CarMax The 125pt Inspection is a fraud!! Miami Lakes Florida
My wife and I went to the Miami Lakes Carmax after doing much research online about pricing, service, warranty and GUARANTEE!! We found a 2005 Chrysler Pacifica Touring and decided to purchase this vehicle.
We noticed that the passenger side door had been severely scratched (The old owner apparently locked him/her out and used a cloth hanger to open the door). The salesperson said that "carmax does not sell cars this way and that service dept would fix it". We saw some other small details and again, we were told that service would fix it. They did a great job in selling and offering very amiable customer service.
I got a little "concerned" when I was signing the contract and they make you sign the 'OFF LOT VEHICLE REPAIR LIST" I advised them that I did not have the car {it was being detailed-(this detailing stuff is so funny)} and I would prefer to sign this paper when we got the keys and before we drove off the lot. They also offered us a form that if we missed any of our scheduled maintenance, the warranty would be voided. Naturally, I asked them when were the scheduled maintenances and could I get an exact schedule (this was a used car and the maintenance does not start at 0, so I asked when would it start to be in effect).
Adrain Vega said that I would need to find that info out on my own and in any case I could get the financing company to cancel the warranty and they would refund the warranty fee at the end of the contract. (This means that I would be paying interest on the $1699 for 5 years). I then asked for the maintenance manual. They did not have one and Adrian said that I could buy one.. (woo-h*o).
The time to get the car back from detailing came (a guiness world record of 15 minutes later) and we noticed that the seats and floor were dirty, the black leather seats had white stains (not from the leather cleaning product), there was a hole on one of the door frames, etc.. I ended up polishing the seats on the spot..
I called the manager to show him the hole on the frame and he assured me that this was a "dent repair hole" but that they would fix it later. We drove off into the sunset...
Once we got into the highway, the car "pulled" us into the median and we almost hit the barricade. We noticed that we had (2) michelin tires in the front and (2) other japanese brand tires on the back??.
I called on Monday, June 23 (we bought the car on friday June 20) and when I tried to schedule the service repairs for the dents, door scratches, hole on frame, alignment etc, the service lady stated that whatever was written on the "OFF LOT VEHICLE REPAIR" would be repaired.. I calmly explained to her carmax's procedure and that I would see a manager and explain to him the reasons as to why we could not possibly write all these defects before we have signed the paper. (THEY PREVENT YOU!!) The lady finally saw that I was not going to fall for this "bush league save a repair cost trick" and said that they would take care of the car. We dropped off on Wednesday (June 25) and they tried to give us a thousand reasons as to why they could not fix the car. I also requested (for the third time) the 125 pt inspection, since who could possibly "PASS" a car with a hole on the frame, severe scratches on the door, white stains on the seats, non-alignment of vehicle, and who knows what else could be wrong with it??
I highly recommend that you get them to show you the 125 pt inspection before you buy the car and see who signs off on them..They are fixing my car, but this simple service (detailing) and minor stuff has me worried for the next 36 months of extended warranty...I will update next week..
P.s. I tried to trade in my 2003 Ford Taurus and they wanted to give me $2000... They rated it in excellent condition... DO NOT SELL YOUR CAR TO THEM..
YOSEF
Pembroke Pines, Florida
U.S.A.
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on CarMax
7 Updates & Rebuttals
Been There Done That
Ashburn,Virginia,
U.S.A.
PLEASE READ..Author
#8Consumer Comment
Fri, July 11, 2008
To the author...I am not an idiot and there is NO REASON for name calling. Maybe if you could READ you would not be so quick to utter a statement like that.
Let me try this in ENGLISH again!!! I said Carmax has the best buyers remorse clause in the industry with the ability to return for a full refund the car. I did not suggest nor imply you had remorse just that its an option to EVERYONE who buys car there and that I admired them for that. Please go back to school and update your reading skills before pointing the fingers at others, and NO I'm not a used car salesman.
Jose
Pembroke Pines,Florida,
U.S.A.
UPDATE!!
#8Author of original report
Sun, July 06, 2008
They did fix the problems.
As far as the gentleman that stated why did we take the car? Like I stated before they said they would fix it, it was on a Friday and they did tell us to return it on Monday if we wanted. My beef with Carmax was to warn other customers into not believing the "assurance" of the: 125 pt inspection, we will take care of it, just sign the papers, etc..
And since I got the extended warranty, I am just hoping this does not indicate problems in the future. I would call corporate, it has always worked for me, whenever I have problems with at retail level.
I have no proof that they did not do this inspection, just putting pieces together gave me that idea. They only time they offered to give me the 125 inspection after I left the car for a couple of days. 2 +2 = 4.
I have no buyers remorse!! (what an idiot you are, you must be a sleazy car salesman). I was just disappointed with the "service" of detailing and the final stages of the car pick-up. Carmax did fix most of the "issues" but they still left us with some scratched handles on the pax door. (Which I can get from a "u pick a part" junkyard in Miami)
All in all, they are better than those evil hialeah dealers and those "know it all" salespeople that rip custmers off with new cars and the MSRP price..
We got the vehicle that had all the things that we were looking for, at a low price. (I did my research for several weeks). NO BUYERS REMORSE..
Again, for future customers. My suggestion:
1) Beware of the 125 pt inspection. B4 you sign any papers, just ask for a copy.
2) Do not sign the VEHICLE REPAIR LIST until you see the vehicle at the end of the detailing..
Pedro Talavera
Miami,Florida,
U.S.A.
This can be avoided by hiring a car inspector.
#8Consumer Suggestion
Sat, July 05, 2008
I am very happy to see this report. I have an easy solution. Most of what happened to you can be avoided by hiring an independent Mobile car inspector. Most dealers won't mind you bringing one to check the vehicle. Those 125 point or more inspections they do at dealers to "certify" a car or truck are ussualy a lie. They make up this list of things they check knowing consumers will buy this crap. Most of the things they list there are imposible to check with out diassembling parts. And believe me they do not go trhu the whole list. I have seen independent car inspectors do a much better job of checking vehicles than most dealers. How do I know this? I do inspections here in Miami and I find cars that are certified to have problems. Not many but some.Do your self a favor and spend the money on an inspection, after all you will get the dealer to lower the price after you show them a list of problems the inspector found, we always find something.Do not buy the car or place a deposit until the car has been inspected by the independent company.
Pedro Talavera
Miami,Florida,
U.S.A.
This can be avoided by hiring a car inspector.
#8Consumer Suggestion
Sat, July 05, 2008
I am very happy to see this report. I have an easy solution. Most of what happened to you can be avoided by hiring an independent Mobile car inspector. Most dealers won't mind you bringing one to check the vehicle. Those 125 point or more inspections they do at dealers to "certify" a car or truck are ussualy a lie. They make up this list of things they check knowing consumers will buy this crap. Most of the things they list there are imposible to check with out diassembling parts. And believe me they do not go trhu the whole list. I have seen independent car inspectors do a much better job of checking vehicles than most dealers. How do I know this? I do inspections here in Miami and I find cars that are certified to have problems. Not many but some.Do your self a favor and spend the money on an inspection, after all you will get the dealer to lower the price after you show them a list of problems the inspector found, we always find something.Do not buy the car or place a deposit until the car has been inspected by the independent company.
Pedro Talavera
Miami,Florida,
U.S.A.
This can be avoided by hiring a car inspector.
#8Consumer Suggestion
Sat, July 05, 2008
I am very happy to see this report. I have an easy solution. Most of what happened to you can be avoided by hiring an independent Mobile car inspector. Most dealers won't mind you bringing one to check the vehicle. Those 125 point or more inspections they do at dealers to "certify" a car or truck are ussualy a lie. They make up this list of things they check knowing consumers will buy this crap. Most of the things they list there are imposible to check with out diassembling parts. And believe me they do not go trhu the whole list. I have seen independent car inspectors do a much better job of checking vehicles than most dealers. How do I know this? I do inspections here in Miami and I find cars that are certified to have problems. Not many but some.Do your self a favor and spend the money on an inspection, after all you will get the dealer to lower the price after you show them a list of problems the inspector found, we always find something.Do not buy the car or place a deposit until the car has been inspected by the independent company.
Pedro Talavera
Miami,Florida,
U.S.A.
This can be avoided by hiring a car inspector.
#8Consumer Suggestion
Sat, July 05, 2008
I am very happy to see this report. I have an easy solution. Most of what happened to you can be avoided by hiring an independent Mobile car inspector. Most dealers won't mind you bringing one to check the vehicle. Those 125 point or more inspections they do at dealers to "certify" a car or truck are ussualy a lie. They make up this list of things they check knowing consumers will buy this crap. Most of the things they list there are imposible to check with out diassembling parts. And believe me they do not go trhu the whole list. I have seen independent car inspectors do a much better job of checking vehicles than most dealers. How do I know this? I do inspections here in Miami and I find cars that are certified to have problems. Not many but some.Do your self a favor and spend the money on an inspection, after all you will get the dealer to lower the price after you show them a list of problems the inspector found, we always find something.Do not buy the car or place a deposit until the car has been inspected by the independent company.
Been There Done That
Ashburn,Virginia,
U.S.A.
Just Say NO!
#8Consumer Comment
Mon, June 30, 2008
I dont get it...if I had all those issues with the vehicle and still within your 5 or 7 day window to return it WHY WOULDNT YOU? As much as I am not a fan of them on some things I thinks this is the greatest buyers remorse cause ever. The 125 inspection report was in all the vehicles I was looking at in VA...not sure how they do it in other states...but once again you could have walked away.
The issues you state if they concerned you enough in the first place it sounds like they will never be right when they are done cuz you know they are there. Everything can be buffed but that will NOT remove the scratch(s) just hides them temporarily. I would have turned it back in for a refund, it doesnt sound like you were in desperate need of a vehicle by your story.
WRT valuation of the vehicle thats not surprising MOST domestics drop like rocks in value especially this vehcile. You should have done your homework, KBB is NOT the bible anymore, Blackbook and auction records are...when trading in or for sale to dealer. I also find it difficult that it was written as "excellent" I have had many vehicle appraised there (one with 3k and other 6k miles) and they NEVER state they are excellent cuz they arent.