Buying a Used Car from CarMax in Los Angeles: My Honest Experience and Step-by-Step Guide
前言 | Introduction
各位讀者大家好呀，這次主要想跟大家分享一下我在洛杉磯 CarMax 購買二手車的歷程。
雖然 CarMax 的價格普遍比私人賣家和其他車商來得高，但他們提供 10 天內全額退款的保障，也因此讓購買二手車的買家多了一層保障。如果你本身對車子很了解、又想省錢的話，那麼價格無法議價的 CarMax 可能就不太適合你。建議大家可以斟酌利弊後，再決定是否要和我一樣選擇這條路。如果你是願意多花一點錢，透過 CarMax 購車來換取更安心的流程，那你來對地方了，這篇文章你可以繼續看下去。
Hello everyone! In this article, I would like to share my experience of purchasing a used car from CarMax in Los Angeles.
Although CarMax’s prices are generally higher than those of private sellers or other car dealerships, they offer a ten-day full refund guarantee, which provides an extra layer of protection for used car buyers. If you are someone who is very knowledgeable about cars and looking to save money, then CarMax, where the prices are non-negotiable, might not be the most suitable option for you. I recommend carefully considering the pros and cons before deciding whether to take the same route as I did. However, if you are willing to spend a bit more money in exchange for a smoother and more reassuring car-buying process through CarMax, then you have come to the right place—please keep reading.
選車 | Choosing a Car
如果有特別想購買的車款，可以先到他們的網站上，用篩選工具來海選。老實說，我自己是購車小白，對什麼樣的車完全沒有頭緒，也因此當時選擇從維修費便宜的「兩田」（Toyota 和 Honda）以及他們的暢銷車型開始看，像是 Toyota Camry、Corolla，或是 Honda Civic 等。
如果你喜歡的車款不在離你最近的 CarMax 分店，也可以選擇支付運費，把外地的車子調送到較近的分店。不過這筆費用需先付清，且無法退還。我有在網路上看到有人分享，如果最後決定購買，可能可以申請退回這筆運費，但因為我自己沒有實際付費調車，所以這部分無法提供更多說明。建議大家還是打電話詢問客服確認會比較保險。值得一提的是，如果運送距離在 25 英里以內，則可免運費，這樣就能省去跑去其他 CarMax 分店看車的麻煩。
當車子被訂下且運送到你指定的分店後，該分店會再進行一次額外檢查，確認車況無誤後才會通知你來試駕。需要注意的是，車子在通知可試駕後只會保留 7 天。如果試駕後沒有當場決定購買，車子就會重新上架。如果之後被其他人訂走，那就來不及後悔了。
另外，如果你想對車子的價格有個概念，我很推薦上 Kelley Blue Book 看一下該車型的合理價格區間，這樣可以避免買到溢價太多的車款。
If there is a specific car model you are interested in, you can start by visiting the CarMax website and using their filtering tools to browse through the available options. To be honest, I was a complete beginner when it came to car shopping and had no idea what kind of car I wanted. That is why I decided to focus on the more affordable-to-maintain brands, namely Toyota and Honda, and looked into their best-selling models such as the Toyota Camry, Toyota Corolla, and Honda Civic.
If the car you like is not available at a CarMax location near you, you can choose to pay a shipping fee to have the vehicle shipped to a nearby branch. However, this fee must be paid upfront and is non-refundable. I did come across online discussions where people mentioned that the fee might be refundable if you end up purchasing the vehicle, but since I did not pay to have a car transferred myself, I cannot confirm this. I recommend calling their customer service for confirmation, just to be safe. It is also worth noting that if the transfer distance is within twenty-five miles, the shipping fee is waived, which can save you the hassle of visiting a different CarMax location.
Once the vehicle is reserved and transported to your selected location, that branch will conduct an additional inspection. After confirming that the car is in good condition, they will notify you to come in for a test drive. One thing to keep in mind is that the car will only be held for seven days after the test drive becomes available. If you do not decide to purchase it within that time frame, the vehicle will be relisted online, and if someone else reserves it, you will miss your chance.
Additionally, if you want to get a better idea of a fair price for the car, I highly recommend checking Kelley Blue Book to see the typical price range for the model you are considering. This can help you avoid overpaying.
試駕和購買| Test Drive & Purchase
在試駕的當天，會有客服主動聯繫你，詢問一些相關資料（例如是否需要貸款等），這樣他們可以在你到店前先準備好相關文件。如果你當下決定要購買，就不需要在店內等太久。如果是全額付款，他們會提供你車輛的 VIN，並告訴你稅後的總價，同時也會提醒你準備開始物色車險。
試駕有兩種方式：一種是你提供現有的車險，自己單獨上路；另一種是沒有保險的情況下，由店員陪同你試駕。不過如果沒有保險，就必須依照他們規定的特定路線行駛。我選擇的 Torrance CarMax 當時只讓我在店附近繞一圈就回來，不太確定其他分店是否也是一樣的規定。
試駕後如果確定要購買，就可以用事先查好的車險 quote 直接購買保險。完成後回到店內找銷售人員，提供保險資料，接著就是確認駕照、付款以及簽署合約。如果你是用 debit card 付款，建議提前打電話給銀行，把當天的 purchase limit 調高，這樣在付款時才不會被拒。如果有需要，也可以請 CarMax 把金額拆成兩筆，分別用不同的 debit card 支付。
簽完合約後，他們會帶你查看車子的 AutoCheck 紀錄、基本的檢查報告以及 recall 紀錄。確認都沒問題後，他們就會幫你處理 DMV 的過戶與註冊手續，之後你就可以直接把車開走。
為了更安心，我在購車後還把車拿去第三方機構做檢查。朋友推薦我位於洛杉磯 Gardena 市的 Promise Auto，檢查費用是 $150，但如果有做其他服務，就能免除這筆費用。整體過程不會強迫推銷，我後來有選擇做他們建議的 brake fluid flush 和 coolant flush，他們也很爽快地幫我免掉了檢查費。此外，他們還貼心地拍攝了維修前後的照片，整個流程相當透明。維修期間我也能透過簡訊與技師溝通，有任何狀況或新發現都會即時通知我。如果你跟我一樣住在附近的話，推薦大家試試看他們家的服務。
補充提醒：我注意到 CarMax 提供的車輛歷史紀錄只有 AutoCheck，沒有 Carfax。我那時候發現我有興趣的車款在 AutoCheck 上的資料不太完整，後來透過 Carfax 補調紀錄後才比較清楚。所以我建議大家額外購買 Carfax 紀錄，兩邊對照之後才會有更完整的車況資訊。
On the day of your test drive, a customer service representative will proactively reach out to you to confirm a few details, such as whether you plan to finance the car, etc. This helps them prepare the necessary paperwork before you arrive at the store, so if you decide to purchase the car on the spot, you will not have to wait too long. If you are paying in full, they will provide you with the vehicle’s VIN and let you know the total price after tax. They will also remind you to start shopping for car insurance.
There are two ways to do the test drive: if you already have car insurance, you can drive the car on your own; otherwise, a staff member will accompany you. However, if you do not have insurance, you must follow a specific route set by CarMax. At the Torrance CarMax I visited, they only allowed me to drive around the block near the store. I am not sure if other locations have the same policy.
If you decide to purchase the vehicle after the test drive, you can use an insurance quote you obtained earlier to quickly purchase coverage. Once that is done, return to the store and provide your insurance information to the salesperson. From there, you will finalize the process by verifying your driver’s license, making the payment, and signing the contract. If you are paying with a debit card, I recommend calling your bank in advance to raise your purchase limit for the day to avoid any issues with payment. If needed, CarMax can split the total amount so you can pay with two different debit cards.
After the contract is signed, they will show you the vehicle’s AutoCheck report, basic inspection results, and recall history. Once everything is confirmed, they will handle the vehicle registration and title transfer through the Department of Motor Vehicles on your behalf, and you will be able to drive your car home.
For extra peace of mind, I brought the car to an auto shop for an additional inspection after the purchase. A friend recommended Promise Auto LLC located in the city of Gardena in Los Angeles County. The inspection cost was $150 USD, but if you proceed with any of the services they recommend, the fee is waived. The entire process felt transparent and pressure-free. I ended up having them perform a brake fluid flush and coolant flush, and they happily waived the inspection fee. They also thoughtfully provided before-and-after photos of the work done. During the service, I was able to communicate with the mechanic via text messages, and they kept me updated on any issues or findings in real time. If you live nearby, I recommend checking out their service.
Additional Note: I noticed that CarMax only provides vehicle history reports through AutoCheck and not Carfax. In my case, the AutoCheck report for the car I was interested in lacked some details. When I later checked the Carfax report, I found much more complete information. So, I recommend purchasing a Carfax report separately for comparison — having both will give you a fuller picture of the car’s history.
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