# Carmax?



## Sprung (Nov 10, 2015)

Anyone have experience with selling a car to Carmax? If so, what was your experience like?

Since we came back from vacation plus one vehicle, we're needing to sell the vehicle that we left home when we went on vacation. (I would've likely traded it in, but it was at home - 450 miles away from where we bought our van.) It's a nice car - but with a growing family, we've outgrown it. 2009 Pontiac G6 with about 115k miles on it. Overall good shape - a few minor things I'll be taking care of on Friday, but it does have a big dent in one door where a lady was kind enough to back into me in a parking lot a couple winters ago (when it was -20F outside too!) So, it's not a beater that I'm taking in to them to hopefully get a little more than scrap value, but a car that does have some value.

Their nearest location is about 2 hours away and up in the Twin Cities area, but I will likely be in the area on Saturday and will be headed that direction next week too. I could always take the car up on Saturday, get an offer, bring it home and try to sell it on Craigslist and, if it doesn't sell and I'm ok with Carmax's offer, take it up there next week and sell it to them...


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## woodtickgreg (Nov 11, 2015)

You will always get more for a vehicle selling it on your own. Companies have to buy low and sell high to make a profit and stay in business. The only advantage to selling to a company is convenience. Jmo. If you can get the door fixed cheap I would do that, the nicer it looks the easier the sell and the more you'll get for it.

Reactions: Agree 4


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## Schroedc (Nov 11, 2015)

Getting the door fixed would boost value, when you trade or sell to a dealership, they'll deduct the full price of repairs at their own body shop at full retail but of course fix it at cost to boost their margin even more. If you sell private party and don't get the door fixed, always good to show some estimates so whoever looks at your car can see how much you deducted off of "book" value to set your price.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Sprung (Nov 11, 2015)

Thanks guys. I know that they have to buy lower to be able to sell, but it is also a matter of convenience too, as I never seem to have enough hours in the day. Am wondering how they are to do business with, if anyone has any personal experience.

I have been thinking that I might have to get the door fixed to get more money out of it. When it got backed in to, we had to wait on the lady's insurance company for a while before getting a check from them. (She lied to them and then dodged their attempts to contact her for weeks - and they wouldn't pay out until they talked with her.) By the time we got the check in the mail for the damage, we had gotten an extra large medical bill in the mail, so you know where that money ended up going, instead of fixing the car... I'll check in with a local shop or two and see what they say. I'd have had my dad do the body work and paint on the door already, but that's hard to do when he lives so far away and we never see my parents long enough for him to do the body work.


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## Schroedc (Nov 11, 2015)

As far as Carmax goes to do business with, I haven't bought or sold a car to them but while I was in Kansas City had to have some emergency repairs done and they fit me in to their shop no problem, the work was done well, and watching the people come and go through the waiting area everyone seemed quite pleased with their experience I don't think I heard a single negative customer.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Sprung (Nov 11, 2015)

Schroedc said:


> had to have some emergency repairs done



Man, Colin, you need to stop having all these car problems!


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## Kevin (Nov 11, 2015)

I have always bought and sold used vehicles directly to/from other individuals. You cannot involve a 3rd party without gettin less than what it's worth when selling, or paying more than what it's worth when buying. 

When my MIL bought a car for one of our kids about 7 years ago she asked me what I thought about going through Carmax. I told her it was a bad idea for many reasons and that it would be a crap shoot - told her she might get a peach or she might get a lemon and she ought to buy from a private individual. She countered that she could get a lemon from a individual too, and I said yes that is possible but IMO not nearly as likely. I've bought more used cars in my lifetime than I can remember and have found that individuals are going to tell you what all the quirks of the car is - they're generally going to be honest with you whereas the dealer is not. 

She insisted that Carmax had to be honest and that they do 9 Zillion point check and it comes with a warranty yada yada. She bought a car from Carmax. I kid you not that car had to be taken back for a repair of some kind the first week our daughter got it. Over the next couple of years it was a constant headache and money pit. It became so inconvenient my daughter sold it and bought a new one. 

I'm sure there are many people who have had a good experience with Carmax and other similar mega corps but I avoid them like the plague.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Sprung (Nov 11, 2015)

Thanks for the input, guys. I've been doing some research on Carmax last night and this morning, especially reading the experiences of people who have sold their cars to Carmax. I did this knowing that if I went that route, I would get much less for it than if I sold the car outright myself, but it would also give a lot of convenience and get it sold during a time of the year that is really busy for me and doesn't yield a lot of free time to be dealing with such things.

From what I've been reading, I've been seeing that if the car is newer, in great shape, and is an in-demand model, you might get a really good offer from them. Otherwise your offer could be all over the place. From the research I've done, I suspect that I'd be dinged pretty heavily for the small damaged area in the door and a couple small items of broken plastic in the interior where it's common for G6's to break from poor design and heavy use of plastic. The car is in great mechanical shape with no problems. It has been a great car for us and we'd drive it for another 5 or more years, but we've simply outgrown it.

My plan this weekend is to get a quote or two on the door repair and see about getting it fixed up. Whenever that repair is done, I'll get it ready for sale.


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## frankp (Nov 19, 2015)

I'd pass on CarMax, especially if it's 2 hours away. The "convenience" is gone at that point unless you live where no-one is buying used cars for teens anymore. Throw a few ads up on craigslist, in local papers, whatever, and maybe at the local coffee shop put a flyer with your phone number. 

We've sold a couple cars to them after buying new ones elsewhere and we definitely got significantly reduced values for any cosmetic damage, no matter how well the car functioned. As such we stopped bothering with them. Unless they're literally the only car dealer in your area, you're better off selling on your own or donating for a tax write-off. What would you estimate the value of the car is in your area? Take that number as the basis and determine what you absolutely need to get for the car. Split the difference and there's your starting sell price. The car will sell quickly (in my experience) and both you and the buyer will think you've gotten a good deal.

Reactions: Like 1


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