It really does seem that Carvana has successfully unsucked the whole process. I didn't know anybody who had tried Carvana, but I'm very happy I took the leap.
I scoured auto listings in my area for months, and Carvana's prices were the lowest for similar mileage/age/trim level of the models I was considering. Plus no dealer/documentation fee, and on top of that it's easy to find someone who can give you a referral code for $500 off (I got mine from someone on Reddit). So not only is it haggle-free and transparent and I wouldn't have to talk to a salesperson -- but I would still end up paying less? Pretty easy decision.
The customer support in all areas is stellar. Though the online purchase process was simple, I did call a few times with quick questions and was never on hold ever. And whoever picked up was able to answer the question – I never got transferred to a different department or a manager or any of that.
My delivery (at my home in Atlanta) went like clockwork and was a fun experience thanks to Hanif; I hope everyone has their car delivered by someone as engaging, knowledgeable and helpful as he was. The Prius C looked great -- I couldn't even really make out one of the scratches indicated online – and was immaculate inside. (Its blue color also happened to match the Carvana logo exactly, so I got a chuckle from the ad-worthy color-coordinated effect when the truck rolled in.) I took a test drive, then Hanif took time to go over the return and warranty policies, when to expect the tag, what to do in case of delay, and other useful points. I appreciated the attention to detail, along with the follow-up later in the week to see if there were any questions/concerns. And the goody bag and $25 gift card you get are definitely a nice extra touch.
In week two I'm still loving my new ride. It all went so smoothly I'm still a little in disbelief, as I was half prepared for some glitch somewhere that never materialized. The mechanic I took the car to for inspection during the seven-day test-own had a nice compliment: He actually commented that if it was from Carvana, he likely wouldn't find anything – that car after car that he'd looked at from Carvana had had no issues whatsoever. After a thorough going-over (while I held my breath) mine got the same verdict: everything in great shape.
Yeah, I can't see any reason to subject myself to the old way of buying a car ever again.
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