Carvana Reviews - How It Works, Warranty, Financing, Returns

I bought a vehicle two months ago and have had to take it to the shop four times. When I called to see what they could do, they said they wouldn’t do anything. I explained what I have been through and that I wanted to trade in the vehicle. Again they said no and that they have an inspection they do. The dealership said that if they would have done an inspection they would have caught the issues I have had. Especially the rusted coil and spark plugs in the engine. Which almost caused me to break down on the highway. I have contacted the BBB for help. DO NOT BUY FROM THEM.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

I bought a car, a 2015 Honda Odyssey from Carvana, and I sort of liked it, but a couple of things:

1. I could have bought a car locally in California and the reason that would have been better is the Carvana car is from New York. I like the car but it has corrosion (?) from the salt and winter that would not be on a California car. That was evident putting on a trailer hitch and now the car did not start because the battery terminal is corroded and loose and will need to be replaced again would not have been an issue with a California car bought locally

2. Because the battery will come out, the electrics will be off and Carvana did not give me the radio code, and cannot give it to me when I contact them. When I bought a new car like this, they gave me the radio code and I would give it to someone if I sold it to them. I think this is another problem with Carvana.

3. They took a month longer than advertised to deliver my car, that was not so bad, I did not need it. Otherwise, I like buying a car online and having them deliver it, and I like the car.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Buyer beware! I bought a 2012 Nissan Leaf (electric car) three weeks ago from Carvana and paid cash. On the day it was delivered, received a call that it was on its way and then it never showed up. When we called the next day we were told that they got lost and never bothered to let us know. When the car was finally delivered the next day, it came with only a 14-mile charge on its battery. Over the next week, we noted that it would not hold a significant charge. Finally, left on a charger for 24 hours, the battery never held over a 42-mile charge. We contacted Carvana and were told that it had been past the 7-day return period (we called the morning of the 8th day), but that if we brought it to a dealer repair facility, SilverRock would cover the repairs under the limited 100-day warranty.

The vehicle was taken to Nissan and no repairs were authorized. We later found that Carvana never brought the paperwork covering the limited warranty with them when the car was delivered. Once the paperwork was finally signed online, it was submitted to SilverRock who then sent the claim back to Carvana. Once I contacted Carvana, I was told that the claim was being reviewed and that I would be getting a call back that afternoon...and...I was not. The next day, the shop informed us that repairs were denied. I was told from Carvana that this was a risk of purchasing a used vehicle. They were fine selling an electric car with a defective battery (essentially the engine!) and that they would not cover it under the 100-day "no-worries" warranty. Beware!

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

The whole buying process was very smooth. I already knew I wanted a cheap sub-compact. They have a ton with various mileages, conditions and competitive prices. I found a Hyundai that fit my needs. I applied, uploaded my ID and paychecks and got a call 30 minutes later that I was approved. The interest rate is what I expected. I called back later with questions about the insurance requirements and was treated well by the person on the phone. The car was delivered to my job a few days later. The service I received from the Carvana rep was excellent. It was chilly and rainy, but she gave service with a smile.

The car, a 2017 Hyundai Accent was in great condition; very clean and pristine. My only complaint was regarding the cheap hubcaps and floor mats they slapped on the car. I should appreciate new accessories, and I know this is just a cheap Hyundai, but these were some super budget replacements.

Two of the hubcaps popped off the wheels that very weekend! Irritating, but I plan on replacing them anyway. No serious loss, plus very minor issue for a used car. Oh, and the wipers are bad. Gotta get new ones.

I’ve gotten several follow up calls and emails and even a hand-written thank you card (misspellings and all!) with tons of info regarding any next steps regarding the warranty, payments, support, etc.

During the first seven days, I thoroughly inspected the car (I’m no expert though) and actually read through the entire contract. There was nothing hidden, no surprises or shadiness.

I’m very happy with my purchase and would absolutely recommend Carvana.

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

I was in the need of a new car and I had been putting it off mainly because I didn't want to face the painful process of buying a used car: looking endless inventories, visiting lots of dealers and, more painfully, dealing and negotiating with dealer sellers. My previous purchases had not been pleasant at all, and I was not in the mood to start a new one. A friend of mine recommended Carvana since she had had a very good experience with them. I did a bit of research online about Carvana, and read some terrible reviews in certain venues (not in the Carvana website), so I was not completely sure about going this route. At the end, I decided to follow my friend's advice, mainly because Carvana offered a 7-day return policy (that no dealers offer), so I could always return the car if there were any issues.

I had a very clear idea of the car model I wanted, and even the color (it had to be RED). I checked the Carvana website every night, looking at possible options, and in more or less ten days, I saw exactly what I wanted. It had a much lower mileage than what I was aiming for (which was great), and the price was much lower than what I had seen at all the dealers for that model (and they had a higher mileage). I decided to buy it, with my mind set on returning it if there was the most minimal issue with the car. I went online and bought it on February 4. It took me around 30 minutes to fill all the paperwork, which was simple and easy to do.

I was using my own bank for financing, and Carvana needed to verify the information by phone, with me and a bank representative on the line. In the first try, Carvana was unable to get a bank representative on the line, however, they told me they would keep trying and call me back when they finally get someone on the line. 30 minutes later I got a call; the first bank representative refused to release any information and I had to ask for another representative that I know personally, who (luckily) collaborated. That was the only small issue I run into, and in fact it was not Carvana's fault, but my bank's. Those two phone calls were the only ones in which I had to talk to Carvana representatives, and I must say, they were amazingly attentive, helpful and nice.

I was told that two days later, on February 6, my car would be delivered to my home address between 11:00 AM and noon. In the meantime, I talked to my insurance company in order to cover the new car. On February 6 I received a call at 10:45 AM telling me the car was on its way, and at 11:15 it was delivered. Car was perfectly detailed inside and outside and exactly in the condition that was described (I was able to spot a couple of small chips, but nothing unreasonable that you wouldn't expect from a used car), the tank was full and the person who brought it (Erin) was as nice and polite as the two representatives I had talked on the phone. He gave me two sets of keys, I was able to do a 5 minutes test drive and then, after I decided to keep it, I signed the registration papers that Erin had brought with him. That same day, I took the car to my trusted mechanic, who performed a complete inspection of the car and told me that it was in mint condition, he was unable to find any issues that required attention.

Five weeks later I received my new plates and registration, no issues with that either (and this was a sticky point in many of the reviews I had read, that complained about delays in receiving the registration).

In sum, it has been the BEST experience I ever had buying a car. Carvana worked incredibly well for me; the fact that I knew exactly the car that I wanted might have contributed to my good experience, since it is one of the most popular cars in the US, so there were plenty to choose from in the inventory. I also knew exactly what type of background history I wanted in my car and Carvana provided that information in the Carfax history. The only "stress" I experienced was my own excitement the night before the car was delivered.

Finally, I would like to thank the two representatives that I talked on the phone, and Erin, who delivered the car, since they were professional, attentive and made the whole experience painless.

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

They minimize scratches on cars on the website, usually there are more scratches on the car than was stated. Apart from that, everything else was good. The car runs well and it’s easy to buy a car. You don’t feel pressured.

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

After getting a run around from dealers who only seemed interested in running my credit info and pushing their agenda, I stumbled on Carvana. I was able to find out if I was approved for the car I wanted within 24 hours all online. Easiest process for car approval I or my husband have experienced to date. Qualified for 0 down but after playing with the loan calculator opted to put a down payment to lower rates. After agreeing to terms, all online, we set up a date to have it delivered as we live more rural. We read reviews of delayed delivery and was ready for it to happen but it didn't. The car arrived on time in the condition stated online. Have had several mechanics look at it and all say it is a nice car. Came with Carfax, with a complete service record. This has been a very pleasant experience. Very pleasant.

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

I bought my car on 2/21/19, a Volkswagen CC Sport, and on 2/24 I had to put in the shop due to faulty intake manifold. Then on 2/27/19, I had to have it towed back to the same shop due to smoke coming from under my hood due to a busted radiator. Carvana is blaming me for the damage. Thank God for the guys at Volkswagen who did their due diligence by researching that the parts on my car were faulty pre-purchase. And Carvana has been doing everything in their power to NOT accept and own responsibility for this.

I am shaking furiously as I write this review. I am beyond pissed and I am doing everything my power to make sure that no one else goes through this financial burden and upset. So although the concept of Carvana seems cool and easy, let me be a testimony that it is only easy until they get your money and you drive off. Soon after your car will fall apart and they will call you a million times with "follow-ups" only to tell you that there is absolutely NOTHING they can do. Thanks Christopher for NOTHING!

Please do not subject yourself to this, they are a rip-off. And when you ask for a manager to speak with all the sudden the customer service rep changes their title to the "Executive manager." It’s a crock. Alex, who is supposed to be the "repair specialist," is never available.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

I used Carvana because I was in the market to buy a newer vehicle, and did not want to have to be bothered by the car salesman when I was only looking at the car. I found it to be very easy to find many different types of cars, and to compare them.

After a very thorough comparison, I chose a 2017 Toyota Highlander. When I first looked, there was not one available, but a few days later several popped up, but were bid on before I saw them. I became very serious then and chose to be alerted when what I wanted was available. I was notified, and took a few minutes to put in my info to make a bid. The car was noted to have a few blemishes on the outside, no problem. I was so excited.

Carvana was having computer problems while I was trying to purchase the car, so I called. I told the customer service agent that I was selling my stocks to purchase the car, and it would take me about seven days to get the money. She said no problem, that I would need to show them that I had the money available, and that I had to have the money in hand via a cashiers check on the day of arrival, so I could request the car be delivered in two weeks, just to give me enough time. Great.

The next day I get a phone call stating that I cannot hold the car with just paperwork from selling my stocks. I needed to have the funds available right now. Completely different answer. I had money available in my savings and was able to get the other part elsewhere. I called Carvana back and told them that I have all the money available now. I can give them a check, and another person can give them a check to equal the amount. Carvana said that’s great, and we continued with the sale.

Next day I get a call saying I can’t pay in two checks, and it has to be all in one. It is now a Saturday night, and no bank is available for me to deposit the other check into my bank, and then have it clear. So I was told I couldn’t buy it. I spoke with my husband and we got the money transferred into our account so that we had all the funds available. I called Carvana back and told them this, but I couldn’t have a cashiers check until Monday. The new customer service agent told me that I don’t need a check, I could fill out paperwork on their website, and they could call my bank to make sure the funds were available Monday morning.

Monday morning I call Carvana and the bank, and everything is settled. Four days, and many many customer service agents later. It seemed like no one there took the same class on how to purchase a car. I got a different answer each time I called.

I now have the car. I presented a cashiers check to the man that dropped my car off to me. I have gotten two emails a day stating that I have not purchased the car and need to contact them ASAP. Every day I do, and it’s the same story. I purchased the car via cashiers check, the check has not arrived in Arizona yet, so the computer will keep sending me an email that makes it sound like I stole the car and have no intentions on giving them their money every day until they receive the check. Why did they ask me to pay in a cashiers check then? And every time I call them I get different answers.

I loved the process. I love the car I bought. I just hate that no one there was trained the same way. I was very close to canceling my order. Like minutes close. I went to two dealerships looking for a comparable Highlander, but the dealerships were going to charge me $2000 more then Carvana. Please train your customer service agents so that they all know the answers. This goes for your underwriters too. They also gave me different answers.

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Yes, I read all the bad reviews.

However, the only reason I still applied for a car from Carvana was because they had a car on their website that I had leased previously from another company. In fact I still have the registration in my name from when I leased it. So I knew that this particular car had low miles on it and was mechanically sound. I didn't have any issues with it when I drove it.

However, according to the records I pulled on the car it had not had an oil change for almost 5000 miles. So I don't believe that they do any inspection. In addition, I believe Carvana is deceptive in that it doesn't list everything cosmetically that is wrong with the car.

On their website, It only showed a small picture of one scratch on the bumper. However, this car has many scratches on the back bumper. In addition there are scratches on the hood and in other places on the car. There is a dent in the passenger side door and the windshield has a chip in it that is very visible. Of course there are only a few pictures on Carvana's website and none of them conveniently show that information.

In addition, the car had OEM car mats and tires that were in excellent condition. Both of these have been removed completely from the car and replaced with cheap mats and cheap tires. Also, be very careful with your financing because they wanted to charge me $9000 extra for financing through them. In the end, I could have purchased two brand new cars for the price Carvana was charging me for a used car.

In addition, a lot of other cars on their website that I researched were cars from flood-prone areas. There are even reviews from people who got cars from them and took them to their mechanics only to be told the car was in a flood, so please do your research on the cars and be careful.

I do not recommend anyone to go through this company due to their deceptive business practices, and I believe it will eventually catch up with them. The fact that they do not fully inspect these cars, some of which have serious mechanical issues. They buy these cars cheap at auction, then pass them on to the consumers and then put the burden on you the consumer to get these cars inspected by mechanics and to get them fixed.

When that is what they should be doing anyway prior to offering these cars for sale. Even if you return the car during the 7-day period, they charge you a transit fee $299-$500, and this is non refundable regardless of if the car had serious mechanical issues or not. Why should you pay them for delivering a car to you with serious mechanical issues or not as described on the website?

Finally, if after reading all these horror stories online, if you still want to give your hard earned money to Carvana, please do yourself a favor and opt out of their one sided arbitration agreement that they make you sign saying that you will not sue them or participate in a class action lawsuit against them. Even Carvana knows that what they are doing will eventually catch up with them and they want to keep as many people from going after them as they can.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

I got my car on the 22nd of March and here it is the 30th of March the check engine light is on, and the car won't accelerate. And when I called in, the rep laughed and said to call roadside, and also sorry, it's past your 7 days. Carvana is some BULL CRAP, they don't care about the customer at all just money.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend