Carmax waste of time, cannot fix cars, do not care ripoff Sterling Virginia
I bought a car from Carmax on 3/28/05. The sales process was very impressive. I was in and out of the dealership in two hours. Very smooth. Good deal. I bought a 1999 BMW Z-3, relatively low miles.
On the walk around, there were small things noted, and put on the list. I brought the car back in a few days with a clutch that the transmission shop said they could barely get in the shop because it was so bad. That made me lose the car for two weeks and some change.
One of the repair problems was a bulb burned out in the dash. It has been in to repair four times (4!) and it is still not fixed. I had problems with the dash hanging off and flapping in the breeze, the center vent falling out, etc.
These problems were not just after one visit, but repeated visits. These are just hints of all of the problems with these repairs.
The service department does not have any pride in their work. If they had, it would have been fixed the first time, not the fifth, or so. (It is still not fixed. I would have been embarrassed.)
So, in the last 5 weeks, I had the car for 4 days. That is just the last five weeks, not counting the three times it had been in before that for the same problem. The only reason I had it five days was that I could not bring it back sooner.
I am making my payments as usual, no car to show for it. Both of my payments were made with no car in the driveway. Still no hope in sight.... It is in the BMW shop, hoping to be done ?
They are fixing carmax's wrongs after the fourth try, and also replacing the wood trim that at this point looked somewhat rat chewed.
I have called carmax corporate, and no real fix, except that they can take it from me for an unlimited amount of time, and I may get it back one day. I hope.
So after all of this, and many hours spent in the shop (away from work), I still have no car. Carmax says they are doing me a favor giving me a loaner car. Completely averting their eyes to the fact that they have my car, and have for probably seven of the 10 or 11 weeks I have owned it.
Keith
herndon, Virginia
U.S.A.
12 Updates & Rebuttals
Paul
Anaheim,California,
U.S.A.
On a positive note, anyone who reads this will avoid carmax like the plague
#13Consumer Suggestion
Thu, July 07, 2005
Personally, I fix my own s**t. It's done right the first time, or else I know the reason why.
Plus, I never would consider buying from one of these CARMAX junk dealers. Five hundred a unit, pal. That's what I'll pay you for that junk.
I always try to buy from a private party. You pay a lot less. You can actually spend time and inspect the car. And, you can spend time with the person who actually owned and drove it.
Peter
Pony,Alabama,
U.S.A.
Yep, just like I thought No inspection
#13Consumer Comment
Wed, July 06, 2005
Yep, just like I thought. No inspection prior to buying. No vehicle history report. No research on the car. He probably didn't even test drive it! Oh, but it was such a PRETTY color, looking cool while sitting in the car is most important. Doesn't matter if the car actually RUNS or anything. Blahhhh!!!!!
Shelley
Orlando,Florida,
U.S.A.
Duh!! Let this be a lesson learned
#13Consumer Suggestion
Mon, July 04, 2005
Let this be a lesson learned...do not buy a used sports car.I sell cars for a living and I always try to steer folks to new sports cars instead of used.We can inspect a used car till we're blue in the face but there is no way of telling when a car my die...even those with low milage.
A BMW is the the worst automobile to purchase used. And even the new one's start to give you issues after 5 years.If you must purchase a used sports car go directly to the dealer instead of a secondary chain. A BMW dealer will have mechanics that specialize in BMW and BMW only. And my question to you is....did you purchase a warranty through Carmax?
Keith
herndon,Virginia,
U.S.A.
last psychoanalysis of why I purchased my car, what does that have to do with carmax
#13Author of original report
Mon, July 04, 2005
Aside from the last psychoanalysis of why I purchased my car, what does that have to do with carmax haveing poor workmanship?
Peter
Pony,Alabama,
U.S.A.
Next time be a smarter consumer
#13Consumer Comment
Tue, June 28, 2005
It sounds to me like your only concern when buying this car was to have something that looked "cool", seemingly to impress others. And you bought a used, out-of-warranty car from a cheap used car dealer that deals more with inexpensive domestic and import models, not the luxury car that you bought.
As a consumer, you should have done your homework and had the car inspected by a specialty mechanic who deals only with BMWs. At the very least you should have checked the car out as best you could by yourself. Things literally falling apart? Burned out dash lights? These are thing that require NO SPECIAL TRAINING to detect.
What concerns me is it appears that you still do not get it! You talk about seeing other people in their fancy shmancy convertibles with their radio on and the wind blowing through their hair, as if that is the only concern of having a car. You complain about your free loaner car because the radio does not work and it lacks various luxury features. You should consider yourself lucky that they gave you any kind of car to drive while your lemon is sitting there collecting dust. No dealer that I know provides loaners. I'm sure the Corolla they are generously letting you borrow sure beats your other two alternatives - riding a bicycle and taking the public bus!
Lastly, ever wonder how a BMW ended up at Carmax in the first place? I take it you didn't even take the time to run a vehicle history report, huh?
Keith
herndon,Virginia,
U.S.A.
carmax, still not even a response. This is almost a challenge now
#13Author of original report
Tue, June 28, 2005
Just an update, I still have no car to show for my money, and no word back.....
Keith
herndon,Virginia,
U.S.A.
carmax , leaves alot to be desired, like wanting your own car in your own driveway
#13Author of original report
Wed, June 22, 2005
It is not a lack of coverage for repairs, or alot of things breaking. It is one thing that they have had in the shop over and over again. They have been trying to make right a burned out bulb in the dash. First time I got it back, the top half of the dash was not replaced. It was just swinging in the breeze.
Also when I got it back, the dial that adjusts fllor to vent to defrost would not operate properly. I took it back, they "fixed" it, I took it back again for them to fix it. They still did not. After four tries, then they offered to take it to BMW.
However, the math of the whole thing is this. In trying to repair a couple of these simple problems, it has taken them maybe 8 weeks of the 12 I have had the car. I have the car for only a couple of days at a time, then they haev it for two weeks.
It is still in the shop right now. BMW is fixing their mess-ups, costing them $4000, and yet I don't care. I jsut want my car in the driveway. Carmax acts like they are doing me a favor for repairing it. No.... And like I said earlier, their loaner cars leave alot to be desired....
David
Gallatin,Tennessee,
U.S.A.
Think twice befor eyou haev dealing with carmax...
#13Consumer Comment
Wed, June 22, 2005
And before buying any used BMW that's out of factory warranty if you havent had it inspected by a mechanic who is knowledgeable in BMWs.
Been there done that.
Keith
herndon,Virginia,
U.S.A.
carmax continuation
#13Author of original report
Tue, June 21, 2005
Not really an update, just stuff I left off. I have owned the car almost 13 weeks. They have had it for just over 9 weeks. One of the loaner cars I had earlier on was a corolla that would not stay running, engine light on.
No problem they will take care of it, as long as I bring it in. Me. Not them. So I did. The current car I have, I only have the valet key, of course it does not open the trunk. Plus the radio does not work, needs code entered.
Do they care? Some one in corporate did, however, I am still driving it, so what does that say? So every day, I drive to work, watch other people drive cars like the one I own and never see.
Of course convertible season is winding down as summer picks up, and I am driving family cars with no radios all over town. Think twice befor eyou haev dealing with carmax...
Keith
herndon,Virginia,
U.S.A.
carmax continuation
#13Author of original report
Tue, June 21, 2005
Not really an update, just stuff I left off. I have owned the car almost 13 weeks. They have had it for just over 9 weeks. One of the loaner cars I had earlier on was a corolla that would not stay running, engine light on.
No problem they will take care of it, as long as I bring it in. Me. Not them. So I did. The current car I have, I only have the valet key, of course it does not open the trunk. Plus the radio does not work, needs code entered.
Do they care? Some one in corporate did, however, I am still driving it, so what does that say? So every day, I drive to work, watch other people drive cars like the one I own and never see.
Of course convertible season is winding down as summer picks up, and I am driving family cars with no radios all over town. Think twice befor eyou haev dealing with carmax...
Keith
herndon,Virginia,
U.S.A.
carmax continuation
#13Author of original report
Tue, June 21, 2005
Not really an update, just stuff I left off. I have owned the car almost 13 weeks. They have had it for just over 9 weeks. One of the loaner cars I had earlier on was a corolla that would not stay running, engine light on.
No problem they will take care of it, as long as I bring it in. Me. Not them. So I did. The current car I have, I only have the valet key, of course it does not open the trunk. Plus the radio does not work, needs code entered.
Do they care? Some one in corporate did, however, I am still driving it, so what does that say? So every day, I drive to work, watch other people drive cars like the one I own and never see.
Of course convertible season is winding down as summer picks up, and I am driving family cars with no radios all over town. Think twice befor eyou haev dealing with carmax...
Keith
herndon,Virginia,
U.S.A.
carmax continuation
#13Author of original report
Tue, June 21, 2005
Not really an update, just stuff I left off. I have owned the car almost 13 weeks. They have had it for just over 9 weeks. One of the loaner cars I had earlier on was a corolla that would not stay running, engine light on.
No problem they will take care of it, as long as I bring it in. Me. Not them. So I did. The current car I have, I only have the valet key, of course it does not open the trunk. Plus the radio does not work, needs code entered.
Do they care? Some one in corporate did, however, I am still driving it, so what does that say? So every day, I drive to work, watch other people drive cars like the one I own and never see.
Of course convertible season is winding down as summer picks up, and I am driving family cars with no radios all over town. Think twice befor eyou haev dealing with carmax...