I have been trying to buy a Volt from Carvana for the past 3 weeks or so.
I like their business model...but the best model still needs to be executed. So far, I have come up empty.
My first experience was just "one of those things".
The car was damaged by the transport driver, and after two weeks of effort, I was back to square one.
I quickly found another 2014 (just added to their "In Demand"), same color, but with 11,000 fewer miles (21k) and also with a back-up camera and heated seats...all for an extra $1k. I reserved it.
10 days later I get my 2 day preview via their 360 degree tour which according to Carvana "lets the buyer know exactly what they are getting". All chips, scratches, scrapes etc are annotated and shown via close-up photos.
This car only had 3 very minor flaws noted: a couple very small chips on the front edge of the hood, a small scratch ahead of the left rear wheel well, and several small, light scratches on the spoiler.
I mashed the "Continue with Purchase" button.
The car arrived today for pick up. Once I was within 15 feet of the car I thought, this cannot be the car I purchased!
The 3 small noted flaws did not represent even 5% of the damage to the car. It had quite a few chips, abrasions and scratches all around the vehicle, virtually all of them more significant than the 3 noted. The upper part of the driver side doors had so many scratches it looked like someone with a rodeo buckle had rubbed that buckle for and aft along the doors...there had to be several dozen small (one inch) scratches running every which way. It also appeared as though someone had tried to buff them out but gave up. The paint all around this two foot by 3 inch area was dulled.
The vertical section of the rear hatch had 3 significant abrasions that looked like someone had opened the hatch and it contacted the inside of the closed garage door (oops...I guess there wasn't enough room). Numerous other repaired chips and unrepaired scratches and abrasions.
I was VERY disappointed in the condition of the car and declined to purchase on the spot.
So now, after 3+ weeks, I am back to square one.
I spent a half hour on the phone with Carvana Corporate this afternoon, giving them an hones assessment of the failure of their system in this instance.
Of course they were very apologetic...but I had to tell them that at this point I am so gun-shy I don't know if I can give them a third chance.
I promise to update this post as any new developments arise.
I really wanted to give this method a shot...it seems like a good model. But honestly, the 5 cars I've purchased on Ebay were more accurately described than this Volt.
I hope this was not indicative of how they execute in general.
YMMV...
Tim
I like their business model...but the best model still needs to be executed. So far, I have come up empty.
My first experience was just "one of those things".
The car was damaged by the transport driver, and after two weeks of effort, I was back to square one.
I quickly found another 2014 (just added to their "In Demand"), same color, but with 11,000 fewer miles (21k) and also with a back-up camera and heated seats...all for an extra $1k. I reserved it.
10 days later I get my 2 day preview via their 360 degree tour which according to Carvana "lets the buyer know exactly what they are getting". All chips, scratches, scrapes etc are annotated and shown via close-up photos.
This car only had 3 very minor flaws noted: a couple very small chips on the front edge of the hood, a small scratch ahead of the left rear wheel well, and several small, light scratches on the spoiler.
I mashed the "Continue with Purchase" button.
The car arrived today for pick up. Once I was within 15 feet of the car I thought, this cannot be the car I purchased!
The 3 small noted flaws did not represent even 5% of the damage to the car. It had quite a few chips, abrasions and scratches all around the vehicle, virtually all of them more significant than the 3 noted. The upper part of the driver side doors had so many scratches it looked like someone with a rodeo buckle had rubbed that buckle for and aft along the doors...there had to be several dozen small (one inch) scratches running every which way. It also appeared as though someone had tried to buff them out but gave up. The paint all around this two foot by 3 inch area was dulled.
The vertical section of the rear hatch had 3 significant abrasions that looked like someone had opened the hatch and it contacted the inside of the closed garage door (oops...I guess there wasn't enough room). Numerous other repaired chips and unrepaired scratches and abrasions.
I was VERY disappointed in the condition of the car and declined to purchase on the spot.
So now, after 3+ weeks, I am back to square one.
I spent a half hour on the phone with Carvana Corporate this afternoon, giving them an hones assessment of the failure of their system in this instance.
Of course they were very apologetic...but I had to tell them that at this point I am so gun-shy I don't know if I can give them a third chance.
I promise to update this post as any new developments arise.
I really wanted to give this method a shot...it seems like a good model. But honestly, the 5 cars I've purchased on Ebay were more accurately described than this Volt.
I hope this was not indicative of how they execute in general.
YMMV...
Tim