Reviews (1)

DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT PAID ADVERTISER OR AN EMPLOYEE OF THIS COMPANY.

Here’s my car buying experience through Vroom. I tried to be OBJECTIVE as much as possible so whoever reads this review and is on the fence about this particular company and or the whole online car buying territory, one can at least make an informed decision.

Buying: My initial buying experience through Vroom was smooth sailing thus far. Just like so many others, I visited a countless brick and mortar, lots of hook'n and jab’n for the best price. No such luck. I started search online and by luck found a car on the Vroom website. I have zero prior experience buying a car online. I "clicked" my way through the initial buying process. A few hours later, a Vroom rep called to explain the way ahead. Charged a $500 deposit to slap that "Sales Pending" banner on the website for a 24-hour period as you get paperwork started. Vroom sends an email with a link to electronically review/sign the Purchase Agreement. Included with this is a copy of the Carfax report. I sent a cashier's check via FedEx using the label included in their email; all this done in one day.

Delivery: Received several emails spaced out a few days apart to confirm an approximate delivery date. The date of delivery fluctuated several times but all communicated well in advance by email. This was followed up by phone calls by a Vroom rep and finally delivery driver. Car arrived early morning Saturday by a private hauler, driver did his thing, I gave it a quick "look over" to ensure it's actually the car I selected. I commenced an in-depth surface inspection of the car to confirm pre-existing cosmetic imperfections noted from Vroom's website in addition to making note of anything new...as to be expected, I did indeed find a few more minor discrepancies throughout the car; however, no deal breakers.

Behind the Scene: Purely speculating here but I imagine A LOT of stuff taking place on Vroom's side once the deal goes thru. From coordination with whoever has your car (it's probably NOT located in Texas), state of overall condition since it's most likely been sitting outside for pro-long period since website photos, prepping the car for delivery, bid and award for transpo, and perhaps a QA checkpoint by Vroom at some point before delivery (Vroom keeps the details of their inner workings under lock and key).

Concerns: One wheel had very noticeable damage near the lug nut area which was not mentioned on the website. Did not come with 60-day Temp Tags. The Interior of the car was immaculate. The exterior was surface dirty from travel on an open trailer. I do understand it's a used car and "normal wear and tear" is subjective but expected.

Date of Purchase: April 30, 2020.

Date of Delivery: May 9, 2020.

Thus far, I personally enjoyed the online car buying experience. Yes - it's new and I was nervous as hell buying something without physically touching it in addition to reading loads of "interesting reviews" from fellow consumers about their personal experience with Vroom on various other websites...definitely made it more suspenseful.

UPDATE 1 (May 11, 2020): YES, Vroom states they conduct their own inspection; however, what EXACTLY this consists of is unknown (when requested for inspection checklist, Vroom didn't share this with me). It would be "WOO" of you to error on side of caution: being that the closest bonafide Volvo shop to me is 3 hours away and would certainly exceed 250mi "grace period", I paid $125 for a local non-Volvo shop to conduct Used Car Inspection - it took 3 hours. Post inspection, no issues mechanically. The only recommendation was to replace engine oil and filter (DONE) and new tires (pending). I contacted Vroom to inquire about my options pertaining to the replacement of tires and damage to one wheel. They sent me an email requesting evidence of my concerns which I responded with pics and a copy of the dealership’s inspection checklist.

UPDATE 2 (May 13, 2020): Vroom FedEx overnighted missing TEMP TAG; turnaround time one day.

UPDATE 3 (May 15, 2020): Vroom will not be compensating for dealership recommended tire replacement. Stated the tire measurements meet their quality assurance.

UPDATE 4 (May 16, 2020): For $400, had the worst two tires replaced. The other two tires will be also replaced soon. I am not risking the welfare of my wife or kids to save a few hundred dollars.

As for damaged rim, I will fix myself using the over-the-counter product. Now that I have a better understanding of how "frugal" Vroom is ratifying post-sale discrepancies, I just assumed Vroom would declare damaged rims are "within acceptance" for normal and tear. I didn't want to taint my perception of Vroom any further; after such a flawless INITIAL car buying experience.

This whole experience isn’t perfect but it is a viable alternative.

Good luck everyone.