Is needing a purchase agreement for a loan new? In the past all I've needed to supply was the VIN and loan terms I want to get a check.

Congrats on the new car - I hope it works out.

Fwiw, I bought a car from Carvana a few years back and it was easy - at the time shipping was free and that was a huge win, since I sourced a car from Texas. Biggest issues are you get a few semi-decent photos and no touch until the car shows up, and that's after you buy.

I ended up taking a finance option with Carvana to grease the process with a plan to pay off, and all the paperwork was easy. We have one of their vending machines in the city, and when Carvana told me the car arrived, I went over to see it in the glass, which was pretty cool. I ultimately had the car delivered and during the seven-day grace period, took it for PPI.

Overall, it was clean but had three issues - broken center console door, front control arm that needed replacement, and a dome light that would turn itself on intermittently. Carvana told me I'd have to file a service contract claim to get the center console fixed, the control arm was wear or road damage and that was on me, and an electrical issue was not something I was wiling to deal with - I canceled the sale and Carvana came and picked it up, no hassle, and zero dollars spent beyond the PPI, which was $240.

Overall, my process was good, but now that I'd need to pay shipping for a car, and knowing the car had issues - plus your details (and others), I'm not sure about Carvana and the quality of cars they sell.

Carmax has been better for quality cars without issue, customer service and fixes on the spot, and just as easy to deal with.

 

Well, it has not been fruitful. I am keeping the car but will not be positive about Carvana. My mechanic tells me the car is solid and in good shape, but it had three issues that will be taken care of by the dealer under factory warranty. It has a slight coolant leak through an o-ring on a coolant pipe, the rear wiper does not squirt washer fluid, and it has a loud interior re-circulator fan. If I am being picky it has some film on the inside of one headlight which I will also ask the dealer about, but their headlights have a vent tube for moisture and it came from humid Florida to cold, dry Minnesota so I am going to give it a while and see if it goes away.

But I am quite dissatisfied with two major things, the paint damage that was not disclosed and you can not see it on the website. Their trouble shooters said "normal wear and tear." In the photo below, the scrape on top is about the size of a fifty cent piece, and the one below is the size of a quarter, plus some other bonus scratches and scuffs. Somebody rubbed it against something solid. The other is they claimed in the posting that it has Sport Chrono, which was a $1360 option. It does not have Sport Chrono. They did note two pea sized door chips, but failed to disclosed this much worse scrapng.

When I told them I want the damaged fixed, their post sale fix-it company they refer you to said basically, "get a lawyer". I am trying one more attempt on Monday to appeal not to the fix it company but to Carvana customer service about the misrepresentation of the Sport Chrono, and then the paint damage. If they settle with me to fix the paint, I am a happy camper, and if not I keep it but think they suck and will tell anyone who will listen. If they are total jerks about it when I bring it up, I may spend $50 and take them to small claims and sue for the paint damage and some value for sport chrono and have documented everything from their website. Usually judges will side with the little guy if they misrepresented something and, well they did.

 

Not to Monday morning QB you, but never take delivery without all your issues addressed/accepted. Carvana gives you that week or whatever to vet the car, which is better than buying at a normal dealer where once you drive off, it's a done deal (yes I know some dealers give you a similar grace period, but generally speaking). If the paint was an issue, I would've had it addressed before I sank any money into PPIing the car, PPIng should usually be the very last thing you do before buying it, since it costs money. In fact, I'd wait for the paint to be repaired then PPI, unless they let me use my own bodyshop or I felt confident it would get fixed right.

Wear and tear is very subjective, but generally if it's smaller than a dollar bill, it's commonly considered wear and tear. Oddly though they captured door dings which are usually easier to overlook, go figure.

 

Good chance that damage happened in shipping too - after the original pics.

 

I would agree with you except for if I refused, I am out $1,200 for shipping. No refund on shipping.

 

Even if the car is misrepresented? Lack of sport chrono would most definitely affect the price of the vehicle.

 

Same. Sounds like a lot of backflips for a CUV.

 

I agree.

Sat on their customer service line all morning. I told them the two problems, paint and lack of sport chrono, I feel BOTH were misrepresented, but one is provable. They said "we don't decide on the paint, and you have to fight with Silver Rock (the repair provider) but you can turn it in if you don't like the car (and lose your $1200 shipping) or you can swap for another Carvana car." The rub there is you have to pay shipping on that too, and it could also come with damage and misrepresentation. I asked what they wanted to do misrepresenting the car, and was told my only option was to turn it in and get screwed. Silver Rock said they would cover the paint work if Carvana sent them an email instructing them to, Carvana said they can't and it was up to Silver Rock. I said they could refund $1000 for no Sport Chrono (a $1360 option) or cover the paint and we could call it even, they said no.

I can demonstrate that the option of Sport Chrono was on the website, I printed it off and made a 10 second video navigating to it on the original posting. I have lots of free time in the summer so I am just going to take them to small claims court. Honestly, I think any judge would throw out an agreement to forfeit shipping costs if they mis-represented something, and they like the little guy against the big company. I think it costs $50 to file, and you can sue for that fee too. I will ask to cover BOTH the paint and the sport chrono and see what I get. I think Carvana would have been better off just painting the fender but I guess it will be several months to find out. Actually wasting a day in court is no big deal since they are two blocks down from where I work.

Am I horribly pissed? No. I am irritated, but going to keep the car because the paint annoys me but otherwise car will be solid after warranty fixes on small niggles. But I will waste a day and risk another $50 on court fees to try to get some recourse. I don't think the Sport Chrono thing was intentional (but that does not matter) because lots of people think the clock is Sport Chrono and was probably a mistake. The paint thing to me seems more sinister but whatever. I think the more people waste the time to fight somebody on this stuff, the more it keeps them honest. I told them my forfeiture of shipping would not be valid if they had misrepresented something and they admitted it was advertised with something it did not have. I offered to come up with something we both could live with, and said they could make and offer if they did not like mine. They said no.

The process to justify paint was laughable. "If you can see it from five feet we will cover it." Charcoal touchup on charcoal paint does not show up too well in a cell phone pic but I sent them one where you can see it. So they come back with "You need to have the WHOLE CAR in the frame or we won't accept it." You can't get the whole car in frame from 5 feet, you need to go to about 15 feet and then it is less visible in a photo. Then they claim they can't see it from 15 feet so they won't cover it. I am going to go take a shot from five feet with a fish eye lens tonight on my DSLR to get the damage and a warped looking car in the frame an upload it to them just to be an ass.

Maybe a few months from now I will be able to screen shot a big fat check after court. Oh well.

 

Man that is a pain in the ass. Sorry.

If you've got the time it's worth the $50 to sue in small claims. You're already out a few bucks, $50 isn't going to matter too much.

 

Yep, sue them. You have a pretty cut and dry case on the missing option and paint is worth fighting for too. Since you have the time and $50 isn't much, take it to court. Will be funny to hear the story on how it all plays out.