Buying from Carmax

Used car dealerships are located all over the place, but they aren’t the only place you can go to get a good deal on a used car.  Are there really that many differences between a private owner selling me their car and a certified used dealership?  Carmax is a lot like K-Mart for cars, but is it better than the used dealership?

If you want the car buying experience to be a positive one you better have a budget in mind before you head out to any of these vendors.  If you live in a rural area prone to dust or a big city with a lot of stop and go traffic, then maintenance issues and warranties may be a little more important to you, this is what you need to decide before you head out.

CarMax is an independent dealer chain with several stores around the country and has come up as a really attractive alternative to the used car market because they certify and warranty all their used cars and have access to larger pools of inventory.

Another reason for their success is the hassle free sales process they employ making the purchasing experience much better for the consumer.  Most used car sales people are paid based on their ability to up sell and get you into a pricier vehicle, but not at Carmax as employees are paid on a flat scale commission rather than a sliding scale.  So it won’t matter if you are in the market for a motorcycle or a big max truck pick up, the sales guy makes the same no matter what.  And if that weren’t enough in your best interest the car prices are all fixed so you never have to negotiate a price.

The car you bring in for a trade, if that is your plan, will also have a fixed price – meaning you don’t have to up-sell yourself or worry you are being undercut.  What you do need to be concerned about is that some of the things you may consider 'up-grades' may not be as valuable as you thought they were.  For example, an after market stereo that cost you $2,000 will be lucky  to get you an additional $200 in the selling price.  One of the exceptions to this is the cars wheels, if you have off road tires that are in good shape you are more likely to get the value out of them because they pertain to the car's functionality.

Everywhere but Connecticut offers a 30 day warranty on some important parts of the car, power train, brakes and a few others based on location.  If that all were not enough there is also a 5 day money back guarantee on all vehicles sold to protect you from any dolled up lemons.

Check Out Carmax Deals At Amazon

Incoming search terms:

• carmax tube (2)

Related posts:

1. Trading in Your Vehicle