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

Yes their websites are wonderful (and better than going to a dealership)...

But their business practices are THE SAME as dealerships have always been DESPITE advertising they save you money by eliminating hidden fees, etc, NO. They play the same games money-wise as the old-type dealers.

I was going to give them 1 star, but gave them 2 since they do offer some exciting benefits to the old way! But they are not any better and since you can't see the car itself, then the customer actually is WORSE off buying from them IMO.

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

I just recently purchase a certified pre-owned car from Carvana and would definitely do it again. My credit is not the best (not the worst either, but still) and the only places willing to work with me near where I live wanted large down payments and high APR on older model cars that were sold as is.

I have utilized these types of dealers in the past. They are friendly and eager to "get you into your new car," but once you sign the papers, they love to give you the line, "once you leave our lot if the car breaks in half, well then, both halves are yours." I swear, over the past 20 years I've heard that same line several times. And you get to pay them a dealer fee for that humor.

So fast forward to Carvana. I came across it and thought to myself that it seemed somewhat shady, but after a few months of reading reviews and checking out dealers near me, I went ahead and started seriously looking at their inventory (which by the way is HUGE). The cars are viewable, almost if not better than in person. The biggest difference is that you can look without any high-pressure salesmen rushing you around. You can't take as much time as you want to browse from bed while comfy in your pajamas. Which is also how I began the purchase of my Carvana car; in my pajamas.

I purchased a 2015 GMC Terrain for about $4k less than my local dealership was offering theirs and about 20k fewer miles. And a lower APR translates into much lower monthly payments. And there is no dealer fee. I was smitten with my choice. However, I was still anxious over the whole delivery process. I'm in Florida, and the car was in Atlanta, GA. Carvana offered to pay my airfare (up to $200) to fly in and drive the car home. Yea, no. I don't like planes. So they would have to deliver (for a free).

Now, buying a car without driving it was the biggest hurdle for me personally, but once they deliver the car, the delivery person waits after delivery so you can test drive it (I mention the seven-day trial below). If you don't like it, then you don't keep it. They simply load it up and take it away. However, all cars are inspected and have to meet a high standard just to be offered for sale. All purchases come with a 100-day bumper to bumper warranty on top of any manufacturer warranty that may still be in place (for me that was a winning point because if it splits in half than they would fix LOL).

Concerning my purchase, there was a hiccup or two during delivery, but the Carvana representative kept me updated and was so eager to apologize and make it right. They even discounted the price of the car by $250 just for being inconvenienced. Also, keep in mind, they worked hard to make me happy before I even paid a single penny. I'm driving my car today, day one after delivery, and my down payment still hasn't been processed yet. They give you seven days to decide if you still want the car, so it's like a seven-day test drive.

When the delivery man showed up with my car, I was surprised at not being surprised by the condition of the car. There were no extra little dings or scratches from a delivery that one might expect. It was perfect. It even had a full tank of gas. Nice. To top it off The delivery man gave me a goodie bag that included a Visa gift card and an Amazon Echo.

I have to say; I am so happy with my experience with this company and I couldn't wait to leave a review.

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

I picked up my 2016 Honda Civic on Saturday. I was super excited and I loved the car, but then it goes downhill from there.

One of the main reasons why I purchased the vehicle was because of the remote engine start because I work so early in the morning and would like to warm my vehicle up before going downstairs. Well, the key I received was the secondary key to the car, not the main key. Well, I call Carvana to see about a key since the secondary key does not have the feature I need to start the car with the remote. Well, from there the advocate proceeds to tell me my car does not come with that feature. I called a few Honda dealerships, and I was told yes it does. I also have the original manufacture window sticker that lists all the features as well, and it is clear as day. Well, he says they would look into it.

Well, I called the next day, and the next advocate said he believed that it does have the remote start but that remotes are expensive, like $300. Are you freaking kidding me? I paid $19,500 and you tell me $300 for the right remote is expensive. The car is a little overpriced as well.

They do not care about their customers. Do yourself a favor and buy a car from a dealership so you know what you're getting. If I can’t get the issue resolved, I will be returning within my seven days.

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

Carvana is known for giving you "terms" for every car on their website with just a soft credit pull. I did this process a few times. Before even taking this step, I did an online live chat and called in. I very clearly explained that I was self-employed and asked them how they handled income verification for self-employed people.

They told me they use either three months of bank statements OR the prior year's tax returns. In my case, I had both, so I didn't worry.

I kicked off the process of purchasing a 2015 Acura MDX. I sent in my tax return as was requested, and was then asked to send in three months worth of bank statements.

I provided three months of business and personal bank statements and was then told that my income wasn't high enough to be approved through financing thru Carvana.

Which is absolute BS. I have consistently grossed over $60k since working for myself.

The most recent time I re-applied (because my income was higher this past month), I was told by an agent that they could only verify that I make $14,000 in a year and had to finance me based on that. Of course, this made the down payments on every single vehicle on the website unreasonably high. So high that it just wouldn't make sense to finance them. I could get a cash car for that amount.

Also, the second time I applied, I was told that 35% of whatever income they verify for self-employed people is shaved off for business expenses. Which is bogus. In my case, I am a web developer. My only overhead is the internet. Not to mention, they only mentioned this when denying me for the second time. I had never heard this from them before, despite having initiated financing applications twice in the past (the first being last summer, but I canceled the process in order to clean some things up on my credit).

Bait and switch with car dealerships is nothing new. The sad part is Carvana champions itself as the anti-car dealer. I even used to joke with their agents about wanting to be on a Carvana commercial one day.

Suffice it to say, there's no magic solution to getting a car. Particularly when financing. Carvana is no different than a brick and mortar dealership. The shady dealings are all the same. The only difference is Carvana does it all online.

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

5/31/2018 Update:

On day one, I emailed pictures of the body scratches and other faults to Cheri. I emailed some additional ones since then as well. There are a lot of scratches. She doesn't generally respond, but I assume they are reviewing the pictures.

Chris, a "Customer Care Advocate," called me fairly quickly after my e-mail to Cheri, and I've talked to him on the phone twice, and also briefly in email. I informed him the 75th Anniversary package is a nearly $5,000 package that includes a steel bumper, a 6.5" touchscreen with UConnect, and leather-trimmed, heated seats (and several other options). The Jeep they brought me has none of those. I spoke to another gentleman as well, but he was talking in circles, and I did not receive any useful information, other than "the price is correct." Chris did admit the text description was changed after I bought the vehicle, but cannot explain why. It was something close to, "We get information from the VIN and other sources."

What I'm hearing so far is not encouraging. They are supposed to have complete information for me tomorrow about how to settle this. They extended my 7-day review period until 5:00 PM tomorrow (Friday 6/1), so they have time to try to address these issues.

6/9/2018 Update:

So Carvana offered me $600 back total to buff the scratches out of the vehicle (some are buffable, some are not) and also for the cleaning. They offered to order floormats but only after my 7-day "trial" period, which I did. They haven't arrived yet, and my carpet is getting very dirty. I also ran into a new wrinkle. Carvana keeps the vehicle registered under THEIR name the entire time you are making payments. This complicates vehicle registration if you have a personalized plate, like I do. It's possible to keep your personalized plate by sending them some information, but it does make the entire process more complicated than simply going down to your county clerk and transferring tags.

Would I do it again? Under most circumstances, I would say no. However, the vehicle I bought is a Jeep Wrangler, and getting a good deal on these is very difficult. They are wildly popular and hold their value so much that late models go for nearly new price. This gives Carvana an advantage over most dealers and individuals selling these, which is why I kept the Jeep I bought. In my particular case, because it was a Wrangler, I simply couldn't find a significantly better deal. I did find a much better deal on eBay, but it was in New York. I'd be buying long distance. I'm not a fan of that.

So bottom line, don't think Carvana is "no hassle," because it can be a great hassle. Also don't expect a vehicle that has only the scratches/damage that they identify on the web site. There will almost certainly be more, based on my experience. I've rated them up to 2-stars, due to the fact that the price was unintentionally more competitive and I have to acknowledge it wasn't a bad deal (or I wouldn't have kept it obviously).

Overall, though, the process was and still is a hassle, and I was slammed with disappointment when I first got the vehicle, due to the listing "error" and the additional scratches and dirty interior/exterior. I also really dislike that I don't receive a title and they keep it in their name. Why is that? Is it because it's easier to repo a car if it's in their name? Who knows. They didn't explain it, and I didn't see it in their FAQ, but I don't like it.

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

I originally bought a 2016 GT, already paid my $15000 deposit. They called me before shipping and informed me that there was an issue with the car using oil and they would have to take it to the dealer for warranty. I could still purchase the car if I wanted but it may be a while before it is available. I declined due to not trusting anyone, of my own record. They were very nice and said the money would be back in my account within three days, due to the process, which I am familiar with. As disappointed as I was, I went back on the site and found another GT, within minutes, called them back and they reworked all the paperwork and had the new car ready in two days. They were there on time, and the car was as clean as it could be. No hassle, no BS, it has been a pleasure dealing with Carvana and its team.

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

After much research I purchased an Infiniti QX70 from Carvana. When the vehicle arrived, I was really excited, it was beautiful. The driver took the vehicle off of the trolley and advised me to do a ride around my neighborhood, which I did. I had no concerns, the vehicle ran really well. Before I sign the paperwork, I did a walk around the vehicle and noticed the one scratch that Carvana had noted on its website. It wasn't a very extreme scratch, and I was really okay with it, but I also noticed on the right side of the vehicle hairline scratches. My first thought was this vehicle have been in an accident, but I reviewed the Carfax report and the report indicated there were no accidents on the vehicle. I asked the driver about the scratches, and she offered to pay me $100. I asked her instead to take a picture of the scratches because I wanted Carfax to know that they had not said anything online about the scratches. The driver proceeded to take a picture and told me that Carfax to get back with me in a couple of days to let me know what they wanted to do. True to her word, Carfax notified me immediately within two days and told me to take the vehicle to a body shop to get it examined to see what the cost of the repairs was.

I took the vehicle to an Infiniti shop, who estimated that the vehicle has scratches and will cost about $3,000 to repair. While I was there, I also had them examine the vehicle to see if there were any mechanical issues going on and they told me that now the vehicle was in mint condition. Carfax received the estimate from the Infiniti dealership and approved the cost for repairs and recommended that I take my vehicle to a body shop.

I took the vehicle to the body shop, Carvana actually gave me 30 days to get the repairs done. Upon taking the vehicle to the body shop, they immediately informed me that the vehicle has been in a car accident. When I told him about the Carfax report, they told me that the vehicles which come from a rental place, do not have to report accidents as they fix the vehicles and themselves. I checked my Carfax report and it did state that my vehicle was from a Hertz Rental. The body shop immediately contacted Carvana and told them that the repairs will cost an estimate of $4,800 to repair, that there was overspray on the car patchwork to the bodywork just to make it look good enough to sell.

Carvana immediately approved the additional repairs to the vehicle, however, the gate of the vehicle, which just had overspray, they did not approve because they said it had no damage. According to the body shop, my vehicle now has two different color paints on it, you cannot see it from the eye as they matched very similar, but being a body shop individual, he noted the difference.

I'm now waiting to see if Carvana will pay for the cost of my rental vehicle as my car was in the shop for 10 days and the cost of the rental was $58 per day. I have to say the Carvana was quick to offer solutions and did not give me a hard time in fixing the repairs of the vehicle, minus not fixing the gate of the vehicle.

If you are planning to buy from Carvana, I just have two suggestions for you. Make sure you check the body of the vehicle before you purchase. If you notice any signs of damage, ask the driver to take a picture as once you have the vehicle, you're out of luck. If you notice any scratches on the vehicle that Carvana did not report on their website, make it known. The driver of the vehicle, when I reported the scratches offered me $100, a far cry from the $4,800 it cost to do the actual repair. Additionally, remember that if your vehicle comes from a rental car dealership that there is a high possibility that it could have been in an accident and they didn't report it, when they do their own repairs they do not report an accident. I will provide a follow-up to see if Carvana does pay for the cost of a rental. So, I'm happy, but also not happy with Carvana.

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

I wanted to submit a review on the Carvana.com website but couldn't find a way to do it. They display reviews, but there was no way for me to participate, which I thought was a little weird.

I bought a very nice used 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport.

The process was easy and fast. I like how you can do everything online. Very convenient.

The rep who delivered the car was very nice and provided good customer service.

A few disappointments:

1. They don't give you as a spare key. I wish I had inquired about that earlier. I think it should be standard to give the buyer two keys, so you have a spare.

2. The rep made a point to address the fact that it was not noted online in the description that there were a few minor interior stains. She said someone would contact me about either doing another cleaning/detailing or giving me some sort of credit for it, but I never heard from anyone. Other than that, the car was in good condition in appearance.

3. On the 8th day, my car wouldn't start and eventually figured out it was a dead battery. Batteries aren't included in the warranty, so I had to spend money I didn't have on buying a new battery. I find that very frustrating. I would think they would put in a new battery before selling a car with high mileage. Once again, I wish I had thought to inquire about that before my purchase. It was also very frustrating that it happened the day after the 7-day trial was up.

4. I think a copy of the state inspection should be provided to the customer. I have inquired about this and was told my "local hub" would contact me about it, but they haven't. I would think this could be easily done. Since they do the registration for you (a very nice part of buying through Carvana!), I would think the car would have already passed in inspection before the sale and they could just email me a copy. So far, that has not happened.

Other than what I listed above, I found the process much easier and faster than other dealerships. I would probably do it again, but ask more questions and do a little more research before making the commitment next time. And other than the car battery problem, I do like the car, and it is driving well so far.

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

I thought this was such an easy way to purchase a vehicle. I am a single mom, always working or doing something for my kids. The process started out on a good note, nice easy website, lots of cars to choose from and finance info was simple to give.

Then my car, which was going to be delivered on Christmas Eve, was locked from purchase. I was apparently buying a car they didn’t even have the title for. The next car, they told me all of my documents would be transferred to the new car. That was partially true. Some of it was transferred, I got yanked around thinking I was buying a car. They claimed that they never did my employment verification. They had. Then they didn’t get another verification, which I pointed out they had. This went on. Never once did anyone go out of their way to help me after the experience I had had or after each and every mistake. Each issue delayed me getting the vehicle.

Finally, they have everything. I get my car the next day. I am starting to get excited, until I find out they are waiting for me to schedule my delivery? I was told by the customer service people that I have to wait for the underwriters to review a form before scheduling. It didn’t matter to them one iota that I would have to wait even longer. When I told them to cancel my car, the rep told me to be sure that’s what I want to do but never tried to make it right.

Thank you, Carvana, for holding my money hostage and wasting my time. People need to know how this large no face company treats people when snags are hit.

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

I am a current customer of Carvana and had purchased a vehicle in the summer of 2018. I went to purchase another vehicle today and they were the most unorganized and terribly placating group without any explanation of the steps that they "so-called" need to put you through. They approved it but needed to do an "identity verification" quiz. After leaving me on hold for 15 minutes I was told that the quiz timed out and they could not do it again, this was the same with the chat representative. I canceled the order out of frustration and they still wanted to hassle me to do so. I am going to work with a dealer. Good luck to those who are braver than me. They suck in my opinion!

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

This company labels itself as the "New way to buy a car" but is just more of the same. I cannot underestimate my disappointment with this service.

The online portion was easy, until it came to product delivery. I was quite excited to get my car and waited 6 days for the car to be shipped to my home. The plan was to have the Corvette I planned to buy from them delivered and they would take my Porsche in trade.

However, 2 hours before the delivery the nightmare began. First I received a call stating that they were unable to load the car on to their truck. They wanted to drive my "new" car through Washington DC traffic on a Monday morning 50 miles to my home, then drive my (Porsche 911) trade back through DC traffic to their service depot. So much for getting my trade back unscathed if this didn't work out.

I tried calling Carvana 6 times, was put on hold 5 times (hold music sucks by the way). I was hung up on once, and eventually, the manager I spoke with came up with the same plan the original young man trying to load the car suggested.

Am I crazy in not wanting some random young man drive my "new" 430hp Corvette through Washington DC on the commuter belt? Then to joy ride my Porsche back through the same dense traffic and potholes?

I was willing to pay these people $6k over similar offerings for the convenience Carvana reportedly offered. The manager, though well-spoken, had very poor resolution skills. Her only other idea was for me to drive to DC (2 hour one way trip on a good day) to exchange the cars myself...

I canceled my order, now all of my personal information is online with this incompetent company. Please, save yourself the headache and complete disappointment.

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