CarMax?

[Stretch]

So I just pulled the trigger on a 2006 Solara SLE this past weekend.

Having gotten reamed last year buying from craigslist (my fault really for being a dupe), I decided this time around to check out new cars, certified preowned dealers and on a whim, CarMax. Did a quick price check, and CarMax won out.

Car has slightly under 7800 miles, and salesman told me that they don't sell cars that have been flood damaged, in accidents or fleet cars. I don't know why, but I took him at his word, and after test driving it and everything decided to buy it. So I drove home my shiny new car, and went to bed thinking about what could possibly go wrong with it.

I woke up this morning and went outside to check it out. Opened the trunk...and there's a pretty sizeable damp spot directly over the covering for the spare tire (probably from the flood we're having, heh), which the salesman said was going to be taken care of before I drove it off the lot.

Went inside, went to ePinions (once again, should have done this last week but I'm an idiot), and was aghast at the shocking number of negative comments the company received.

So I guess my question to you all is, for those of you who have bought/sold from CarMax, what are your thoughts?

[DeV]

I haven't bought from CarMax, but experience has taught me to check the vehicle history on any pre-owned car I might be interested in purchasing. You might consider doing so since the purchase is fairly recent.

[Wezas]

First of all, from what I've heard, Carmax has a pretty decent reputation. Looking on ePinions, you're going to see mostly negative comments. People don't usually post positive opinions on their cars except on perhaps car message boards. But they love to bitch. Also keep in mind the volume that Carmax puts out. Look up Nissan or Honda or any other car manufacturer. Everyone has negatives.

Do a Carfax on your car. If there was flood damage, then I would take it back to Carmax and start bitching.

Drew (the openly gay one) worked there briefly, he might have some insight.

[Drew2]

If the car was at Carmax, nothing will show up on the title. Carmax does not put cars on their lot that have flood/frame damage or salvage title. Period. They put it IN WRITING so legally they'd be fucked if they ever did.

As far as the "damp spot", I really don't know what that is, but if you call and make an appointment (appt. is absolutely necessary) they will get it taken care of for you. Do it within the first 30 days though.

If it's within the first three days, you can take the car back and get 100% of your money back. For two days after that, you pay a per diem if you take it back then. After the first 5 days, you're SOL.

[Sean]

I still don't know how you talked yourself into a solara they are just hideous.

[Warriorbird]

I agree. Sometimes you can check the glove compartment on vehicles and find repair histories. Carmax can be a very good deal...but I'd reccommend having a mechanic you actually trust check out any vehicle from there first.

[HarmNone]

My daughter bought a car at CarMax. It had some kind of problem (I think it had a blinking light indicating failure of one of the airbags). She took it back and they got it fixed straightaway. There wasn't anything wrong with the airbag, though. It was some kind of short. They sent it to the Infinity dealership for repair and no charges were accrued by her.

[Drew2]

Yeah, most repairs, especially for luxury vehicles (ie. Infinity) are sent to a third party repair shop on Carmax's bill.

Anyways, you have 30 days to get any repairs you see necessary taken care of. Unless you bought MaxCare, after that you have as long is left on the manufacturer's warranty.

[Stanley Burrell]

I would just say to go ahead and hook that shit up with some chrome 23's, a phat-ass side, front and rear exhaust system, plus some nitrous, flux capacitor, power doors, decals, stripes, wings, feathers, fuzzy dice, diamond-studded cup holders, stolen Alpines pumpin' new shit by N.W.A., etc.

After such implements, you could totally have some illegal-style urban races with Skirm for that street dough and/or impressed honies.

[Warriorbird]

He'd totally drift in a circle around her, too.

[Stanley Burrell]

You know them donuts be tight.