Carvana Review - Is It a Good Place to Buy or Sell Your Vehicle?

When looking to buy a new car, one wants the process to be efficient yet thorough. Many folks hope for a quick and convenient experience these days. However, speed must not outweigh caution, especially for a sizable purchase. Enter Carvana and its novel approach aiming to satisfy both desires. This automated retailer sells used vehicles online, replacing traditional dealerships.

Customers choose their car remotely, and the company delivers it directly. While easing specific tasks, it naturally raises doubts about thoroughly inspecting a purchase without seeing it in person beforehand. Let’s explore how Carvana handles this balancing act in our Carvana review:

Cautionary Note:

We are only presenting the information gathered after research, we are not partners with or sponsored by Carvana. That said, before you read the review, please note that Carvana has a history of its licenses getting suspended in multiple states including Michigan, Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania among others. So make sure to check the company’s legal status in your state before buying/selling.

About Carvana

Carvana allows customers to browse their inventory, get finance, make purchases, and schedule vehicle delivery entirely online or via their mobile app. They aim to simplify the car buying process.

Once a vehicle is purchased, Carvana delivers it directly to the customer’s home or designated delivery area. Customers can also opt for a seven-day return period to further ease the vehicle purchasing process.

Large selection of used vehicles

The platform has a massive 55,000+ vehicle inventory on their platform at any given time, meaning there’s no issue of running out of stock. Carvana features a massive vehicle variety for every need from budget sedans to SUVs and trucks with model years starting from 1992. You can explore the inventory by filtering through model, make, mileage, color, price, and so on.

Customers can search inventory by make, model, price, mileage, color, and other filters. Vehicles are acquired from both individuals and automobile auctions to build their selection.

Customers have the option to pay a fee for an optional extended warranty if desired as well. Carvana aims to provide consumers assurance through their vehicle certification process and return window. This allows customers to inspect vehicles in their driveway and replace them if anything is amiss.

Online virtual vehicle tours

No more blurry and pixelated photos trying to see vehicle details and conditions. Carvana offers high-quality videos and photos without you having to physically visit their dealership. And in addition, Carvana allows you to do a comprehensive virtual 360-degree tour of the cars from different angles to inspect their conditions both internally and externally.

The customers are able to inspect the cars in better quality images/videos so that any minor damages, dents, scratches, blemishes and other issues are not overlooked before the remote buying.

Pros & Cons of Using Carvana:

If you don’t want to rely on Carvana’s own vehicle delivery due to potential delays and need a safer and faster car shipping service, Easy Auto Ship can help. Call 888-687-3243 or use our free vehicle shipping quote calculator without providing personal information to get started.

What Do Customer Review Platforms Say About Carvana?

Any online review is incomplete if you don’t get to see a birdseye view of its customers’ experiences. So, we went ahead and accumulated the reviews about Carvana and compiled the overall consensus about them on different platforms. Let’s have a look:

The overall consensus about Carvana is average in all areas. Whether it’s buying, selling, trade-in, or their overall customer service, it’s not that great and not the worst either.

The average rating of the 4 platforms mentioned above is 3.075 out of 4, so you can imagine the level of value expected from Carvana.

How Does Carvana Work? - Buying & Selling

Selling Your Car Through Carvana:

Enter Vehicle Information

To sell your car, input your vehicle details on Carvana’s website or mobile app and receive an instant cash offer without negotiating or dealing with pushy salespeople face-to-face. You must provide:

• The car’s 17-digit VIN or license plate number
• Mileage
• Vehicle options
• Loan or lease details, if applicable
• Pickup ZIP code
• Email address

You’ll also have to complete a brief online condition questionnaire.

Schedule Pickup

If you accept Carvana’s cash offer for your vehicle, you can then schedule a convenient pickup date either at your home or at one of Carvana’s vehicle vending machines, which resemble large glass cubes.

This contactless process allows you to easily sell your car without having to drive it to a dealership lot.

Vehicle Inspection

After your vehicle is picked up, Carvana will conduct a detailed physical examination mainly to ensure the claims you’ve made regarding the vehicle’s condition and specifications can be verified. Carvana has its own technicians who will check the exterior, undercarriage, interior, engine, and fluids among other components. They will also take your ride for a test drive to assess the operational condition and overall roadworthiness.

Payment

Provided the car meets the described condition, Carvana issues reimbursement via direct bank deposit or check. This assures fast and certain compensation for vehicles approved during the inspection step.

Buying a Car Through Carvana:

Browse Inventory

Carvana maintains an ample online car catalog that can be filtered by make, model, year, price, color, mileage range, and location to find the precise vehicle that fulfills your needs.

All autos in their stock have passed a rigorous multi-point inspection and undergone any necessary repairs by certified technicians.

Virtual Tour

As mentioned above, You can check the vehicle from different angles thoroughly using a 360 degree virtual tour. You can check the vehicle’s exterior as well as interior this way.

Financing Options

Carvana collaborates with various lending institutions to facilitate affordable financing choices for qualified applicants. You essentially have three payment options:

• Finance with Carvana.
• Pay with cash using funds from your bank account.
• Self-arrange financing with another lender.

Test Drive

To actually experience the car, Carvana allows arranging a virtual test drive where a brand representative joins an online video call and virtually hands you the keys. They will guide you through the cabin and controls from afar so you become acquainted with all the features before deciding to buy.

Purchase

If satisfied after the virtual test drive, you finalize the buy online with Carvana’s transparent procedure devoid of any negotiations, the initially stipulated price is the final cost. The whole transaction, from browsing to delivery, is completed digitally.

Delivery

Upon a successful purchase, Carvana coordinates contactless delivery of the vehicle to anywhere within their operating vicinity, typically arriving within a few days. This circumvents the hassle of traveling to a dealership while maintaining social distancing during the ongoing pandemic.

You can also use Easy Auto Ship’s safe vehicle shipping services in enclosed trailers for premium security or open trailers for affordability to have your vehicle picked up from Carvana’s dealership and dropped off to your home.

So if you don’t want to rely on Carvana’s own vehicle delivery due to potential delays and need a safer and faster car shipping service, Easy Auto Ship can help. Call 888-687-3243 to receive your free, no-obligation auto shipping quotes in minutes.

7-Day Return Policy

For complete peace of mind, Carvana offers a one-week return window. If the customer doesn’t find the vehicle up to their standards or as described in the listing, they have 7 days to return and receive a full refund.

Warranty and Support

Carvana vehicles have a powder-coat limited warranty protecting them against any factory defects and covers certain repairs for 100 days.

You also get access to an assistance team that will help address any issues after purchase or answer your queries regarding ownership.

Additional Notes

Carvana Vending Machine Locations

As of 2025, Carvana has 37 locations called ‘vending machines’ ranging from major metro areas to smaller cities across the United States. This allows over 90% of the population to easily access their services. The company intends to continue broadening its national presence, with reports of 5 to 10 additional facilities opening each year. Their goal is to make the Carvana car buying experience readily available to even more customers nationwide.

These machines function similarly to regular vending machines, and numerous clients express satisfaction with this aspect of the Carvana car-buying journey. You will receive a unique coin to insert into a slot in order to retrieve your car. Subsequently, a customer service agent will present the vehicle to you and guide you through the entire procedure.

Carvana Payment Process and Financing

Let’s see the payment options by Carvana and what kind of financing solutions you have available:

No Origination Fee

You will not have to pay an orientation fee when you apply for financing. However, other fees applicable for purchase such as title, registration and sales tax etc. will apply.

Application Requirements

You will have to enter some basic information such as your name, address, birthdate, email, employment details and income into the initial application. After you pre-qualify, you’ll have to provide your social security number too.

Pre-Qualification and Soft Credit Check:

Carvana allows potential buyers to pre-qualify for financing in about two minutes through a soft credit check. Any pre-approval is then valid for 30 days as an offer while the customer continues their vehicle search.

100% Online Application and Document Upload

The complete financing process, from approval application, can be handled completely online. You’ll need to digitally upload the required documents, like your driver’s license, proof of income, and proof of residence, through the Carvana website.

Rapid Loan Approval Times

On average, Carvana can provide a final loan approval within 1-3 days once the full application has been submitted, along with all necessary documents - much faster than the traditional dealership process.

Minimal Credit Requirements

Carvana aims to be inclusive with financing and does not have rigid credit scores or history guidelines like many lenders, so you might even qualify with a 500 credit score. They will still inspect each applicant’s full financial profile during underwriting.

Minimum Income and Debt-To-Income Requirements

To qualify for Carvana financing, your gross annual income should be more than $5,100, you need to be more than 18 years old, and you shouldn’t have any bankruptcies along with any defaults on previous Carvana loans.

Carvana does not disclose precise debt-to-income ratio requirements, but rather your overall ability to repay based on income, obligations, and desired term of the loan.

Vehicle Eligibility

You can get an auto loan through Carvana to purchase a vehicle from their inventory that is up to 10 years old and has less than 200,000 miles. This opens up more possibilities than other lenders that have stricter age or mileage filters.

Flexible Loan Terms

The tenure of the loan ranges from one year to 6 years with a minimum $1,000 in financing amount which can go up to $1,25,000. Short term have lower monthly costs while longer payback times are more expensive.

No Penalty for an Early Payoff

If you decide to pay off the loan balance in full before the end of tenure, you don’t have to pay penalties.

Discounted Monthly Payments with Auto-Pay

Setting up automatic payments on a monthly basis via your bank account or debit card saves you $10 on your loan payment each month. It’s a worthwhile perk for on-time payments.

Co-Signers Welcomed

If you have a weak credit score, you can bring co-signers with better scores to qualify for Carvana financing.

Reasonable Late Payment Policy

You need to pay every month on the decided date. If you get late some month, you can get a 15-day grace period. Failure to pay in that time will then levy a $5 late fee.

Weekly or Bi-Weekly Payment Options

Beside paying monthly, you can decide to pay the balance weekly or every other week.

Servicing by Bridgecrest After Closing

While Carvana handles the application process, the servicing (payments, customer support) is transferred to Bridgecrest Auto Loan upon loan approval. Carvana still provides some support as the original lender.

Extensive Availability for Applications

The application portal by Carvana is available at 7:00 am through midnight daily.

Multiple Servicing Contact Options

After closing, Bridgecrest provides support through phone, email, and your online loan account portal. Between various channels, you have several easy ways to make payments, check balances, and get answers to questions as needed.

Carvana’s Pickup and Delivery Process:

Pre-Appointment Communication

An advocate of Carvana will reach out to you before the pickup day to go over the logistics and any prior queries/concerns.

This short phone conversation will also require you to send over a selfie holding your driver’s license for identity verification as an extra security step.

When You Arrive

When customers arrive at the designated meeting spot, the Carvana team is ready to get the ball rolling.

The Advocate will provide a walkthrough of the vehicle’s features and give customers time to do their own visual inspection of both the interior and exterior.

They can check for any imperfections or issues. The vehicle is guaranteed to have at least half a tank of fuel or be half charged for an electric car.

Paperwork and Payment

With the vehicle looking good, it’s time to wrap things up with documentation.

Carvana strives for complete transparency throughout its pickup experience. A thorough walkthrough and inspection time make customers confident about their purchase.

Carvana’s Vehicle Backing:

The day of pickup kicks off a 7-day, 100% money-back option. Buyers get a full week’s warranty this way, ensuring they can fully test the vehicle in their day to day running to/from the office, grocery stores or even a long drive to a friend. Warranties like these have helped establish Carvana as a credible, reliable, and value-providing brand in the online used car industry.

If you don’t want to rely on Carvana’s own vehicle pickup or delivery due to potential delays and need a safer and faster car shipping service, Easy Auto Ship can help. Call 888-687-3243 or use our free car transport quote calculator to get started.

Carvana Used Car Prices

As of 2025, these are the prices of different used vehicle models on Carvana. These listings may get taken down at a later date but this price table will give you a good idea of what kind of car prices to expect from Carvana:

Can You Negotiate Car Prices with Carvana?

No, they do not negotiate the price. However, they do drop the price, typically in the case that the car has been sitting for a long time. Here’s an example of a price drop:

They dropped $600 on each vehicle and may drop further if these vehicles sit for longer. But at the time of writing this, Carvana doesn’t negotiate with its customers.

Who Can Benefit From Carvana?

Anyone who doesn’t have time to visit dealerships, haggle with pricing, or handle every hassle that comes with buying or selling a car can try Carvana. Nevertheless, the reviews about them online are just average.

Plus, it’s not BBB-accredited, either. So we suggest you try talking to their support a few times and see their response. And compare prices with other online sellers and your local dealerships and see if it’s worth the effort.

If you don’t want to rely on Carvana’s own vehicle pickup or delivery due to potential delays and need a safer and faster car shipping service, Easy Auto Ship can help. Call 888-687-3243 or use our free vehicle transport quote calculator to get started.

Carvana Frequently Asked Questions:

Is Carvana a Good Place To Buy a Car?

Carvana allows potential buyers to inspect vehicles without sales pressure. Their online platform shows cars from various angles so you can get a good look before deciding. While the online car buying process may seem unusual, most who buy from Carvana say it is straightforward and convenient. You get the vehicle with a 7-day risk-free warranty so you will have ample time to test drive the car. If any issue arises, return it to get your money back.

Is Carvana a Good Place To Sell a Car?

Carvana may provide an easy process for those needing to sell their current car without the hassle of a lengthy private sale. They will inspect your vehicle, provide an offer within minutes, and schedule pickup online without you having to leave your home. Most Carvana reviews note the selling price as fair for their vehicles’ condition and mileage compared to trade-in values offered elsewhere. While you may be able to squeeze out a few more dollars selling privately, Carvana takes care of everything swiftly if speed and convenience are priorities over maximizing your sell price.

Does Carvana Give Good Offers?

Customer feedback on Carvana’s purchase offers is mixed. Some report getting competitive interest rates and affordable monthly payments. However, dissatisfied customers commonly voice Carvana financing rates are higher than average, and terms could be reconsidered. It’s wise to compare multiple loan options from lenders other than Carvana before deciding. As for sell offers, Carvana reviews generally agree appraisals are sensible for a vehicle given its inspection. Getting extra evaluation estimates is wise before finalizing a private or dealer sale to be certain of fair market value.

Should I Sell My Car to Carvana?

Carvana may be worthwhile for a speedy and simple sales process handled entirely online. Their policy to pick up vehicles promptly after purchase also avoids leaving sellers without transportation. Those with high-demand trucks or sports cars could likely make more money from a private party sale with some extra effort. The potential for a better price must be weighed against convenience. Based on Carvana’s review feedback, it’s a reasonable option for those needing to sell with haste that offsets a marginal difference in sell value.

Is Carvana legit?

Carvana has legitimized online used car sales since starting in 2012. Over the past several years, they have completed hundreds of thousands of purchases and continue growing each quarter. Customers generally agree the Carvana business model works smoothly for browsing, inspecting, purchasing, and financing vehicles without the stress of traditional dealers. The company is publicly traded and properly licensed to operate as an independent used vehicle retailer in most states across the U.S. Based on its many ongoing Carvana reviews from satisfied buyers and sellers, it seems to run a respectable and genuine business.

Why are Carvana financing rates so high?

Some Carvana reviews suggest their vehicle loan interest levels tend to be higher than rates offered by local credit unions or banks. As an independent car retailer, Carvana likely receives worse terms from lenders than franchised dealerships with established relationships. They may also factor more risk into subprime loans and charge slightly more to cover the processing costs of online vehicle transfers across state lines.

Can you refinance a car with Carvana?

Yes, you can refinance your auto loans after you have created a good payment history with the platform, usually after 3 to 6months.