My Carmax experience
August
out.
I've heard a couple of good things about it.
In any case, I was looking at a BMW 328I that had a *very* good price
on it. I was wondering why.
I found out.
I have a 96 Camry that I was going to trade in and the Edmunds site
appraises my car at about $14K for retail and about $11.5K for trade
in.
Carmax appraised my car and came back with the grand total of
$9,000.00 for the trade in.
This was disturbing enough ( I hadn't expected them to come with a
reasonable number really) but the explanation for the low trade amount
was what took the cake.
The reason was: "Engine Sludge".
According to the appraiser, Camrys have a "terrible problem" with
"Engine Sludge".
They would have to spend thousands on the car to get it in saleable
condition.
Uh-huh.
I walked out then and there.
Just to make sure, I did some research on usenet and the web about
this "widespread" problem of engine sludge.
Complete horseshit.
They are making their money on the back end low-balling trade-ins. i
should have realized this off the bat, but oh well.
In any case, My suggestion to anyone is that you not trade-in any car
at Carmax.
Sell it yourself.
FYI
Spyder
don't want the hassle of doing it yourself. They low-ball you but if the
cars trade in value isn't much anyway, then a few hundred bucks won't
matter.
manfred
news:FEY0OINerOiBE5...@4ax.com...
I checked at Carmax, didn't buy there since I live out of state now, but was
able to use their pricing to get a local dealer to negotiate a better price
on the car I eventually bought.
--
manfred
Greg H
Autonation regularly get cars from auctions. They hire people (commission)
who go out and bring these vehicles in from the auctions, to be resold on
the lots. While many are from customer trade-ins, many are also from these
auctions.
Also, very little is done in the way of checking these "aution cars" out
before they hit the lot. They're cleaned up and washed well, but little
more is done unless there's an obvious problem. Like some places they give
you a 72 hour no questions asked return policy, but, how many people are
going to find all of the kinks and problems with a car in only 72 hours?
Just an F.Y.I.
August
wrote:
>Are you gonna take advantage of the hot price on the 328i?
If I can get rid of the Camry soon enough.
Mulder
h...@mindspring.com says...
> Also, very little is done in the way of checking these "aution cars" out
> before they hit the lot. They're cleaned up and washed well, but little
> more is done unless there's an obvious problem. Like some places they give
> you a 72 hour no questions asked return policy, but, how many people are
> going to find all of the kinks and problems with a car in only 72 hours?
That's why you drag along somebody smart enough to check the service
records booklet. Right, August?
Mulder
August
Mulder
Ar...@pobox.com says...
> Shut it.
I can't hear you, over all that engine sludge.
Mulder
Randy
out shortly after purchase, and I went through total hell getting it fixed.
BUYER BEWARE with this Circuit City knock off.
Moonraker
appraises my car at about $14K for retail and about $11.5K for trade
in.<<<
Neither Edmunds nor Kelly Blue Book "BUYS" cars. They publish "worth"
bids...which are worthLESS. The actual cash value of a vehicle is
determined by what a similar car has brought at auction recently, and then
that figure is modified by the human appraiser's experience. I've seen KBB
be as much as 35% over what the real value of the car is....
The fact is that your Camry is literally one of thousands of that model that
go on the market on any given day. Why would any dealer want to pay you any
more for YOUR car than what he would have to pay for a similar unit at the
local auction? It' s just a comodity, and they are making more of them
every day. (Well, not the 96's, but you get the picture.)
Automobiles are depreciating assets....that's why leasing makes so much
sense. You have a guaranteed "exit price", don't have to deal with
diminished value issues if the vehicle has to have body work...and you can
drive a much nicer car for the same payment as you'd make on one you were
buying. But, expect to have higher credit standards imposed. Leasing
requires stronger credit scores than buying does. Dunno why, but it does.
Auctions aren't bad things....they allow dealers to move inventory around to
meet regional demands, to adjust selections, and to keep a fresh inventory.
Units that come off lease and go to auction are often the best values....
The Sanity Inspector
>One thing you need to also realize is that dealerships like Carmax and
>Autonation regularly get cars from auctions. They hire people (commission)
>who go out and bring these vehicles in from the auctions, to be resold on
>the lots. While many are from customer trade-ins, many are also from these
>auctions.
>
>Also, very little is done in the way of checking these "aution cars" out
>before they hit the lot. They're cleaned up and washed well, but little
>more is done unless there's an obvious problem. Like some places they give
>you a 72 hour no questions asked return policy, but, how many people are
>going to find all of the kinks and problems with a car in only 72 hours?
Enterprise Rental sales had a seven day return limit when I
bought my car.
--
bruce
The dignified don't even enter in the game.
--The Jam
Robert Bellamy
I'll give $9,001.
BB
<g,d,&r>
Brian Weseman
were having troubles with our 97 Escort that was going to cost $3000 to
fix. We decided to buy a 99 Grand Cherokee and ended up purchasing
from Carmax in Norcross. I checked my car's value (trade-in value not
retail) with Kelly Blue Book on the net--it put it at $6145. Carmax
gave us a trade-in value of $6000. We thought that was good since they
said the car was in good working condition and we knew it had a warped
head with possible piston damage.
On the other hand, blue book for retail was ~$10K. I will say that if
you have the time to do it, it is always better to sell your own car.
In our case, we have only one car and didn't have the time time to be
our own dealer. I think you are singling out Carmax when almost all
other dealers will give you the same offer.
Carmax did have cheap Grand Cherokees though. Their displayed sticker
was $1000 below DEALER cost. Almost $3000 below the MSRP of other
dealers we looked at.
Just my experience,
Brian
In article <FEY0OINerOiBE5...@4ax.com>, August
<aug...@pobox.com> wrote:
> I have a 96 Camry that I was going to trade in and the Edmunds site
> appraises my car at about $14K for retail and about $11.5K for trade
> in.
>
> Carmax appraised my car and came back with the grand total of
> $9,000.00 for the trade in.
>
Dirk A. Loedding
[snip a bad CarMax experience]
On the other hand, I had a very pleasant experience with CarMax. I'd
spent weeks researching various vehicles that my wife and I were
interested in, using Carprices.Com (I've got an affiliate link on my web
page, at http://america.net/~judge). I also spent a bit of time
checking out what our trade-in should get for us.
We went to various dealers in the area, We got totally disgusted with
Atlanta Toyota, with their extreme high-pressure tactics. We had some
pleasant experiences, as well...the best, though, was at CarMax in
Gwinnett. No high pressure...the salesman just walked around with us
and showed us what we wanted to see. And, when it came time to trade in
the old car, we got exactly what we were expecting out of it. And,
another dealer had given us the same exact appraisal a few days prior,
so we had a pretty good idea we weren't being low-balled.
We also got our new vehicle from them at a price lower than the invoice
price I had found at Carprices, and due to the amount of down payment,
our salesman went the extra mile and got us very good financing terms,
as well. I was quite pleased with the whole thing.
A friend of mine had his car damaged in the tornados a few years back..
just cosmetic damage, some scratched paint and a couple of minor dents.
He had it fixed and re-painted. CarMax wouldn't even talk to him about
buying his car.
So, it just depends on what you're trying to do, and perhaps who you
talk to when you go there. I'd certainly consider going there for my
next new vehicle, if my choice was one of types they sell new.
--
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Dirk A. Loedding <*> ju...@america.net |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
August
That's cute.
Brennan Donnellan
This is the most aggregious posting I have ever seen in my entire life.
Let me see if I have this straight. Carmax is a NATIONWIDE chain staffed
with individuals who MAKE THEIR LIVINGS buying, selling and APPRAISING cars.
But you think you know better than them how much your car is worth? Just
because you waltz in to their showroom making unreasonable demands, they're
supposed to pay you more than you are able to get on the open market? Oh,
but wait. August is TOO FUCKING BUSY to sell his own car. He expects
Carmax to sell it for him, but to pay him up front because he's too busy
with his dick in one hand and mousing naked pictures on the Internet with
the other.
Let me tell you something. Those men and women work hard to make an honest
living. None of them is getting rich. It is absolutely DISGUSTING that
someone like yourself tries to take the money out of their pockets with your
self-righteous attitude.
The next time you decide to sell your car, do us all a favor and take out an
ad in the Auto Trader or some other similar publication. Then we can ALL
have a good laugh at the little man with is stinky little car and delusions
of grandeur. Oh! Oh! Look at me! I am a successful man of wealth and
prestige! This might LOOK like a shitty Toyota, but it's worth MUCH MUCH
MORE! Because I AM SPECIAL!
I want to ask you one more thing. When is the last time you rebuilt an
engine? I'm betting it wasn't recently. If you had, you'd understand that
engine sludge is a very real problem, espcially in smaller engines SUCH AS
THE CAMRY that have SMALLER HOLES than the big ones!
You are a pussy.
Brennan Donnellan
bren...@mindspring.com
August <aug...@pobox.com> wrote in message
news:FEY0OINerOiBE5...@4ax.com...
> I should have known better but I thought I would at least check it
> out.
>
> I've heard a couple of good things about it.
>
> In any case, I was looking at a BMW 328I that had a *very* good price
> on it. I was wondering why.
>
> I found out.
>
> I have a 96 Camry that I was going to trade in and the Edmunds site
> appraises my car at about $14K for retail and about $11.5K for trade
> in.
>
> Carmax appraised my car and came back with the grand total of
> $9,000.00 for the trade in.
>
> This was disturbing enough ( I hadn't expected them to come with a
> reasonable number really) but the explanation for the low trade amount
> was what took the cake.
>
> The reason was: "Engine Sludge".
>
> According to the appraiser, Camrys have a "terrible problem" with
> "Engine Sludge".
>
> They would have to spend thousands on the car to get it in saleable
> condition.
>
> Uh-huh.
>
> I walked out then and there.
>
> Just to make sure, I did some research on usenet and the web about
> this "widespread" problem of engine sludge.
>
> Complete horseshit.
>
> They are making their money on the back end low-balling trade-ins. i
> should have realized this off the bat, but oh well.
>
Mulder
bren...@mindspring.com says...
> This is the most aggregious posting I have ever seen in my entire life.
Your spellcheck AND your newsreader is broked.
> But you think you know better than them how much your car is worth? Just
> because you waltz in to their showroom making unreasonable demands, they're
> supposed to pay you more than you are able to get on the open market? Oh,
> but wait.
Actually, considering that 96 Camrys are in the pager for from $12,8 to
$13,9 for the same model and options, it's pretty fair to ask for a price
that is above 70%.
> It is absolutely DISGUSTING that
> someone like yourself tries to take the money out of their pockets with your
> self-righteous attitude.
Life.
Aisle 9.
Next to the cereal.
Pick one up.
> I want to ask you one more thing. When is the last time you rebuilt an
> engine? I'm betting it wasn't recently. If you had, you'd understand that
> engine sludge is a very real problem, espcially in smaller engines SUCH AS
> THE CAMRY that have SMALLER HOLES than the big ones!
None of us were aware that you had to be a veterinarian to recognize
horseshit.
What exactly is a 'smaller hole'? Are you working towards displacement
here? Piston chamber measurements? Exhaust pipes? Air vents?
If he's typing with one hand, you're thinking with one lobe. I know my
preference.
Mulder
William H Bruckenmeister
"egregious", asshole.
have a nice day.
uhh, then again, don't.
On Mon, 22 Nov 1999 13:32:20 -0500, "Brennan Donnellan"
<bren...@mindspring.com> wrote:
>August,
>
>This is the most aggregious posting I have ever seen in my entire life.
>
>Let me see if I have this straight. Carmax is a NATIONWIDE chain staffed
>with individuals who MAKE THEIR LIVINGS buying, selling and APPRAISING cars.
>But you think you know better than them how much your car is worth? Just
>because you waltz in to their showroom making unreasonable demands, they're
>supposed to pay you more than you are able to get on the open market? Oh,
>but wait. August is TOO FUCKING BUSY to sell his own car. He expects
>Carmax to sell it for him, but to pay him up front because he's too busy
>with his dick in one hand and mousing naked pictures on the Internet with
>the other.
>
>Let me tell you something. Those men and women work hard to make an honest
>living. None of them is getting rich. It is absolutely DISGUSTING that
>someone like yourself tries to take the money out of their pockets with your
>self-righteous attitude.
>
>The next time you decide to sell your car, do us all a favor and take out an
>ad in the Auto Trader or some other similar publication. Then we can ALL
>have a good laugh at the little man with is stinky little car and delusions
>of grandeur. Oh! Oh! Look at me! I am a successful man of wealth and
>prestige! This might LOOK like a shitty Toyota, but it's worth MUCH MUCH
>MORE! Because I AM SPECIAL!
>
>I want to ask you one more thing. When is the last time you rebuilt an
>engine? I'm betting it wasn't recently. If you had, you'd understand that
>engine sludge is a very real problem, espcially in smaller engines SUCH AS
>THE CAMRY that have SMALLER HOLES than the big ones!
>
Who me?
Bruckenmeister) wrote:
>must be a failed used car salesman.
Can you imagine anything less appealing? That was the deepest insult
I have ever heard, and it made me snicker for quite a while... I
loved it!
>btw, it's
>"egregious", asshole.
And so was he.
dav...@bellsouth.net
> I am not here to argue with someone who WAS NEVER ASKED TO JOIN IN THIS
> CONVERSATION IN THE FIRST PLACE!
That's rich, considering the conversation had NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU IN
THE FIRST PLACE.
Sir Donnybrook, Hypocrite!
August
>
> This is the most aggregious posting I have ever seen in my entire life.
You don't get out much do you?
>
> Let me see if I have this straight. Carmax is a NATIONWIDE chain staffed
> with individuals who MAKE THEIR LIVINGS buying, selling and APPRAISING cars.
> But you think you know better than them how much your car is worth?
Yes. That's the whole point of my post. Where have you been, jesus-freak?
> Just
> because you waltz in to their showroom making unreasonable demands, they're
> supposed to pay you more than you are able to get on the open market?
Open market is around 13K. Or weren't you paying attention?
> Oh,
> but wait. August is TOO FUCKING BUSY to sell his own car. He expects
> Carmax to sell it for him, but to pay him up front because he's too busy
> with his dick in one hand and mousing naked pictures on the Internet with
> the other.
Goodness. Aren't we all fired up tonight.
> Let me tell you something. Those men and women work hard to make an honest
> living.
They are about as honest as you are. Which is to say not at all.
> None of them is getting rich. It is absolutely DISGUSTING that
> someone like yourself tries to take the money out of their pockets with your
> self-righteous attitude.
Terrible ain't it, psycho?
> that have SMALLER HOLES than the big ones!
Hmmmm
>
> You are a pussy.
Open season, bitch.
August
bren...@mindspring.com says...
>
> >
> > What exactly is a 'smaller hole'? Are you working towards displacement
> > here? Piston chamber measurements? Exhaust pipes? Air vents?
>
> CONVERSATION IN THE FIRST PLACE!
I never asked for your opinion, bitch. Suck it up. When you throw some
shit around, expect some splashback.
just cause you're getting tooled here is no reason to cry like a little
girl.
>
> However, anyone who's ever pumped their own gas knows that ENGINES CONTAIN
> HOLES with motor pieces that go up and down inside them.
Are these technical terms?
I think you're thinking about holes too much.
> When those holes
> and pieces get clogged with sludge, the result is usually an engine seizure
> and a very expensive repair. I'd suggest you check your facts before
> spewing your bile.
>
where were you trained? Sally Struthers mail away academy. Did you get
your degree in VCR/Gun repair too?
> I should realize from the tone of your post, however, that you wouldn't know
> anything about cars. Or socially acceptable intercourse.
Wrong on both counts. and as for socially accepted behavior, when was it
accepted to call someone a "pussy"?
Eh Jesus-freak?
> Mulder, I see you choose to name yourself after a television character
> instead of revealing your real identity. I have a suggestion for you.
> Instead of sitting on your FAT ASS watching sophomoric television shows,
> maybe you could get up, walk your artery-clogged person to the gas station,
> and try to pump your own gas instead of paying up to $2 PER GALLON for full
> serve because you too goddamned lazy.
Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
> Oh, but wait, there are aliens on TV! Can't do anything productive while
> there are aliens on TV. What was I thinking?
I know there are psychos in this newsgroups.
That's a fact.
I'm wondering brenny...
Do you take psychotropic medication? SSRI's, Tri-cyclics? Haldol?
Lithium?
Do you on occasion, forget to take your medicine?
I thought so.
See ya, psycho.
August
choll...@mindspring.com says...
> dav...@bellsouth.net shared with usenet this thought:
>
> >Brennan Donnellan wrote:
> >> I am not here to argue with someone who WAS NEVER ASKED TO JOIN IN THIS
> >> CONVERSATION IN THE FIRST PLACE!
> >
> >
> >THE FIRST PLACE.
> >Sir Donnybrook, Hypocrite!
>
> probably got an earful from some unhappy customers today.
Working at the burger King can be rough. Rewarding, but rough some
days....
August
bren...@mindspring.com says...
> WHY DO YOU PEOPLE HARRASS ME AND REJOIN MY EVERY SINGLE POST??
Because you are a fucking dick.
> This is a
> PUBLIC forum! I have the right to express my opinions the same as anyone
> else.
Not if they are stupid.
> It seems that every time I reply to a post, or post information of my own,
> I'm criticized and belittled.
You should ask yourself why that's the case.
> Does this make you feel like a big man?
No. But putting my keyboard up your ass might. Especially if it had the
added effect of stopping your posts.
> I
> have to tell you that it's becoming tiresome.
Stop crying, bitch.
> If it continues, I will leave
> this organization and never return.
Get the fuck out then.
> I'm asking you nicely, AGAIN, to leave me alone.
Fuck you, pussy.
The Sanity Inspector
>Brennan Donnellan wrote:
>> I am not here to argue with someone who WAS NEVER ASKED TO JOIN IN THIS
>> CONVERSATION IN THE FIRST PLACE!
>
>
>That's rich, considering the conversation had NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU IN
>THE FIRST PLACE.
>Sir Donnybrook, Hypocrite!
We all go through spells of feeling under-appreciated. He
probably got an earful from some unhappy customers today.
Mulder
> CONVERSATION IN THE FIRST PLACE!
Bait.
Mulder
Mulder
Holger just fell to 2nd place in the Troll Olympics.
Mulder
The Sanity Inspector
thought:
>WHY DO YOU PEOPLE HARRASS ME AND REJOIN MY EVERY SINGLE POST?? This is a
>PUBLIC forum! I have the right to express my opinions the same as anyone
>else.
>
>It seems that every time I reply to a post, or post information of my own,
>I'm criticized and belittled. Does this make you feel like a big man? I
>have to tell you that it's becoming tiresome. If it continues, I will leave
>this organization and never return.
>
>I'm asking you nicely, AGAIN, to leave me alone.
Oh, wait--it's a cross-post from alt.atlanta. I was going to
chide you for not introducing yourself properly, but nevermind.
Jim Patterson
<bren...@mindspring.com> wrote:
>However, anyone who's ever pumped their own gas knows that ENGINES CONTAIN
>HOLES with motor pieces that go up and down inside them.
Aren't you getting a little high-tech here?
William H Bruckenmeister
<bren...@mindspring.com> wrote:
>WHY DO YOU PEOPLE HARRASS ME AND REJOIN MY EVERY SINGLE POST?? This is a
>PUBLIC forum! I have the right to express my opinions the same as anyone
>else.
>
because this IS a public forum and we have the right to harrass,
rejoin, belittle, denigrate, besmirch, condemn, criticize, disparage,
cast aspersions, slander, lampoon, vilify, malign, libel and defame
your scurrilous postings with our own derogatory, sarcastic, cynical,
sardonic and calumnious witticisms, willy-nilly, and at any time we
deem it appropriate, without previous consideration for your poor
widdew huut feewings..........
>
>> From: choll...@mindspring.com (The Sanity Inspector)
>> Organization: MindSpring Enterprises
>> Reply-To: chollanam...@mindspring.com
>> Newsgroups: atl.general,alt.atlanta
>> Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 03:02:45 GMT
>> Subject: Re: My Carmax experience
>>
>> dav...@bellsouth.net shared with usenet this thought:
>>
>>> Brennan Donnellan wrote:
>>>> I am not here to argue with someone who WAS NEVER ASKED TO JOIN IN THIS
>>>> CONVERSATION IN THE FIRST PLACE!
>>>
>>>
>>> That's rich, considering the conversation had NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU IN
>>> THE FIRST PLACE.
>>> Sir Donnybrook, Hypocrite!
>>
>> We all go through spells of feeling under-appreciated. He
>> probably got an earful from some unhappy customers today.
>>
>>
White Trash
OH HELL! Gimme a break. Some
Paulding county red neck brings in a beat
up piece of junk with empty beer cans
rolling around in it and then expects
Car Max to give him top dollar for it.
THEN, is surprised when they don't.
Wise up. Bring in a clean, well-maintained
vehicle, with complete maintenance
records, talk to the Car Max appraiser,
and you will be pleasantly surprised.
I got $300 OVER Kelly Blue Book.
Freakin Red Necks
August
says...
Not quite sure what it was about my post that made you think I was a
redneck from Paulding county (does my nntp posting host say Paulding in
it?) or that my car was anything but a clean, well maintained car with
complete maintenance records.
But thanks for the well thought out and *extremely* helpful post.
Now away with you sock puppet!
Who me?
<bren...@mindspring.com> wrote:
>WHY DO YOU PEOPLE HARRASS ME AND REJOIN MY EVERY SINGLE POST?? This is a
>PUBLIC forum! I have the right to express my opinions the same as anyone
>else.
Oh. And we don't? Lemme see.... "Public Forum" must mean that it is
Public to those of whom you approve??
>It seems that every time I reply to a post, or post information of my own,
>I'm criticized and belittled. Does this make you feel like a big man? I
>have to tell you that it's becoming tiresome. If it continues, I will leave
>this organization and never return.
My goodness. You are going to leave a Public Forum?
>
>I'm asking you nicely, AGAIN, to leave me alone.
Is that why you post your email account online?
Mary D. Harbuck
cars at reasonable prices. When I told the salesman that I was looking to
spend $6,000 he quickly said that he didn't have any cars under $8K and got
a young sales associate to help me so he could help another client.
Then, they showed me a car priced right at $7K. I came home and checked the
Geo Prizm on Edmund's and they priced it at $5K. that is a HUGE difference.
Needless to say I didn't get a car there
August wrote in message ...