Larry is a professional and caring rep. at Carmax in OC. He wants to make sure you are fully satisfied with your purchase and will make sure you are smiling and happy and have a safe vehicle upon leaving. He gives no pressure and listens. See Larry for your purchase! read more

I purchased a vehicle from CarMax in Oceanside in February 2025, along with their extended warranty. By December 2025 -- after driving only 2,800 miles -- I was told the front brakes, including the front rotors, the muffler, and the battery all needed to be replaced. The fact that the front rotors were already worn to the point of replacement is especially alarming. Rotors do not fail this quickly under normal use, and a vehicle should never pass inspection with compromised rotors. The repair estimate was $5,200, and none of it was covered under the warranty I paid extra for. These kinds of failures should not happen this early, especially on a vehicle that was supposedly inspected and "CarMax Certified." The premature rotor failure alone makes it clear the car had pre existing issues that were not disclosed at the time of sale. This was my first and last purchase with CarMax. I will not be referring anyone to them based on this experience. Buyers deserve transparency and reliability, and unfortunately, that was not my experience here. read more

Very disappointed with CarMax Oceanside. I bought a used 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid with 32,000 miles and trusted their "125-point inspection." But within one week I discovered the following: -- right fender was repainted and installed incorrectly -- trunk opens from the remote only sometimes -- left rear window works poorly -- driver's window opens with difficulty -- other small issues that CarMax never disclosed It feels like they either didn't inspect the car at all, or they deliberately hid these defects. They simply handed me the car and said "Here you go." When I contacted Honda Service (factory warranty valid until 36,000 miles), they told me that if I bring the car directly to them, they may charge me, because the car was purchased from CarMax. They sent me back to CarMax. CarMax then scheduled me for service two weeks later -- on a date when my mileage will likely go over 36,000, because I drive daily for work. This means I may lose the factory warranty not because of me, but because CarMax gave me an appointment that is too late. So in reality: -- defects were hidden -- the car was not properly inspected -- customers are misled -- the warranty becomes useless due to late scheduling -- responsibility is pushed onto the buyer Warning to future customers: Have the car inspected elsewhere the same day, and schedule your service immediately. CarMax may give you a date after your warranty expires. CarMax Oceanside -- very negative experience. Dishonest and unprofessional. read more

Carmax is by far the most efficient and easy way to purchase a car. The website is very easy to navigate and you can literally pick your car and get your financing and do your trade-in all in one place. I utilized the Oceanside location and the representative who assisted me was Daniel. He was friendly, calm and willing to answer any questions that I had. The vehicle I found online was transferred from Orange County at no cost to me. I had submitted all my financials online so I was preapproved. From start to finish including test driving the vehicle, I completed this major purchase in less than two hours. I would highly recommend Carmax in Oceanside and if it all possible, ask to speak with Daniel to receive fantastic customer service. read more

CarMax - Just like that! I have a new ride. - Car Buyers Near Me - Oceanside, California

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Great service trading in my car...- seamless experience all the way around! Pleasant, helpful, knowledgeable staff, short wait, AND A FAIR PRICE OFFERED !! Great experience all the way around! read more

I scheduled an appointment to test drive a vehicle. We arrived five minutes early, completed the express check-in, and were told to sit at a desk. After waiting 20 minutes with no one coming to assist us, it seemed the salespeople were too busy chatting with each other. We ended up leaving the store without even getting a chance to see the vehicle. About an hour later, CarMax called to ask if I still wanted to see it. What a joke. I definitely won't be going back. read more

My transaction was strictly selling a car, and they couldn't have made it easier. I did the form online, and got a quote within minutes. My CarMax quote was for $2000, Carvana was for $1400, and the Nissan dealership down the street was for $741. There was a CLEAR choice price wise, but as any skeptical person would do, I went in person to get the quote in case it changed. It did not. In less than an hour, I had a check IN HAND and was out the door thanks to Cholula. He even offered to give me a ride. It was SUPER easy, and I have no regrets. Could I have gotten more by trying to sell it privately? Definitely. However, the convenience made my life a lot easier. read more

amazing experience at CarMax Oceanside! Tito helped us every step of the way and was so informative and low pressure! He reserved the vehicle for me for a few days which took all the car buying stress out of the equation! alex helped us with the express pick up and was so patient and educated on the whole process! this duo was unmatched! thanks again! read more

After having some extremely unprofessional experiences at other car dealerships it was refreshing to discover CarMax. My dad recommended I try them after he purchased a vehicle here and was happy with the process. The prices seem to be right in the middle of the blue book value, no games, no misleading or manipulation like other dealers. I'd like to take the chance to thank the manager James for being a good guy, was fun talking to him about corvettes. Also, Jackie the sales associate was patient, friendly and there was never any sense of pressure. They allowed me to completely inspect and drive the vehicle myself, opposed to other places that watched over my shoulder what I was doing, and told me exactly where I'm allowed to drive the car. The CarMax way gave me a real feeling of what it would be like driving the car home, by myself, instead of a staged and controlled showing. Long story short, I'll buy cars from here now on. Next time I find a car I want to buy I'll be back. read more

I highly recommend Larry Feldman is one of the best in the business. He's very knowledgeable about the various cars on the lot as well as vehicle reliability, performance, car history, etc. His approach is genuine and pressure-free. He has superb follow up and effectively listens to customers during their search for the perfect car that meets their needs. Our transaction was very easy and seamless. Words cannot express how much I appreciate his exceptional customer service. read more

I spoke to the manager John who was very helpful and saved the day for me with some vey complicated issues that I was dealing with. I am extremely forever grateful to Carmax thanks to John and I will do business with them again in the future! Brennan and Eric were also a pleasure to work with too. I ran into a couple of issues during a trade in and I'm very grateful to all of the employees there that so knowledgeable and helpful to resolve some barricades that I ran into. Thank you Carmax!!!!! read more

My son bought a car from here and the staff sure did make the process easy. The service representative was super cool and very informative. Never rushed us through the process and was more than willing to explain all of the details. We didn't do an appraisal or a trade in so our process was shorter than what I witnessed others go through. This was his second time going with Carmax and he had nothing but good things to say about them and how they do business. read more

CarMax - Car Buyers Near Me - Oceanside, California

I never write reviews but am now as they were all fantastic - all sales people (Parker with Tito training) was respectful, patient and helpful, and honest. Chris, and all in business, Ben and Melody and all in service - such NICE people. I drove up from San Diego as I did not have the same experience in Kearney Mesa - I'm thrilled with the way they have handled me and the service needs, questions etc read more

I worked with three representatives but Colula was amazing. So friendly and efficient!

I purchased a vehicle with CarMax, the vehicle itself needed several maintenance services that CarMax DID NOT disclose to me. at date of purchase. Battery was corroded and needed recharging, vehicle needed wheel alignment and tire rotation which was not done, cabin air filter and engine air filter were extremely dirty and needed to be replaced, control arm bushings need to be replaced, along with other maintenance services. long story short purchasing a vehicle from CarMax is extremely convenient, unfortunately vehicles sold are poorly or not serviced at all which was the case with the vehicle I purchased. CarMax needs to do better. read more

Got an online quote, drove the car down. Keep in mind I had driven the car well over 100 miles the day before without a hiccup. Arrived at Carmax, appointments really don't matter! They inspect the car, come back with an offer that 40% less than was quoted online. They say that they drove the car around and the engine cut out and there are engine problems. I do not take their offer. I go to start my car, it won't start. I open the hood, they've been messing with the battery, in fact the terminal cover wasn't put back and would have fallen into the engine compartment when I drove off. I go inside and demand someone come out. They came out, put a battery charger on it and all of the sudden the car starts. The battery is less than 18 months old, the alternator is less than two years old. The manager goes back inside to "double check their offer" and comes back with the original online offer. They claim they drove the car but I never saw the car move. Strike 1. They touch the car and all of sudden there's issues. Strike 2. The offer is up, then down, then back up after I make a claim in front of their other customers and they change their mind. Strike 3. They could have said tough luck and asked me to move my car off of the lot but they didn't. I'd give them a strike 4 for being just another used car place that's full of it, but that's an insult to used car salesman and mall cell phone kiosk salespeople. Don't be fooled, this is just a used car lot with staff in polos and khakis and a marketing budget. If CarMax reads this, please do better and educate your staff , none of which are mechanics they'll be the first to tell you as much, on proper ways to work with people, putting your customers in bad circumstances hurts your name and a consumer's few options are to use sites like yelp for recourse. Good people deserve better service and when you lowball and are dishonest( the car wasn't driven!) you find yourself earning bad reviews. read more

This is a good place to get an offer if you are considering trading your car in at a dealership, my experience though was one in which they were even lower than the dealership which is disappointing. read more

CarMax - Car Buyers Near Me - Oceanside, California

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Avoid CarMax at all costs. My husband and I drove two hours from Orange County to Oceanside to buy a 2020 Nissan Rogue Sport with 60K miles. I did everything right--researched the car, secured financing, and chose CarMax because of a great experience I had in 2017. I deeply regret that decision. The staff was friendly, but the car was a mess from the start. We took it to our trusted mechanic immediately (within the 10-day return window), and he flagged multiple issues that should have been caught during CarMax's so-called inspection: worn control arms, misalignment, a weak battery, old windshield wipers, and a sloppy brake job. The brakes were technically new, but the work had been done incorrectly--not unsafe, but not done right. I called three CarMax locations trying to get it serviced before the return period ended. Only Costa Mesa helped. They accepted my mechanic's report, fixed several issues at no charge, and gave us a loaner. However, they refused to redo the brakes, saying they were "fine as-is." They also kept the car for six full days, which left us with barely any time to test it before the return window closed. We gave CarMax the benefit of the doubt and trusted the repairs. That was a mistake. Three weeks later, the check engine light came on. Costa Mesa didn't answer--voicemail full. Buena Park said they'd take a look. I dropped it off early, wasn't offered a loaner, and was told it needed a new airflow sensor. Later that day, they said the part hadn't arrived and there was no timeline for the repair. No urgency, no accountability, and no loaner--despite CarMax confirming that I should have received one. And then it got worse. We picked up the car yesterday at 5pm. By 7am this morning, the check engine light was back on--and the car wouldn't accelerate safely. Now it's back at the dealership, and they told us they won't even look at it for another two days. We did get a loaner this time, but it doesn't undo the damage. We've both had to take time off work. We've rearranged our lives around this broken car. We're stressed, we're angry, and we're exhausted. This isn't what we paid for. This isn't what we were promised. So far, this car has spent nearly half the time we've owned it in the shop. Our 90-day repair warranty is being eaten up by the time they're taking to fix the problems they sold us. When I asked what options we had, I was told to keep bringing the car back until the warranty ends--or sell it back at a loss. We gave CarMax our trust, and they are playing with our safety by selling a car that clearly wasn't ready to be on the road. The inspection process is a joke, the repairs are inconsistent, and customer service is dismissive the moment you sign. CarMax doesn't care about their customers--only their money. I went to CarMax to avoid the games of traditional dealerships. Instead, I got a broken car, lost work hours, endless stress, and zero support. If you find anything wrong within your 10-day return window--RETURN THE CAR. Don't give them a second chance. Their promises are empty, their processes are sloppy, and their priorities are clear: profit over people. My coworkers now joke about how not to buy a car. Step one? Don't shop at CarMax. read more

Appointments do not matter Agreed to price then an hour to cut the check Wish there was a zero star rating read more

Made a 1.30 appointment online. Needed a car fast. Reserved 2 cars to see upon arrival. It would have been an easy sell for Carmax. Walked out after 1 hour waiting. No apologies for the long wait, nothing! It was a bad experience! read more

My niece recently bought a car from Carmax.Keep in mind this is her first car experience.She saved her money,did the right thing.Now she is ready for the purchase.She decided on a Nissan Rouge.GREAT! 2 days later the car won't start.Was stranded and had to wait for a tow truck.Towed the car back to Carmax,She decided against the Rouge and went with a Mazda.After a week of having the Mazda,same thing happens.Check engine light,battery lights (all the lights came on.So she gets that one back to Carmax,and they put here in a rental.Because the mechanic wouldn't be in till the following week.‍This where I come in to the picture).Because at this point I feel like her first experience with her buying her own car was horrendous! Spoke with a guy Michael,he was professional but I wanted to see what else could Carmax do? Because me personally I would have returned the car after the first one went out.But since they "kept" her in a car after 10 days my niece returning it was off the table.After speaking with Michael got referred to his boss.Think a guy name John.He also was professional.But all they could offer was a free lunch,and filling up the rental car gas tank..I guess it's better than nothing.But as a adult who will not recommend none of the family to deal with CarmaxI I had to write this review.Just sucks that my niece first experience with her car was like this.# DontbuyfromCarmax. read more

I'd put zero stars if Yelp allowed it. Where to start. How is this place still in business? The salesperson wasn't patient at all with our questions. Like we were taking up his time. Next day was better but later found out some of what was said was not true. We found the van we wanted but our bank was closed so we could make such a large purchase without giving them the heads up to lift a large purchase block. The man said they can't hold the van for that long (12-14 hrs). Not true. We found the next day they could of. They said to hold the car, to put a lien on it and they won't process the lien for 3 days so there's no worries on our end since we will be paying for it tomorrow once bank opens, that if paid in 3 days it won't go through and nothing touched on his credit. So we did. Whole process took the entire day into the night until like an hour before closing. Next day. Morning, we go and purchase the van. We paid it IN FULL. Got paperwork, they forgot to put both of us on it. They said they cleaned it. Go to get in and dried mud and leaves in the trunk. They cleaned it again which took 30 more mins. Got in, wet dog smell. They said it's something with the air conditioner and they'll fix it but need to schedule it. Again whole process took the entire day! And night! Why does buying a vehicle take so long when you are paying in full. 2 hrs of it was our bank slow processing so that wasn't Carmax fault at all but the other 6+ hrs was alllll Carmax. Weeks pass and we get a $600+ bill from a bank... for the lien! Carmax didn't pay it and it was processed and lowered my husband's credit score. Insane! Took another month of back and forth with Carmax. Whole Days wasted on this with zero compensation from them on any of the time and gas wasted and stress of back and forth with lien holder and them. We considered returning the van and being done with Carmax. Finally they paid first bill. But offered no proof rest was paid. And all our documents and extended warranty etc is under lien holder's name. They didn't fix our paperwork. so we will have to go again but we want to be sure they actually paid their bill. Unfortunately the lien holder has our info and said they do share our information with other companies and businesses for profit. Great. We got Spam to look forward to. Thanks Carmax. So we use the van and Closer look, a lot of fine Dog hair on the seats. Even some in the cup holders. Had to schedule cleaning for that. The tire sensors were on and airing tires didn't help. Schedule for it. Go to take it and they assured me that they would not be using perfumes or smells. I do not have a working thyroid and can't be around perfumes. They assured me there would be no smells or perfumes used to clean it. We get our rav4 cleaned and our car cleaner uses vapor. No smell. Well Carmax said they doubled checked and no smells would be used. We get it back and it's unbearable. Absolutely unbearable. My husband picked it up and aired it out but it's so strong we have to park it away from our house to air it out. Horrible experience from start to now. If we didn't need this van for ministry we'd given it back and gone elsewhere later on. Not sure how many days it'll take to get this smell out but we can't use it until then. With my nose and mouth covered I checked and there was something crumbled in the back that wasn't there before and the cup holders were not touched, dog hair and soda sticky stains still there (we've never had food or drinks in it). Didn't check seats for dog hair, the smell got me sick. My husband's clothes and hair unfortunately smells like the over perfumed van. Ahhhh avoid Carmax entirely. read more

Brennen helped me in buying my 2020 VW Tiguan S and he was extremely kind and helpful. Even when I went back there several times and asked a thousand of questions he could not have been more patient! He made my experience at CARMAX even better. And can absolutely see him going far in the company! He needs to get a raise! read more

I went here to get an estimate on my car. They were very helpful . I would definitely return here to buy a car or sell my car. They seem pretty nice. read more

CarMax - Front of building - Car Buyers Near Me - Oceanside, California

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The amount of 1 star reviews here should prove that this location is not a place you want to buy a car from. We worked with Bruce who was mostly helpful until the sale was complete, then he decided to stop responding as the problems were not his to deal with anymore. Our check engine light came on 2 days after purchasing our car - we informed the team and there was zero urgency to get us back in and the vehicle looked at. The team scheduled us out nearly 2 weeks which just so happened to be outside of the 10 day return policy. The lady running the maintenance department was disrespectful and did not provide the service/experience that we were sold on. My wife and I both had poor interactions with her in trying to get this figured out. It's honestly been a joke working with them post sale. We ended up reaching out to the Escondido location - they were prompt, clear and very kind. They were able to get us in and scheduled at their location and the experience was enjoyable. I recommend working with their team and NOT Oceanside. Aside from everything, we are happy with our car and the CarMax team in Escondido - do not waste your time with the team in Oceanside! read more

Colula, was very helpful and accommodating. Went through the process nice and smooth. Go talk to him if you want real experience !!

We were looking for a truck and decided to go here for a variety to test drive. We had an idea based on my wife's research. I DO NOT enjoy the car buying experience. We walked in without an appt. and was greeted immediately by Parker. He was an absolute gem! He was very attentive and patient in understanding what and why we were looking for a truck. We test drove a few and decided on the year, make and model. We found one that, on paper, checked all the boxes. We had to pay to have it shipped. I was ok with that but felt if we purchased it should have been applied to the sale. Not Parker's call and is their process. Long story short, I wanted us to find the right vehicle there because I really appreciated Parker's customer service. They all were great! They worked as a team! No pressure sales! Thank you! It was an enjoyable experience! Ask for Parker! read more

RACIST DEALERSHIP (CARMAX OCEANSIDE, CA) went in to trade my vehicle, I got my appraisal and getting ready for my test drive. The sales manager came out of no where and said there was a problem with my license and he had to stop this deal, my license was just renewed a month before no issues and it is still valid. then after waiting to find out what was wrong with my license, the sales manager said that he refused doing business with me. only reason I can think of is because I am African American! read more

I have been searching for a used car.Most.places give the car a 100 point check or more. CarMax does this plus a warranty. The only problem is CarMax overpriced there cars by 2 - 4 thousand dollars more than anywhere else. Every model I check on is $2000-$4000 more. Why? I called them but didn't get an answer.!! read more

Horrible offer. Came in less than half of what would be proper for the car based on KBB. Zero explanation as to why. Poor customer service, made us feel as though we were lacking some secret knowledge they had and were incorrect about our feelings on their valuation. Waiting room uncomfortable. Coffee was lousy and cold. Go anywhere else. Not here. read more

I am beyond traumatized after going to this place. Having filled out all of the paperwork online, full approvals, setting appointments, doing everything the way they asked.... they still managed to mess-up the trade-in process, could not find the car I was trying to buy (even though they sent me notes confirming it was there) and a room full of associates didn't know the workflow or process. Imagine me walking around with MY laptop showing them THEIR portal, their process, and no one knew what to do. I let their leadership team know that it is about TRUST and I lost that trust within 10min of being there. I would not recommend working with Carmax. Period. read more

Do not pay for a car with the promise that something will be fixed in the future by the service department. You're all caught up in the excitement of buying a car and think they've been so easy to work with thus far. Push the sale out, and ensure everything is up to your satisfaction BEFORE paying for the car. We were burned and now have to cover something out of pocket. I promise this won't happen again to us-we will walk away until it's fixed. read more

Hello, 12/12/22 I purchased a Mercedes GLCe from the location in Oceanside, CA in which I wire transferred them a down payment of $8400 via Plaid. After less than 24-hours we found the vehicle did not have Apple CarPlay which was guaranteed to be installed per our paperwork. We also discovered a gushing leak of window washer fluid. After spending much of the day between the Mercedes dealership and Carmax to make the repairs, we ultimately decided to return the car. 12/14/22 I returned the vehicle under their 30-day policy but they refused to refund the electronic transfer. The $8400 had cleared my bank and I had both email confirmation and bank statements. Per their contract, any down payments would be refunded the same way they were paid. So I should have received a transfer back through Plaid. However, the local office insisted they didn't have access to the Plaid system and instead would have to accept a check. So, while annoyed, I accepted their hand-written check and immediately deposited it into my bank so that I could purchase a car from a different dealership. Today 12/15/22, I received a message from Mr. Kelly Hawthorne in their business department asking that I please not cash the check until 12/19 because it would bounce! His explanation was that corporate office had not "funded" it yet. After several phone calls all day, we have still found no resolution. He claims to have emailed the corporate office through their "People Soft" system and that's the only way he can reply to the report they sent him. I am waiting for my refund to clear my bank account but Mr Hawthorne was very clear it is not funded and will bounce. He says this has happened in the past and to bring my bank statement and they will cover the cost. (My bank charges 20% on returned checks so $1680 plus any overdraft fees caused by this). So many problems: First, I was sold a car that's missing components that were included in the purchase (Apple CarPlay). Second, had they topped off the fluids as promised, would have found the gushing leak! Third, the refund they issued is in direct contradiction to their own contract. Finally, how is it legal to write bank checks that are not funded at the time of issuance? read more

I purchased my car (a Honda FIT) back in late April and I am very happy with both the car and the buying experience. I had learned to truly dread buying cars because of all the Hoopla the dealers put your through. Not CarMax! They make the process truly painless. And then, after I drove my "new" car home, I felt the passenger seat needed a little repair. I called them, set up an appointment, took it in, and it was done beautifully in a timely manner. Most recently, i had an unexplained noise begin as I was driving on the freeway. I took the car in - without an appointment - and Michele Finley took care of me right away - and within a very short period the problem was resolved and I drove away a very happy customer. Who would have ever thought one would rave about great experiences both in car buying process and/or having the car serviced. I highly recommend CarMax! read more

CarMax - A 2019 Honda FIT It's getting 35 MPG! - Car Buyers Near Me - Oceanside, California

Had the pleasure of being helped by Erik, he was SO nice and helped answer every question i had! There was no pressure and he really made our experience fun. We don't live in the area but 100% he made it worth it! 100/10 recommend him! All the cars were in great condition and this by far was one of the best car max i've been to and the best experience i've had! read more

Highly disappointed! I found a car in Fresno, transported it to Oceanside, did all the financial paperwork, made arrangements with my sales person to be back the next day with my husband less than 24 hours later. By the time I got back the next day a manager held it for someone else who said they were buying it. He acted like too bad lady (the manager had no empathy and even less personality). He told me I should have bought it yesterday and returned it if I did not like it but that sales tactic did not sit well with me. At first he said they could not give me back the money for transporting it, of course I was getting hot at this point. Then they relented and made some lame offer...my husband and I walked out. They did already process the refund however it will take weeks to get it. My poor salesman was left high and dry. Terrible business/sales model. A person who is qualified already by Carmax financing with a substantial down payment and asks for a day to come back with her husband is not an unreasonable request! It really bummed me out. I do not think I will buy from the Oceanside location. The managers were like the three stooges. But most of all they do not care about the customer at all. read more

Bought a car from Daniel, he was so patient, calm, didn't push knew all the numbers and I love my new car

CARMAX bought our 2020 Prius at Bluebook price on September 12. The deal was fast and painless! AS a result, a couple of weeks later we found they had a 2021 Mazda on the lot with low miles. We already had a 2010 we'd purchased new, and it's never had one problem, so we bought the 2021 on October 1st. Mazda's are highly rated by Consumer Reports! The purchase went as painlessly as the first time we'd been there. LOVE CARMAX!! read more

I just got through buying a car through Carnax and I can't say enough good things about my experience. Most of that has to do with Jacob Fletcher who helped me pick the perfect car for my lifestyle. Jacob was calm, considerate of my financial situation, knowledgeable on every car I was interested in and very respectful. read more

First and last time ever at a CarMax. No customer service to actually sell a car, employees are not in sales, equal to going to Mcdonald's, ordering off a menu and they show you the car. Employees had feet up on their desk, on their phones. I couldn't even test drive because I didn't have an appointment, that's not wanting a sale. And you have to take a selfie for their system just to drive a car? You have my DL and insurance, you don't need my picture too! Weird and unnecessary. Horrible experience and bad feeling about the whole process. Tip for consumers: Had a vehicle shipped to test drive. Got a call an hour before appointment there was something wrong with the car and they couldn't sell it. Wouldn't you check before it was shipped? read more