We live in a time when you can purchase most things with the click of a mouse. From apples to Apple, we buy our food and our technology online. And with the onset of a pandemic and the need for self-quarantining, our world continued its daily schedule without dealing directly with other humans.
Why should the automotive world be any different?
With Carvana, it’s not. One visit to their website can bring your desired used truck to your doorstep and even finance it if so desired.
What Is Carvana?
Carvana is a used car retailer that’s accessed online. In fact, it is the largest online dealership in the United States. Customers who can’t go to a physical dealer to look at cars shop at www.Carvana.com online. They can select the make and model of vehicle they want and the amount of mileage the auto can have. Carvana makes in-depth FAQs for each vehicle to answer questions and give buyers a detailed description.
They offer a Kelley Blue Book evaluation, a copy of the vehicle’s Carfax report, and the assurance that it has gone through Carvana’s 150-point inspection before being listed.
Once buyers decide to purchase, they can finance through Carvana, privately through their own bank, or they can pay cash. The company does allow trade-ins through its program. If a car is accepted as a trade-in during an on-site review, the money made can be placed on a vehicle to be purchased, or the seller can pocket the cash.
Delivery is touch-free, with Carvana delivering the purchased vehicle directly to your door for free if you live in any one of the 261 local markets. If outside a market, the delivery fee is $200. Or, if the buyer would like to pick it up at one of Carvana’s 24 “car vending machines” scattered across the country, they’ll receive a token to place in the machine.
Carvana will then move the car through the vending spots to a garage bay for a test drive and final acceptance. Purchasers can keep their tokens as a souvenir.
In short order, Carvana has become the most popular way to shop for an automobile or truck. It does virtually everything a physical car dealership would. That includes buying, selling, financing, and delivering vehicles – all from the touch of a keypad.
Is Carvana a Good Place to Find a Truck?
Carvana can be very helpful in finding just the truck you want. Rather than searching several dealerships across the country, Carvana has listings from 261 local markets, so your selection of available vehicles is greatly enhanced. Users input the make, model, year, and mileage they’re looking for, and the database will return all matches. If you’d like to get even more specific (choosing color, engine size, body style, transmission type, etc.), there are hyper-filters for each. You will save a great deal of time, especially during the “search” phase, when shopping for a truck through Carvana.
And when it comes time for delivery, the savings can also add up. Carvana can bring the truck directly to you. You won’t have to drive several hundred miles to pick up the vehicle you found on Craigslist or Marketplace. Carvana will drop it off at your door, giving you a week to decide if you really like it. If you return the truck during that timeframe, you will receive a full refund.
Pro Tip: While shopping on Carvana, keep an eye out for these Best Small Trucks for Towing in 2022.
Does Carvana Buy Cars With Mechanical Problems?
Carvana does buy some vehicles with mechanical or cosmetic problems, but they must run. In fact, upon final trade-in, a Carvana representative will drive your vehicle to make sure it runs. The company has two choices when it purchases vehicles. The first option is to be able to resell the car or truck online. Carvana will ask you to fill out a detail-oriented questionnaire about their vehicles, including any damage or imperfections. If you’re not upfront about its limitations, you won’t get the sale when Carvana comes to pick it up.
The second option is taking trade-ins or purchasing cars outright is to sell the less than desirable ones at auction. Carvana will expect to make a profit with either option and since damaged vehicles don’t resell for much, you most likely won’t receive much for the trade-in or purchase.
Are Carvana Prices Good?
One detriment of using Carvana to purchase a vehicle is that there are set prices. There are no negotiations, so you won’t ever know if you could have received a better price. Their sticker prices are usually pretty comparable to used car prices at a dealership, but you would probably get better prices if you dealt directly with a private seller.
Can You Negotiate With Carvana?
Carvana doesn’t negotiate prices on their used vehicles. The sticker price is considered “out-the-door,” and the company will also notify the purchaser of their registration and local tax fees. Additional costs won’t blindside them.
Does Carvana Have Hidden Fees?
The price of the vehicle is on Carvana as “out-the-door,” meaning that’s the full price you’ll pay with no hidden fees or charges. They also list your local taxes and title and registration fees based on your zip code.
Pro Tip: Considering a used truck instead? This is How to Test Drive a Used Truck.
Is It Worth Buying a Truck From Carvana?
Your dream truck may be waiting for you at Carvana. One search on their website will garner several contenders as they search around the country for you. And if haggling price points with a used car salesman is not your idea of fun, you’ll love the convenience of straightforward pricing offered at Carvana. You may not get the lowest price possible, but you should find just the right truck for your needs without a lot of searching. Plus, dialing up your truck at a Carvana vending machine for delivery is pretty momentous!
Have you ever bought a vehicle from Carvana? Tell us about your experience in the comments!
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