said 'oh it's a very detailed check and no cars that have been wrecked would pass it'. Concidently I asked AGAIN the next car I purchased because some time had passed and I like to be sure of myself. I got the same story. So this means then that CarMax LIED to me and the proceeded to sell me a vehicle that was wrecked moments after I had asked about the 'wrecked car' policy. I'm now going to have to fight with them again about my supposedly never wrecked car they sold me just like I did the multiple times about my car alarm system. I don't know what I expect them to do but that is the last car my family or friends will ever buy from CarMax. My brother had just been to CarMax looking to buy another car from them. Thank goodness I found this out before he purchased. They lost a 2 time customer and 3 time (and quite nearly 4 time) family of customers through poor service, false policies, and outright lies.

Read full review of CarMax and 1 comment
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
1 comment
Add a comment
M
M
Michael Richman
Palm Beach, US
Send a message
Apr 06, 2014 12:07 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

My Wife took her Cadillac to Car Max Branch in Boynton Beach, Florida for a service issue on January 29, 2014. The vehicle was dropped off at the service department and she handed the keys over to the service advisor.
The service department had the car in service for over one month, as they could not locate the mechanical problem successfully, but were aware that the problem did exist. They did however, replace parts that they thought would rectify the problem, but repairs carried out were unsuccessful, and the mechanical issues were not rectified. Car Max while unable to rectify the problem sent the vehicle to an outside vendor who specialized in our model of Cadillac ( Auto Nation ) in order to attempt to locate and rectify the problem that Car Max was unable resolve. According to the service documentation that I later obtained from Auto Nation in Green Acres, Florida; the vehicles problem had been rectified by them, and was awaiting collection by Car Max for over one week. No one from Car Max made any attempt to collect the vehicle, and our car sat in Auto Nation's service parking lot from February 28 until the early hours of March 6, 2014. In the early hours on March 6, 2014 the vehicle was stolen from the service lot and later found vandalized, rendering the vehicle a total loss by our insurance company.
Auto Nation finally reached out to us because of the intervention of Jenn Strathman of" News Chanel 5 Watchdog " Due to the prevailing situation we were left with no choice but to purchase a replacement vehicle from Auto Nation or we would be left without any form of transportation. It took over 20 days for the corporate office at Car Max to finally call us. I am certain they would never take the time of day to reach out to us and possibly would hope that all this would just go away. This is a typical example of Car Max's egregious behavior towards me and consumers in general. As a result of my conversation with Car Max corporate all I managed to receive was a blank GAP insurance claim form and noting more. At least Auto Nation made us an offer of a replacement vehicle at a reduced cost. We never thought we could take our car into service and have it stolen and the company who had our car in their care would not assist us in this terrible situation.

ComplaintsBoard
V
10:33 am EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

CarMax fraud and scam

Helped my daughter by her 1st car in Feb., 2008 from carmax. We bought a 2001 Saturn, a very nice clean car and red like my daughter wanted. Thinking that with Carmax and their 125 point inspection, we were getting a car that was dependable and trust worthy.

Boy were we soon to find out that was a big joke. Had car for a few months and started having minor problems. Cigarette lighter dead, water leak and transmission starting to slip and engine smoking and using oil badly. Took car into shop at carmax on the southwest freeway here in houston. It took over a month to get the car repaired half a$$ed.

They replaced only half the parts needed for a major overhaul, Like replaced the exhaust valve stem seals but not the intake seals. Replaced only the piston rings, but no where does the repair list show any gaskets, main seals, cam bearings, etc... With me being a former mechanic, when you have that much damage you rebuild motor or replace with a rebuilt motor. They replaced waterpump not once but twice, cause 1st one was wrong they said. Then the transmission was rebuilt with only a few parts replaced, not a full rebuild as needed. When trannie slips its a complete overhaul.

Had car back one week, and back to shop again, Smoking again, loosing water and trannie acting up again. Again car is in shop for about a month. And this time they say its only a sensor or 2 is the problem.

We get car back again, this time full tank of gas gone, brakes making noise. Which I replaced front and rear brake pads and rear wheel cylinders and rotors. Test drive car and low and behold its smoking again, blue smoke and water leaking again.

Back to shop at carmax again, Still haven't fixed problem, and I get told take it to Saturn Dealer and we will reimburse you the 75 dollar for the warranty. I haven't even got their stupid warranty company still to reimburse me for the rental car I got the first time around.

Car now smokes, gas mileage has gone from upper 20's to low 30's to maybe low 10's. Water still leaks and a car that is not dependable for my daughter to drive and not worth making car payments on. All carmax says basically oh well, we can buy back but be less than you owe and still have to pay off balance.

Carmax is a rip off in my book!

Read full review of CarMax and 5 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
5 comments
Add a comment
S
S
Samuel
US
Send a message
Dec 09, 2008 6:30 am EST

Carmax, seems to be pulling a very shady deal. I made a payment to my account on The first of December. For a large amount 4200.00 USD. the funds were withdrawn from my account on Dec 2nd. My account has not been credited. So Friday the 5th of December I call and speak to a csr and am informed there is no record of this transaction. So on her recommendation. I have my bank send a fax to the customer service area. The csr told me to address it to the customer service department. I was told I would receive a call Monday. Monday comes and I call back. And informed by a new csr that carmax holds electronic payments over 1000.00 for seven days. I ask her to check on this I had previously made a payment for 1500.00 dollars. And it cleared the bank fine the next day. My fax is still MIA. I am seeking advice as to whether I go to my bank a dispute the charge to carmax and say that it did not get to them. And have my bank yank back the payment.

L
L
Ling Chi
US
Send a message
May 25, 2010 12:37 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Tony,

While you only see people who are complaining about Carmax, you'll find even more people on this very site who state that Carmax offered them a better deal, service, and/or pointed out how they were being ripped off by other dealers. Want some fun reading? Do a search on Darcars and have a laugh.

T
T
Tony_Here
OKC, US
Send a message
Feb 25, 2010 2:09 pm EST

Well Chris, it seems to me that there is a whole site here screaming about how crooked Carmax is with shoddy repairs and shady business practices. If I would have went to Carmax BEFORE reading about how bad of a company they were, Then I would have issue to call you as would the numerous people that have posted on this site. Thank god for the internet and the voice of unhappy customers. I believe I will take my business elsewere...

T

L
L
LR3-Nealy
Pasadena, US
Send a message
Jan 25, 2010 1:02 pm EST

I'm having the similar problem with CarMax. CarMax is claiming that I'm behind in my payments due to wire transfers from my bank. When trying to discuss it with CarMax, one Service Representative stated that CarMax doesn't accept wire transfer directly from other banking institutes. Per my bank statements I'm up to date with my payments, but their records say I'm three months behind. CarMax Customer Relations won't investigate or do anything staying its a different department, but will escalate it. I'm still waiting to her back from them (Week No 4). Now they want to repo the vehicle when I'm not behind on my payments!

C
C
CarMaxChris
Richmond, US
Send a message
Nov 06, 2008 1:45 pm EST

My name is Chris and I work with social media PR in the CarMax home office. I am sorry to read of your poor experience at one of our stores. Please contact the CarMax Customer Relations Department at [protected] and give them the opportunity to assist you with your issue. CarMax strives to offer excellent customer service and we take it very seriously when we read an instance such as this. Thank you.

ComplaintsBoard
V
11:17 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

CarMax rip-off!

I purchased a car from Carmax about two months ago. I have since had my car not start 8 times. I have had to have the trunk latch system completely replaced. The canister purge solenoid in the engine replaced. Have breaks that squeal almost all the time and all of this started about a week after I purchased the car. Just after their five day bring it back in offer was expired.

I have taken my car back to their service department repeatedly. First repair was the canister purge solenoid, wich felt like they just fixed it to shut me up but did not repair any problems. Second repair was the trunk latch witch by the day after the repair stopped working again and to this day only works off and on. I haven been there repeatedly for them to repair the starting issue and each time I am told we they dont know whats happening and can not do anything.

Shortly after all this began I contacted the car max and told them about the lemon they had sold me, and was told by their manager to bring it in and let them see it but all they could do was offer me an appraisel on the car I just purchased from them and then have me pay off the some odd thousand dollars off difference between their appraisel and what I still owed on the car plus be left with nothing at all. I bought this car for a safer more relaiable, more gas efficent car for me and my 9 month old daughter. I HAVE YET TO AQUIRE ANY OF THIS FROM THIS VEHICLE. Getting stuck in a parking lot with a car that wont start and an infant who needs to get out of the heat is not acceptable.

Read full review of CarMax and 1 comment
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
1 comment
Add a comment
B
B
Buunydear
Athens, US
Send a message
Mar 09, 2009 2:04 pm EDT

Have you checked the battery, do you leave th elights on... or maybe have too many gadgets plugged in to the cigarette lighter...Dont stand behind your kid's dirty diapers

ComplaintsBoard
V
6:18 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

CarMax fraud and cheating

I am extremely distraught right now. My husband and I bought our vehicles from Carmax 3 years ago and were told all about the company's wonderful ethics, dedication to customers, etc. and that Carmax will buy your car (that you bought from Carmax) back for a great price.

We are moving to England and have to sell our car. Trusting that Carmax would give us a fair deal, we go to them. First, my husband's car, a 2002 Ford Taurus in excellent condition. The Kelly Blue Book value is between $5000 and $7000. They offer him $5000. He is disappointed, but it was just a little under the KBB value for his particular car, so he took the offer. It really hurt because he still owed $5349 on the car, so had to pay them when selling them his car. We were consoled by the fact that my car would make some money.

My car is a 2002 black Ford Escort ZX2 premium in great condition, with 29K miles, and all the options (automatic, sunroof, automatic, leather seats, ABS, etc.). The Kelly Blue Book value is between $[protected] and my husband predicts we'll get $6200. They 'appraise' the car and tell us what a great car it is, how it's the perfect car for Carmax to buy, particularly with the low mileage, and then offer $4000! My mouth gaped open and I explained how we were expecting a lot more since the car was worth more. An 'appraiser' was brought in and eventually concurred with me that we would get 'at least $6000' for the car 'on the streets, ' but that Carmax's first offer is final and that they do not negotiate. I owe $4700 on the car.

So, we were expecting to make a few thousand dollars and ended up being screwed out of a thousand. I literally spent the day bawling because I don't want to get rid of my car and feel so incredibly helpless and taken advantage of. They know we are moving overseas tomorrow and that we don't have another choice.

As an addition, we both bought the extended warranties on the cars, but when my husband brought his car in with a simple problem, they refused to fix it and only tried to temporarily stop the problem from happening. I caution everybody to stay away from Carmax and feel stupid for having listened to their story about being fair, honest, and reasonable. Admitting the car is worth at least $6000 and then offering $4000 is a slap in the face.

I will NEVER go to Carmax again and will caution all my friends, family, acquaintances, and coworkers about their unethical predatory business practices.

Read full review of CarMax and 3 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
3 comments
Add a comment
W
W
what123
Omaha, US
Send a message
Oct 02, 2009 11:14 pm EDT

The fact is, you sold your car to Carmax because it was your only option. I mean, I guess you could have takin it down to the KBB office and have them buy it. Or just take it to another dealership and have them buy it from you. Look, you had to get rid of two cars very quickly and Carmax was able to make that happen without a huge loss on your behalf. You lost some money, but think about this. What if the transmission or engine goes bad in your car before you got rid of it. That would be worth bawling over. What if you sold the car for $6000 to your neighbor and the day before you move away, he is knocking on your door wanting his money back b/c the A/C quit working. You basically sold 2 cars in 1 hours time and now have the peice of mind that you will never have to worry about those cars ever again. What if Carmax didnt exist. What path would your life have taken then? Convenience and piece of mind is worth a little bit sometimes.

J
J
Johan
Lemoore, US
Send a message
Feb 16, 2009 11:37 am EST

If Kelly Blue Book said your cars were worth more then why didn't you sell them to Kelley?

L
L
Lisa Johnson
Send a message
Nov 18, 2008 11:35 am EST

Thank you for telling me that. There is a CarMax in Hays and I saw some nice cars but after what I read about the company, I will not buy a car from CarMax.

ComplaintsBoard
A
10:54 am EDT

CarMax service / parts suppliers

I bought a 2004 Honda CR-V in October of 2007. Until August of this year, everything was fine. Then, the A/C stopped putting out cold air. Since I was under extended Carmax warranty, I went to Carmax-authorized repair facility. While looking at initial problem, they discovered rear tires were both down to last layer of tread and front ball joint spindle was getting ready to go. First of all, there's no way those three things should have worn out in 10 months, and there's no way any of them should have been missed during Carmax's inspection process. This is where the fun began. Apparently, Carmax had, a few years ago, switched from decent parts suppliers to lowest-common-denominator ones, and the only supplier for their Honda parts was in San Diego, CA (3, 000 miles away from me!). My repair shop called to order the parts--when they finally came in, the ball joint spindle came without bearings in it (which is stupid, since it doesn't WORK without them). The bearings then had to be ordered, and the supplier told my repair people to go screw themselves (in much worse language, which I won't repeat here), and that they didn't need anything from them, and knew what was needed. They then sent the bearings to the wrong address, and when the repair people finally got them, they were the wrong size and type. They re-ordered AGAIN, and it wasn't until 4 1/2 weeks later that I finally got my car completely fixed and back in my hands. All during this process, I called Carmax multiple times and was told everything was covered in full (including rental), and not to worry about it. Then, my repair people would call THE SAME DAY and get the complete opposite story. It finally took a dozen-and-a-half calls between me and the repair shop to get straight answers, finally culminating in a heated call that I made from the repair place (with the manager sitting next to me) to give these people a piece of my mind and get things settled. As of Sept. 8th (after starting Aug. 6th), I thought I was done, and everything that needed to be covered was done. However, I just got a call from the repair place today (Oct. 3) telling me that they show me as having an outstanding balance of $125 for rentals that I was told by Carmax was paid in full on Sept. 8. Carmax used to be a quality facility with great used cars (my dad boght 2 vehicles from them, and never had problems), but ever since they switched suppliers and cut back on staff, they have become the biggest hassle, which no customer should have to endure.

Read full review of CarMax and 1 comment
Hide full review
1 comment
Add a comment
A
A
Ann McClain
Raleigh, US
Send a message
Sep 18, 2013 3:58 pm EDT

I have 'purchased' a 2010 Chev. Impala...initally, at the first oil change-it was found that my 'rack & pinion steering on driver-side was leaking and needed to be replaced. I had the MAXCARE extended warranty and stillh had to pay for rental car$50 deposit; plus $ 50 dedutible plus cost of oil change. And on top of this the tech 'found' a suspicious oil leak around a gasket...since the car is still under 100K warranty; I was sent to Chev. dealeship to have this checked out. They did compression chekc --found nothing. Here we go again 2 days ago begin to hear this clicking sound in the dashboard area-behind the glove compartment. Did some on-line research to find that this is one of 3 'actuators'..that have to do with air-recirculation. Since this continued to run after my car was off...it draned my battery power. Therefore, I had to call for roadside assistance and got the Tow-truck operator to check-and he gave my battery a boost at 5:30am in the morning--since CARMAX claimed that the serviceman that does this work would not be in until Wednesday. After the boost, drove the car all the way to CARMAX superstore at 6am.; waited for service dept to open at 7:30am(in an empty waiting area). Told the service rep the problem and why I came to this conclusion. i was told, since I had the MAxCARE plan I would still have to fork out $50, for diagnostic. Now I find after waiting all day that the actuator 'part'just came in at 4:15pm...and the $100 battery would have to be re-placed(it's not covered under the PLAN). I 've had it.

ComplaintsBoard
E
5:49 pm EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Featured review
This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

Carmax is one of the worst dealerships I have ever been in. They have sales men who know nothing about car or anything that has to do with cars I would seriously rate the deal -10. They seem to want to hire sale people who know nothing about cars the company wouldn't hire me with all my expertise and know because Carmanx is a racist company. Carmax have...

Read full review of CarMax and 7 comments
ComplaintsBoard
V
7:15 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Featured review
This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

I purchased a 2001 Oldsmobile Alero from Carmax in Whitemarsh Md on June 27th, 2007. The car was in the 10k range and had apro 40k miles on it. I also purchased the extended warranty. This was the 3rd car I had purchased from there, all co-owned with my former husband. This was the first purchase on my own. The car broke down the first time on September...

Read full review of CarMax and 2 comments
ComplaintsBoard
V
5:56 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

CarMax don't trust them

The sales pitch sounds great! Carmax is unlike any other (they tell you) when you are looking to purchase a used car, because they provide a 30 day warranty "in writing". Sales personnel at all levels tell you that you have 30 days to visit the dealership's service department for "any" problem encountered under this warranty and it will be fixed. Upon bringing the car back for an item "covered" under the warranty, they refused to fix the problem, and now their response to my inquiries is, "Well, it is a used car, " and they repeatedly refuse to honor their warranty! The corporate customer care line is no help and simply repeats, "Well, it is a used car, after all." However, specific items that are supposedly covered under the warranty are NOT covered if they meet Carmax's standards, which are not provided to the customer until an attempt is made by the customer to have "30-day warranty" work completed. We are very disgusted with this company, its service personnel, and its managers, and will never purchase another car from them in Wisconsin or any other location. We also purchased an additional 75, 000 mile warranty, which allows us to take the car to have work done elsewhere, which we fully intend to do. My recommendation: go somewhere else.

Read full review of CarMax and 1 comment
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
1 comment
Add a comment
B
B
bajaskier
Fond du Lac, US
Send a message
Sep 05, 2008 9:06 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Take them to small claims court for "failure to perform"; essentially not fullfiling their contract with you. They probably will not show up and you'll win by default.

ComplaintsBoard
C
5:32 pm EDT

CarMax state inspection

Just had my Virginia state inspection performed at Carmax last week and despite the fact that my car purchased from them one year ago had only 7K miles, with only 2K added by me this year, they found a problem that caused my vehicle to fail the state inspection. Imagine my surprise when they insisted I leave my car with them for several days until a factory part could be delivered, telling me I could not drive with an inspection rejection sticker, and then, my consternation when a local large dealership arranged to repair the supposed problem and then found nothing wrong! Oh, and if that's not enough: the alleged failure that cause me to fail inspection according to Carmax is apparently not a state inspection item. I plan on following up with the state. Love the car, but I'll stick with the factory dealership for all maintenance going forward.

Read full review of CarMax
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
B
2:18 am EDT

CarMax service

I went to the service center for a basic inspection to maintain the integrity of the warranty I purchased thru carmax, and all they had to do was a basic lube, oil change, tire rotation and filling of fluids. Well...I waited around for over 3 hours for them just to complete that. They didn't even tell me that it was done until at least 20 mins that it sat out in the maintenance bay. So I drive home. The next day my girlfriend was driving home from dropping me off, and on the way smoke began to come out and oil began dispersing onto the ground...luckily home was just around the block. That evening, I get the call about what's happened...I call carmax and the best answer their customer service manager would say was, "You'll have to call service center in the morning", ...meanwhile I'm stuck at work they wouldn't be able to cover a rental car because cars run over 25 dollars a day here in Las Vegas and there's a down payment. I called rental car companies and they wanted over 2 hundred dollars for a rental car. I don't think so! I had also asked the manager about a tow truck to pick up my car and their towing only covers 5 miles away from the store...of course my home is further than that! I get my insurance company to cover the tow and it's free of course, but what if it wasn't? Do they care that their mess up costed me life and someone else money? NO. I get my car back to the carmax service center to see what the problem was and wow!...somehow the oil plug was missing! They inspected it to make sure "WE" didn't mess up the plug ourselves. To their amazement, there were no scrapes, or anything that said we did it to our own car. Because we totally wanted to be there ALL DAY! Hanging out with them! The maintenance technician comes out...some guy that doesn't even speak english very well, and doesn't appear professional at all, to explain he doesn't know what happened, but the oil plug magically unscrewed itself from the oil pan and let out the oil. They may have done the job...but improperly put the bolt/plug in. My car, from an unsuspecting driver, could have been really messed up! I guess I made a mistake by not checking the car out myself right after they touched it, to make sure the tires had been rotated correctly, fluids filled and all the oil components put back together properly. MY MISTAKE! I also noticed that the fluids hadn't been filled either! Thats what I paid them for...why wasn't it done? One of the fluids...an obvious one the coolant, was well below the minimum marking, and it didn't even look touched. I pointed that out to the service manager, and even asked him for my money back for lack of the job being completed properly the first time. Their sign inside says, " We'll fix it right the first time, or it's free!" He said, "What's done was done and he couldn't give my money back. People make mistakes...their human"...awww...cry me a river when you're the one forking out money to pay for my engine breaking down! Covering the warranty payment...I mean, What a load of crap that was! So I waited for the part to come in and for them to do what they were supposed to do the first time, and altogether everything took over 4 hours! This is a basic inspection people. I mean c'mon! So, he assures me that a free oil change is fair! He didn't care how the car got there, why my girlfriend had to call in to work, how I missed two hours of work, ..and it seemed to me he didn't even care... yeah...because that's right...I paid them over $78.00 for all their "WORK"...ha! What a laugh! they didn't even do the job completely! Anyways, they wrote me a check for 25 dollars (to cover an oil change) that said SUCKER all over it, and sent me on my way! I looked at their little special board that listed all the inspections and jobs they are capable of doing (the same sign that said "We'll fix it right the first time, or it's free!"), and an oil change is 38 dollars...good job ###s! Not only that, but I had explained to the manager my disappointment in their service, and asked him why I would even consider taking a free oil change from people that don't pay attention to their job! He laughed and still insisted it was fair. I wasn't happy at all. Another dissatisfied customer...I'm still pissed and plan on writing the company...

Read full review of CarMax
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
R
1:05 pm EDT
Featured review
This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

Put my vehicle in for service in the early morning at the Laurel, MD carmax. I recieved a call on the 2nd day that it was ready. I came down to the shop after hours to pick up and after 30 minutes of waiting for someone trying to find my car, I was told it was not ready. So after wasting my time and gas, I went home and got a call the next day that the car...

Read full review of CarMax and 2 comments
ComplaintsBoard
B
10:26 am EDT
Featured review
This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

I had been impressed with Carmax and purchased two cars from them in the past. This time I saw what life there can be like if you are one of the unlucky ones. I bough a used car for >$30k. (Turns out the price was fair enough btw). However, it was delivered to me in terrible condition. I also noticed that after I handed over my check their treatment of me...

Read full review of CarMax and 37 comments
ComplaintsBoard
V
3:18 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

CarMax some facts about carmax

This is from a current CarMax employee who has worked in several of their used car departments.

Sales - The sales people are actually pretty well trained, but there are still those that don't have a clue to what they are doing. The longer they go in training, the better for them. $12.00 an hour isn't bad for 40 hours a week for training. Oh, and unless the new person sells 4 cars within a two week period, the "mentor" who trained them gets nothing extra. An actual sales person gets paid per unit - not commission! $150.00 flat rate per car they sell. An extra $50 if they get you to buy the warranty and an extra $50 if they buy your car (only depends on the spiff of the month). Any accessories that you purchase, they get part of that. Sales persons have been paid that amount since the inception of CarMax.

Business Office - These are the people who do all your paperwork (the $149 processing charge). They, too, are pretty well trained. But when it comes to what is on the paper work, most don't have a clue. You ask them questions and they end up with the deer in the headlights stare.

Sales Managers - The people you really love! 95% of the sales managers are promoted via the "good old boy" network. They don't have to have been a good sales person, just have friends higher up. Training? Yeah, right. They follow another sales manager around for a few weeks and they are cut loose. Most have ZERO people skills. Their pay is a flat rate salary - usually about $50k, with bonuses paid IF the budget for the day/week/month is made.

Mechanics - These people, for the most, are pretty good. They actually get paid to find problems with your car! That's right - they get paid when they find "problems" with your vehicle!

Buyers - Odd name, but these people are the ones who will appraise your vehicle. They are graded on how many vehicle they buy. Regardless the price they give you. 1 - Do NOT expect to get Kelly Blue Book for your car, it isn't worth it according to them. 2 - Do NOT expect your appraiser to be knowledgeable about your vehicle. Most are taught just what to look for and nothing more. 3 - Unless your vehicle is bought as a wholesale car, you WILL see it put on the front lot for $5-6, 000 more than they gave you! Sorry!

Service Personnel - When you drop your car off for service, these are the people who you talk with. They are some of the "best"! The more work that they can have done to your car, the more money THEY can make! Something as simple as a "diagnosis" puts some sweet money in both CarMax's and the service personnel's pocket! $70 for a diagnostic to tell you your battery is dead!

Paint/Detailers - Some of the lower class of CarMax. Can you operate a vacuum cleaner? Can you wash a window? You are hired! Get those cars prepped and out on the lot NOW! It's OK if the paint isn't completely dry or there is overspray, just get that car to the lot!

Upper Management - This would be the Service Manager, Assistant General Manager and Location General Manager (aka LGM) - Real cream of the crop! These people make life miserable for everyone! If budgets are not made, they don't make money, and if they don't make money, no body is happy! Human defecation makes sudden impact with the rotating oscillator! I am not kidding when I tell you that you WILL be threatened with termination if your sales are not up!

Don't get me wrong, I love my job here, we are not as slimy as regular used car salesmen, but we have a lot of faults within our own company.

Read full review of CarMax and 5 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
5 comments
Add a comment
J
J
jnp_10_20
Marietta, US
Send a message
Mar 23, 2011 3:14 pm EDT

wow- this crap is total ... CRAP

R
R
Rouilly
Lexington, US
Send a message
Feb 08, 2011 5:02 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

My problem here in Columbia is getting them to do what they say they are going to. Time and time again, I was told one thing but they failed to deliver. They seem to have to customer ownership.

L
L
Ling Chi
US
Send a message
May 24, 2010 7:52 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Arthur,

I know this is late, and you will probably not respond, but where did the OP make false claims?

A
A
arthur phillips
Send a message
Nov 17, 2008 3:22 pm EST

most of these comments are lies

A
A
arthur phillips
Send a message
Nov 17, 2008 3:20 pm EST

This guy is a fraud himself almost everything he say is a lie

ComplaintsBoard
V
5:38 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

CarMax they sold me a lemon

I purchase a car that I had always wanted after my divorce. In addition, I am thankful that I purchased the extended warranty. However, my problems with my car soon began after about 5 months and my car has had multiple problems and been in the carmax shop more than 7 times for repairs. Electrical headlight/taillight issue, back window replace because of antenna, sun roof replace/the repair shop scratched up the roof when replacing and no one told me, washer tank replaced, leaks in the floor when it rains, multiple light indicators on the dash, other major repairs, and now the final draw, the car has been in the shop about 4 times for the same concern, the shift stick is popping and was told by the BMW repair shop that the transmission needed to be replaced. The warranty company has denied, the car is in the shop again for the same issue and I was advised by BMW that the warranty company is sending the rep out again to assess the recommended repairs. here's my assessment, the warranty company is waiting and hoping that the warranty will run out soon, I have another 20, 000 miles and then they would not be responsible for the charges. The car was taken to Carmax each time for repairs; they never walked to my car to go over the work that was actually done and would also point to where my car was parked for me to retrieve. Most of the time Carmax indicated they didn’t make the repair because they couldn't duplicate the issue, meaning the dashboard indicates did show up for them, upon getting my car back and driving home, it would do the same thing again...my assessment was they cleared the computer or reset it and it wouldn't show up until I drove it home. I have also called the consumer relation department with and was not pleased with their help either. In addition, I had to rent a car while my car was being repaired, costing me usually 300.00 each time (warranty company only pays for 7 days at 25 a day) Carmax never told me that if I took my car straight to the dealership that I would have received a loan at no charge. Carmax never indicated that I should take the car to the dealership directly. Carmax reps told me many unprofessional things, like the that worked on your car as since been fired, he didn’t know what he was doing. claimed to be a certified BMW mechanic. The reps were not professional and one was down right rude and told me I could not have a copy of all the paperwork for my repairs. I now tell everyone I know to never buy from carmax as they are the worst company to deal with when dealing with repairs. Once you buy the car, they never want to see you again and really their is a disconnect from the purchase to the repair department. I waiting for a manager for 30 minutes when I was upset, their attitudes are, we don't care... Garland, Texas location and employees.

Read full review of CarMax and 3 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
3 comments
Add a comment
L
L
Ling Chi
US
Send a message
May 24, 2010 9:14 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Buck - the term "lemons" typically only applies to new vehicles, and I'm not sure if any state offers lemon law coverage for a used vehicle. New vehicle lemon laws vary by state, but often contain language that the same problem must exist within a certain time or mileage limit, and can not be repaired. Unfortunately, you purchased a BMW and the reliability for European models is less than stellar - the reliability hierarchy is usually Asian (notwithstanding Toyota's current issues), Domestic, and lastly European. I used to use a site called alldata.com, which gave free access to each yr/make/model's particular service bulletins and recalls, and used that as a reliability barometer. Unfortunately, the site has now morphed into a paid service site to get any information, although I'm sure there are other places to get the same info for free.

Ed - if your car had several problems from the get go, you should have returned it within 5 days for a different vehicle like Melinda did. That's what the return policy is for.

M
M
melinda
Send a message
Oct 07, 2008 7:13 am EDT

I just paid cash for a 2006 Dodge Caravan for my business. I drove it off the the lot on Friday and took my kids camping. On Monday the car would not start. I had to have it towed back to the dealership. They are giving me the runaround with the problem. The computer is not functioning. I am getting my money back. This happened within three days and I am thankful for your comments. Austin, Tx.

E
E
Edward Fahrenkrug
Send a message
Aug 20, 2008 12:33 pm EDT

I will never ever buy anything from Carmax again! I bought a Saab 9-3 aero, with several problems from the get go, and the ### claim nothing is wrong with the car. I just took it to the dealer for a check, and they found said problems. Now I have to go back to carmax tomorrow where I am sure to be met with the same BS. If they try to screw me over, I am going to the media and getting a good lawyer!

ComplaintsBoard
V
2:38 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

CarMax stay away from them

I bought a Saturn from Carmax a month ago. As I was leaving the lot I noticed something very wrong with the transmission. That was three and a half weeks ago. The sent my car to Saturn and that’s the last I’ve heard. I have spoken to every service manager and even the gm. They all give me different answers. My biggest issue is they refuse to supply me with a written statement honouring my lost time on the 30 day bumper to bumper warranty. This company claims they are different, but its all a facade. Total BS. Stay away from Carmax in Vegas, and Saturn's service department as well.

Read full review of CarMax and 1 comment
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
1 comment
Add a comment
N
N
Noele028
Dallas, US
Send a message
Jun 10, 2009 6:19 am EDT

Yes, I agree I purchased a bmw from them and literally had problems with it 3 days later. That was about 2 years ago and I am still having problems with it now. It has been in the shop approximately 16 times and now I am upside down in the car and when I attempted to trade it in Carmax offered me a very insulting offer and they are the ones who sold me the car! It truly has been the biggest mistake of my life. DO NOT purchase a vehicle from them, my brother bought a car from them around the same time I did and his car was in and out of the shop as well. A horrible place of business and nothing but horibble cars sold by them!

ComplaintsBoard
V
3:51 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

CarMax they need to be reported

My mother and I purchased a Dodge Intrepid from Carmax last year in May. I have so much to say about this vehicle and their poor customer service. They are crooks and something needs to be done. I have for daughters one being an 18 month old and I can't afford to be turning my vehicle off every time I come to a complete stop because the transmission is slipping. This is very unsafe. They say the squeaky wheel gets the oil, so maybe if we all come together with our complaints Carmax will stop getting away with selling people Lemons. They are very helpful during the purchasing process but soon as you drive off the lot they turn on you. I'm a single mother and now I may have to purchase a new transmission for a 2003 with now 60, 000 miles on it, which should not be happening. This vehicle has been serviced when it should and has not been dogged out. Their appraising is such a scam when you take your vehicle back. The Manufactures need to know these things because Carmax is making certain vehicle brands look very bad. Now I would never buy another Dodge in my life all because of Carmax... They need to be stopped!

Read full review of CarMax and 4 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
4 comments
Add a comment
L
L
Ling Chi
US
Send a message
May 24, 2010 9:22 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Dodge Intrepids are not exactly reliable vehicles - maybe you have not dogged the vehicle since your purchase, but I can guarantee the previous drivers did. One of my personal observations with Intrepid owners was that they all seemed to think their car was in some NASCAR event and drove the vehicle to achieve pole position. Another strike against you is your purchase of a popular fleet (ie, rental) vehicle - and we all know how people treat rental cars (or anything in their possession for any length of time which they do not actually own).

Carmax is not to blame for consumer perceptions of vehicle reliability. People knew long before Carmax's inception in 1993 that certain cars were to be avoided like the plague.

J
J
Johan
Lemoore, US
Send a message
Feb 16, 2009 12:45 pm EST

So you bought the car brand new and you feel the fuel pump, transmission, etc. are because of Carmax and not the manufacturer? Interesting.

S
S
summer
Send a message
Sep 13, 2008 3:54 am EDT

In reference to my previous post: I meant to say that CARMAX, not Chrysler, has done a very poor job at maintaining my vehicle. Chrysler has made every effort to assist me with getting Carmax or should I say CARMINIMUM to complete repairs. They ignore and/or lie to Daimler Chrysler also! Ridiculous.

S
S
summer
Send a message
Sep 13, 2008 3:48 am EDT

I bought a brand new 2002 Chrysler Sebring in Feb of 2003...3 miles with the seats still wrapped in plastic. Definitely a new vehicle. I had a new fuel pump the first year. New transmission third year. Some strange humming noise coming from either underneath or near the rear. The car has been stalling on me for 3 years. Had to replace the battery 3 times. The car is a problem and I dont think it has anything to do with the manufacturer. Chrysler has done a very poor job at maintaining my vehicle as I brought it in for EVERY scheduled service appointment. They lie about the work/service they perform. They never know what is wrong with the car because they can never duplicate the problem once they inspect. It takes forever to get a service appt and once you do, your car is there for eternity just to hear them say that it has passed all of their tests with flying colors and that there is no problem...if it breaks down again, bring it back. I believe this is a tactic to get business in their services dept. I am sure they make way more money repairing than they do selling cars on daily basis. They either have you car sitting in the back as if their really doing something or they purpose create a problem to ensure that you return. My car has been to the shop for the past 3 years for the same issue about 7 times and it can not be repaired. The lie to the manufacturer about the resolving issues but they don't realize that all you have to do is call yourself and confirm what they have done. If the car is under warranty, it has to be documented. Anyway...Carmax is full of s**t and should be hit with a major class action law suit!

ComplaintsBoard
V
2:11 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

CarMax they underpay salesmen

This is to any real Car Salesmen out there. Don't even bother with Carmax. Sell a car and you make $150, sell a warranty you make $100, then get lucky enough to meet their off the wall bonus program for the month you might get an extra $50 for every car that meets the program.

I went through their interview process, it was a joke! I actually started laughing when they presented me their pay plan, and walked out when I got to the part of the interview where they asked me to "sell" them a bic pen. I told them "I sell cars, I don't sell pens." I laughed again and told them to disregard this interview.

Carmax is all about the money. They don't pay their salesmen fairly and their cars are usually $1, 500-$2, 000 overpriced. No haggling and you will definitely deal with an uneducated salesperson. Because good salespeople wouldn't be caught dead working there. During the interview I asked "How many cars did your top salesmen sell last month?" I was told that info was confidential, but he told me if I asked him he would say 0, but if you asked him how many "relationships" he made then he would tell you! I thought I was going to puke! Avoid Carmax!

Read full review of CarMax and 3 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
3 comments
Add a comment
L
L
Ling Chi
US
Send a message
May 24, 2010 11:52 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

OP - I called around, and have spoken to other sales personnel from other dealerships, and Carmax's pay was on par with what the industry generally pays. While it may seem as if selling for a fixed rate is unfavorable to someone used to a variable commission, the practice eases consumers because they know that their SC is not trying to sell them any particular model based on how much money they'll make - being paid the same, no matter what, makes a person a little more objective about the information they volunteer. As for selling the pen - if you are familiar with the sales process, you can sell anything. The top earner at our store regularly had six figure years (averaging 25 cars per month), and even he was eclipsed by someone at the location across the street who managed to sell 120 cars in his first three months to friends and family.

Carmax standards for FT employees is 10 sales with 60% ESP - with $150 per sale and $100 per ESP, the SC meeting the bare minimum would make $2100/mo. Carmax also pays for appraisal purchases, 10% of accessories, and has a rotating monthly spiff (either an extra $50 per ESP or $25 (or $50) per unit) which helped to pad the checks a bit. A PT SC had to deal with 6/4. Remember, these are minimums, and many surpassed these numbers. The key is to work smarter, and not harder.

Alex - SCs are trained to sell, but are not encyclopedias. Very few could actually rattle off specs, but their primary duty was to find a vehicle which could meet the needs (or emotional wants) of a customer, and keep them within their budgets while doing so. Having a job selling cars does not require the employee to subscribe to automotive enthusiast magazines, autocross on the weekends, and modify their own cars with aftermarket parts. I don't walk into a retail store and expect the cashier to know the specifications of XYZ HDTV, but rather to know the basics, facilitate the transaction, and get me out of the store as quickly as possible.

As for the "underpayed corporate brainwash [censor]" - they may know how to spell "paid".

M
M
mcfly
Miami, US
Send a message
May 18, 2010 5:23 pm EDT

I have a friend that works at carmax, he claims to be one of the top dogs... I don't know how many cars he sells but he mad about 75, 000 last year. he told me he could possibly make more else where but carmax has good benefits and a much less stress then other dealers.

A
A
Alex Grayson
AnytownUSA, US
Send a message
Feb 06, 2010 2:19 pm EST

At Carmax I entered and said "Hi, Im here to see your Audi TT Coupe" the dude says "Oh...Ok, who makes that?" . Then I asked if the Audi had Quattro and he cheerfully smiled and said he didnt know but would find out for sure (like he was more very proud of his itegrity for not uttering BS, but shouldve been ashamed of not knowing his trade).

As we were walking to the car we passed a 05 VW Touareg TDI with the V10 I got very excited over perhaps the most powerful and offroad capable SUV ever made but the stupid a**underpayed corporate brainwashed ### carmax salesman says "I dont know much about this one, it seems priced high to me ya know we got a Nissan Murano over there...sorta looks the same" I went OFF: "This VW SUV has 500 Lbs of torque and can crawl a 45degree angle on and on and on and on...the ### Carmax salesperson said " Hmmm you know alot about auto stuff" in a respectful way though I wanted to slap him I just said " Nope I just read Car and Driver Magazine"

Later I was getting numbers on my car/trade and this overconfident 6'5 black lady named Windisha (certified auto purchasing agent my a**)tells me that my old Audi got a lower offer than KBB because "Audi dont hold it value dat well" (as im trying to buy the TT). I got up and left and havent been back I also paid a little more over at Audi for a comparably same car just on professionalism.

ComplaintsBoard
V
2:02 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

CarMax they're a joke

Carmax is not all it's cracked up to be. I barely escaped being ripped off by them, as I returned a car I bought but hardly even got to drive.

My salesman was genuinely nice at first, helping me with the transfer of a car from another state. The car had been a rental, so I was a little sceptic, but they assured me the car was in great condition accept for a dent in the door and tear in the seat, which would be fixed at their cars go through a "125 point inspection".

Well, they didn't fix it. I went to see the car and there was so much *** wrong with it, but they assured me it could all be fixed. It was only physical flaws and it was used, so I told myself to get over it and decided to go ahead and buy the car. As soon as I left the lot, the brake light went out. The CD player stopped working 2 days later, and I took the car back to have everything fixed.

What was supposed to be a two-days-tops repair, turned in to over 7? They continuously lied to me about doing the repairs, and kept changing what they were actually working on and when it would be done. No one could give me a straight answer on the day it would be finished.

The day I finally was able to pick the car up, they got finished right at closing. They pulled it out into the service bay with overspray over the entire car, having just painted over the fender where they had fixed the dent. I then proceeded to tell them off, screaming why the [censored] hadn't been finished before then, and what the *** it took so long to do if they just finished with it that day.

I did get my transfer fee back, the only good thing that came out of it. And the fact that I found the same exact car for about $5, 000 less than theirs through a private party. Plus, the private party knew someone who bought a car through Carmax and was ripped off too!

I forgot to mention that they also ran my transfer fee through my bank account 3 times! They blamed this on a computer crash, but I should have known then to take my business elsewhere.

Carmax is a joke. They have a bunch of [censored] salesmen, with idiotic managers, and a worthless service department who don't know *** about cars. There was no way I wanted that car bad enough to go through with the sale after being treated the way I was, no one even saying they were sorry.

And to top it all off, the [censored]s don't even know I still am in their rental car they gave me while they were working on mine!

What a bunch of idiots. And the store I'm referring to is the one in Indianapolis, Indiana, but the store that originally had the car was in Fayetteville, North Carolina. They're all a bunch of [censored]es to me, either way.

Read full review of CarMax and 1 comment
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
1 comment
Add a comment
J
J
John King
Send a message
Nov 18, 2008 11:09 am EST

You sound like a wonderful person. Please come to my dealership.

ComplaintsBoard
V
12:51 pm EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

CarMax ignorant salesmen and rip off

Ok, seen reviews before I went there; many awfully bad, but I need to sell my truck so I can move. Well, went to the new location in Colorado Springs, everyone cool and all that crap. Till I came back from smoking.

These people have the nerve to tell me that a 42255 mile S10 2003, never crashed clean title, excellent mechanical condition, 2.2L, with 20" rims, and iPod connection has the value of 1700... WTF?! I’m not a crackhead.

And when I tried to get the "manager" to see the odometer, he just wouldn’t let me talk, and told me that if they buy my truck, they will put it for auction not the lot, hoping for someone to take it for the same 1700, right, and apparently I had a sign that said sucker. And this is the kicker, the test driver?, that dude need to get another profession because he seemed so confident on describing the aftermarket parts on my truck, he don’t know a stock shifter from a short shifter, and on their words "aftermarket stuff don’t matter...", right Sherlock. Since when, someone tell me, lowering a truck compromises the integrity of the vehicle? So apparently there’s an infinite amount of suspension companies that want to get sued... I would feel so much better if I could just punch that dude square on the face, how can you sleep at night being a liar of that level.

I know if I sold my truck, and while I was buying drugs [maybe I look like a junky] they would get all OEM parts install them in about 3-4 days and have a 10000 dollar truck, my truck as it is by KBB is 8600 and I noticed that most of the cars are "below" KBB but that’s because of so many suckers that keep going to this company. Regular dealerships are better, some haggle and pressure won’t kill you.

Bottom line, if you want to lose money big time selling your car, Carmax is the way to go, they will square you away.

Read full review of CarMax and 4 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
4 comments
Add a comment
R
R
Real Deal 27
Fresno, US
Send a message
Feb 25, 2010 7:36 pm EST

Wow, they looked at your car for free and gave you on offer for it, what nerve. Good thing you left without selling it to them cause you were probably able to get way more for it. You did end up selling it didnt you?

W
W
what123
Omaha, US
Send a message
Oct 02, 2009 10:47 pm EDT

Yeah, go sell your aftermarket parts for $1 million and then go back and sell your truck to carmax right?

J
J
John King
Send a message
Nov 18, 2008 11:36 am EST

I'll just punch you in the face if I don't agree with you! Good posting. You sound like a real gem. Who cares what carmax offered you, you took the car to them, had someone go out and look at it for free, and when you didn't get what you wanted you through a temper tantrum! Man-UP. Thank them for their time and sell the POS yourself.

A
A
Average Joe
Send a message
Aug 18, 2008 8:26 pm EDT

You want to lose money, sell your car to any dealership. If your aftermarket garbage is so valuable, put the stock stuff back on and resell your chinese parts. Sounds like you are the type to paint the interior of your car lime green and put krylon flames on it. Sell your junk on craigslist to another ### who coincidentally has the same poor taste as you, and stop crying.

ComplaintsBoard
V
2:10 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

CarMax it's a den of #s

We took my immaculate 2003 Ford F250 Diesel Crew Cab Pickup truck to get a "fair evaluation and a great price» for it. The pushy Asian kid talked our ears off with all of the "feel good" CarMax BS for a good 15 minutes before he finally took the keys and had his appraisal guy look it over. He drove it for 3 minutes, looked around it, and disappeared for 20 minutes.

Then Asian kid came back. (Keep in mind that this truck Blue Books for trade in value of $21, 000.00 low to $23, 000.00 high!) He held up the appraisal sheet showing $8, 000.00! We laughed and left. Took it across the street to Ken Grody Ford, where they bought it for $21, 500.00!

The cars we saw on the CarMax lot as we were looking around, cost more used that you can buy a new car for. Example, a Hyundai was 2 years old for $16, 788.00, Hyundai of Garden Grove has a new 2008 with all options for $15, 350.00! Avoid this place-rip off!

Read full review of CarMax and 7 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
7 comments
Add a comment
L
L
Ling Chi
US
Send a message
May 25, 2010 12:30 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Harrison's full of BS - I have never seen a vehicle at Carmax priced with a sticker ending in "788", nor will you find any Hyundai on their site going for more than MSRP. Even now, I see every vehicle ending with "x97", "x98", "000", or "500". If anything, I'm going to assume selective memory strikes again and someone is confusing the comparison price that Carmax affixes to their stickers with an actual asking price.

Will - that "minor" dimple in your frame rail would deter some other buyer, which is probably why your appraisal offer was so low. If they won't put it on the lot, then they will wholesale the car and offer you what they think another dealer might pay for it at auction. Just because another Subaru dealership purchased your car for 14k means they ripped you off and intended to rip off the next person who bought your car. Additionally, good luck getting $20k on a 3 yr old WRX - I never see anyone actually getting that price on NASIOC, and you'll hear cries of bloody ripoff if anyone tries asking that much. KBB is not fair market value and is nothing more than a feel good tool for people who don't understand the entire auto industry runs on wholesale values.

W
W
what123
Omaha, US
Send a message
Oct 02, 2009 10:39 pm EDT

Yeah, thanks for your business sir. I am the finance Manager here at Ken Grody Ford. I couldnt help myself, I added 2% to your finance rate just for the hell of it. You got so excited about the trade in allowance that I decided to F%#& you! Thanks for the $200 bonus I made today!

B
B
Benjamin Hema
Send a message
Sep 28, 2008 5:53 am EDT

I sold my wrecked car at Carmax. They gave me a good deal. It was worth $20, 000 bluebook. It had $10, 000+ of damage. They gave me $5000. And so they made some profit but that's why they're in business.

M
M
Michelle
Send a message
Sep 27, 2008 7:03 pm EDT

I just took my 2004 Saturn to CarMax for a free appraisal. I still have a loan on the car and I thought it would be easier to sell it to CarMax rather than try to sell it and have the buyer wait for the title. I bought the Saturn NEW, as the first and only owner. I have never been in a real accident with the car (with the exception of hitting a concrete poll with the passenger front panel, whoops). Imagine my surprise when the appraisal came back stating "frame damage to the floor pan". The salesman asked how long we had owned the vehicle, and tried to tell us that the car had been rear-ended. He insinuated that the Saturn dealer had repaired and welded the floor pan before we bought it. This was the second new Saturn we had bought from the Saturn dealer in question, and we had always had good service. I can't take it back to the dealer for an inspection as the Saturn dealership is 900 miles away. I will inspect for damage myself and probably have it checked out by a mechanic if I can't find anything. At first we were mad at Saturn, but now we suspect CarMax lies.

K
K
KMAn
Send a message
Jun 20, 2008 4:21 pm EDT

Racist Jerk.

W
W
Will
Send a message
May 30, 2008 10:49 pm EDT

I absolutely agree with your complaint and share your disgust and shock at CarMax's brazenly deceitful "appraisals." Almost exactly the same thing just happened to me! Even the next-door part!

I was the first and only owner of a 2005 Subaru WRX with roughly 40k miles, and I never had any accidents in that car. Except for minor door dings, it was in excellent shape, with almost-new tires plenty of brake-pad left, well-maintained fluids, etc. Trade-in blue-book value for excellent condition was $14, 200, and private party value was $16, 790. Blue-book certified-pre-owned retail price was $19, 480.

I first took it to CarMax of Plano, TX, where they said that there was frame damage that clearly indicated an accident, so they appraised the car at $10, 000. Anticipating my shock (understandably), the CarMax salesman said, "Now, I'm not trying to scam you or anything, so let me get the mechanic to show you what he showed me. Are you sure you've never been in an accident?" I told him absolutely not. He asked me again, more sternly, as if willing me to say, "uh, wait, sorry, I was wrong, I must've forgotten or lied about a frame-bending accident": "Let me ask you again -- have you ever been in an accident?" Sheesh! I'm not a little kid who needs to be taught not to fib. That's certainly no way to treat a customer, let alone the irony of essentially accusing the customer of lying to the salesman, who is himself a lying con artist.

The CarMax mechanic pointed to a golf-ball sized dent/dimple in the middle of the passenger-side sheet-metal rail that runs the length of the underbody. It's clearly a dent from either running over debris or possibly from when I tried jacking the car up to change a flat. In any case, it's hardly a defect significant enough to knock $4, 000 off the value of the car. The small dent in that side rail had no impact whatsoever on the structural rigidity and/or crash-worthiness of the car (IMO, obviously), and at any rate, it certainly wasn't noticeable from the interior of the car.

So off I went to the Subaru dealership in Plano, which is literally next door to CarMax on the same street, W. Plano Parkway. You'd think that Subaru mechanics should know what they're looking for in a Subaru, and whaddyaknow -- they really liked the condition of my WRX. And so they appraised it at (and I therefore sold it for) $14, 000. That's a whopping 40% more than CarMax's "appraisal, " if you can call it that.

Y
Y
Your Salesman
Send a message
May 18, 2008 10:22 am EDT

It sounds like the only thing greater than you racist attitude is you stupidity. What does it matter is the person evaluating your vehicle was Asian, Indian or African American, that had nothing to do with the value of your diesel sucking vehicle. Why would you want to get rid of such a wonderful truck when the price of diesel is headed to $5.00 a gallon and beyond. Your former truck is not worth anywhere close to $21, 000 and I know we did not give you anywhere close to that for your truck. LOOK AT YOUR PAPERWORK...Yes you were fooled again...Yes you bought a vehicle from that us and we played the pricing game with you. We inflated the price of your trade and jacked up the price you paid for your vehicle. Thanks for being so ignorant and helping me and everyone else here at Ken Grody Ford fed our familes this month. Please come again and tell your friends.

CarMax Reviews 0

Looks like CarMax has no reviews yet.
Write a review
Subscribe to receive notifications of all new customer feedback

If you represent CarMax, take charge of your business profile by claiming it and stay informed about any new reviews or complaints submitted.

👉 Claim your business

About CarMax

Screenshot CarMax
CarMax is a used car retailer offering a wide selection of vehicles across various makes and models. They provide car buying, selling, and trade-in services. Customers can shop online or in-store, and CarMax also offers financing options and car appraisals.
How to file a complaint about CarMax?

Here is a comprehensive guide on how to file a complaint against CarMax on ComplaintsBoard.com:

1. Log in or create an account:
- Start by logging into your ComplaintsBoard.com account. If you don't have an account yet, create one on the website.

2. Navigating to the complaint form:
- Locate and click on the 'File a Complaint' button on the ComplaintsBoard.com website. You can find this button at the top right corner of the website.

3. Writing the title:
- Summarize the main issue you have with CarMax in the 'Complaint Title' section.

4. Detailing the experience:
- Provide detailed information about your experience with CarMax. Include key areas such as transactions, steps taken to resolve the issue, the company's response, personal impact, and nature of the issue.

5. Attaching supporting documents:
- Attach any additional supporting documents that can strengthen your complaint. Avoid including sensitive personal data in these documents.

6. Filling optional fields:
- Use the 'Claimed Loss' field to state any financial losses and the 'Desired Outcome' field to specify the resolution you are seeking.

7. Review before submission:
- Review your complaint for clarity, accuracy, and completeness before submitting it.

8. Submission process:
- Submit your complaint by clicking the 'Submit' button on the ComplaintsBoard.com website.

9. Post-Submission Actions:
- Regularly check for any responses or updates related to your complaint on ComplaintsBoard.com.

Ensure that each step is clearly defined and structured to guide you effectively through the process of filing a complaint against CarMax on ComplaintsBoard.com.

Overview of CarMax complaint handling

CarMax reviews first appeared on Complaints Board on Nov 21, 2006. The latest review Indianapolis location said they didn’t sell damaged vehicles was posted on Dec 21, 2024. The latest complaint 2015 Chevy Volt was resolved on Aug 07, 2023. CarMax has an average consumer rating of 2 stars from 371 reviews. CarMax has resolved 66 complaints.
Ratings on other review websites
Trustpilot
Trustpilot
1.9
441 reviews
Trust badge
Collect Your Trust Badge
Be recognized for outstanding customer service
  1. CarMax Contacts

  2. CarMax phone numbers
    +1 (800) 519-1511
    +1 (800) 519-1511
    Click up if you have successfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (800) 519-1511 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (800) 519-1511 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (800) 519-1511 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (800) 519-1511 phone number
    Head Office
    +1 (800) 925-3612
    +1 (800) 925-3612
    Click up if you have successfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (800) 925-3612 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (800) 925-3612 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (800) 925-3612 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (800) 925-3612 phone number
    Auto Finance
    +1 (888) 922-7629
    +1 (888) 922-7629
    Click up if you have successfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (888) 922-7629 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (888) 922-7629 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (888) 922-7629 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (888) 922-7629 phone number
    Stale Check Team
    +1 (888) 922-4911
    +1 (888) 922-4911
    Click up if you have successfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (888) 922-4911 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (888) 922-4911 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (888) 922-4911 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (888) 922-4911 phone number
    Stale Check Team
    +1 (844) 765-5757
    +1 (844) 765-5757
    Click up if you have successfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (844) 765-5757 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (844) 765-5757 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (844) 765-5757 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (844) 765-5757 phone number
    Supplier Inquiries
    +1 (804) 747-0422
    +1 (804) 747-0422
    Click up if you have successfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (804) 747-0422 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (804) 747-0422 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (804) 747-0422 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached CarMax by calling +1 (804) 747-0422 phone number
    More phone numbers
  3. CarMax emails
  4. CarMax address
    12800 Tuckahoe Creek Parkway, Richmond, Florida, 23238, United States
  5. CarMax social media
  6. Andrew
    Checked and verified by Andrew This contact information is personally checked and verified by the ComplaintsBoard representative. Learn more
    Dec 21, 2024
  7. View all CarMax contacts
CarMax Category
CarMax is ranked 10 among 1391 companies in the Car Dealers category

Our Commitment

We stand for unbiased reviews

We make sure all complaints and reviews are from real people sharing genuine experiences.

We help resolving issues

We offer easy tools for businesses and reviewers to solve issues together. Learn how it works.

We advocate freedom of speech

We support and promote the right for reviewers to express their opinions and ideas freely without censorship or restrictions, as long as it's respectful and within our Terms and Conditions, of course ;)

We ensure transparent and fair ratings

Our rating system is open and honest, ensuring unbiased evaluations for all businesses on the platform. Learn more.

We care about your privacy

Personal details of reviewers are strictly confidential and hidden from everyone.

We are easy, free and open to everyone

Our website is designed to be user-friendly, accessible, and absolutely free for everyone to use.