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

The buying process was easy. I picked up the car and the tank was almost empty so that was a disappointment as everyone told me it came with a full tank but I guess the cup and key chains were supposed to make up for that! So I have now had the car for 3 weeks and it’s already leaving me stranded! It won’t start without a jump! I called Carvana and they basically told me too bad! It’s a wearable part and it’s not covered under my warranty. So I’m three weeks into this 2017 car with only 20,000 miles on it and I’m already having to purchase a battery! I understand it’s a "wearable" part, I understand batteries go bad! I even understand why it wouldn’t be covered under the warranty! But let’s be realistic here! I have only had the car for three weeks! I haven’t even received my registration in the mail yet and I’m already having to purchase a battery! If we were talking six months down the road and the battery goes bad I can maybe understand that but I’m talking about three weeks, three weeks! And they won’t cover it!

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

This has been a bad experience since the beginning - and unfortunately, it's not over. My coworker had a great experience with Carvana, so we decided to give it a try. And even if you have a good experience, be prepared to have to wait hours for a call back on even the smallest issue. We loved the first car we test drove - a 2014 Expedition - but it had a slow leak in the front tire. We notified Carvana and made arrangements for them to pick up the car. In the meanwhile, we found that my husband's financing terms with Carvana were much better than what I had been quoted. We asked that when they returned to car to us, we switch the financing to him. Then Carvana lost the car. Then Carvana said the car had been promised to someone else. Then Carvana said we could get the car.

The car was returned to us 7 days later. That afternoon when we went to drive it, the low tire pressure light was on. When we called Carvana about the tire, they said that the slow leak had been noted but since we had decided not to purchase the car (not true) they had chosen not to fix it. (Even if we had decided not to purchase the car, it was a known defect that they chose to ignore.) We were told that we'd need to take the car to an ASE certified technician and that Carvana would cover the repair - including the $50 deductible. Of course, to find an ASE certified technician, I had to log into their 3rd party warranty site using our Carvana paperwork. Guess what - Carvana hadn't entered the paperwork, so we had to wait another 24 hours. After taking the car in, the mechanic called and told us that Carvana had refused to pay for the tire and that he'd discovered a "significant" leak in the power steering line. My husband and I tried calling Carvana back beginning at 3 pm today. Finally, after 7 pm, someone chose to call us back. In a way, the fact that they didn't fix the tire was a blessing since the mechanic found the power steering leak. Carvana's unwillingness to accept responsibility (they continue to call this a miscommunication) is mind-boggling. We still haven't gotten confirmation from Carvana that they are paying for the tire, but you better believe that we will never ever darken the door of this slap dash sorry excuse for a dealership again. As my husband said, we're going back to Carmax where they treat us like customers, not suckers.

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

After weeks and several telephone calls, I still have the vehicle I have been attempting to sell to Carvana. Every time I called an Advocate would advise me that I would be receiving an email (confirmed test email sent) for pick-up of the vehicle within 24 hours. Like I said, WEEKS and SEVERAL CALLS later I still have the vehicle they offered to purchase.

This is a SCAM - BUYER BEWARE!

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

I attempted to sell Carvana two like-new 2019 model year vehicles and purchase a different vehicle from them. I completed their online calculator and all went well until I realized that there's no option for a second vehicle. So to find out a work-around I tried to use their chat function. 30 MINUTES LATER. Someone finally comes on and tells me that they don't buy vehicles from 2019. No explanation at all, just that they don't buy current year vehicles. A huge waste of my time and effort and I will NEVER purchase nor suggest that anyone I know should use Carvana. There are PLENTY of better online dealerships like this out there to choose from - all of which provide an infinitely better experience.

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

Recently I decided to give Carvana a try. Living in Boston and Bethesda for the last two decades a vehicle wasn't a necessity, or even a luxury, but rather a costly inconvenience. When I began my search a couple of months ago I visited a few car dealers. I had been to a Jaguar dealership, Mercedes, and Lexus. All offered excellent customer service, but finding exactly what I was looking for seemed challenging. After test driving a Lexus RX 350, a Volvo XC 60 and a Mercedes I decided to go with the later. Still, I was looking for exactly the perfect vehicle. One that was well cared for, as well as known long-term reliability.

Carvana made this process simple through there filter search. Each car coming with an easily accessible Carfax to review, complimented by there 150-point inspection process gave me enough confidence to give it a whirl. Thus far, I couldn't be happier. I found a perfect car for me. A 2011 Mercedes e350 Avant-garde 4Matic. Though I've only seen pictures of it, and doing my own homework prior to making the purchase, it looks like a beauty. This model has had zero recalls, steady maintenance history with two owner history and has not been subjected to harsh winters. I submitted the pre-approval in two minutes and once I decided to proceed had all necessary approval paperwork in within 5. They even sent me a message "wow, you tech wizard." That evening I received confirmation that my financing terms were approved. The next day, July 26, I received confirmation the purchase was approved. The next day July 27 I received confirmation that: "We've got great news! Your 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class has passed its final inspection with flying colors!" - Carvana.

Since I am an "out of market" delivery, Carvana goes through a third-party delivery, which takes a couple of days to assign. On the 29th I received a exciting text message, informing me that "We have great news! A carrier has been assigned and they are estimated to arrive between August 9/August 10." August 2, I received more tantalizing news in email and text; "We've reached the final stretch! Your 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class has been picked up by our third-party carrier and is currently headed straight for your driveway!" Today is Monday, August 5th, and I'm thrilled to think about the vehicle arriving at the end of the week. I enrolled in car insurance, which is set to begin August 10th, and ensured my AAA membership was up to date. In addition, I researched a few ASE mechanics and described the sale and have prepared to take my Mercedes in within the first week for inspection within there "7 day Money back guarantee." The vehicle comes with a 100 day/4189 mile Warranty. This affords quite a bit of confidence in the purchase process and I intend to not only have it inspected within the first few days, but again near the end of the warranty. To supplement this warranty I considered CarShield, Carchex, and Endurance. Ultimately, I decided to complement their warranty with a 5-year Endurance. This ensure that there is no gap in my warranty coverage, since there is a minimum 60 day waiting period with 3rd party warranties.

Yesterday my "Right Car Solutions" license plate covers arrived, as well as a beautiful "Geedar" blue and brown leather trunk organizer, as well as a "Sabre Defense Spray." The "Mercedes-Benz PCMIA card reader" I ordered, and my "SanDisk Ultra SDHC" car arrived in another package. I picked up some "Scotchguard" and "NuFinish Scratch doctor," and today my Mercedes baseball hat, a glove compartment "Maglite" "The Club" arrived. And Wednesday I expect to receive my thoroughly researched "detail kit" and portable handheld vacuum, as well as my MB specified approved quart of spare oil, MB approved brake fluid, MB transmission fluid, and MB coolant, to keep in the trunk. I'm excited to get the next message, to coordinate delivery, and up to this point, I am thoroughly not only satisfied with Carvana, but genuinely pleased. Every conversation has been professional, fun, and respectful. One guy who called, even had purchased a Mercedes himself and detailed the plethora of options on the vehicle, as well as things to look out for, such as engine mounts. I called Carvana to get more information on the new tires that would be coming with the vehicle and couldn't find out what kind they were, although one can hope they are Continental all season. One can hope. They did inform me that they had replaced the engine mounts, so that's one headache prevented.

Overall, I couldn't be happier with my "Used Car Dealer." I'll check back in within a couple of weeks and let you know how things are coming along, what the mechanic, one of the best in the country has to say about the vehicle; and my experience with the company after sale and receiving the vehicle. I've always admired Mr. Kawasaki, and little-known fact is he is not only a board member of Carvana, he is a "brand ambassador" for Mercedes. This affords a greater sense of security, and the high-quality nature behind both companies. I'm looking forward to utilizing the Mercedes race system. I'm confident I made the right decision not only when selecting this Mercedes, but also choosing Carvana; "The new way to buy a car. Because buying a car shouldn't suck."

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

I bought a car through Carvana about 2 months ago and I have had problems with the brakes making noise every time I stop. I took it in to a dealer and was told that the bottom of my car is rusted and corroded. All four tires need brakes, rotors, and calipers because it is unsafe to drive with the calipers being froze. I reached out to Silver Rock and I was told that they don't cover cosmetic work like rust and corrosion. So I spoke to a supervisor at Silver Rock and was told that Carvana would need to fix that because being that I only had the car 2 months, there was no way the rust and corrosion accumulated during that time and it had to be there when I purchased the vehicle. Then I call Carvana, I explained to them what was going on and was informed that the rust and corrosion are considered wear and tear and they would not be fixing it. Well, I have now sought legal help because this car is my only transportation and I need to get to work each day. This car unsafe, therefore, I cannot drive it to get to work. My attorney has a daily log of all the expenses that it is costing me for not being able to drive my car to work and other places. Anyone experiencing any issue with Carvana, I suggest you seek legal help immediately.

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

Attempted to purchase a 2018 Ford Explorer, which was listed as having two very minor chips on each side. When the vehicle arrived I noticed about two dozen more chips with several of them being far more severe than the two advertised on the site. The entire hood was scratched from what looked like a poor attempt of buffing out scratches prior to sale. The delivery driver took photos and said normally the customer service department will review and issue a repair order for me to take it in and have it corrected. I agreed to keep the vehicle pending what the service department offered since the driver said my trade would be kept local and could be returned the next day. When customer service got back to me that afternoon they said the damage to the vehicle was "normal wear and tear." I requested my vehicle be returned the next day which they said was impossible since it was already three hours away. In the end, I had to drive three hours to get my car back after just being told a whole bunch of false statements in order to try to get me to complete a transaction that was not as advertised.

I would never recommend using this service as you truly can’t trust that you are going to get what is being advertised. I ended up buying from a traditional dealership for $3k less with the same miles and a better options package.

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

What an awful scenario. I received an appraisal one day ago and regenerated an appraisal before dropping off the car and they refused to honor the new amount. I spent over an hour talking to various representatives and despite a difference of only $300, they were unwilling and unable to fix the situation even though they agreed that the revised price was accurate. They wanted me to take the car and come back the next day in order to get the $300. Overall, I despised this transaction and would be extremely hesitant to deal with Carvana in the future. I would look into Vroom or CarMax for a better service. For a company that prides themselves on technology, they couldn't figure out how to fix a $300 discrepancy. So poor!

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

It’s been almost 2 weeks and I still haven't gotten my car or even so much as a delivery date. I was getting frustrated because my other car is beginning to act up. After reading some of these reviews though, I see now that this was a blessing in disguise. Needless to say, I’ll be canceling my order and taking my business elsewhere.

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

Recent purchaser of a Fiat 500e.

I'm having problems paying for this vehicle. I have enough money in the bank to pay in full, and followed their directions to-the-letter for the Carvana team to inspect my bank account for sufficient funds by giving them my username/password. After this verification, they couldn't correctly withdraw the funds when it came time to pay.

I was given a 4-day deadline to provide payment. Their fix was for me to wire the money to them ($45 at my bank) or by overnighting a cashier's check ($15 for the check, $20 to overnight via USPS - plus I had to photocopy the check and provide the tracking number). I specifically asked if any of this was my fault and I was told "probably not."

I work so I've been spending my lunch breaks going to the bank, and going to the Post Office - then talking on the phone with them since they want daily updates so this is turning into a multi-hour affair over several days.

It's a shame because people have commented about the car, how nice it looks and of course the Carvana plates are on the front and rear bumpers so they end up asking about Carvana and the buying experience. I'm going to have to tell them the truth now - that Carvana somehow messed up the transaction, pressed a 4-day deadline on me, and I had to pay these extra fees to deliver funds.

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

I trade in a Lexus IS 250 2015 with approx 50k miles for $18,500, which I saw it listed by Carvana one month later for $22,500 and confirmed that was my car, same VIN number, and bought a Volkswagen Tiguan Limited 2017 with approx 16k miles for $16,500. All customer service lines are the most unprofessional, inexperienced, and no knowledge of their company policies registration and paperwork at all. Every time I called them I waited for 1 hour to be connected and 1 hour on the phone to be helped and still no help. It took them to send me a title to Volkswagen 1 month to register the car and 1 week after I purchased the car to send me the check with the difference, which I had to call them a million times to send me the check and title. Complete rip-off, and if I can give them a zero stars review or minus 1 I would. I have bought and sold 10 cars previously and never had a problem until now.

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