Carvana Review
Carvana earned 4.3 out of 5.0 stars and our Best All-in-One Process award in our review thanks to its fully online buying and selling experience.
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Key Points:
- We awarded Carvana with 4.3 out of 5.0 stars and recognized it as having the Best All-in-One Process for car selling.
- Carvana provides consumers with a fully online buying and selling experience in addition to instant offers through its website, Carvana.com.
- If you’re looking for a private sale option or the ability to negotiate on price, Carvana may not be the right choice for your needs.
Carvana is well known for its vending machines that dispense cars to buyers across the nation. While this feature is an eye-catching novelty, is Carvana worth using to buy or sell your car? In this review, we’ll detail how exactly Carvana works, whether it gives good offers, and what reviewers have to say about its services.
If you find that Carvana doesn’t offer what you’re looking for, our research team will also recommend some of the best websites to sell your car.
Our Carvana Review
Our extensive research shows that Carvana is a solid choice for selling your car. Our research team awarded it an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5.0 stars and the Best All-in-One Process designation. Our awards and ratings are owed to Carvana’s extensive support for buyers and sellers, which ensures a smooth and hassle-free process from start to finish.
See the table below for a breakdown of our overall Carvana rating by methodology category.
| Rating Category | Our Score |
|---|---|
| Reliability | 4.1 |
| Platform | 4.5 |
| Pricing | 3.9 |
| Support | 4.6 |
| Customer experience | 4.6 |
| Overall | 4.3 |
About Carvana
In business since 2012, Carvana is a fully online platform based in Tempe, Arizona, that allows you to sell, buy, or even finance a used car in 48 U.S. states. Carvana leaves it up to you how and when you buy or sell a vehicle. You can get the car delivered right to your home, or you can drop off or pick up your car at a Carvana location or Car Vending Machine.
Carvana grew in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its online buying and selling process became desirable to more consumers, as many wanted to forego the typical car sales experience at a car dealership.
Is Carvana Legit?
Yes, Carvana is a legitimate company. While it isn’t accredited and currently lacks a rating through the Better Business Bureau (BBB) due to the platform’s ongoing review of the business, it does have over 9,000 reviews through Trustpilot with a 4.3-star rating out of 5.0, with 70 percent of reviews being overwhelmingly positive.
Carvana also has good app reviews through both the Apple App Store and Google Play. See below for average ratings and number of downloads through each platform.
| Application Platform | Carvana Rating | Number of Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Apple App Store | 4.7 out of 5.0 stars | 148,000+ |
| Google Play | 4.1 out of 5.0 stars | 35,000+ |
Should I Sell A Car With Carvana?
Carvana provides several services that make selling your car with the company a breeze. These services include free pickup, at-home vehicle inspections, and completely online offers on your car in two minutes or less. While these services make Carvana worth your consideration, we’ve found that it provides lower offers on vehicles than other direct competitors.
Can I Do A Private Sale With Carvana?
Carvana doesn’t offer a private sale option through its website. If you’re looking to pursue this route of selling your car, consider car selling companies with a private seller platform, like Cars.com, CarGurus, or Autotrader. You can also look to places like eBay Motors or Facebook Marketplace.
Should I Buy A Car With Carvana?
The idea of buying a car fully online without first seeing it in person may scare some. However, Carvana works hard to alleviate any fears with its “Worry Free Guarantee,” providing every car with a standard limited 100-day warranty, a 150-point inspection, and a seven-day money-back guarantee.
It also makes buying a car as seamless as its selling process. You’re able to browse vehicles in 360° view, arrange financing, and schedule vehicle delivery or pickup all through Carvana. However, if you’d rather get a feel for a vehicle in person versus utilizing a completely online buying experience, Carvana likely isn’t right for you.
Carvana Pros And Cons
Learn about the pros and cons of selling your car with Carvana in the table below.
Carvana Customer Reviews
Carvana customer reviews vary widely by review platform. The company has a rating of 1.8 out of 5.0 through the BBB from over 2,900 reviews. However, it has a 4.3 stars out of 5.0 through Trustpilot from over 9,000 reviews.
Positive reviews praise the easy process of selling your car, stating that payment and pickup are a breeze. Many also noted that Carvana paid more than other online offers they received and much closer to full market value.
Has Anyone Had Issues With Carvana?
Negative reviews speak of their Carvana experience being less than stellar. Some buyers mention their vehicle being sold to them without a cleared title. Others report receiving cars in a condition that wasn’t stated before the sale.
How Carvana Works
If you’re considering selling or buying a car with Carvana, we’ve detailed the typical experience with the company down below. This way, you’ll have an idea of what to expect during the entire process if you choose to work with Carvana.
How To Sell A Car With Carvana
Selling your car to Carvana is fast, simple, and easy, as it provides an offer for your vehicle online in just a few short minutes. Here are the main steps:
1. Provide Vehicle Information
Carvana’s website boasts the ability to give you a real offer in two minutes, providing that you’re willing to share a few vehicle details. Prepare to share information such as:
- Vehicle identification number (VIN)
- License plate number
- Vehicle make and model
- Mileage
- Specific features unique to your vehicle
2. Decide On A Cash Offer Or Trade-In
After inputting your car’s information, you’ll need to decide on selling your car or trading it in. You’ll also need to disclose whether or not you have an auto loan or lease. If your trade-in value is lower than what you owe on your auto loan, you’ll need to pay the difference to sell your car.
3. Receive And Accept Your Offer
Once you’ve received your cash or trade-in offer, you’ll have some time to consider whether to go through with the sale. Your offer is good for seven days. This offer won’t change as long as the information you provided about your car is accurate.
4. Sell Your Car
If you’re pleased with Carvana’s offer, it’s time to move forward with the sale. The entirety of this process can be completed from home, which is a perk for many. You’ll create an account, verify your vehicle ownership and any loan or lease details, then schedule pickup.
If you’d prefer to drop off your car instead of having it picked up, you can head to the nearest vending machine or hub to complete a touchless drop-off. After an on-site review of your vehicle, you’ll be paid on the spot with a check or direct deposit within two to five business days.
How To Buy A Car With Carvana
If you’ve traded in your car with Carvana or strictly want to buy a vehicle with the company, the sections below will detail the car buying process so that you’ll know exactly what to expect.
1. Browse Inventory And Choose A Vehicle
Carvana offers over 25,000 vehicles for you to browse through in its online inventory. All vehicles go through a 150-point inspection and are reconditioned by Carvana’s technicians. In addition, cars have no reported accident, fire, frame, or flood damage as proven by Carfax™ and AutoCheck® reports.
Once you’ve found a Carvana car that catches your eye, you can call dibs–meaning, it’ll be placed on hold for 30 minutes while you complete your purchase process so that other car buyers can’t claim it. To further the process, you’ll provide a picture of your driver’s license, choose a payment method, and note whether you’re trading in your current vehicle.
2. Prepare For Your Purchase
Carvana provides useful online tools to help you prepare for your purchase. You’ll find both a tool to find the trade-in value of your current vehicle (if needed) and a loan calculator.
If you opt for financing with Carvana, you can get prequalified with no minimum credit score needed to obtain a loan. Of course, you’re welcome to finance with another lender if you so choose, as you may find a better interest rate–or, you can pay for your new car with cash.
3. Choose Pickup Or Delivery
Next, you’ll need to schedule pickup or delivery of your new vehicle. Note that Carvana states that a delivery fee may be added if you choose it over pickup. During our research, we found that delivery or pickup could potentially be scheduled for the same day or the next day if you live close to a vending machine or hub.
After receiving and test-driving your vehicle, you’ll be provided with a seven-day return policy and 100-day limited warranty. If the used vehicle you’ve bought no longer has a valid manufacturer’s warranty, Carvana offers an optional extended warranty for extra peace of mind, which we’ll detail down below.
Photo: Lawr – stock.adobe.com
What Is CarvanaCare?
Carvana offers optional CarvanaCare® coverage to customers who purchase a vehicle. CarvanaCare is the company’s version of an extended warranty. You’ll find three levels of coverage, known as CarvanaCare® Essential, CarvanaCare® Plus, and CarvanaCare® Premier. These service contracts are similar to powertrain, mid-level, and comprehensive warranty plans.
See more on each plan in the table below.
| CarvanaCare Plan | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Premier | This provides the coverage found in the Plus and Essential plans in addition to tire, wheel, and dent coverage. Premier also offers complimentary maintenance services that include three oil changes and tire rotations for one year. |
| Plus | Plus covers all parts under the Essential plan in addition to the:
• Heating and air conditioning • Steering • Ignition system • Suspension • Brakes • Cooling system • Electrical • Emissions • Door hinges, latches, and more |
| Essential | Covers vehicle systems related to the:
• Engine • Transmission • Transfer case • Front and rear wheel drive • Electric and hybrid parts |
Plans are administered by SilverRock™, which has partnered with Carvana since 2012. Its preferred repair network exceeds 6,000 repair facilities across the country. The company currently holds a B rating and accreditation with the BBB.
Will Carvana Give Me A Good Offer On My Car?
Overall, Carvana provides solid offers for those looking to sell a car. Our research team received an offer for a 2015 Ford F-150 from Carvana, and found that it was almost 23 percent more than Kelley Blue Book’s estimated trade value, which was $15,120.
However, if you’re looking for a platform that allows you to negotiate for a better deal when buying or selling, you’ll be better off elsewhere. Carvana leaves no room for negotiations or haggling, as it claims that its vehicles are priced as competitively as possible.
Selling With Carvana
To help give you a better understanding of how Carvana offers stack up to other competitors, check out the comparison table below. Offers are for a 2015 Ford F-150 SuperCab.
| Car Selling Provider | Offered Price |
|---|---|
| TrueCar | $14,525 |
| We Buy Any Car | $17,885 |
| Carvana | $18,576 |
| CarGurus | $19,500 |
| Vroom | $22,254 |
Buying With Carvana
We received quotes for several 2017 Toyota Camry SE models with similar mileage to compare purchase prices between top providers. See how Carvana’s prices hold up in the table below.
| Buy a Car Provider | 2017 Toyota Camry SE Mileage | Purchase Price |
|---|---|---|
| Cars.com | 64,733 | $18,967 |
| Carvana | 64,460 | $19,590 |
| Edmunds | 62,687 | $19,883 |
| TrueCar | 65,061 | $19,998 |
| CarMax | 61,000 | $20,998 |
Carvana Review: Our Take
Carvana rose to popularity by allowing you to purchase or sell a car without ever leaving your home. It offers a convenient online experience from start to finish. However, Carvana may not be right for you if you’re looking for the traditional car buying experience at a car dealer with salespeople. We encourage you to compare offers from several car buying and selling companies to receive the most money for your vehicle.
Best Places To Sell Your Car
Carvana isn’t your only choice to sell your car. It’s always wise to get offers on your vehicle from other top car selling companies. We recommend looking into CarMax and Peddle–two providers that scored highly in our industry-wide review.
CarMax: Best Overall
In business since 1993, CarMax isn’t the largest used car dealership in the country for no reason. With CarMax, you can receive an offer on your car within minutes online that’s good for seven days. This gives you plenty of time to compare your options as you see fit.
Offers are real offers and not estimates, so if you’ve provided accurate information on your vehicle and all checks out, you’ll walk away with what you were initially offered. While CarMax doesn’t offer a pickup service like Carvana, it’s worth looking into as you search for the best offer for your car.
Peddle: Good Choice For Older Vehicles
If you’re looking to sell a junk car, Peddle is worth considering. Peddle works with a network of car dealers and salvage yards to buy old vehicles that other companies won’t buy. We also appreciate Peddle’s A+ rating and mostly positive reviews through the BBB.
Peddle doesn’t ask for any personal information before sending you an offer–all you’ll need is to answer questions about your car. If you accept the offer, you’ll just schedule a pickup and get paid when it’s time to tow your car away. Keep in mind that Peddle doesn’t negotiate or buy cars with outstanding loans.
Read more in our Peddle review.
Carvana Reviews: FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about Carvana:
How trustworthy is Carvana?
Carvana has been in business since 2012, and while it isn’t accredited with the BBB, it holds a star rating of 4.3 out of 5.0 from over 9,000 reviews on Trustpilot. It also boasts high ratings in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Which is better, CarMax or Carvana?
Carvana may be a better option for those looking for a smooth, seamless, and totally online buying and selling experience. CarMax is best for those who prefer heading into a dealership to test drive a car before purchasing.
What are the pros and cons of buying from Carvana?
We appreciate how Carvana offers consumers a quick and easy buying process with instant quotes, at-home deliveries, warranty and insurance products, and financing with no minimum credit score. However, with Carvana, you only have seven days after buying to return the car. You also have fewer cars to choose from compared to other industry giants like CarMax.
How We Rate Car Selling Platforms
Our review team extensively researches car selling platforms to deliver informed and unbiased assessments of leading companies. We evaluate several key rating factors that are important to consumers to determine which providers are the best in the industry:
- Reliability: Providers that earn strong ratings from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and have a long history in the car sales industry score well in this category.
- Platform: The best car selling companies provide easy-to-use platforms for a hassle-free experience. Our team rates each online platform based on its available features, like whether it provides instant offers or a variety of sales options.
- Pricing: We got quotes to sell several vehicles to see how each provider’s offers compared to competitors’. We considered a provider’s added fees when determining this rating.
- Support: Car selling platforms that offer consumers support throughout the selling process earn the highest scores in this category. This includes benefits like free pickup services or sending an in-person inspector to you for your convenience.
- Customer Experience: We consider customer reviews on sites like the BBB and Trustpilot to better understand the consumer experience. Car selling companies with convenient quote processes also perform well in this category.
