# Tell me about Carvana from experience...Please



## Jay Dean (Apr 3, 2015)

So my Altima is passing 192k and I am ready for it to take a dump at any time, not that there has been any indication it will, but I am ready.

Not to go into discussion about my my 5,500 Uber/Lyft Ride Altima from 2014...Had some amazing times, but it is starting to look a lil shady lol, sound a lil shady also..noises..weird smells..its about time to trade up.

Ok, back to topic, I just decided to surf about cars and Carvana invaded my phone with the easiest way possible to check out if I was approved, and apparently I am within lightning speed able to order a car...a selection between 30,000 cars (I pay shipping..on some?) and it is like a vending machine? I was in the belief it was for only new cars ...but they have some damn good USED cars! First question..is the "used cars" option new? Or have I been under a rock and this is what they have always pitched? and two...well two just tell me how you bought a damn car from a vending machine....thanks


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## Illini (Mar 14, 2019)

They've always sold used cars. They'll deliver the vehicle directly to you. You don't have to use the vending machine. I've never used them, but would consider them the next time I need a vehicle.


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## Jay Dean (Apr 3, 2015)

Illini said:


> They've always sold used cars. They'll deliver the vehicle directly to you. You don't have to use the vending machine. I've never used them, but would consider them the next time I need a vehicle.


So it is like a used car lot with 30k vehicles and some you pay 200 to get to your door?...and the vending machine is basically advertising but is also a vending machine? Sorry for stupid questions..I just haven't got my head wrapped around it yet, it seems like the way to go. Click and have a car delivered..its like Amazon for cars.

I suppose you can't get a older used car from there, which is why car dealerships would still strive in that business...the used cars they have are all fairly recent, but nice.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Jay Dean said:


> So my Altima is passing 192k and I am ready for it to take a dump at any time, not that there has been any indication it will, but I am ready.
> 
> Not to go into discussion about my my 5,500 Uber/Lyft Ride Altima from 2014...Had some amazing times, but it is starting to look a lil shady lol, sound a lil shady also..noises..weird smells..its about time to trade up.
> 
> Ok, back to topic, I just decided to surf about cars and Carvana invaded my phone with the easiest way possible to check out if I was approved, and apparently I am within lightning speed able to order a car...a selection between 30,000 cars (I pay shipping..on some?) and it is like a vending machine? I was in the belief it was for only new cars ...but they have some damn good USED cars! First question..is the "used cars" option new? Or have I been under a rock and this is what they have always pitched? and two...well two just tell me how you bought a damn car from a vending machine....thanks


And they will buy your car !


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## Illini (Mar 14, 2019)

How much they charge you for delivery depends on where the car you want is at. The further away it is, the more it will cost.
The vending machine is truly a machine that will dispense your car after you completed the sale and all of the paperwork. It's a gimmick, but it works. Anyway, they supposedly carefully inspect all of their vehicles and get them ready for sale by fixing everything that's wrong. They also do not sell any vehicles that have been in accidents. Go to their web site and read through all of their information.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Illini said:


> They've always sold used cars. They'll deliver the vehicle directly to you. You don't have to use the vending machine. I've never used them, but would consider them the next time I need a vehicle.


they will deliver vehicle to you.

FOR A FEE.

So will thousands of other shippers also deliver to you.

Make sure you get the best rate if you ship .


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## Jay Dean (Apr 3, 2015)

tohunt4me said:


> they will deliver vehicle to you.
> 
> FOR A FEE.
> 
> ...


Just shit has changed since 2014...I get the concept, but the whole vending machine threw me off and yeah..I think I have a grasp of it now..which all makes sense lol


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## Cold Fusion (Aug 28, 2019)

Considering Carvana's Low Overhead, no brick & mortar, no salesmen/commission, etc,
I feel their prices should be much Lower than the competition.
But they're not.
They're charging for Convenience, especially for those
that hate the sleazy lying &#129317; salesmen,
load on Junk Fees car showroom experience

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/i-bought-truck-carvana-here's-how-it-works-117326
&#129315;&#128514;from the ⤴ article "_I don't always trust these new app-based market-disruptions. Uber as often or not sticks me with a chatty, unsafe driver"_


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Cold Fusion said:


> Considering Carvana's Low Overhead, no brick & mortar, no salesmen
> I feel their prices should be much Lower than the competition.
> But they're not.
> They're charging for Convenience


THATS ALL WE NEED

RACKETEERING OF USED CAR SALES NATIONALLY BY CARVANNA !


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## Cold Fusion (Aug 28, 2019)

tohunt4me said:


> THATS ALL WE NEED
> RACKETEERING OF USED CAR SALES NATIONALLY BY CARVANNA !


CarMax was a game changer, 
Carvana is trying and publicly traded

https://www.barrons.com/articles/carvana-stock-can-hit-200-portfolio-manager-51579895660

https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/carvana-expands-its-footprint.-will-it-expand-its-losses-2020-01-24


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## The queen 👸 (Jan 2, 2020)

Jay Dean said:


> So my Altima is passing 192k and I am ready for it to take a dump at any time, not that there has been any indication it will, but I am ready.
> 
> Not to go into discussion about my my 5,500 Uber/Lyft Ride Altima from 2014...Had some amazing times, but it is starting to look a lil shady lol, sound a lil shady also..noises..weird smells..its about time to trade up.
> 
> Ok, back to topic, I just decided to surf about cars and Carvana invaded my phone with the easiest way possible to check out if I was approved, and apparently I am within lightning speed able to order a car...a selection between 30,000 cars (I pay shipping..on some?) and it is like a vending machine? I was in the belief it was for only new cars ...but they have some damn good USED cars! First question..is the "used cars" option new? Or have I been under a rock and this is what they have always pitched? and two...well two just tell me how you bought a damn car from a vending machine....thanks


I got a Honda CR-V 2018 from them and they delivered to me. Better price than the dealer or car max.


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## Bork_Bork_Bork (May 20, 2019)

I have a daughter that used them. She picked her ride up from the Philadelphia Carvana “vending” machine. The best way I would compare them is to say they’re just like using Carmax or Carsense. Their finance rates are ridiculous. No one with decent credit would even consider financing with them. Having said all that.....the assortment of cars is amazeballs. Everything from Teslas, to Corollas. She had no issues at all, but again, she used her own financing. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Bork_Bork_Bork said:


> I have a daughter that used them. She picked her ride up from the Philadelphia Carvana "vending" machine. The best way I would compare them is to say they're just like using Carmax or Carsense. Their finance rates are ridiculous. No one with decent credit would even consider financing with them. Having said all that.....the assortment of cars is amazeballs. Everything from Teslas, to Corollas. She had no issues at all, but again, she used her own financing. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.


I can get 0% on a new car.
Looking at a used Hertz for about 5% interest.
1 year old. $10,000.00 lower than new. 20,000 miles.


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## Bork_Bork_Bork (May 20, 2019)

tohunt4me said:


> I can get 0% on a new car.
> Looking at a used Hertz for about 5% interest.
> 1 year old. $10,000.00 lower than new. 20,000 miles.


Not sure why you're replying to my post. Sure, you can get 0%.....but not from Carvana. At the time my daughter purchased, I looked into it. My 820ish FICO entitled me to 4.something or other.......

Again.....not sure why you replied.....at all.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Bork_Bork_Bork said:


> Not sure why you're replying to my post. Sure, you can get 0%.....but not from Carvana. At the time my daughter purchased, I looked into it. My 820ish FICO entitled me to 4.something or other.......
> 
> Again.....not sure why you replied.....at all.


I Revel in Your Uncertainty !


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## Bork_Bork_Bork (May 20, 2019)

tohunt4me said:


> I Revel in Your Uncertainty !


How bout marvel at the stupidity?


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## Bubsie (Oct 19, 2017)

I ordered a small sports sedan thru them, they delivered for free, no deposit required. Realised it was too small for family, chatted with them online a couple days later and arranged to swap for a more expensive SUV that needed $1k down. They came and dropped off SUV and picked up sedan. Was happy with SUV, however I could have swapped SUV for a third vehicle if needed (can't return the third vehicle). Not having to deal with high pressure used car salesman tactics...priceless.


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Carvana. You don't have to haggle on price, you just accept you will pay 2-3K more than anyone else will charge you.

What does that 2-3K get you? They run it through their bodyshop, do paintless dent repair, paint and replace bumper covers. They do a throrough interior detail. Run the carfax. Set up delivery.

Its not the place for those looking to get a deal. You could basically take any rough car off a normal used car lot and have it repainted to look new for 3K. Carvana obfuscates the ugly business of reconditioning and selling used cars.


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## Syn (Jun 30, 2017)

Bubsie said:


> Not having to deal with high pressure used car salesman tactics...priceless.


You don't have to deal with high pressure used car salesman either. Just pay the asking price (which you have to do at Carvana) and you'll walk out with a new-ish car without any problems.


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## Cold Fusion (Aug 28, 2019)

tohunt4me said:


> I can get 0% on a new car.
> Looking at a used Hertz for about 5% interest.
> 1 year old. $10,000.00 lower than new. 20,000 miles.


national & enterprise are known for regualr fleet service & maintenance
then sell the car at 40k miles or less.
&#128078;While Budge beats their a Fleet into the ground
like a Bankrupt Uber driver on Quaaludes

&#128073;what's the case with Hertz?


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## Fusion_LUser (Jan 3, 2020)

I sold my 2017 Mazda6 to Carvana in November and they were by far the ones who offered the highest amount for my car. Originally it was a 3 year lease when I decided to do ride sharing part time about 1.5 years in to the lease. Usually I just turn my car back in and get a new car (something I've been doing for years) but with 9 months to go and my getting close to my 36k limit on miles I decided to get rid of the car early and Carvana not only bought the car I walked away with $120! This is the actual car...

https://www.carvana.com/vehicle/1347842
As for selling Carvana was extremely easy to deal with. I can't speak for how it is to purchase from them but they were pretty honest about the listing for my car, which was perfect other than a ding in the roof. The car sold fast because I kept it super clean inside and out and it looked brand new.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Cold Fusion said:


> national & enterprise are known for regualr fleet service & maintenance
> then sell the car at 40k miles or less.
> &#128078;While Budge beats their a Fleet into the ground
> like a Bankrupt Uber driver on Quaaludes
> ...


Hertz has a hundred 2019 camrys with under 20,000 miles going for under $17,000.00

Pick your color.

If you want the fancy v6 with leather they only have a few.
Higher price

They have a few 2020 corollas.
Huge Discount off new


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## Matt101980 (Mar 24, 2019)

I worked in automotive aftermarket/upgrade/repair business for over 15 years. I tried Carvana and I actually ended up going to there lot after the second vehicle. This is the most honestly true review. There whole business model is designed and setup for non car people that don’t know anything about cars. They buy the cars at auction as keep as they can by buying cars even Carmax won’t touch. They say they do an inspection and they do not. No lights on the dash it runs through a carwash and it’s out. 95 percent of there business is people that don’t know what to look for.


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## Taxi2Uber (Jul 21, 2017)

Crazy high prices.

Easily 30-50% higher than what I can find locally.


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## Dekero (Sep 24, 2019)

When I was shopping for a new ride... I found that while they had nice options for cars .. they always seemed to be a little proud of them and charge a few thousand more than other dealers.... While offering sub par service... No thx... I'd recommend Carmax... Absolutely amazing experience buying my daughter's last car... 30 mins from start to finish....


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Fusion_LUser said:


> I sold my 2017 Mazda6 to Carvana in November and they were by far the ones who offered the highest amount for my car. Originally it was a 3 year lease when I decided to do ride sharing part time about 1.5 years in to the lease. Usually I just turn my car back in and get a new car (something I've been doing for years) but with 9 months to go and my getting close to my 36k limit on miles I decided to get rid of the car early and Carvana not only bought the car I walked away with $120! This is the actual car...
> 
> https://www.carvana.com/vehicle/1347842
> As for selling Carvana was extremely easy to deal with. I can't speak for how it is to purchase from them but they were pretty honest about the listing for my car, which was perfect other than a ding in the roof. The car sold fast because I kept it super clean inside and out and it looked brand new.


They probably are/were in expansion mode and needed to increase their inventory.

Over time as they need to be more profitable, they will offer less.

Your anecdote, while true several years ago, may not be true today.


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## The queen 👸 (Jan 2, 2020)

Bork_Bork_Bork said:


> I have a daughter that used them. She picked her ride up from the Philadelphia Carvana "vending" machine. The best way I would compare them is to say they're just like using Carmax or Carsense. Their finance rates are ridiculous. No one with decent credit would even consider financing with them. Having said all that.....the assortment of cars is amazeballs. Everything from Teslas, to Corollas. She had no issues at all, but again, she used her own financing. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.


I paid cash. No financing for me but I do agree with you .


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## UpNorth (Sep 15, 2019)

I would never purchase a used vehicle I couldn't road test or have my own auto tech inspect it as well. There can be many hidden things the average purchaser doesn't know to look for. Over the years I made GM master tech and Nissan master tech from the manufacturer. Service manager 3 different dealers covering most car line for 10 years.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Im looking hard at Hertz.


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

> "_I don't always trust these new app-based market-disruptions. Uber as often or not sticks me with a chatty, unsafe driver"_


"And I don't always trust these new, fly-by-night news websites of dubious quality"

- Chatty, unsafe driver


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## Bubsie (Oct 19, 2017)

UpNorth said:


> I would never purchase a used vehicle I couldn't road test or have my own auto tech inspect it as well. There can be many hidden things the average purchaser doesn't know to look for. Over the years I made GM master tech and Nissan master tech from the manufacturer. Service manager 3 different dealers covering most car line for 10 years.


You have 7 days and 400 miles to test it out and then have them come and take it back for exchange or refund if you aren't happy. You also can do an initial quick test drive while they wait after delivery so if you aren't satisfied they'll load it back on the truck and take it away.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Bubsie said:


> You have 7 days and 400 miles to test it out and then have them come and take it back for exchange or refund if you aren't happy. You also can do an initial quick test drive while they wait after delivery so if you aren't satisfied they'll load it back on the truck and take it away.


Hertz has the same.
Plus Hertz warranty.
Plus you can rent 3 days for Thorough test drive & apply rent towards down payment.


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## Gone_in_60_seconds (Jan 21, 2018)

UpNorth said:


> I would never purchase a used vehicle I couldn't road test or have my own auto tech inspect it as well. There can be many hidden things the average purchaser doesn't know to look for. Over the years I made GM master tech and Nissan master tech from the manufacturer. Service manager 3 different dealers covering most car line for 10 years.


That's the risk you take to save money. You can never be certain if you are getting a lemon.


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## Jay Dean (Apr 3, 2015)

Gone_in_60_seconds said:


> That's the risk you take to save money. You can never be certain if you are getting a lemon.


I would think you only get lemons &#127819; at tote the note lots, &#128179;&#129397;

http://www.totethenotecarlots.com/517/what-does-we-tote-your-note-mean/


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## amazinghl (Oct 31, 2018)

Buy a car from a private party and take it in for the mechanic inspection before paying cash for it.

Your wallet will thank you.


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## Bork_Bork_Bork (May 20, 2019)

amazinghl said:


> Buy a car from a private party and take it in for the mechanic inspection before paying cash for it.
> 
> Your wallet will thank you.


Revolutionary.....


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## Syn (Jun 30, 2017)

amazinghl said:


> Buy a car from a private party and take it in for the mechanic inspection before paying cash for it.
> 
> Your wallet will thank you.


Not necessarily ... A friend of mine bought a 3 year old Honda CR-V that way ... Took it to a dealership for inspection, everything was fine. 3 months & 2,000 miles later transmission failed.


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## Jay Dean (Apr 3, 2015)

Not to B-side this thread but I can't help but wonder what do you think about the Jeep Grand Cherokee? Is Jeep still a decent vehicle, my buddy at work said his inline 6 engine was amazing in his old Jeep but had no clue about Jeep today &#128521; Did Jeep turn into a profit hounding car company like Nissan/Renault or are they still considered solid?

The 2017 looks phenomenal to me lol

Was looking at the Toyota Rav-4...And I imagine it is reliable as hell but I can't get my head wrapped around how it just looks like a raised corolla with a hatchback and 6k more. Lol...they don't even really try design wise anymore...which is sad. Maybe that is just my opinion...

Yes, I am old. 
(urban dictionary)
B-sides are usually songs that do not appear on the actually album that the A-side appears on, ocassionally it does. The b-side song was usually determined not to fit in with the overall sound of the album or it was considered not good enough to be on the album or just plain leftover tracks, so hence it's usage as a b-side. B-sides have often gotten a reputation of being filler and sub-par, even though a good majority of the time b-sides are better than a lot of the album tracks, and in some cases, better than the A-side.


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## UpNorth (Sep 15, 2019)

Syn said:


> Not necessarily ... A friend of mine bought a 3 year old Honda CR-V that way ... Took it to a dealership for inspection, everything was fine. 3 months & 2,000 miles later transmission failed.


That's something that usually can't be inspected buying any used car may go down


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## Jay Dean (Apr 3, 2015)

UpNorth said:


> That's something that usually can't be inspected buying any used car may go down


Was thinking that...don't transmissions crap out without any warning and CVT's? I suppose a transmission may slip to show an indication but I don't know...Transmissions to me are a complete mystery same with knowing if a CVT is solid or not.


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## UpNorth (Sep 15, 2019)

Jay Dean said:


> Was thinking that...don't transmissions crap out without any warning and CVT's? I suppose a transmission may slip to show an indication but I don't know...Transmissions to me are a complete mystery same with knowing if a CVT is solid or not.


There can be early signs most the time but transmission are loaded with electronics now that can fail without warning also causing mechanical failure.


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## wallae (Jun 11, 2018)

Illini said:


> The vending machine is truly a machine that will dispense your car after you completed the sale and all of the paperwork. It's a gimmick, but it works


does it just take quarters or will it take bills too?

One thought here.
Get the big car fax package and check what you buy.
I was selling a car to car max (long story) and my son wanted a bmw. I thought maybe I'll trade.
Car faxed and found cars that had been in 3 accidents at TOP dollar. That can be ok at bottom dollar but not priced for perfection.

As these guys get bigger they have a hard time finding good inventory.


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## Jay Dean (Apr 3, 2015)

wallae said:


> does it just take quarters or will it take bills too?
> 
> One thought here.
> Get the big car fax package and check what you buy.
> ...


It is interesting you say that...I did ask about the history of my Altima and found out it was by the gulf coast for about a year, ran it by friends and my pops and they brought up that it might of been an issue being next to salt air/seawater whatever due to rust. Yes, when it comes to buying a car, I am a "fish" (poker term) and have no idea...which is why I post. The car has a silent history that any smart car buyer should pinpoint all the variables that might be involved to see if it is a good car. Kinda a trip..


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## wallae (Jun 11, 2018)

Jay Dean said:


> it was by the coast for about a year, ran it by friends and my pops and they brought up that it might of been an issue being next to salt air/seawater whatever due to rust.


On the whole that would not bother me.
I'd much rather have a car from Va Beach, San Diego or Fort Lauderdale than a northern car where they salt the roads.


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## Syn (Jun 30, 2017)

Jay Dean said:


> Not to B-side this thread but I can't help but wonder what do you think about the Jeep Grand Cherokee? Is Jeep still a decent vehicle, my buddy at work said his inline 6 engine was amazing in his old Jeep but had no clue about Jeep today &#128521; Did Jeep turn into a profit hounding car company like Nissan/Renault or are they still considered solid?
> 
> The 2017 looks phenomenal to me lol


I love Jeeps, but you shouldn't buy anything from Fiat-Chrysler these days (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, etc.). Old I6s were developed by AMC and they were lazy (not much horsepower), but very reliable. New engines are ok, but they're constantly ranked towards the bottom due to electrical issues.

Its funny that RAV4 feels like oversized Corolla because that's exactly what it is. You can't go wrong with a Toyota is reliability and best bang for a buck are most important buying factors.


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## Jay Dean (Apr 3, 2015)

lol someone ate their carbs hahaha

God I want to hate toyota right now, but they make such a reliable car....


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## FLKeys (Dec 27, 2018)

Bubsie said:


> Not having to deal with high pressure used car salesman tactics...priceless.


Check dealership inventories online. Do your research, know what you want and what you will pay out the door including taxes and registration. Make an offer vial email, make it clear what your out the door final price is. If they agree go do a test drive to make sure you like it. If they try to play games on the price after that just walk away. I also tell them after the test drive they have 1 hour to complete the deal or I walk away. Can't remember how many cars I have bought following this method but it has been over 20 years now. It works. The last car I bought took 4 dealerships over 2 days before one agreed to my price, I never left my house in that process. After I closed the deal within the following week 2 of the other 3 emailed me back willing to give me my price. Sorry too late. I don't play those salesman tactics any more.


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## Fusion_LUser (Jan 3, 2020)

OldBay said:


> They probably are/were in expansion mode and needed to increase their inventory.
> 
> Over time as they need to be more profitable, they will offer less.
> 
> Your anecdote, while true several years ago, may not be true today.


This was just a couple of months ago in late November 2019 but I do agree it could be over inventory needs. Assuming they didn't do much prep work on the car (it didn't need it... tires maybe but even those looked OK) it sold for less than $3k more than they paid me.


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## USMCX (Jul 13, 2015)

My handyman here in NYC bought some piece of sh*t Chevy from Carvana... and had to go to Philly to pick it up. He would rather drive a different vehicle but would need to go all the way back to search for another car. Why anybody pays 30-50% more for a new car is a form of insanity. Get an older Toyota like a Camry, Rav4, or Corolla They last 300,000 without a problem and you're not hemorrhaging away the cars value in depreciation.


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## USMCX (Jul 13, 2015)

Jay Dean said:


> Was thinking that...don't transmissions crap out without any warning and CVT's? I suppose a transmission may slip to show an indication but I don't know...Transmissions to me are a complete mystery same with knowing if a CVT is solid or not.


My Nissan started slipping at around 50,000 miles. That jerkiness and a whining noise were good indicators that it was wearing down. Still changing the tyranny fluid (Redline Cvt I found to be the best for my 2007, 350k mile, 2.5S Altima) a couple of times and adding a transmission cooler extended the life of my piece of crap CVT for hundreds of thousands of miles. Nissan Jatco CVTs must be the worst in the industry I swear.


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## LADryver (Jun 6, 2017)

Illini said:


> How much they charge you for delivery depends on where the car you want is at. The further away it is, the more it will cost.
> The vending machine is truly a machine that will dispense your car after you completed the sale and all of the paperwork. It's a gimmick, but it works. Anyway, they supposedly carefully inspect all of their vehicles and get them ready for sale by fixing everything that's wrong. They also do not sell any vehicles that have been in accidents. Go to their web site and read through all of their information.


That thing is really a vending machine?



USMCX said:


> My handyman here in NYC bought some piece of sh*t Chevy from Carvana... and had to go to Philly to pick it up. He would rather drive a different vehicle but would need to go all the way back to search for another car. Why anybody pays 30-50% more for a new car is a form of insanity. Get an older Toyota like a Camry, Rav4, or Corolla They last 300,000 without a problem and you're not hemorrhaging away the cars value in depreciation.


Sounds more like Carmax than Carvana.



FLKeys said:


> Check dealership inventories online. Do your research, know what you want and what you will pay out the door including taxes and registration. Make an offer vial email, make it clear what your out the door final price is. If they agree go do a test drive to make sure you like it. If they try to play games on the price after that just walk away. I also tell them after the test drive they have 1 hour to complete the deal or I walk away. Can't remember how many cars I have bought following this method but it has been over 20 years now. It works. The last car I bought took 4 dealerships over 2 days before one agreed to my price, I never left my house in that process. After I closed the deal within the following week 2 of the other 3 emailed me back willing to give me my price. Sorry too late. I don't play those salesman tactics any more.


I know that what you say is true. I once listened and watched an office-mate negotiate a car on the phone.


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