Carvana was the best car experience that I have ever had. Since I was 18 years old, I have gotten 6 cars and this tops all of them. I have been searching for this exact car for over 2+ years with nothing but dead ends. I have a deep connection and love for the first American Sports Car aka the Chevy Corvette and I promised myself I will get one even if I have to wait decades. I have had car sales people attempt to over price + have add ons + just be plain rude when I have been trying to purchase a Corvette. Carvana was a breath of fresh air and you guys do not even know how much getting this car means to me! I will detail my experience below.
Online Buying Process:
I saw the car, looked over at my wife and with a smile I clicked on what I saw. It took approximately 17 mins to fill out everything they wanted. It was the easiest process. I knew exactly what I was getting, what I was signing and with no pressure because I was sitting in the comfort of my home. I got a quote within a min (literally) and was able to get an extremely friendly rate. I opted to get the 3 year extended warranty (up to 125k mileage) due to getting a higher mileage car, but I felt at ease knowing that I have an extended warranty. Carvana also let you keep the car for 7 days and 400 miles on top of that. I do not know any other car dealership that does this. Carvana also comes with The Limited Warranty is valid for 100 days or 4,189 miles from the date of your purchase, whichever comes first (if you keep the car). The registration/title starts after the 7 days and they are good with texting information. As of today, my dashboard on Carvana states that it will come less than 80 days. They provide temporary plates (until end of April 2021) and all other requirements of the California DMV as you are waiting during this period.
Picking up the car:
I got a call that my car arrived at the closet Carvana dealership. Although I wanted a home delivery (a week from purchase) the car arrived early (by a day) and the associate (Oliver) was extremely courteous and helpful on the phone. Carvana adhered to all COVID-19 protocol. I arrived with my wife and I just initialed paperwork due to getting the car a day early and this took approximately a few mins. Oliver explained everything in full details and was very friendly and professional during this interaction, which allowed me to be even more happy then I was! They first give you a huge coin (this adds to the excitement and uniqueness of Carvana) and you put it in the slot. The "vending machine" picks your car out from the top, spins it down and with the bright lights, you can see your "new car" and it had a huge bow on it! The experience in itself was incredible and adds to the flair of the whole thing! They walk to you another part of the dealership and drive your car up with the bow on it and hand you the car key. They will ask you to drive it for a bit as a test drive to see how you like it. My wife recorded/took pictures of this whole interaction and I was utterly shocked, extremely happy and overwhelmed (in a good way!). Prior to driving the car, there was some paint chips on the side mirrors, a tiny one (less than 1/8 of a penny) on the side and hood and this can be seen when you do the 360 view of the car during your car buying purchase. Oliver told me that they will fix it ASAP (more on that in Fixing Issues). As I got in, the whole car was sanitized and cleaned thoroughly in order to insure a strict COVID-19 protocol (which we greatly appreciated). They even gave me a hanging sign with my name on it with details of the sanitization. Carvana also packed the car with additional things such as sanitizing wipes, a clip on air freshener and since my car did not have a spare tire, an Instant Tire Inflator kit (great touch!). After the quick test drive, he explained again about the paint chips, apologized (as if it was his fault) and set up the warranty to fix it. I had an easy and wonderful experience with the associate Oliver (give that man a raise!). The whole process took less than 20 mins. I drove home in my "new car" with an ear to ear smile as my wife followed in her car.
Fixing Issues:
I took the car to one of their sites that SilverRock (warranty company) is part of and they took pictures. Within 48 hours, they let me know that warranty was good to go and that 100% labor and 100% parts/painting was covered. I will drop it off next week and they gave me an estimate of 5-7 days (possibility earlier due to amount of cars there). It was hassle free, but who wouldn't hate leaving their dream car anywhere for more than a few mins! I am grateful that they were willing to take care of it with $0 out of pocket on my end.
Customer Service:
I made an error by putting my old address (due to my laptop autofill) rather than my new one. I thought this would delay the whole process. I gave the customer service a call and they would continue to update me on the time. For example, Carvana would state "less than 30 mins", "less than 10 mins", and "less than 5 mins". Every single person I have talked to (Chaz) and two other associates (I can not recall their names) were very helpful, nice and was professional. They understood my issues and solved it right away. This def lowered my stress level about this whole process. I have read reviews about their BOT texts when you have a question, but I will say this was also less scary than one can think. The text service is excellent and if you want to talk to an "actual person", they get back to you quickly (I do not recall how long exactly). This was so different, but so much easier in the long run.
Model of Car:
2009 Corvette C6 Convertible Victory Red with 3LT (fully loaded including HUD, upgraded Corvette Racing two tone seats, two tone interior, upgraded NPP Performance exhaust, Selective Magnetic Ride and other goodies) The actual sticker (shown on the Carvana website) in 2009 was a few hundred dollars/cents from $68,000 minus tax/registration/processing fees/etc). The CarFax was very detailed and with research, I found that this car was extremely well taken care of by their previous owners. That did lower my qualm of getting a higher mileage sports car.
In Jan 2021, I paid just about the KBB value for this model + the mileage. You also have to factor in any additions like I did including extended warranty + whatever interest you have on the loan. I will say that the car is in pristine condition with no shakes, rattles, squeaking of any brakes or anything else that I could find. I have driven it everyday and still make excuses or go on errands because I am so shocked that this is my car! My trusted friend and Corvette Wizard found these added compilation of goodies by previous owner(s) below:
Upgrades from the Previous Owner(s):
1. C7 Corvette headlights (adds a new and refreshed look)
2. C7 Corvette Black Stingray Wheels (4 set)
3. Michelin Tires (fairly new with lots of tread left)
4. Kenwood DDX 5707S (upgraded touch screen navigation system with Apple CarPlay)
5. Privacy glass
6. Carbon Fiber Dash
7. Halo LED Tail Lights with Sequential Signals that are similar to a C3 Model Corvette
8. Corvette Racing Floor Mats
9. Upgraded Big Brake Kit
10. Carbon Fiber Corvette Emblems (2x)
I was blown away that these additions came with the car! My 13 year old car (it is a 2009 but manufactured in 2008) feels, looks, sounds and most importantly drives like a brand new Corvette off the lot! I am truly blessed and had an amazing experience. In this day and age, Carvana is going above and beyond. They are making the car buying experience so much easier and less expensive on the customer. I hope to hand this car to my children and they can hand it down to their children.
This is a real review and this was my actual experience. For those who are skeptical, give Carvana a chance. I never thought I would buy a car without even being in it physically and let alone just by looking at pictures. I go to my garage and I still can not believe my eyes. Carvana, you guys made my dreams come true and I was able to get my dream car with incredible upgrades in it already! I will def tell my family and friends about you guys and gals! I recommend them 10/10! Carvana is the wave of the future and I am glad I hoped on!
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