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Anyone have experience with either of these vendors? I find myself in need of a car and wonder if these options are better than going to a dealer. Was hoping to get something used, under 20k. (sedan, 6 cyl, under 70k)
Oildog what do you think about a 2010-2012 fully loaded Ford Fusion Sport V6 AWD?
They should come in well under $20K and have less then 50K miles on it also.. Here is what Edmunds has to say about them: http://www.edmunds.com/ford/fusion/2...787#specs-diff
I've bought 3 cars from Carmax. While all 3 were in great shape on the last one I bought (a year ago), it turned out that the tires were dry rotted. Within a few days of getting the car home, I had a flat in my driveway, when I changed the tire I realized that I could squeeze the tire with my hand it was that soft. I called Carmax and they had me bring it in and they gave my a new set of tires + a free oil change. I would still deal with them and find that they stand behind their product. I don't think that they sell junk. Just my opinion.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Don in Austin
I have owned a car repair shop for over 30 years.
When I tell somebody their car has a problem that will eventually be terminal, such as they ran it low on oil and it has a little engine knock which will eventually turn into a BIG problem, they often say, "Ok, I will sell it to CarMax." Several have reported they did just that.
CarMax offers warranties on their used cars but they don't seem to be worth much. Had a customer buy a late model high dollar Honda Pilot from them. They refused to fix the leaking rack & pinion steering gear because they said it "isn't leaking that much."
I have had several of my customers ask me about late model Hondas they were thinking about buying from CarMax. I try to send them to a trustworthy salesman at a local Honda dealership. Typically the Honda dealership has a similar car, maybe a year newer, less miles, certified, full service records, one owner trade-in, LESS $$$.
This is what little I know about market conditions in Austin, Texas. i own a repair shop, do NOT have a used car dealer's license and am NOT an expert regards used car wheeling and dealing. Your area might have very different market conditions from what I have observed here.
Don in Austin
Now to add a little bit to this, I have previously been employed by Carmax and as such have a bit more unique insight into the way things work there.
A: You will occasionally find bad cars on their lot, the 125 point inspection is just that, inspection, they look over certain points of the car (175 or so at this point), but they don't dig into it, it's a visual inspection, and unless there are actual drips, they're not considered leaks.
B: Know what car to buy, looking for a Hyundai Sonata? You can probably find it cheaper and just as good elsewhere, on the other hand, I bought a Hyundai Genesis from there that even after paying $599 to ship it from California was significantly cheaper than anything comparable on the local market, even before employee savings (which only added up to roughly $1k all said and done). The car was roughly $4k cheaper than the advertised prices of identical cars with 3x the mileage. BMW are also overwhelmingly sold with a very low markup, same with Subarus, which in some markets (Txas for instance) they largely lose money on.
C: They will sell a car at a loss, they just won't tell you. I've sold cars where the company lost $6k or more, the buyers are human, sometimes they offer too much and sometimes the market changes quick, the myth that you can never ever get a good deal at a Carmax is just that, a myth, but as previously stated, know what to buy.
D: The "Frame damage" standards are ridiculously strict, even if there's accident damage on the Autocheck, rest assured, it wouldn't have been serious. Consider the loss of value but outside of that you're safe, clamp marks alone (from welding equipment) on a "frame" will cause a car to be sold Auction instead of retail.
E: Only 1 of every 3 car Carmax buys or takes on trade actually end up on a Carmax lot, so take stories about trading junk to Carmax with a grain of salt.
F: Be nice to your salesman! He's underpaid, paid 100% commission and works long hours. They are allowed to accept gifts up to $50 value and makes less than $200 per car if you don't get the MaxCare.
G: Get the MaxCare, unless it's stupid expensive on the car you're getting, it's worth it, I paid $1099 for 6 years or 100k odometer coverage on my car ($1399 retail), that's cheap insurance when the car has 11k miles on it. It wraps around a manufacturers warranty, so if it's not covered by manufacturer, it may still be covered by MaxCare. It's handled by CNA in most markets, which is one of very few ESP companies that actually have a good reputation.
I'll sell you my 2012 Hyundai Sonata Limited 2.0T (non nav) for $19k
Has 26k miles. Bumper 2 Bumper warranty until 60k miles or 04/2017. Top of the line Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires installed 2k miles ago. 27% tint all around, clear bra, mud guards, rear spoiler.
Good car to get under $20k and have factory warranty for a few years. 0-60 in 6 seconds, 33MPG highway, leather, power seat, bluetooth, satellite radio, push button start, panoramic sunroof, heated seats, and the turbo is fun! Won't find many 2012+ cars with under 35k miles with these options and 274HP for under $20k.
Last edited by PokerMunkee; 12-05-2013 at 07:13 PM..
GTO...I make gasoline for a living so I may veer away from the hybrid. I am looking at the Ford Taurus Limited though. there seem to be a few nearby...and they have 6 cylinders. I drove a 4 cyl for a while and never got the mileage and the ride was less smooth. I was happy with my Accord so that's leading in the clubhouse.
Bought 3 vehicles from Carmax and looking to buy a third... The BEST car shopping and buying experience I have EVER had.. No hassle, No fuss, no haggle for hours on end.. I have the extended warranty with both cars and have used it on one.... Worked great....
A few people I know work for Carmax and I sometimes hang out at the store and see what goes on.. everything appears to be above board and everyone I know who has bought from them has no complaints.....
The tires I had on both vehicles were brand new and never had a problem with them.. I even had a front brake issue on one of them and when I took it in for the 60,000 mile check, they fixed the problem for nothing.....
We bought a car from them about 8 years ago. Since then, it seems like their cars are ALWAYS way overpriced. Perhaps it was simply the cars I was looking at. I don't know, but they are always a grand or more higher than everyone else.
Anyone have experience with either of these vendors? I find myself in need of a car and wonder if these options are better than going to a dealer.
Guess what, they're both dealers.
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