I hate buying cars and this was easy! Cindy Bryant was the best salesperson. I recommend asking for her. SOOOOO helpful and patient with us! They need a better detailing department but besides that it was great! Issac in Service was awesome too. read more

I just sold a 2002 Chrysler Sebring and it such a pleasure to deal with the Carmax Team. Thank you Tracy! The appraisal process was thorough and i really felt as if we got a great price. I did all the research i could on this old car and walked away with more than i was expecting. And NO pressure to turn around and buy something. Easy! read more

Im only giving this location 3 stars because Im complaining about their service. Carmax in general seems great. I got my car at the Costa mesa location and i would give it a 3.5 star experience. buying is easy and pleasant. Turning in your car for it's issues.... I've only met carmax buyers with issues with their cars. Which is to be expected. Its used.. Certified or not, it will have problems. But when I've taken in my car 5 times literally to be fixed in the first 60 days. .. That's pissed me off... They could get my brakes right 4 times... One time they completely forgot to bolt the calipers to the wheel and it flew off and destroyed my rim. I could go on and on, but Im 10 months in and i am stuck with them trying to learn how to repair an infiniti rather than a deal because my issues are all within the warranty of purchase so i don't have to pay for them. read more

This update is strictly for Marisa in the service department of Carmax, not Carmax itself. I feel she is the only one there who deserves 5 stars. Throughout everything I've been through with the cars I bought being repaired, she always kept me updated and was very persistent and helpful. read more

I just bought a car at Carmax, it was the easiest car buying experience I have ever had. Our salesman Wyland was so helpful and made us feel at ease. He helped us choose from a list of lenders, so we received the best rate possible. I recommend doing business with Wyland. read more

Husband just bought a car from here and we could not be more pleased! After trying to go through several private sellers with no luck we came here, and we are happy that we did! Our sales consultant was Paul and I highly recommend him! He was friendly, honest (which is hard to find in a used car salesman!), no BS, and super efficient. Thank you carmax! read more

I bought a car from here. Within two weeks there was a ticking under the hood. I took it in under warranty for that reason and some other things that needed to be fixed. The diagnosis was they could not figure it out. So they gave it back to us and it went away for a couple weeks maybe. Then after that on 4 different occasions while driving the truck would lose all power and I would have to pull over from some stability track issue. I would pull over sometimes for over an hour then it would magically start working fine. Long story short the vehicle was determined by Carmax, GMC dealer and two other mechanics needing a new engine and transmission all before the car was a year old. In fact it needed these things within two weeks of buying, in fact needed before it LEFT THE LOT. I have talked with all head staff, called corporate, and now have a lawyer seeking them as I took the steps to give them a 30 day return to my letter and no answer from Corp. They should have taken care of the issue with the car from the beginning and now my family and I are in serious debt because of it! All we wanted was a reliable car that for our 3 kids that fit us all and we were royally screwed. The amount of stress, debt, credit bang this has taken on us all as a family is just not right. They knew about the problem and once they saw the receipts of the work they did they should have known to fix the problem the right way. The pain and suffering this company has caused my family is not ok. I warn everyone to take me seriously when I tell you they dont care once that vehicle leaves the lot. Monica in service the manager could have really made this right and she didnt. I pray that the 8k we put into a car (and it is still not fixed) is made right! read more

Had a great experience! Bob Wittenberg and Bob Mirza were professional all the way! They created a good experience for me - they were open and honest and always willing to assist me in the process. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you search them out! read more

Excellent custom service!! I highly recommend going to Carmax even over a dealership! No pressure...no hassle...great service...fast and professional!! read more

The guy who helped was great. However disappointed that they did not disclose the fact the vehicle had been in an accident even though the carfax didn't show anything. They are trained experts and I think they should disclose info like that. I noticed the front bummer dented but thought the rest of vehicle was ok. But back bumped pushed in and clearly been in some sort of whatever to cause that. So buyer be very aware. read more

This was my first experience buying a car from CarMax and I have to admit it was a genuinely nice experience. The entire process was very quick and efficient. Everyone I dealt with was helpful and friendly. They are sure to have whatever vehicle make and model you are looking for and if you see something you like at another CarMax they are happy to have it brought in for a test drive. They will also hold a car for you for a couple of days if you are not able to make it in for a test drive right away. I like the idea of their 5-day return policy, although I did not have to take advantage of that because I am extremely happy with my purchase! I had a small issue with a tire pressure sensor light that popped on while I was driving the car home and they were more than accommodating with getting it taken care of immediately. They have a drop off service and I got a ride to work by a very nice serviceman by the name of Ramon. I would recommend CarMax to anyone looking to buy a used car. read more

Paul Schweizer and the people at CarMax Irvine made the sale of our Auto fast and seamless. Amount paid well above KBB and dealer appraisal.

We came in wanting to trade in our daughters current car and look at the inventory on hand at this location. Our salesperson, Joseph Roy, listened to what we wanted, and helped find us the perfect car. He was very low pressure, and made us feel like he genuinely wanted to put our daughter in the car that fit HER best. We definitely didn't feel like he was dogging us around a used car lot. Great experience, and the next time we need to buy a car, we will be coming here. read more

Unless it is your last choice, I would not recommend buying a car from Carmax. I bought a Mercedes and it was fine I inspected it as much as I knew how. It turns out that Carmax bought the car from a person who crashed the front bumper and paint it with cheap paint. So now the paint is coming off. I called them about it and basically said buyer be ware. They have a point, so before you buy a car inspect it very well. Also my friend sold them an Infiinity with a blown gaskets, that needed to be reparied. They bought it! Without really inspecting it. read more

I worked with Angie D and the whole process was truly the best car buying experience I have ever had! She made it easy, I never felt pressure, the whole processs took less then 2 hours and I drove off with the car I absolutely wanted! Thank you to Angie D who made the whole experience easy and guided me throught the whole thing! I feel like when I left there I made a new friend! :) I love my new 4Runner and will definitely recommend Carmax, and Angie to friends!!! read more

Tricia was amazing , and has a ton of patience with us ! We live in Apple Valley . Wanted to look at a Passast & Audi , this Car Max was in Irvine she had all the paper work done , I was amazed we didn't have to go to God . We did not by either car but found a beautiful Black. Se 350 Lexis ,it's me favorite car ever ,like it better than my Mercedes . I have told everyone about car max ! My friend recommended me - the finance dept amazing ,we had the best experience in buying a car EVER! Please ask for Tricia You will be bowled over with her excitement to help you ! Thank You to Car Max ~ I adore my beautiful Lexis ! When you go to car max please mention Tricia , she can have cars delivered close to you ! read more

Stay away from this place if you really want good customer service and a good fair deal. Waited over 2 hours for appraisal and had to ask reception to look it up as salesperson disappeared. Explanation for low appraisal 5k less than Kelly blue book was front had been repaired and a few chips of paint were peeling. I took car to dealer were it was fully inspected and they gave me 5k more or very close to Kelky blue book! read more

Went online to Carmax website to look for a particular model of Hyundai (we have owned 4). Found one and we dealt with Jonas. He was prompt in getting the desired vehicle transferred to the Irvine store. We went to look at it, test drove it but ultimately decided the auto was too big. Jonas spent alot of time with us on this vehicle and gave no attitude when we changed our mind. We decided to go a model down and Jonas was right on board looking for the car that fit our needs. We traded in our 2001 Hyundai SUV and Carmax was more than fair on the trade-in value. We found our desired car thanks to Jonas and are very happy with the purchase, service provided. He is an asset to Irvine Carmax! Also want to give a shout out to Sioux (Sue) in finance who made the paperwork go smoothly and quickly. Can't say enough about these folks. We will be back when time comes to get another car! read more

Awesome experience! Working with Paul F! was such a great buying experience! He made the purchase process very easy and lots of fun! If you want a simple and easy buying process with a knowledgeable and very helpful Sales Person ask for Paul F! at Carmax in Irvine! We found the perfect car! Could not have asked for a better experience! read more

I went to sell my car, but not buy. The WBYCEIYDBO commercials got me. And my friend actually had a good experience in selling and recommended I try it. Nathaniel was really friendly and helpful in laying out the process. I wasn't in a hurry, so I enjoyed our chat while we waited for the appraisers. Their offer came in much lower than KBB for trade-in value, which I knew was a possibility, but I couldn't part with my car for that, so I walked away. Very clean location and friendly. read more

I have never thought about providing a great review on a car buying experience. We experienced what they advertise. Prep via phone in advance with nice sales people looking at inventory and value of our trade in, great staff, fast - and zero pressure or attitude. read more

We found the car online, made an appointment to see it, took a drive and decided to buy. Within an hour we were signing final papers. CarMax makes car buying easy. This was our second car through CarMax and we highly recommend it. read more

My husband and I went and sold my car here today. We went in really not knowing what to expect and we were both a bit nervous. We were greeted by Marcus and he ended up helping us through the process. He was so knowledgeable, pleasant and awesome to work with. My husband and I felt so comfortable and really received some good information on some cars we were interested in. I would highly recommend coming here just based on the great service we received here today. Grateful for an easy process and awesome customer service! read more

I wish It was option to do zero stars. I would add this. The salesperson kept running my credit after getting approved through a finance company. I guess the reason why he kept running my credit was in hope to get a larger down payment out of me. Also, my car was getting shipped from another carmax to the local one by my home. How about I was informed that my car was ready for pick up a week later and that is fine. But, to get a call and email saying my car was there and then a call back from salesman saying. Oh I made a mistake your car is not here and we don't know exactly where it's at, baffled me. Finally, almost a week later I get a call saying my car was there at the local carmax and when can I come in. The day I come in to finalize everything the salesman runs my credit again. For what I don't know, when I asked why did he run my credit again he says "oh it's just a soft credit run" no worries. Still not explaining to me why. I guess that he was trying to get a larger down payment because the down payment that was required of me from the finance company was pretty good. Not much at all. So the moral of the story is. It was a lot of shady things going to prevent my car sale. Had to buy another battery a couple of days ago. But, I prevailed. What God has for you is for you # CarmaxIrvine,Ca I was very disappointed of your customer service read more

I recently bought a new car and didn't want to hassle with a private sale so I visited my local Ford dealer and received an insulting lowball offer. I tried CarMax and was greeted immediately upon entering. I received an offer for my car that was on the higher end of the Kelly Blue Book trade-in value. Tom was a cool dude and the transaction was swift. Really good experience at the Irvine CarMax location. read more

Stopped here to get my fiat 500 appraised on 6/26 and was helped out by Chris who was awesome and very helpful. We got a great price and came back the next morning and sold it. Gina helped us on the selling end and made it a very quick, easy and painless process. I usually dread going to a car dealership because I end up feeling pressured and walk out with a headache but carmax is the complete opposite. They make everything easy and don't pressure you into anything unlike a lot of places out there. Thank you again for making this process so easy and feel like I left my car in good hands. Also Chris and Gina you are superstars! Thanks for all your help! read more

(read more) I recently took a 2006 Toyota Tundra in excellent condition here for appraisal. I was offered $2,000. The same vehicle showed a value of $11,000 trade in on KBB. The appraiser had stated the reason why the offer was so low was that the odometer was rolled back. Well, I am a mechanic and have been so for 8 years and know for a fact that to roll back the digital odometer on these Tundras​ and most modern Toyotas you have to replace the whole cluster, which takes about 2 hours. Also, just to check for a rolled back odometer you must pull the cluster and match the VIN on the back of the unit to the VIN on your vehicle, which takes 2 hours minimum. The Carmax appraiser spent 30 minutes with my vehicle; 10 of which were a test drive... I was insulted, kindly asked for my keys and left. Based on the appraiser's knowledge of common vehicles I would not sell here and I would not buy from here either because the appraiser probably also handles sales inspections... read more

We purchased a car through Carmax and bought the extended warranty program for that car. We started hearing a noise a few months ago and took the car in only to learn that we had to have an appointment and the first available appointment was 2 weeks away. I was then told it would likely cost far less if I took it somewhere else. Didn't sound like they wanted the business though I appreciated the honesty. A couple months passed and the noise got worse then the fan and AC stopped completely. I called for an appointment and was able to get one the following week at 9 am. I brought my laptop expecting to work while they got the car fixed but was informed that they would have it a minimum of a day. The communication was not what they said. We had to arrange Uber after we were told they would arrange a ride and then later told they would not. They actually told us that if we have any other place to go it will be cheaper than going there. Cannot recommend this place for auto repair even though we got the extended warranty there. read more

First off, let me tell you that based off some of the reviews that I read regarding this CarMax I was VERY hesitant about buying a car here (e.g., many horror stories about bad customer service, low-balling on trade-ins and the selling of "lemons" turned me off). BUT, being as though I had researched and found the vehicle I was looking for here for a reasonable price (without negotiation- which I don't mind) my husband and I made the 35 mile drive up from North County SD to check it out. I had put a hold on the vehicle I found online and was instantly responded to by salesperson Karen Botticello who made herself available by both email and cell phone. We originally planned to go the next day but ended up having to postpone the hold on the vehicle until the following day which Karen was happy to do for us. When my husband and I arrived at the CarMax, totting our two daughters under 5 as well as me being 8 months pregnant, Karen was waiting to greet us. She was pleasant, happy to help us and already had the vehicle ready for us to check out. She was polite and gave us space as well as provided us with all essential information about the vehicle. She was understanding and friendly with our children and not overbearing. Both my husband and I test drove the car separately with her (as well as the women she was mentoring which was in no means an issue). During the test drive she was very personable and comfortable with a delightfully gentle and funny personality; she bounded with both my husband and I. We decided to move forward with buying the vehicle and needed to discuss trading in our other vehicle; I was armed with Kelly Blue Book info about what our vehicle was worth predicting (due to reviews) that we would be low-balled and we would have to counter the offer. My husband and I were both surprised that after our vehicle was inspected they appraised it at nearly $1000 over what we were expecting. The remainder of the encounter and "sale" went smoothly and Karen stayed with us throughout the whole process- even when our two children began to get restless and at times a little unruly, and we began to become irritable because of it. She was happy to finally send us on our way and offered us any additional support for the future. I'm unsure if this experience would have been the same if we did not luck out with Karen. I've got to admit the rows and rows of small numbered cubicle spaces where salesman usher buyers to aren't exactly warm and personal; more akin to a cold factory but our experience wasn't this despite what it may have appeared. The ONLY reason that this did not get 5 stars was that the vehicle could have benefitted from a good cleaning BEFORE we looked at it; my husband and I will be getting it detailed. read more

Bought my car from carmax a year ago and within 30 days brought it back and they covered the repairs. Same problem 8 months later, no longer under their warranty but had it covered under the extended warranty I purchased when I bought the car. Was a nightmare experience. 2 weeks later, my air conditioner went out. Because I had such a bad experience with them the first time, they gave me a loaner at no charge and didn't charge me the deductible. Nothing but a great experience this last time. read more

Very skeptical about Carmax in the beginning. However back in July, I sold my SUV, Carmax gave me cash, on the spot, for $3k more than what the local dealer would give me on trade-in. The experience was hassle free, worry free and no games were paid. I walked in and out in less than an hour, with a check for $6k! That experience made go back, this time to buy a car. I worked with Ardie- you should ask for this guy. Non-pushy, knowledgeable, and kept in touch with me. The car I wanted was transferred in, because my original car was transferred out, they agreed to transfer at no cost. I did not get pushed into financing or add-ons. They worked out all the details with my credit union, all I did was sign and drive away a happy client. So go to this store, ask for Ardie, you won't be sorry! We are going back in 6-9mo to buy another car and will be asking for him! Not an employee writing this review! read more

Beware, Be savvy, Buy a Service Contract and be friendly to the CarMax staff because your car will be at the CarMax dealer often. Nothing but the true facts. 2007 Miata financed in Nov 2012 - here is a list of all that was done to my car (52,000 miles). CarMax provides a 30-day Warranty. All the repairs below were covered by MaxCare - Extended Service Contract. 5 yrs or 100,000 miles. I am a Social Worker and I drive daily. I also drove the car twice to AZ Warranty and Service Contract are NOT one-in-the-same. Now car has 140,000 miles. December 2012, convertible top had a hole in it & would not fold down - Top was replace & paid for by CarMax. Feb 2013- nice day could not make the top go down- took the car back, Let's just say today, the top still doesn't fold down correctly. Anyone who knows Miatas know that you should NEVER have to leave the driver's seat and get out of the car to push the top down into it's cradle. When they had my car in Feb, they broke my motorized antenna. Yes, they replaced it with an antenna that is too long. I had to install a switch to make the antenna stay down when I use the radio. Oct 2014, Transmission blew had to replace that. April 2015, Orings for power steering hose leaked - they replaced orings. April 2015, Car started over heating - had to get water pump replaced. June 2015, Mechanical-oil leaking from engine - that was repaired. July 2015, A/C not operating properly - failed compressor with leaking A/C hose. That was repaired. Jan 2016, 2'' of water coming from the floor boards of the passenger side when it rains. This also happened when they ran the car through the car wash and broke my motorized antenna. I was told most-likely the window wasn't all the way up when the car went through the car wash. As we know now, that wasn't it. They took the car blew out air ducts and returned the car and said nothing was wrong. "Customer declined tear-down for further inspection" Not True --- Why would I do that? Look above I was not shy to get all the other problems corrected. Nor did they contact the Service Contract company to inquire. I didn't even pay for the diagnostic test. While I was at the desk complaining that the car had been in for repairs numerous times and stating I did not have the diagnostic fee, A complete stranger (woman), out-of pocket paid the diagnostic fee of $119. I thanked the lady, gave her a hug and she said "pay it forward". They blew out air ducts, said nothing was wrong, and I wasn't charged. However, CarMax could not keep the $119 so they gave me the money. That day, I went to the gas station and paid for gas for two customers. I did as she asked...I paid it forward. Cool Right? Every time I tell people that story I get choked up. Moving on.... March 2016, car over -heated. Car was taken to Mazda. Mazda mechanic was pressured as MaxCare wanted to know exactly why & how car over heated. The car needs a new thermostat, radiator, and an engine. Mechanic could not say exactly how the car over heated. He told MaxCare - Maybe the thermostat went out which caused the radiator to blow which caused the engine to cease operating. Or maybe the radiator failed, blew out thermostat = engine died. MaxCare wanted engine tear-down $1,985 = Mazda charges to tear-down the engine to inspect the engine. With no one in the car but me, With no one in eye-view when the car overheated - I was told I drove the car after overheating. YES, I DID so that I can get off the freeway to pull over into a safe location. The car cut off and I had to get the car towed home as it was 10:30 pm. After 2 weeks of going in circles, On April 6, I was told because I declined the tear-down of the engine, the only recourse the Service Contact offered was to replace the radiator and thermostat. I was told if I didn't pay the $1,985 for the engine tear down there is no proof to state how & why the engine over heated & that it is common practice for the customer to (1) authorize the tear-down with the hope that the Service Contract will cover the engine - if the service contact covers the engine - GREAT! (2) authorize the tear-down of the engine and if the claim is denied - the owner is responsible for paying Mazda $1,985. With all the above - No way was I going to have confidence that all will be well. With all the above MaxCare already spent no less than $10,000 for the repairs. *** MaxCare - a Third party Service Contract that CarMax endorses and sells at their locations. On April 6, the Mazda Mechanic called MaxCare said I declined the tear-down of the engine (which I did). MaxCare agreed to cover the thermostat and Radiator (I declined that too). I Picked the car up, paid $132 = Mazda diagnostic fee and towed car home. Now, I'm stuck with owing CarMax Financial $10,000 and I have a DEAD car. Even if I had the thermostat and radiator replaced -- without the engine = car is DEAD So, I'm left with an expensive scrap of metal. R.I.P read more

Look at bottom line if you have a nice car trading bluebook you get your money twice 350 C 2006 also with the Montero . I read some of these reviews all they tack on a couple extra thousand dollars they change my interest rate OK walk away you don't like it go somewhere else be a crybaby nobody's holding you hostage to do business there . You're not gonna make everybody happy but if you come back a second time because you got what you wanted on the first they're doing something right so go check it out nobody's threatening you to sign on the dotted line read more

Do not buy the CarMax extended service warranty. We bought a 2011 Prius in November 2015 and had to sell in December 2016 as it was a dud. We have made numerous attempts with CarMax to get refund of unused warranty and after two months since submitting the requested paperwork we have not heard or seen anything in response. Our emails go unanswered. In read more

We own a 2009 Honda Odyssey and it being the main car for the last 9 years and more then150,000 miles, it wasn't driving the same. I knew something was going to give. And it did! First the throttle and then the power steering, costing almost $1000. A week after repairing the power steering the alternator threw in the towel. This was my sign to go ahead and find another car. My husband & I had an awesome experience with CarMax of Costa Mesa and went ahead applied for financing thru CarMax online, while we browsing for cars on their website. I found a car and had them hold it for me. I received a phone call from a dealer within 30 minutes of my application. Tricia was the person I was dealing with and she help us thru the process. (SIDE NOTE: This whole time I thought I was dealing with the Costa Mesa site.) Come to find out Tricia was calling from Irvine site. She was so helpful and understanding of our wants and we were getting the same great customer service as the other site, why change sites when everything was going fine. She pulled the car we held from the Costa Mesa dealership and we test drove it. "LIKED" it but I wasn't to head over heels with it. Tricia saw it in my face and suggested to look at other cars on the lot and online. We found one from a CarMax in San Diego and they shipped it within 2 days. We came back to test drive the car and we were sold! Tricia couldn't help us that day we came back. She was helping a solider from Camp Pendleton and my opinion that solider takes priority (said the 'Military Brat"), but she did make sure that Emily took care of us. While Tricia was dealing with the solider, every time she was able to get away she was checking up on us! Between Tricia & Emily by our side we felt the TLC. CarMax is really what they say it is! The NO haggling, NO pressure atmosphere. They are really only there for you! I totally recommend this place! read more

AMAZING. JUDE IS THE BEST! I went in in the evening to look at an Audi and Jude was fantastic and knowledgeable. He was so enjoyable to work with and very patient. We ended up switching the vehicle and purchasing a Challenger and he and the team stayed over an hour and a half past closing to assist us. It was a great experience and I will definitely be back! Again, Jude was the best. read more

RIP OFF RIP OFF this places sucks only give you 65 percent of what your car is worth? Don't waste your time with these people. They can't afford to pay the rent for a such a big lot so they take advantage of people that all desperate. Go somewhere else read more

I had a great experience here. Zero sales pressure and a good variety of cars to choose from. If you are looking for car-buying convenience and a fair deal, this is the place to go! read more

Horrible Treatment of a "Customer"...I just had the most frustrating and worse treatment as a customer I can remember. I looked at a car this past Tuesday that I was very interested in and I wanted to have my wife come later and take a look. I asked it there was a way I could make a deposit to hold the car and he told me don't worry, CarMax has a policy where you can put a car on hold for 7 days (for free). So I followed his instructions and created an account, put the car on hold, and scheduled an appointment to come see the car. I received the confirmation via email. Two days later, I called to confirm the appointment since I hadn't been contacted and was told no appointment was showing. I then contacted the sales person and was told the car has been scheduled to be transferred to another CarMax.(the car was still physically there). He preceded to try and explain that there was a timing issue and a request to transfer preceded my hold, even though it was available when I was at the dealership following the salesperson's direction on how to secure the car. The kicker is that rather than honor their commitment to me, they would rather transfer the car and incur the expense when I am ready to finalize the purchase. I am old fashioned but if you make a commitment, then you are bound to honor it, at least if you want to be viewed as having integrity....and when I pressed the sales person to honor the commitment he just kept repeating that it is unfortunate, but they will not do so......up to the point when he hung up on me. So deal with this company at your own risk of being mistreated and disappointed. read more

After a few hiccups trying to Validate my address the process was smooth an I love my new BMW X1! I took it surfing this weekend with the new roof racks! Carmax delivered!! read more