Which is Better for Selling the Car?
Looking at both Carvana and CarMax offerings, Carvana turns out to be better for selling a car.
Carvana offers several payment methods, which is quite convenient if you need to get your cash fast. They also have a trade-in option, so you don’t need to stress about where you’ll get your next car.
If you prefer to have your buyer pick up your vehicle, Carvana offers this option. With CarMax, you might still need to drive your car to their store to claim their offer as only selected locations offer free-pick up service. And you can’t just take your car to their store as you need to set up an appointment first.
Suppose you prefer to drop off your car instead of waiting for a pick-up team. In that case, you can still sell to Carvana, as they have this option, too. You only need to find their closest vending machine.
Finally, looking at others’ experiences can help you decide, and customers seem to prefer Carvana more. Their ratings at trusted websites are relatively high, and there are positive comments about their convenient and easy car-selling process.
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
Carvana vs. CarMax Comparison
| Company | Carvana | CarMax |
|---|---|---|
| Logo | 
| 
|
| Cars accepted | 1992 or later models, in running condition | Cars in most conditions, with exceptions |
| Fees | $0 | $0 |
| Requesting quotes | Online application | Online application |
| Offer validity | 7 days or additional 250 miles | 7 days |
| Payments offered | Cash via ACH, check, or direct debit; or trade-in value | Bank draft |
| Payout | 1 to 2 days | Up to 48 hours |
| Car pick-up | Free pick-up or drop off | Drop-off or pick up in selected locations |
| Physical locations | 34 Car Vending Machines across the US | 235 CarMax locations nationwide |
| Turnaround time | 1 to 2 days | Up to 48 hours |
| Customer service | Phone, chat, email, or social media | Social media, online form, chat, or hotline |
| Reviews | 3.9 | 1.6 |
Cars Accepted
Although Carvana buys cars in most conditions, you still need to check if your vehicle isn’t one of their exceptions. Your car should be a 1992 or newer model with a working odometer and safe to do a test drive.
Similarly, CarMax accepts vehicles in most conditions. Just make sure it’s not any of the following:
- Flood-damaged
- Frame-damaged
- With salvage history
Once you’re ready to sell your car to CarMax, you’ll also need to prepare the following:
- Payoff information or title, with all the titleholders, present during the sale
- Valid and current registration
- All remotes and keys
- Valid IDs of titleholders
Fees
Both companies don’t charge fees when requesting a quote through their online form. Additionally, you can have your vehicle inspected for free, and Carvana can even pick up your car without you paying anything.
Requesting Quotes
Carvana and CarMax are among the car-buying companies that offer instant quotes through their website. With Carvana, just head to their Sell My Car webpage and enter your car’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or license plate number.
Once done, the next page requires you to enter more details, such as mileage, transmission, engine, and features. Finally, you’ll need to enter your car’s condition and history.
After completing the online form, you’ll need to click the Get an Offer button. Doing this loads up the page where you’ll see Carvana’s offer for your vehicle and how it came up with the offer.
Suppose you don’t have the VIN to complete the online form. In that case, you can still get estimated pricing for your vehicle.
Selling your vehicle to CarMax also starts with an online form. It also asks for the VIN, license plate number, and state registration. After providing these, the website directs you to another page where you need to describe your car in more detail.
Fortunately, CarMax’s online form has drop-down options, so you don’t need to type everything in. Similar to Carvana, you’ll also need to provide details on condition, history, and, if applicable, leasing details.
Normally, the website will generate an instant quote after you complete the online form. But in rare cases, CarMax requires the seller to bring their car to one of their stores for further appraisal.
Offer Validity
Carvana’s instant offers are valid for 7 days or additional 250 miles. This means that you only have 7 days to claim their instant offer and that your odometer reading doesn’t have an additional 250 miles (or more) when you claim it.
Otherwise, you’ll need to go through the online application again and possibly get a different offer.
CarMax also has a 7-day guarantee period on their instant offers. Make sure to claim this within the timeframe so you won’t need to go through the online process again.
Payments Offered
Carvana offers four payments options for car sellers:
- Check
- Direct deposit or ACH
- Direct Debit
- Trade-in value
The first three options apply if you prefer to get cash for your vehicle. But if you’re looking to buy a car after selling your old one, you can just trade it in at Carvana.
Once you get an offer and decide to trade in, Carvana lets you choose a car from their fleet and then put the trade-in value towards your car of choice.
Compared to having these many options, CarMax only pays out in bank drafts. The deal about this payment method is that once you receive it, you can only deposit it into your bank account.
Also, some banks have a holding period for bank drafts. If you’re opting to sell with CarMax, check with your bank if they have this period. So you can accurately estimate the posting date.
Payout
Both Carvana and CarMax have up to 48 hours or 2 days to process payments. But with Carvana, you can get paid for as fast as 24 hours. It’s because they offer real-time payment options, where you can get your money before they take away your car.
Car Pick-up
Both Carvana and CarMax offer a free pick-up option. This tremendously helps if you’re nowhere near their locations.
However, CarMax’s free pick-up option is available only in selected stores. Once you complete the online application, you’ll find on the offer page if free pick-up is available in your location.
Physical Locations
Carvana has 34 car vending machines, while CarMax has 240 stores nationwide. Both companies allow you to claim instant offers in any of their locations.
Turnaround Time
Selling your vehicle to Carvana can take up to 2 days. But, it advertises getting an offer within 2 minutes.
From there, you can schedule a pick-up time or an in-store appointment within the same day. And with their real-time payment options, you can complete the sale for as fast as one day.
Selling to CarMax can take up to 2 days as well. Their online process is also a quick 2-minute step, and you can also claim your offer at the nearest store within the same day.
However, their payment method might take some time. Even though you received the bank draft before leaving their store, you still need to deposit and wait for the money to post to your account.
Customer Service
You can contact Carvana’s customer service through any of the following channels:
- Phone: 1-800-333-4554 between 8 AM to 10 PM EST
- Email: customeradvocate@carvana.com
- Social media: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
- Chat, available 24/7
Meanwhile, CarMax’s customer support team is available through the following:
- Online form
- Phone: 1-913-384-6697, Mon. to Fri. 8 AM to 10 PM, and Sat. 9 AM to 6 PM EST
- Social media: Facebook and Twitter
- Chat, available Monday to Sunday, 10 AM to 8:45 PM EST
Reviews
| Company | Carvana | CarMax |
|---|---|---|
| Logo |
|
|
| Trustpilot | 3.9 | 1.6 |
| Better Business Bureau | 1.93 | 1.15 |
| Consumer Affairs | 3.0 | 3.2 |
Most of the compliments Carvana received from their customers at Trustpilot are about their car-selling experience, which was hassle-free and efficient.
Meanwhile, Carvana received a relatively low rating from the Better Business Bureau. However, it’s worth mentioning that most complaints came from buyers who had issues with the vehicles they purchased.
CarMax also received low ratings from their reviewers at Trustpilot. While most of these reviews are from buyers, some car sellers pointed out having issues with the offers they received.
This is why providing accurate information is crucial when completing their online form. Despite that, other CarMax customers thanked them for honoring their instant quotes.