Carvana

Carvana Reviews

About Carvana

Carvana is an online vehicle retailer that sells used cars, trucks and SUVs. Customers can browse its vast inventory, purchase a car with cash, receive financing or trade in their existing vehicles. Carvana certifies all of its vehicles and provides a guarantee for 100 days or 4,189 miles, whichever comes first. CarvanaCare and Carvana Gap Coverage provide additional protection against damage and theft.

Pros
  • Seven-day money-back guarantee
  • Convenient online process
  • Wide selection
Cons
  • No delivery to Alaska or Hawaii
  • No price negotiation

Featured Reviews

Monrovia, IN
Verified purchase
This was the easiest Vehicle Purchase I have ever made. The Web Site was easy to Use and filtering was simple. I enter the Year Range, Make, Body Style and Fuel Type and had a cho...

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Berlin, WI
Verified purchase
... Carvana's on-line site was the most understandable and easiest to work with out of all of them I checked out. The filters available made it extremely easy to find what I was l...

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How does Carvana work?

Carvana is an online used car dealership that allows customers to buy, trade and sell used vehicles.

The vehicles Carvana sells come from several sources, including auctions, customers who trade in or sell their cars to the company and partnered dealerships. Carvana stores its cars at inspection centers across the country. When you purchase a vehicle, the company can ship it to you, or you can pick it up from one of its dozens of “Vending Machines” around the country.

Carvana conducts a 150-point inspection to ensure quality. The cars sold by the company have clean titles, no reported accidents, no frame damage and no fire or flood damage. Carvana backs each vehicle with a 100-day, 4,189-mile limited warranty.

Carvana delivery process

Carvana offers a touchless delivery process:

  1. Identity confirmation: The Carvana Advocate will ask you to send a selfie with your driver’s license to confirm your identity.
  2. Vehicle sanitation: The delivery person will unload the car; sanitize the keys, steering wheel and shifter; and leave your paperwork in the vehicle.
  3. Test-drive: The delivery person will contact you to let you know the vehicle is ready for inspection and a test-drive. They'll wait in their hauler while you confirm you want to go through with the purchase.
  4. Document signing: After your test-drive, the Advocate will call you and walk you through the paperwork.
  5. Document submission: Once the paperwork is complete, you’ll leave it in an envelope for contactless pickup by the driver. You’ll also include your check and title to the vehicle you’re selling, if applicable, in the envelope.
  6. Purchase completion: The Carvana Advocate will review your paperwork from the hauler before leaving; if everything looks good, they’ll finalize the transaction.

If you prefer, you can pick up your car at one of 33 Carvana Vending Machines. A Carvana employee meets you at the pickup time to verify your license and insurance via a touchless process. You will receive a custom coin to insert into the vending machine. Once the vehicle is out of the vending machine, you take it for a test-drive. If you're happy with it, you then sign the registration paperwork.

Selling a car to Carvana

Carvana has a straightforward process for selling a car. You start by providing the vehicle identification number (VIN) or license plate information and answering some questions about the vehicle. Carvana provides an offer that’s valid for seven days.

If you accept the offer, you have several options to hand over the car: Carvana can pick up your vehicle, or you can deliver the vehicle to Carvana yourself to a Vending Machine or hub.

  • Pickup: A Carvana Advocate will offer touchless pickup of your vehicle from your location. If you’re trading the vehicle for a different one from Carvana, it will be delivered to you at this time.
  • Drop-off: You can also arrange to meet an Advocate at a Carvana Car Vending Machine or logistics hub, where you can complete a touchless sales process. If you're purchasing another vehicle it'll be ready for you; otherwise Carvana offers to arrange a rideshare for customers within 50 miles of home.

Carvana prices

The amount you spend on Carvana primarily depends on the cost of the car you purchase — vehicles listed on Carvana at the time of publishing range from $7,990 to $212,999. Carvana allows you to search and filter available vehicles by total price and monthly payment.

You can get free delivery with many vehicles as long as you live within the free delivery area; others have a nonrefundable delivery fee, which ranges from $190 to $599.

Carvana offers its own financing and accepts third-party financing and cash.

Carvana FAQ

Is Carvana a good way to buy a car?

Carvana provides an easy-to-use online platform for car shoppers. The company is a good option if you prefer a quick process that doesn’t involve visiting several dealerships.

Can you negotiate price with Carvana?

Carvana doesn’t participate in price negotiation. The company states its cars are priced as competitively as possible.

Can I finance my Carvana purchase with a credit union or bank?

You can finance your used car purchase through a bank or credit union. It’s a good idea to receive preapproval with your lender before starting the buying process.

Can I still get financing from Carvana if I have bad credit?

Carvana states it makes an effort to work with any level of credit. The only requirements are being 18 or over, making $4,000 annually and having no active bankruptcies.

Where are Carvana car Vending Machines located?

Carvana has Vending Machines in 20 states and says it is planning to expand to other states in the future. It has Vending Machines in the following states:

  • Alabama
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Kentucky
  • Maryland
  • Michigan
  • Missouri
  • Nevada
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Pennsylvania
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Virginia
Does Carvana sell new cars?

No, Carvana sells used cars that have gone through its 150-point inspection.

Is Carvana legit?

Carvana can be an excellent choice if you want to avoid visiting multiple dealerships or haggling over price. The company's online listings make the process straightforward and quick. Carvana provides delivery and pickup options, and it offers financing options for nearly anyone. We recommend Carvana as a simple option for used-car shopping with a money-back guarantee.

Carvana Reviews

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    Page 1 Reviews 0 - 5
    Verified purchase
    Customer ServicePriceStaff

    Reviewed Feb. 12, 2025

    I was a bit leery about buying a car online and I spent a great deal of time researching and reading reviews of Carvana. I finally did the preapproval process in early December (2024) I was pleasantly surprised with the interest rate offered to me despite my less than stellar credit. It was significantly lower than what several dealerships had offered me. I spent the next two weeks browsing Carvana. I should note I knew due to my credit, budget and money to put down my best bet would be an older car.

    I found a 2011 Mazda3 4-door Hatchback with just over $84,000 miles on it and a very extensive Carfax report which showed very regular oil changes and other maintenance. The cars I was finding at local dealerships were 4-8 years older, had double the miles and were priced $3000-$5000 higher than the similar makes and models on Carvana. I took the plunge on December 17th. The purchase process from start to finish took under thirty minutes. I was never asked for paystubs or any other proof of income which I found somewhat odd. I put enough money down to keep my monthly payments under $300. I also chose to go through Root Insurance because they came back with a monthly rate that was $150 less than the one my existing insurance company (Progressive) had offered me. So that was a no brainer.

    I was asked for a picture of the front and back of my driver's license and proof of insurance, which I uploaded that same day. Within minutes of completing everything online I received an email stating that my order had been approved. Delivery was scheduled for December 21st but a multistate snowstorm delayed delivery until December 26th. I was disappointed but I could hardly blame Carvana for the weather and I knew the car was coming from Montana to Pennsylvania. I will say it took two online chats, three representatives on the phone and finally a call with a supervisor to get the reason for the delay. I had read some reviews where people stated they found out after the fact that a delay had been due to damage occurring to the vehicle in transit or mechanical issues not discovered previously. I wanted assurances that that was not the case.

    Thursday, December 26th finally arrived and I was like a little kid at Christmas! My delivery window was 11am-2pm. I received a text notification that my car was out for delivery at 11 on the dot and then my driver called a minute later to let me know that according to his GPS his ETA was 12:15. He pulled up in front of my place at 12:14. I saw the truck from my window and went racing out the front door with no shoes and no coat, despite the fact that it was 28 degrees outside. My brother, a former mechanic (at a Mazda dealership ironically) was here to look the car over as well and came chasing after me with my shoes and a sweater hollering that I was I going to catch pneumonia. I ignored him and hopped around excitedly while the driver unloaded my car.

    My brother and I both looked it over thoroughly and I took it for a short test drive. I fell in love instantly. When I say this car was PRISTINE inside and out I am not exaggerating! It was immaculate! I couldn't even find the two imperfections that had been listed as light scratches in the ad. It even smelled clean. It looked as if it had been washed and waxed that very morning. To say I was over the moon is an understatement.

    The driver went over the registration process, what to do if I were to want to return the car, had me sign the tablet and we were done. I took the car to the mechanic the following morning as there's a local shop that is open on Sundays so I was able to do it right away. The car passed with flying colors! Brakes were as close to new as you can get, as were the tires, no mechanical or other issues found. The mechanic (who has worked on previous cars I've owned) said it was clear that the car was very well taken care of and had had regular upkeep and maintenance done (which was also apparent in the Carfax and played a large part in my choice). I left the mechanic's shop on CLOUD NINE!!!

    The delivery driver had stated that it would take thirty to forty-five days to receive my state registration and plate. ELEVEN days later I received an email notification that my registration was complete and would arrive along with my plate within 5-7 business days. Nope. Just TWO days later I had my registration and plate in my hands.

    The entire experience from beginning to end was easy, painless and PHENOMENAL! I will NEVER, ever buy a car through a dealership again. Carvana is far superior to any dealership I have ever dealt with and THE best part???? Aside from an AMAZING new (to me) car that I love.... No pushy, overbearing, obnoxious salesperson talking to me like I'm twelve because I happen to be a woman.

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      Verified purchase
      Customer Service

      Reviewed Feb. 1, 2025

      I went into this whole process cautiously optimistic. I spent weeks reading reviews and speaking with friends and acquaintances who had purchased their cars through Carvana. I went through the pre-approval process and then spent a couple of weeks looking through Carvana's inventory before finally settling on a red 2011 Mazda3 Hatchback with less than 85,000 miles on it. And a Carfax that showed regular maintenance and no reported accidents. I purchased the car on December 17th with a delivery date of December 21st. The purchase process took less than twenty minutes and I received an email almost immediately letting me know my order had been approved. Unfortunately a snowstorm on the 20th delayed delivery until December 26th. I was disappointed but a delay due to weather is hardly the fault of Carvana.

      Delivery day arrived and I received a call from my driver at around 11 am letting me know he was on his way and that his GPS estimated he'd arrive to me around 12:15. At 12:14 he pulled up. I thoroughly looked over the car and also had my brother with me, a former mechanic, for an extra set of eyes. The car arrived in PRISTINE condition. Absolutely spotless inside and out. I couldn't even find the two "imperfections" that had been listed as faint scratches in the listing. I couldn't find a single mark on the car. I was absolutely THRILLED! I took the car to my regular mechanic for a PPI the following morning. The brakes were as close to new as you can get, as were all four tires and he didn't find a single problem. To say I was over the moon at that point is an understatement. I absolutely LOVE this car!

      To make the whole experience even more perfect my registration and plates, that I was told would take thirty to forty-five days to arrive, arrived in THIRTEEN days instead. The only "issue" I had was that the car arrived with the gas tank on E instead of with the half of a tank of gas promised. But Carvana made good on that. They sent me a check for $60 to cover it. That arrived about three weeks after the car was delivered. All in all the entire experience was wonderful! Easy, painless, transparent and I am 150% satisfied with my purchase. I would absolutely buy a car this way again. Much easier than buying through a dealer and no pushy salesmen trying to pull one over on me because I happen to be female.

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      Verified purchase
      Customer ServicePriceOnline & AppStaffFinancing

      Reviewed Jan. 28, 2025

      The entire experience was easy, seamless, and, admittedly, a lot of fun! I was curious, I wasn't actually in the market for a new vehicle, but, had a heck of a time this winter in the snow & ice with my front wheel drive car. I browsed Carvana's site for AWD/4WD and specifically Dodge (I'm a Dodge guy). I found SO MANY options of Durangos. I thought, "why not," and applied for financing. I have poor credit, but to my surprise, Carvana would finance a really good amount for me!

      I have received a few quotes for my trade-in from local dealers and when reviewing KBB, and it's usually worth between $4K and $6K. Carvana, even when I shared ALL the details, some minor scrapes, some smells inside (former smokers), a few dents and dings, etc., Carvana WELL exceeded my previous offers!

      There it was, a good amount of buying power with financing, a great trade-in value, plenty of options, online, I found the perfect ride for my family and I. Personally, I'd of rather had an R/T, but my voice of reason (my wife) encouraged me to keep the monthly price right around what we were paying for our trade-in, per month.

      I went through the process with ease, gathered docs, scanned in and signed whichever requirements were available to do online prior to pickup. They kept me in the loop. I had several follow-up questions that, between customer service and their Chat AI, "Sebastian," ALL questions were answered with ease. Finally, my pick up date arrived, 21 January. I was SO excited to pick it up, even took off of work that day to ensure I had plenty of time to get everything signed, documented, photos, and whatever else I expected once arriving to the pick up location... It took maybe 15 minutes. It was below 10 degrees (F) that day, and even though she was obviously struggling with the cold, the representative that helped me was on point, friendly, fast, and made sure to answer any and all questions!

      The car had ONLY the minor scratches and dings highlighted on the website when I was picking it out. I didn't see any other damage. The outside of the car was washed and sparkling, and the inside was detailed, spotless, and smells like a brand new sneaker. Perfect! I've now encouraged my daughter to use Carvana on her first car purchase (happening soon), and talked to a couple of coworkers that might go the same route with Carvana! Thank you, Carvana team, for everything! It was a great experience and I'll probably buy from you exclusively in the future! -Jake St. Louis

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      Verified purchase
      Customer ServicePriceStaff

      Reviewed July 26, 2024

      As a first-time car buyer, I chose Carvana because I knew I didn't want to walk into a car dealership and wonder if I was getting hustled. Carvana made it easy to shop and I quickly found a car I liked at a great price. I chose to pick up my car and it was so fun to watch my car come down the vending machine. All that being said, I wish there had been more explanation and overview of the many steps involved in buying/financing a car geared towards the customer like me who had never done it before. It was confusing and sort of stressful to be told, "Congratulations!" on the purchase, making me think I had completed all the necessary steps, only to be told a few hours later that I was missing a document and if I didn't upload it by a certain time, the purchase would be canceled.

      This actually happened two times - first on Wednesday when I bought the car ("Congratulations!" but then it wasn't explained that I only had a few hours to buy the insurance and upload it right away - I thought I simply needed to buy insurance before I could pick up the car, so I'd have a couple days to do that), then on Thursday when I uploaded my proof of insurance and got another "Congratulations!" but was not told at that time that I also needed to immediately upload a photo of the loan check, a PDF of the promissory note, and a photo of the signed RPA. After I uploaded everything as soon as I could, I was so stressed out not knowing if there was another document that I would be told to upload ASAP or else the purchase would be canceled. Because I had never purchased/financed a car before, I didn't know which documents were a standard part of the process.

      There should be a checklist showing ALL the documents that needed to be completed and uploaded. It definitely doesn't make sense to me, in retrospect, that I was informed of the missing insurance verification on Wednesday but was not informed of the other missing documents at the same time. If I had seen a checklist showing each step of the process, that would've made it much easier for me to know when I had completed everything.

      As a first-time car buyer, I was already somewhat nervous about the process because it's such a big, important purchase, so I absolutely would have benefited from some more explanations. That is my only issue! Everything else was really great and the customer service was also really kind and responsive when I needed to change my appointment to pick up the car due to being sick. I have been recommending Carvana to friends and family, with the small caveat that I found some parts of the experience stressful, and I will most likely use Carvana in the future if I ever need to purchase another vehicle.

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      Customer ServicePriceStaffFinancing

      Reviewed July 10, 2024

      I just want to start by saying that I read enough reviews to make myself almost paranoid to attempt a purchase with this company, but as a person who learns from his own experiences good, or bad, I took the plunge. The online process was easy as hell and was great for comparing multiple vehicles within my price range. Filters were great, detailed for searching for what you want, and the site navigation was simple. (Also have an app) I was able to get a price for my trade in that was as fair as my honesty with its description. Filled out 6 forms online and even with my checkered credit was able to get financing. Ordered the car for pickup and had to pay shipping. (Makes sense lol) And... It was late. (It was 4th of July weekend.) I received a call from Julio there, who was really friendly and understanding. He explained my options, and even potential refund if I opted out. (*Gasp)

      I stressed for a minute, proceeded with the sale, and scheduled a new date. When I got to the Carvana store in Norfolk I was greeted by a gentleman named Rasheem who was a genuine human being. He seamlessly guided me through every step of the process. Answering questions, giving me adequate time, and all while training a new hire who was also kind. After being there for maybe 30 minutes I was handed keys and was free to go. Next day I went to get my inspection and it failed. I chatted with the ai support and that sucked. After attempting to make a claim online and being frustrated with the navigation and functionality of that area of their site I decided to call. After a hold period of irritation I was able to speak to a person. She was super helpful, gave me all the information I needed about the shop location and what was covered; via text, voice, and email.

      I called the shop and they took the car that day. While I was there I asked the employee about his experience with their insurance company? He was very in depth. Explaining how they call and haggle (with any company) and how they come to an agreement. He said that honestly they were the best both to deal with, and that they covered just about everything. I said I also got their extra insurance and he said that's smart, it covers even more, and adds even more time.

      While I wait for my car to be fixed I think back over all my experience with dealerships and private sales. Carvana sells used cars. A lot of them. Read reviews, look at the Carfax, scrutinize the pictures. Get as much information as you can. Talk to the people. Attempt a purchase, win, lose. This is life, and buying a used car. So far hiccups and all, I think I am getting from Carvana what I put in, and what the employees associated bring to the table. (Any place of purchase) I would gladly recommend my experience, but everyone will have their own. I am enjoying mine and my car is an awesome used car. Open up to people, sometimes they'll surprise you, company is good. Hopefully this helps.

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      Verified purchase
      Staff

      Reviewed Feb. 5, 2025

      The same guy who dropped off my daughter's new car dropped off mine. Super nice and professional showing me everything about the car and explaining how it all works! The only issues I have are with the 'stuttering" windshield wipers, they just blur everything up, but easy fix, I'll go to O'rielly's, and I have to hold the right turn signal in place sometimes or it pops off. Otherwise all is golden.

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      Verified purchase
      Online & AppStaff

      Reviewed Feb. 5, 2025

      My experience with Carvana was a 8/10. I enjoyed the details on the website & mobile app. It made my experience enjoyable and my decision easier to manage. The process was very efficient & well put together. I just didn’t enjoy receiving the new car with no battery life, it made my experience a little rough. But everyone I worked with from Carvana was very nice, informational, & very friendly. Down to the guy who dropped the car off, he was very respectful of my time & made everything so simple & easy.

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      Verified purchase
      Customer Service

      Reviewed Feb. 5, 2025

      This was the easiest, most efficient car-buying experience I have had. I highly recommend purchasing from Carvana. The customer service is excellent. The delivery of the vehicle was excellent and paperless process is amazing. Very impressed with the entire process from searching for a car to processing title and registration.

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      Staff

      Reviewed Feb. 5, 2025

      I purchased a car from Carvana. The process was very easy for the most part. Ordering only took about an hour online. The car showed up on time and was in the condition as advertised. I picked it up at a local vending machine. No problem. Except that the person who had me sign paperwork forgot to have me sign a Bill of Sale... that's kind of a big deal- I can't get license plates without it. Here's where the problems start. They send a bill of sale via 2 day shipping with FedEx. No problem. I sign it immediately and give it back to FedEx the same day I received it. FedEx loses the package in transit. Yes, my information is floating around somewhere, likely stolen because Carvana refuses to allow me to drop off paperwork in person. I requested to just drive back to the vending machine to avoid this happening in the future- denied. They won't allow you to speak with a human or hand deliver anything.

      I tried calling every number I could find- you CAN'T actually speak to these people. I've read that they made the company profitable again by slashing employees. Yeah, I'm sure that worked, but at the expense of having anyone that can actually solve a problem. I wish someone had stopped them from buying up so much market share during the pandemic. Companies like this shouldn't exist. There is no recourse of action for solving a difficult problem due to not having a local manager on scene. Literally, this problem could have been solved with a 20 minute drive down to the local vending machine- which I offered to do, but no, they refuse. They don't empower any employees to make decisions. I hope their efficiency model works for them long term- I will never do business with this company again.

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      Verified purchase
      Customer ServiceStaff

      Reviewed Feb. 5, 2025

      Carvana, Carvana, why all the DRAMA getting an insured vehicle delivered on-time to my home??:

      A timeline:

      Jan 29 - Wednesday

      Call 1: Call Carvana to get a Massachusetts RTA form sent.
      Call 2: Call Progressive to fill out.
      Call 3: Carvana to confirm receipt. No receipt. Sent to wrong email.
      Call 5: Call Progressive to set to correct email. RTA form sent.

      Call 6 Call Carvana to confirm receipt of RTA form. Confirmed receipt. Confirmed complete.

      Feb 4 - Tuesday. Car set to be delivered next day, Wednesday February 5, 11-2 pm

      Receive voicemail from Carvana underwriting department stating the RTA form was incorrect and needed to be updated within 2 hours of receiving the call in order to hold the delivery date, which I’d already scheduled a $1,500 relocation around. Carvana had 3 prior business days to review and alert me, and didn’t let me know until the last minute. 


      Call 7: Call Carvana to ask what the issue is, they explain the RTA form was filled out incorrectly. They email to Progressive to correct.
      Call 8: Call Progressive to fill out and send back. Progressive returns to the email address the previous (incorrect) version was sent to.
      Call 9: Call Carvana to confirm receipt. Carvana can’t find the form. Says it’s sent to incorrect email, but how can that be? Anyway
      Call 10: Call Progressive to have them send the form to a different email.

      Call 11: Call Carvana to have them confirm receipt. They confirm receipt, but Uh-oh! The form is incorrect? Again? After going back and forth with the (tbh very lovely) cx rep, she confirms that they can actually accept the form as is and I’m all set. False alarm.

      Talk about a TIME SUCK. At least 6 hours spent on the phone between the two companies trying to communicate, translate and coordinate direction. Mind you, Carvana recommended and linked me to Progressive directly through their website after purchasing the vehicle, so one would assume you’d have some sort of direct form of communication, or at least have a standardized protocol for communication on both sides.
One of the craziest car-related experiences I’ve ever had. Good deal though. :P

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      Carvana Company Information

      Company Name:
      Carvana
      Website:
      www.carvana.com