Selling a car to Carvana: It actually works.

[981 Cayman S]

Figr’d if anyone pondered doing it, I’d share the Carvana Experience w selling a car. In a nutshell, all went well, didn’t have to talk/meet anyone in person, easy and convenient money in the bank. Took about a week, coulda likely been 3 or 4 days if I was in a hurry.

Car in question: 2017 Honda Accord EX-L V6 Coupe; 76,500 miles. Car in reasonably great shape generally aside from front end/hood road rash from 75k freeway commuter miles in NE Ohio. Bought new in June 2019 for $26k or so.

Sent them inquiry just for giggles last month, came back with offer of $18,300. Offer ‘expired’ so 2 weeks later when I decided we really didn’t need the car anymore, requested another estimate, came back with $19,033.

Accepted offer via e-mail, uploaded pictures of Title, Drivers License & Odometer reading. They scheduled online Notary meeting using Notarize app, took about 5 minutes to ‘notarize’ Title & Bill of Sale.

Next they scheduled Zoom meeting to verify condition of car. Via Zoom, showed them odometer reading, condition of all 4 seats and headliner, started/turned off car twice then quick 360 around exterior and pic of title, drivers license and 2 keys. “OK, good enough” they said and got text msg stating bank transfer of funds initiated. They then said their transport would be calling to schedule pickup.

3hrs later got call from towing company (9pm) “We’re coming to get car, put title and keys in glovebox, leave car unlocked in accessible location in front of house”. Got up the next morning and car was gone. One business day later funds confirmed in account by bank.

Obviously this approach takes a bit of faith in humanity, probably a few items that would give a more cautious person pause but what the heck, roll the dice and hope for the best!

Could have gone to Carvana in person and done the deed in a more traditional manner or at very least selected option where they handed me check and I handed them keys & title when they came to get the car but was curious to see if it could all work with minimal interaction and effort on my part.

All the prep I did in the car was a quick, 5-minute partial polish on hood where I had 3 different coatings that were distinctly sectioned; didn’t want them to think it was a partial repaint due to shading differences. In the end, likely unnecessary though.

So that’s the deal, good time to sell a car, offer seemed more than fair and a very low effort experience…interesting too!

Now cancelling the registration/license plates…for that I have to fill out paper form, get it notarized in person and snail-mail it to Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles; thanks Ohio




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[Dan]

I’ve sold three cars to carvana. Other than perpetually being late to every appointment, it’s been a smooth process. I opted for the in person check vs the direct deposit. They really have paid top dollar beating Carmax by thousands in two cases. The other I didn’t even waste my time with Carmax.

[JustJesus]

Oh wow. Interesting read. Thanks for posting the experiences

[Lonnie]

If you are happy with the process and the price you received for the vehicle, great.
I am not! WHY? Because I should have been the one to purchase the Accord from you.
Who would not want a pre-owned vehicle well-maintained and detailed by fellow Autopian 981 Cayman S??
Would I have given you the same amount a Carvana? NO! I would have haggled with you.
(Oh yeah, Captain Obvious, car-buying price "negotiator". Like "What`s a few hundred dollars between friends?")
Seriously, though, thanks for your post of this car selling experience.
It is the car-buying-and-selling day-and age-we live in

[981 Cayman S]

Bought new in June 2019 for $26k or so.

Oops…make that “…bought new in June of 2017”

If you are happy with the process and the price you received for the vehicle, great.
I am not! WHY? Because I should have been the one to purchase the Accord from you.
Who would not want a pre-owned vehicle well-maintained and detailed by fellow Autopian 981 Cayman S??
Would I have given you the same amount a Carvana? NO! I would have haggled with you.
(Oh yeah, Captain Obvious, car-buying price "negotiator". Like "What`s a few hundred dollars between friends?")
Seriously, though, thanks for your post of this car selling experience.
It is the car-buying-and-selling day-and age-we live in

It really just kinda ’happened’, wasn’t really thinking about selling. Started doing some math and for about $10k I can redo garage door to high lift, have some electrical done for lift, stick a 4-post lift in there, get Winter tires for Cayman, keep remaining 3 cars in 2 car garage and save nearly $5k a year in storage costs…and still have $9k left over.

Seemed like a no-brainer at that point especially considering how low-effort the selling of the car was. Selling a car the ‘old fashioned way’ is such a PITA.


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[Lonnie]

Now we "the rest of the story" as radio news person Paul Harvey would say.
Keep us posted on garage lift. Sounds like a storage lift, not a work-on-car maintenance lift. Or both??
Side note: Wonder what Carvana wants price-wise for your previously owned (cannot/will not say "old")Accord?

[hawaiidude]

I wish we had Carvana in Hawaii. It`s so terrible to have to deal with the weirdos that crawl out of Craigslist and Facebook marketplace.

I gave KBB`s instant cash offer a try. It seemed to work as I was immediately contacted by several used car dealerships. I ended up selling to someone I knew and didn`t get to complete the KBB transaction.

[981 Cayman S]

Now we "the rest of the story" as radio news person Paul Harvey would say.
Keep us posted on garage lift. Sounds like a storage lift, not a work-on-car maintenance lift. Or both??
Side note: Wonder what Carvana wants price-wise for your previously owned (cannot/will not say "old")Accord?

It’s going to be a 4 post lift, storage really. Can be used for lite maintenance I guess but no wheels off stuff. Have access to ‘wheels off’ type lifts at work if need be but DIY mechanic days are pretty much in the past anyway.

Like anything ‘service industry’ these days, nothing moves quickly so may not get it in until Spring. No hurry as I have storage lease thru June of 2023…

Tried to follow Accord as Carvana sold it but never saw it listed; I’d guess they would tried for $22-23k based on comparables I saw.


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[Dan]

You will love the 4 post. I got one last summer, it`s been awesome. Wish I had done it a lot sooner but I was scared everything wasn`t going to fit.

[981 Cayman S]

Guess paying seemingly ridiculous $$ for used cars ain’t working out too well…



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[Desertnate]

It wasn`t only the prices they were paying. Carvana was having some serious issues with getting titles to new owners buying their cars and issues with doing mildly illegal things to keep supplying those same new owners with valid temporary plates. Here in Illinois the State Attorney General suspended their dealership license at least twice; both for something like 60 days at a time. They ran afoul of state legal authorities in several other states as well, Michigan comes to mind.

The softening of used car prices is cutting into their margins. You can`t continue to offer top dollar to sellers if you can`t turn around and sell them for a huge profit.