'Should I Run?:' Woman Finalizes Purchase on CarMax. Then She Runs Into an Unexpected $2,000 'Transfer' Fee

"I am definitely leery on spending that much upfront."

Woman finalizes purchase on CarMax

Photo by: AdobeStock

Nina Hernandez

By: Nina Hernandez

Jan 5, at 6:00pm ET

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A woman is seeking advice online before finalizing her dream CarMax purchase. She wants the extra reassurance because of the $2,000 transfer fee.

TikTok creator Mostly Crunchy Mama (@mostlycrunchymama13) posted a video with her call for CarMax advice on Tuesday. "Should I run or should I give it a shot and do this CarMax thing?" she asks.

Before she signs on the dotted line, Mostly Crunchy wants to crowdsource. She is primarily concerned about the possibility of receiving the vehicle and then finding out it has strange odors or other issues that don’t show up in photos.

"I need all of my friends to come out of the woodwork and tell me what your buying experience has been like with CarMax," she says. "I found the car, I think, of my dreams, but I also don’t know if I want to spend $2,000 to have it transferred in the event something’s wrong or I’m not happy with it. What is your experience buying from CarMax?"

Viewers Offer CarMax Testimonials and Advice on $2,000 Transfer Fee

In the comments section, viewers shared their opinions on using CarMax and whether Mostly Crunchy should proceed with the purchase.

One person said they previously had a good CarMax experience about six years ago. "But this time around, the amount of damage these cars have is insane and they are still asking full value," the person wrote. "I wouldn’t pay that transfer fee. Not a chance."

A second person argued, "Buy local and avoid the wondering and save $2,000. They create a nice experience, but I’m not paying that much more for the experience."

Another person said, "No car is worth a $2K transfer. Patience. One will show up a lot closer." Mostly Crunchy replied, "I am definitely leery on spending that much up front without commitment, but I am definitely overlooking at this point. It has been about four months of nonstop looking, and I am in desperate need of a new vehicle very soon."

CarMax did have its defenders in the comments section. "Honestly, not bad at all," said one person. "It’s fast, simple, and straight-forward. I bought my cars there and then went to the actual Lexus car dealership and had them do a diagnostic test. If anything is wrong with your car, let CarMax know. They will fix it within 90 days. I recommend CarMax."

How Does the CarMax Transfer Fee Work? And Is It Worth It?

CarMax generally does charge higher prices in exchange for the convenience of its streamlined process.

The company doesn’t charge a fee when customers buy a car online; however, the vehicle they choose might come with a shipping or transfer fee. These fees are generally nonrefundable. However, customers don’t need to go ahead with the full purchase if—as Mostly Crunchy feared—there’s an unanticipated odor or another issue with the car when it arrives.

In a statement to Motor1, CarMax wrote, " CarMax has nearly 50,000 vehicles available for purchase, with the ability for customers to shop online and ship almost any car to their preferred CarMax store. If you choose to transfer a car from another location, CarMax may charge a non-refundable shipping fee to cover the cost of transporting the vehicle. Shipping fees vary depending on location and are posted online for each vehicle. You can generally avoid a shipping fee by selecting a car from a nearby CarMax store."

What do you think?

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A Reddit user posted to r/CarMax last year to ask if shipping fees are just a revenue scheme. One person in the comments section said, "It’s not a scam. They’re basically sharing the cost of transferring the vehicle to your location. When CarMax buys vehicles, once they run them through production, they send the car where it’s needed. Also, someone else could have paid for a transfer and ended up not buying the vehicle. I bought several cars from CarMax and once paid for the shipping from the east coast to San Diego for a Porsche 911. Sometimes it’s worth the transfer fee."

Motor1 contacted Mostly Crunchy Mama via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We also contacted CarMax via press email for comment. This story will be updated if either party replies.

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