Stupid way to buy a vehicle anyway imo.....sight unseen. Especially if your buying a used vehicle. If I can't check it out first then I don't want it.
It is a completely stupid way to buy a vehicle. Carvana's inventory consists of a LOT of ex rental cars and cars they bought from people wanting to sell their cars. Garbage is a nice way to describe a good portion of their inventory.
It's a stupid way to buy for most folks. If I'm buying a car, or a friend asks me to look at a potential purchase; i tear through it before I even test drive it. FULL inspect, if it's new for a friend or a used car-full inspect........ and I never EVER charge. Can't do inspects on the side for profit, so these are always done free of charge. I'm a professional with a sterling reputation and fully intend to keep it that way.
It's a hoot telling a salesman I want to look at the car first; then pull out all my gear and proceed to give the car a full inspection. When I take a pic of the entire undercarriage, review it for frame clamp marks, rust and the like and audio recording of the engine running (to run it through the company engine sounds database-like a naval library of sonar sounds- it can pick up a engine issue in about 30 seconds, and flags it too-) their chins drop. They get nervous and shuffle their feet like they need do go pee
The paint gauge and hail light make them really squirm. Hehehehee.....
Salesman is thinking, "Oh sh*t he's a manufacturer's inspector, I can't hide anything from him!" When I ask for mfr. specific files and info they really start sweating. That's usually when the general manager is called out to introduce himself and snivel and grovel, offer me coffee, think to themselves "please don't audit my dealership or be helpful to the other customers! " at me. Hilarious, totally hilarious.
But the younger generations are more apt to buy a car sight unseen off the internet. Millenials consider buying a car on line perfectly normal. People who are totally clueless about vehicles will buy online as well. Carvana knows this and takes full advantage of it. Not to mention most of their pricing is set by people who must be on drugs.......When a dealer (or individual for that matter) quotes KBB (Kelley Blue Book) pricing; that right there tells you they don't know ANYTHING about pricing a car. Basically hang a sign around their necks saying, "I'm a complete idiot regarding car buying". Because that's what they are. KBB pricing is completely unrealistic. Seeing KBB pricing on a car always give me a giggle. Per PT Barnum there's a sucker born every minute.....and every minute some poor unsuspecting customer buys one of these cars. It's easy, the financing is easy but you're buying a pig in a poke with these folks.