Which is Better for Selling the Car?
Looking over what CarMax and KBB can offer, the verdict goes to CarMax being the better option to sell your car. First, the company has fewer limitations to the vehicles they buy, meaning you have better chances of selling your car to them.
Also, their offer is valid for 7 days, and there’s no additional mile limit. You can also guarantee that you sell to CarMax through one of their stores. In comparison, KBB only directs you to local dealers that may not honor the instant offers at all.
Despite the abysmal average scores, customers still have something good to say about their car-selling experience with CarMax. Conversely, KBB customers complained about their privacy and received spam offers from local dealers.
Best for Older & Damaged Cars
Buys used, damaged or junk cars
Free tow and no hidden fees
Pays by ACH trasfer or check
Top Pick for Junk Cars
Free, no-obligation cash offers
Offers free paperwork service
Pays on the spot upon pick up
Highly Rated by Customers
Excellent customer service ratings
Honors guaranteed offer for 7 days
Can pick up a car within 48 hours
Great for Low-Mileage Cars
Gives a real offer in 2 minutes
100% hassle-free online process
Free car’s Value Tracker available
CarMax vs. KBB Comparison
| Company | CarMax | KBB |
|---|---|---|
| Logo | 
| 
|
| Cars accepted | Cars in most conditions, with exceptions | In good condition, subject to specific requirements |
| Fees | $0 | $0 |
| Requesting quotes | Online application | Online application |
| Offer validity | 7 days | 7 days, or additional 50 miles |
| Payments offered | Bank draft | Cash via check, trade-in |
| Payout | Up to 48 hours | Up to 48 hours |
| Car pick-up | Drop-off and free-up in selected locations | Drop off |
| Physical locations | 240 CarMax locations nationwide | Participating dealerships in the US |
| Turnaround time | Up to 48 hours | Up to 48 hours |
| Customer service | Social media, online form, chat, or hotline | Email, phone, online form, and social media |
| Reviews | 1.6 | 1.2 |
Cars Accepted
CarMax accepts cars that have no flood or frame damage as well as salvage history. If none of these is the case for your vehicle, you can sell it to them. You can even sell your vehicle to CarMax even if you still owe money to it.
To sell your vehicle to CarMax, you’ll need to provide the payoff information or title. It’s also important to have all the titleholders present during the sale, and all of them have valid IDs. Also, you’ll need to present valid and current registrations, as well as all keys and remotes.
Meanwhile, KBB buys cars that are in good condition and not any of the following:
- Has 300,000 miles or more on the odometer
- For commercial use
- Over 24 years old
- Auctioned within the last 45 days
- Subject to unresolved recall
Additionally, KBB considers car modifications, market volatility, and lack of market data in excluding vehicles from instant offers.
Fees
CarMax and KBB charge no fees if you want to complete their online forms for instant cash offers. You can also schedule an appointment at their store or dealership for free.
Requesting Quotes
To request an offer with CarMax, you can start by going to their website and providing your VIN. You can also enter your license plate number and state registration and click on the Get Started button. Then, provide more details such as the following:
- Condition
- Mileage
- Accident history
- Mechanical and past odometer issues
If your vehicle is leased, you’ll also need to provide leasing details. From there, CarMax will generate the offer for your vehicle, and just click the Continue button to accept it.
In case CarMax is unable to generate an instant offer on its website, you can schedule an in-store appraisal instead.
Requesting a quote at KBB works similarly to CarMax. On their Instant Cash Offer page, you can enter either the VIN or license plate number and state registration, then click on Go. The website takes you to another page where you can enter the following details:
- Features and equipment
- Modifications if any
- Interior and exterior
- Mechanical condition
What’s great about KBB’s online form is that you can also upload photos of your car. With this, KBB can provide you with a more accurate offer. If you’d rather not upload a photo, you can also provide details about your car through an interactive guide.
The final step to get an instant offer is to provide your contact details and create a KBB account. After that, you can view how much the offer is and how long it’s good for. Then, it will generate a list of local dealers where you can redeem the instant offer.
As a bonus, KBB provides a free Vehicle History Report, where you can see whether your car had multiple owners, was a non-rental or had accidents.
Offer Validity
Instant offers from CarMax are good for 7 days. Meanwhile, KBB offers are valid for 7 days or additional 50 miles.
Payments Offered
CarMax offers only one payment option, which is a bank draft. Depending on your bank, bank drafts have a holding period, which can delay the posting date.
KBB, on the other hand, has two payment options: cash through check payments and trade-in value. Check payments are pretty straightforward since you’ll receive them before leaving the dealership.
If you’re buying a new car, you can use your sale proceeds to purchase your next one at the dealership. You’ll leave the dealership with a new ride instead of a check.
Payout
Selling to either company can take up to 48 hours. Since both only offer drop-off options, you can take your vehicle to their locations as soon as you can.
Car Pick-up
Only CarMax offers free pick-up in selected locations. You can find if this option is available in your area after completing the online application. Besides that, you can also contact their support team via chat and provide your zip code so they can check it for you.
Note that the free pick-up is only available to locations within 30 miles of their selected stores.
On the other hand, KBB has no pick-up option. You need to bring your car to one of their stores or partner dealerships to finalize the sale.
Physical Locations
CarMax has 240 stores across the country where you can claim an instant offer. You can use their store locator page to find one near you.
KBB, meanwhile, works with local dealerships. Once you accept the instant offer, you’ll need to choose the dealership where you’ll bring your car.
Turnaround Time
Overall, selling to KBB or CarMax can take up to 48 hours. This already includes completing the online application, accepting the instant offer, and bringing your vehicle to one of their stores.
Customer Service
CarMax’s customer service team is open through the following:
- Phone: 1-913-384-6697, Mon- Fri 8 AM to 10 PM; Sat. 9 AM to 6 PM EST
- Chat: Mon-Sun 10 AM to 8:45 PM EST
- Online form
- Social media: Facebook and Twitter
Meanwhile, you can reach KBB’s customer support through these:
- Online form
- Email: instantcashoffer@kbb.com
- Phone: 1-866-559-5268, Mon-Sat 10 AM – 7 PM ET
- Social Media: Facebook and Twitter
Reviews
| Company | CarMax | KBB |
|---|---|---|
| Logo |
|
|
| Trustpilot | 1.6 | 1.2 |
| Better Business Bureau | 1.15 | 1.0 |
On BBB and Trustpilot, most of the negative reviews on CarMax came from car buyers. Specifically, they complained about the quality of vehicles they purchased and delivery times. Noticeably, CarMax resolved these complaints and provided answers to most of the customer concerns.
Some customers on Trustpilot also complimented CarMax’s stores since they were able to honor the instant offers.
KBB also received low ratings from their customers at Trustpilot and BBB. The reviews pointed out that local dealers didn’t match the instant offers customers received.
Although, this can happen if some issues were found during the inspection that weren’t disclosed in the online application.
Other customers also claim that KBB sold their personal details, and since filling out the online application, they received calls and texts from car dealerships. KBB was able to address these concerns, citing their terms and conditions.