[chancellorbeem]

I’m looking at getting a used 8 series and was wondering if anyone had any experience with the carmax warranty?

The rep didn’t say it was bumper to bumper but covers most major things

[David70]

I would first ask for a copy of the warranty as "covers most major things" is really vague. Should list what is and isn't covered and explain how the system works. Takes a little time to read the details but guessing you are considering spending a lot of money on it.

[allinon72]

Doug Demuro killed the Carmax warranty several years ago when he would very publicly buy luxury cars from them and buy the max warranty. He would buy Land Rovers, Jags, etc. that were known to break early and often. At the tail end of that craze, Carmax drastically raised the price of their MaxCare warranty and added more stipulations. I would read the paperwork very carefully.

[Efthreeoh]

I bought my Z4 from CarMax. I believed their sales materials. CarMax is nothing more than a well financed used car dealer. Fancy buildings and sales people all wear the uniform shirts; real slick. They make it like a new car purchase event for sure.

Don't believe the hype. CarMax knows shit about cars and especially shit about BMWs. They don't have any serious inspections of their cars. 100-point inspection by industry experts... bullshit. They depend on you buying their extended warranty to cover their ass. If you take the car to a BMW dealership for a post sale inspection, the first question from the SA is, "Did you buy the extended warranty?" The dealer will find $2,500 worth of stuff wrong with the car.

[ArthurMorgan]

The whole "Demuro killed it" meme is nonsense. Yes, Carmax will still happily sell you an extended service contract underwritten by one of their three partners. Yes, it's still a named exclusions plan. Also yes, it has gotten more expensive, however I see people paying way more for service contracts than what I did. As for Carmax itself, I have no real opinion of them, but I bought two cars from there and both experiences were pleasant. Granted I did all of my own homework, and I had an out-of-state car transferred into the local dealer both times.

I bought my 29k mile '17 X5 M from Carmax last October. I paid $40xx for a service contract that will cover 5 years or 100,000 total vehicle miles, whichever comes first. It includes a $150 deductible. My contract is underwritten by CMA.

So far they have paid out over what the warranty costs on a leaking refrigerant line, the upper oil pan gasket, the rear hatch pull down, the driver's side window regulator, and now the rear air bags which have failed. They approved the claim for the $3500+ oil pan gasket repair with no balking, no questions asked. All of this work has been performed at the BMW dealer.

You just have to know how to play their game. Yes, they will cut the deductible in half if you use one of their "RepairPal preferred shops". These shops are generally chains and I would never let them touch my beater, let alone the X5 M. The other reason I don't use these shops or indie shops (as excellent as some of them are) is because the service plan underwriter can stipulate that they won't pay for non-OEM parts. Well, at a BMW dealer they don't have a choice: it's getting BMW parts.

The plan covers everything minus tires, brakes, antifreeze, HVAC refrigerant, oil changes, radiator hoses (that is the only real bummer one), and other things you would generally consider consumables. Everything else actually lives up to DeMuro's "bumper to bumper" claim.

The other benefit is that my dealer is actually fairly competent as far as BMW service departments go. They can usually always fit me in, and they have good loaners. So far I've had two brand new X5 M50is and I'm in an M850i right now while they fix the rear air bags. I only had one "bad" loaner and it was after a hail storm and the body shop was monopolizing all of their loaners.

This is a lot of words to say that so far, the experience I've had with buying a used BMW + the Carmax service plan has been FAR better than experiences I've had with new cars and new car warranties. The BMW dealer is happy, I'm happy, and I don't care whether or not CMA is happy.

[Hopperstien]

Arthur,
Glad to hear that you have had a good experience with CMax. I got my M2 through them back in June, havent had any problems with the car yet and hopefully will have minimal interactions regarding warranty claims. Fingers crossed.

[Efthreeoh]

With my '08 E86 Z4 3.0si Coupe I bought from CarMax in December 2014 here's what their industry expert 100% inspection missed:

- Noisy throwout bearing, when hot at idle it rattles. I did not catch it at my test drive. CarMax refused to repair it under the 30-day warranty.
- Dent over right headlight (I caught it reflectng in the sun when I parked upon bringing it home). CarMax did fix it via PDR.
- Dent under right side door mirror. CarMax fixed by PDR.
- Loose interior B-pillar trim (broken/missing clips).
- Broken light switch for the cubbyhole light. I would stay on when the engine was running.
- Low coolant level - light came on, on 2nd day of ownership.
- Incorrect sized battery and missing vent tube (H5 battery would not fit in the hold down clamp). The Z4 Coupe uses an H6 battery.
- Incorrect oil filter. I changed the oil when I got it home (with BMW 5W-30 and MANN filter) - not my first N52.
- Engine airfilter box was literally half-full with a mouse nest.
- Cabin airfilter was fully clogged with maple seeds and small leaves

ALL of these items should have been caught by an automotive "industry expert" and CarMax says those items are included in their 100-point inspection list. CarMax's non-negotiable price was around $2K over what KBB/Edmunds said it was valued at. The car was in great shape otherwise and the interior was nearly perfect; it cleaned up nicely. I had the car shipped in and has $650 (non-refundable) into it just by looking at it. When they say they have industry experts look over the car, the buyer should not have to. I trusted them. They are just BS artists.

[ArthurMorgan]

In all fairness, for the last few years they give you 24 hour test drives (for any car under $60,000 and it must NOT be a Dodge Charger/Challenger or a Camaro). Take it to an indie shop and let them look it over.

No matter WHO you buy a used car from, it's still a used car. Jesus Christ himself could be selling it and I'd still want someone else to look it over.

[celsdogg]

I don't usually advertise this, but over the years I have bought 3 cars from CarMax (including one BMW currently in my stable) and all three have been fine.

I have bought used and CPO cars from Honda and Toyota dealerships and have been massively unhappy with them.

I've learned over these experiences that no matter what you are buying, it is on you to ensure its good to go. When I bought these Honda and Toyota, CPO or not, they are still used cars being sold by a used car dealership, albeit one that also happens to sell new cars in one of their adjacent buildings.

In the end, I do not see much difference between any used car dealership, some junk will get past them all at one point or another. There are never any sure things. I'd just steer clear of ones with nefarious reputations (of which I have not found of CarMax).

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by ArthurMorgan

You just have to know how to play their game. Yes, they will cut the deductible in half if you use one of their "RepairPal preferred shops". These shops are generally chains and I would never let them touch my beater, let alone the X5 M. The other reason I don't use these shops or indie shops (as excellent as some of them are) is because the service plan underwriter can stipulate that they won't pay for non-OEM parts. Well, at a BMW dealer they don't have a choice: it's getting BMW parts.

Are you saying that you have the right to take the car to a dealer for the repair without them pre-approving the work and cost?

[LogicalApex]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

I'm not saying a person can't get a decent used car from CarMax, but what I am saying is CarMax presents itself as an honest used car dealership. They claim their difference from a non-franchised independent used car seller is CarMax's industry expert 100 point pre-purchase inspection to assure the buyer the used car is worth the money being charged for it and the CarMax PPI basically removes most all risk from buying a used vehicle. In return for that expert PPI CarMax sells its cars at higher than average price and does not negotiate on price. If you have to still validate CarMax's claim the car has been inspected and is in great shape, why bother with CarMax and pay extra for the vehicle?

In the case of buying CPO from a dealership, the price is negotiable. In the case of my Z4, had I pulled the airbox apart and saw the mouse nest, or checked the coolant level, and found issues with each, what was my recourse? Negotiate a lower price? Nope. Let CarMax change the filter and top off the coolant (with non-bmw spec coolant)? If the missed those things, then what else did they miss. Should I have passed on the car and lost $650? Sure, the sales rep said the $650 was refundable if I did not find the car as advertised. Well, there is no definition of "as advertised". It looked as good in the pictures on the CarMax website. It had the near same miles as pictured on the odometer.

If the price was negotiable then I'd have gone through the car in detail perpurchase, found the issues and lowered the price. But when you pay to bring a car in from out of state, you've put up the shipping cost which leaves you no leverage.

With CarMax you are paying not to have junk slip past, that's their whole point.

I hear you, but the reality is a used car is a used car and you absolutely have to treat it as such...

Even if you're buying a CPO car from a BMW dealership you should have a PPI inspection done and if they refuse make use of their return policy to have it done as well. As there have been nightmare reports of CPO cars from all brands, BMW included, not living up to "CPO inspection standards".

General advice, you're buying a CPO car for the extra warranty not to end up with a "better" used car... The same is true here with CarMax...

You can't outsource this as even if CarMax or BMW or another brand had super tight standards and actually did great inspections and repairs on used cars they sold. If you ended up with the 1 out of 1000 that fell through the cracks you're still on the hook all the same. Won't make you feel any better that you're the rare poor slob who rolled snake eyes.

[celsdogg]

Originally Posted by LogicalApex

General advice, you're buying a CPO car for the extra warranty not to end up with a "better" used car... The same is true here with CarMax...

You can't outsource this as even if CarMax or BMW or another brand had super tight standards and actually did great inspections and repairs on used cars they sold. If you ended up with the 1 out of 1000 that fell through the cracks you're still on the hook all the same. Won't make you feel any better that you're the rare poor slob who rolled snake eyes.

+1

CPO/CarMax are hedging their bets and in the volume sales they do, most will be good to go vs the poor experience had with Efthreeoh's Z4.

Seems like the Z4 was one of the ones that slipped passed unfortunately. But even with brand new cars the same applies, usually most new cars are fine and for the ones that aren't you have the lemon law.


I do not think at all the CarMax is a dishonest used dealership though. On the whole they have a decent reputation and I think it is deserved. One thing I love is being able to go there and try out a different vehicles from different manufacturers with so very little pressure.

[LogicalApex]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Hummm... poor slob? Maybe my point is not getting through.

I'm just trying to caution the OP. CarMax knows nothing about BMWs. He can post inspect it at A BMW dealer, it won't do him any good, he's already bought the car. He'll pay for the stuff the dealer finds via the extra $4K warranty he'll buy. Whole thing is a joke.

The poor slob wasn't a literal point about you. It was a nicer way of saying how we usually phrase that sort of thing. I could have said "the unlucky SOB" or something too.

Yeah, the OP will have to really read up on the Return Policy and exercise it or backstop with a warranty. The same as any used car purchased from anywhere. Reputable dealership or not. CPO or not.

Even a new car can have issues if you were the "unlucky SOB" who happened to get the one built after Oktoberfest ...

[ArthurMorgan]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

Are you saying that you have the right to take the car to a dealer for the repair without them pre-approving the work and cost?

Sort of. The dealer (or whatever other shop) will contact on them your behalf after diagnosis to get the actual approval for repair.

Just talk to the dealer/shop beforehand and make sure they have experience working with the service contract company. My local dealer was very familiar with them and it's been painless so far.

If, for some reason, the service contract people decided they weren't going to cover it AND I declined repairs, I would be on the hook for the diagnosis fee the dealer charges.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by ArthurMorgan

Yes. The dealer (or whatever other shop) will contact on them your behalf after diagnosis to get the actual approval for repair.

If that is the case, my SA at my local dealer would be the point of contact and I trust him not to cut any corners.

[ArthurMorgan]

I did slightly edit that line after your response. The answer is mostly yes but with some nuance

And yes, I have a very positive relationship with my SA at the dealer now (I'm sure he likes the commission the F85 has been bringing in lately). I have been treated very fairly so far, but today I am running into an issue with the dealer and a bad alignment. Not Carmax/CMA's fault, just mentioning it.

Had new tires installed 7,000 miles ago. Dealer did a 4 wheel alignment 6,000 miles ago as part of the upper oil pan gasket repair. Today they tell me the rear tires are worn unevenly and are down to 2/32s on the outer corners. I pushed back saying "hey guy, your shop did the alignment, so.. if it's off and it's eating the tires, something is wrong." Haven't heard back since 11 AM. We'll see what happens with that one..

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by ArthurMorgan

Had new tires installed 7,000 miles ago. Dealer did a 4 wheel alignment 6,000 miles ago as part of the upper oil pan gasket repair. Today they tell me the rear tires are worn unevenly and are down to 2/32s on the outer corners. I pushed back saying "hey guy, your shop did the alignment, so.. if it's off and it's eating the tires, something is wrong." Haven't heard back since 11 AM. We'll see what happens with that one..

If it were the front tires after 6,000 miles, I would side with the dealer. However I believe that you are correct and don't believe that the rear tires should have worn so unevenly like this. Please keep us posted to the outcome.

[christianb5s4]

I'll chime in. As others have noted, do your due-diligence no matter where the car comes from and be prepared to walk away if something is amiss, or you aren't 100% confident.

I helped my fiancé look for a new car to replace her CX5 (lease was ending) and we settled on a G05 X5. Carmax has several very good things going for it: no questions asked test drives of anything you want, no hassle pricing (up to you to do your due diligence on pricing), and will cover anything they missed (brake pads we found worn below min and they paid for pad and rotor replacement at BMW).

Ended up scouring Autotrader, BMW dealers, and ended up finding the perfect spec for a great price at a Carmax dealer relatively local so we jumped on it. Plus, Carmax gave a ludicrously good payout for the Mazda. They are also a good place to sell a non-enthusiast car and usually pay more than any trade-in value at a dealer.

[ArthurMorgan]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

If it were the front tires after 6,000 miles, I would side with the dealer. However I believe that you are correct and don't believe that the rear tires should have worn so unevenly like this. Please keep us posted to the outcome.

Had about a 20 minute "debate" with the service manager today after I got the alignment spec sheet back. Both rear wheel alignments were into the red in every dimension; the right rear toe (the worst of them) was so far out of spec that it exceeded the graph on the sheet. They did another alignment (this is the third one in 6,000 miles) before I picked it up.

Got told lots of gems including "we can't warrant an alignment for the life of the car". Bud, it's 6k miles, not 60k. "It's normal for the outside edges to be worn." On an M car? Where the spec sheet shows it should err on negative camber? "The roads around here are terrible!" It's DFW, not Buffalo or Cleveland. I lived in Pittsburgh for 10 years. I know bad roads. He threw every gaslighting trick in the book at me in order to not take responsibility for their screw-up.

Ultimately, the most he was willing to do was meet Discount Tire on the price for rear tires. I initially agreed, but after driving home thinking it over I decided I'm likely just going to go with new 20" wheels and ditch the 612Ms for now. I had been considering it anyway since I'd really love to move to an all-season like the DWS06 or the MPS4 A/S and not sweat the random 25-30 degree day now and then. Anyhow, I'll stop derailing this thread!

Originally Posted by christianb5s4

I'll chime in. As others have noted, do your due-diligence no matter where the car comes from and be prepared to walk away if something is amiss, or you aren't 100% confident.

I helped my fiancé look for a new car to replace her CX5 (lease was ending) and we settled on a G05 X5. Carmax has several very good things going for it: no questions asked test drives of anything you want, no hassle pricing (up to you to do your due diligence on pricing), and will cover anything they missed (brake pads we found worn below min and they paid for pad and rotor replacement at BMW).

Ended up scouring Autotrader, BMW dealers, and ended up finding the perfect spec for a great price at a Carmax dealer relatively local so we jumped on it. Plus, Carmax gave a ludicrously good payout for the Mazda. They are also a good place to sell a non-enthusiast car and usually pay more than any trade-in value at a dealer.

That was another big thing for me. CM gave me $4500 more on my trade than anyone else: two dealers, Vroom, and Carvana.

And today marks something like $7700 the service plan has paid out lol