Carvana Reviews - How It Works, Warranty, Financing, Returns

I bought a Mini Cooper S 6sp on 12/29/18. Upon taking delivery of the car and test driving it the clutch felt a little weird. I mentioned it to the delivery guy and but he didn't seem to be interested. I figured it was just a feeling unique to Mini as my manual cars have been a Mazda RX-7 and Mazda RX-8. Anyway to make a long story short I continued to drive the vehicle (and yes I know how to drive a manual as I was taught to drive on a manual and never replaced a clutch on my other 2 manuals with over 8 years of ownership) and fast forward a few months later I got up in the morning, got in the car and I could now feel the clutch slipping when I changed gears as the RPMs would rev up and then go down. It got to that point literally overnight.

I immediately took the vehicle to the Mini dealership and they said they need to replace the clutch and flywheel with a total cost for parts and labor of $3,842.22 + tax. I then called a good friend of mine who is a mechanic and knows my ability to drive a manual and told him this story and he said there is no way this happened on your watch. They sold you a car with a failing clutch. I then called Carvana and explained my situation and they said their warranty/guarantee is only for 90 days from delivery of the car and there is nothing they would do. I was also told that there is no way Carvana could have inspected this car properly and not have known of the issue with the clutch. I would hope that in reading this Carvana would step up and take some responsibility as this is not my fault but has now become my problem. If I do not hear from Carvana I will be calling my lawyer, BBB, and every other avenue and social media out I can find to get my situation in front of the person at Carvana that can make this situation right.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

After not getting the vehicle I wanted because they waited until the vehicle was sold to test drive it to find out there was a serious problem, my car was delivered by someone who was not a notary in my state. So I had to take my time to get the paperwork notarized which was what they were supposed to do. Then they claim the DMV was delayed so one day before my temporary registration expires they tell me there is nothing they can do. So I am stuck with a car I’m paying for but can’t drive and their solution is to wait for the DMV!

I have never been treated with less respect of concern in my life. I bought this car as a surprise for my wife, thank you Carvana, you ruined it.

Please stay away from these jerks, great business model but they don’t have what it take to succeed.

I will NEVER use Carvana again and I will use my voice and social media to make sure anyone I know does NOT use them either!

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

I planned to purchase a used car and my 7-year-old wanted to purchase using Carvana. The vending machine was broken when we arrived around 6:30 and the car did not come out until 7:45 after their normally stated hours. They handed me the keys and walked off. They counted that as my first of the 7 days - after hours on a holiday weekend. Then the tire blew, there were many more scratches than represented and the headlights had a yellow chemical film etched into it, also not disclosed in the purchase description. The cheerful helpful person on the phone said to submit an email for approvals and that it should not be a problem since I am new in the car. That was day 6 and I was tempted to return the car but with her assurance and the insurance company Silver Rocks assurance that usually new in car individuals are taken care of I proceeded with having the repairs. I have now owned this car for 8 days and have not been able to drive it. They have refused to pay everything except a shampooing of carpets for a terrible must smell. If you have something wrong with your car at pick up, return it right away and don't bother with the insurance because they fix nothing and find loop holes to prevent their company from paying anything.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

I like to do stuff online and after having dealt with some car dealerships and their empty promises, I believed that it is a good idea to try Carvana - well, I was wrong.

I used their app to search for cars and finding one I really liked was the easiest part. Trying to order it started a whole bunch of issues.

First the app stalled several times during the ordering process, so I had to reenter the same info over and over again. But somehow - and several hours later - I came to the final step "Place Order". I clicked on it and was returned to the home page without any confirmation...

Well, the vehicle showed the "purchase pending" label, so I was just a little bit disappointed but not worried...

A few hours later, still no email and nothing on my account - and the "purchase pending" label was also gone. A customer service representative told me that there are problems with the website and app and I should try to place the order again. Well, this time I didn't use the app but the website and the experience was much smoother, but a few hick-ups remained. But I made it again to the "Place Order" button and this time there was an order status dashboard.

Because I liked to finance the car with them, I uploaded all the documents required and answered all additional questions. Everything seemed fine...

A few hours later I got a call from a lady from the underwriter's department and she wanted to clarify a few things. She was very professional and friendly and I explained my somewhat unique situation to her. I run a company here in the US which has a lot of customers in Europe which pay me in Euros, while others pay in US$. I also have another company in Germany which also generates income - in Euros, as you can guess. A third form of income is salary in US$. My income before taxes which I had stated to Carvana was an underestimation of my actual income - just to be on the safe side. She thanked me for the explanations and said that everything is fine and asked just for some additional documents which I was happy to provide.

However, the website didn't let me upload these documents because it was stuck in a verification process which I already had completed 2 times. Another call to customer service - along with an approx 10-minute wait time - another very helpful customer service rep and the problem was solved. I uploaded the documents and they didn't show up. Uploading again solved this problem...

A little while later I got another call from the underwriter's department - this time it was a guy. He explained to me that they cannot accept any documents where the currency is not in US$ - everything needs to be converted to that. I replied, that I cannot do that, because some accounts are in Euros, while others are in US$ - just to make it easier for my customers. I also explained that they can easily convert Euros to US$ using a simple 1:1 ratio - which underestimates the true value. He just replied that they are not trained to do that, that Carvana is a US company and everything has to be in US$. From there the conversation rapidly went downward. Suddenly documents already accepted by his colleague were no longer useful, he just repeated the US$ requirement over and over again, without trying to work with me...He always complained that he cannot calculate my income, while totally ignoring the fact that all US$ positions nearly summed up to the number I had given, without even taking the approx 50000 Euros additional income into account. We went around that circle multiple times - he didn't, or didn't want to, understand.

After nearly 20 minutes of useless and very unpleasant conversation, I pulled the plug and requested to cancel my order. I also expressed my deep dissatisfaction with his service in particular and how Carvana treats its customers.

I cannot recommend Carvana at all!

While they want to look modern and up-to-date, they lack a lot of things. Starting with problems with their app and website, to unprofessional and somewhat rude customer service reps, while also missing transparent processes.

In today's world many companies - like mine - work worldwide and have to accept multiple currencies. Carvana is still stuck in the middle ages - for them only US$ have a meaning and nothing else exists in their bubble, which they are not willing to leave. Sad!

They just lost another customer!

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

First, STAY AWAY! My mother was in the market for a vehicle and she asked for my assistance. We saw Carvana’s commercial and thought that it would be a good experience.

At first, everything went smooth and we got the approval and everything else completed. They confirmed the delivery date of June 4, 2019 between 1-1:30 pm. The day before the delivery date, they called and said they had some logistic problems and the car won't be delivered for another ten days. We had already planned on taking our vacation with the new car and went ahead and booked our hotels. So, we got a rental because the hotel was not refundable. We cut our vacation short, by a week, so we could be home to receive the car on the 13th. Well, the day before they called and said the car delivery will once again have to be rescheduled. I started to throw a fit and talked with their corporate office. They offered me $100 for our troubles.

Well, the car was supposed to be delivered tomorrow on the 16th and once again they called and said they have to reschedule the delivery.

At this point, we had enough. We stressed our dissatisfaction and you could tell that the staff didn't give a crap one way or another. Their go-to thing to say was "ok, we can cancel your order."

We hung up and went to some dealerships and ended up buying a brand new truck.

When we called to cancel the car, the lady said "ok, I will cancel your order" and then hung up.

This company DEF needs to get their crap together. Their staff doesn't care and they’re so unprofessional. I would NEVER recommend them or give them a dime of my money. I will tell everyone I can to STAY AWAY from Carvana. Just a HORRIBLE experience overall.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Started to purchase a Cadillac. Noticed imperfections of the upholstery in the photos. The site listed no imperfections and passed their 150-point inspection. I notified Carvana of this and how their posted information was misleading. The Carvana Representative said she would notify her supervisor and have the information corrected...did not happen. This misinformation and unwillingness to do the right thing shows the poor integrity of the company and creates mistrust in their buying process. Buyer beware, Carvana, the seller, is only looking to take the money you work too hard for. Buyers deserve better than this company.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Too good to be true? Carvana is proving that theory as I type. The easy and user-friendly app had me boasting to friends about a car I bought online. Two days prior to my delivery I get an email asking me to call them to reschedule because the car had received damage while loading it on to a truck. They stated it would require repairs and would be several weeks and we're making sure this would still work for me. Why would I want a car that’s now been in an accident?

Back to the drawing board, I find a similar vehicle but it cost an additional $500 in delivery fees, the prior was free so I asked if Carvana could waive the charge and they refused but offered me a $250 credit towards it…gee, thanks. Two days before delivery I get another request to call and reschedule. Apparently this time the driver had gone over his DOT hours so it’d be another week. Upon my waiting period, I realize a discrepancy. The vehicle was listed as an LX but my own VIN check reported this was a base model with none of the features I was paying for. Carvana recognized their mistake when I called and said they’d correct it.

Back to the drawing board again…During my search, I locate the vehicle that I ordered originally with delivery available in 48 hours (I thought it was at the body shop?). I find the other vehicle still listed under the wrong model (corrected those typos though, right Carvana?). I FINALLY find another car and it’s due to be delivered within a few days. I leave work early to meet the driver and then my phone rings. He’s running late, the delivery truck broke down so he had to drive the car to me (and drive those miles up too). Upon inspection, I notice 1) There were two keys in a photo provided on the listed but I only got one, and 2) There was damage to the bumper that was not described on any photos provided. My delivery man took pictures and submitted the complaints on my behalf before taking off in my trade-in vehicle.

Two days later I get an email that I need to contact a body shop and submit a quote and they’ll "work with me" on what to do. Well, to replace the damaged bumper was $3000. I send the quote to Carvana, no response. Fearful my 7 days is nearing the end, I call. They haven’t finished reviewing and will let me know. The evening before my 7th day…they reject the quote and I need another one. I’ve taken time off work for a late delivery, I’ve taken time off work to get the damage assessed and now I need to do it again? To resolve the key issue, they told me to go to a dealership…an hour away, to wait an hour there to get a key, to drive an hour back! The dealership is only open M-F from 8-4 which means more time off work. I asked Carvana to send me the key they took the photo of instead. Their answer? "NO, go to the Dealership, SilverRock will pay for it." Neato Carvana, they going to pay me for the fuel, the mileage and 3 hours of missed work too? Doubtful. How can I get my car fixed when you deny the estimate? Are you going to reimburse me for my time off work to sit in a body shop to get that quote? And now another? DOUBT IT!

My 7 days have expired (conveniently for them). I can only imagine the sheer horror I will get to endure next when my registration doesn’t come in and I have to take MORE time off work because the car will be illegal to operate like other reviews have stated.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

So my car was delivered with a nail in the tire and the tire air sensor light on. The delivery person said he stopped to put air in the tire but didn’t have $.75 to use the machine and says he didn’t know about the nail in the tire. Within 30 minutes of getting the car I was getting a new tire, Carvana agreed to overnight the money to me. I also noticed several good sized paint chips and scrapes in the rear of the vehicle none of which was disclosed. After sending in pictures and estimates of the damage (over $1,000), they agreed to pay for the damage. Within days I noticed the air conditioner did not work AT ALL! Luckily this was covered under warranty but still an inconvenience to spend MORE time getting this car in the condition it was supposed to be in when delivered. This is a 2017 vehicle with 43,000 miles when delivered.

NOW, the brakes didn’t really feel "right"...wasn’t sure if it was because it was a different vehicle than I was used to or if something was wrong but then I started hearing a metal "clink" when pressing the brakes so I took it to a Kia dealership and left with a $1,100.00 estimate for new brake pads and rotors! The technician said he "could see that the brake pads were installed without resurfacing the rotors causing a metal to metal grinding noise." He also said the rotors were rusted way more than a vehicle with 44,000 should be and that the problem most definitely should have been discovered in a 150 point inspection!

I haven’t notified Carvana/SilverRock YET because I am FURIOUS at the moment! ALL of the issues I’ve had SHOULD have been discovered in the 150-point inspection! I traded a 13-year-old vehicle with none of these issues, in fact, the $1,100 repair estimate is the same exact work I had on done on my car about 6,000-7,000 miles before trading it to Carvana! I got a newer vehicle with a warranty so I wouldn’t have to worry as much about repairs! I live paycheck to paycheck DOWN TO THE PENNY and cannot afford to have this work done! Be ready, I’ll be calling soon!

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

The first car I bought was damaged in shipping and had bad brakes. Carvana said I could go on my own time and have it repaired and submit a claim or swap for another car. I chose to swap. They stated I was only allowed to drive 400 miles in the week, no problem.

The second car was supposed to be delivered on a Thursday, so I took another day off of work to accept the delivery. I got a call that afternoon stating my car would not be delivered as planned, they forgot to put it on the transport vehicle. So I waited three more days for delivery (I caused 2 days delay because my child graduated high school Friday and we hosted a graduation party on Saturday).

Second car was delivered on Monday. I drove it to work the next morning and the oil light came on. The car has an oil leak (I've had to put a quart of oil in it twice in the past 10 days). I called Carvana again to swap - again. Online customer service was unable to help with the swap, I had to call the 800# and wait over 30 minutes to talk to a person. By then the car I wanted was not available so I picked another. They said they couldn't deliver for over a week (8 additional days in this car).

As a reminder, they caused this additional week delay so I expected the 400 miles for that second week to be added. NOPE! They only granted me 200 additional miles, capping my usage on this broken, oil leaking car to 600 miles over a two week period. I am buying these expensive vehicles because I commute to Boston. I drive 400 miles per week. They have told me that they're going to charge me $1 per mile for every mile over 600.

I've missed 3 days of work trying to get a functional and safe vehicle delivered and countless hours on the phone with customer service. It's easier and more reliable to use a dealership. I will never ever ever use them again and will continue to tell everyone I know that they're a nightmare to work with and scamming people into buying lemons.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

I bought my 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan on 3/3/19. Supposedly everything "passed" inspection. Fast forward to late May 2019. My brakes are going, they are grinding away at the rotors and oh what's that? A FIRE! Yes, actual FLAMES from my rear driver's side braking system. I contact Carvana, they will do nothing, claim it's "wear and tear". I get the BBB involved as this is NOT wear and tear, this is a defective vehicle. Carvana requests documentation from a certified repair facility. I send documents from TWO different places supporting that this is NO WAY wear and tear! Carvana STILL refuses to do anything. I am a single mom, on medical leave with ZERO income who now has a vehicle that I CANNOT drive because it is unsafe and could catch fire again at any time (per both mechanics). Buyer beware! This "company" has no problem selling defective vehicles and will refuse to do anything about them but to blame you the customer. I will NEVER buy from here again and make sure everyone I know knows to stay FAR away!

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

I had bought my truck 3 months ago and for the last month and a half it has been in and out of the shop for stalking while driving "unsafe" my extended warranty was expired for 10 days for this still ongoing issue and will not have it repaired. I feel a company who is told to be the best does not step up and make it right shouldn’t be selling to the people.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend