We’ve talked a lot about how easy it is to buy a car from Carvana, but we haven’t talked much about how easy it is to sell your car to Carvana. Good news: it is!
Buying a new car is the fun part, but we want the selling process to go smoothly as well. While we like to think of ourselves as pioneering “buying a car from your couch”, selling a car from your couch can be even easier.
Maybe you’ve found the car of your dreams, or maybe it’s just time for something new. Maybe you’re not looking to buy at all, but sell your car because you now work from home.
Like the purchase process, almost everything is done online. Instead of going to a dealership for an on-site appraisal, all you have to do is fill out a questionnaire online. You’ll be asked about the mileage, any accidents, extra features, and any known mechanical problems. As long as your car is drivable and you answer all the questions honestly, the amount you’re offered is the amount you’ll receive.
How do we determine the selling price? For one, we look at location (e.g., a pickup truck will have more value in Texas than it will in New York). We also look at Kelley Blue Book values for similar vehicles sold in the area, as well as vehicle history and Carfax reports.
Once you fill out the questionnaire and accept your offer, you can choose to apply your offer to a down payment on a purchase, or just sell the car outright. You can drop your vehicle off at a Carvana hub or have it picked up. The advocate will verify your driver’s license and collect the title if the vehicle has one. You’ll need to have any other applicable documents with you as well, such as a lien release letter or a military power of attorney. We recommend removing the license plates and any personal belongings from the car to save some time. Don’t forget your sunglasses and garage door openers.
The advocate will look at the car and make sure there aren’t any undisclosed issues. They will also take the vehicle on a short drive to make sure everything is working properly. Should something not line up, we can reappraise your vehicle at the appointment, reschedule, or cancel the transaction altogether. Customers are under no pressure to accept the offer.
Payment can be in the form of a check or direct deposit, and will be delivered at the end of the appointment.
The trade-in process is exactly the same. While you’re checking out your new vehicle, we’ll look at the trade. Once the entire process is complete, the trade-in vehicle will wait at the hub before going to the inspection center for reconditioning. A lucky few cars will even go into our Car Vending Machines while they await their departure.
“So, that’s it?”
Because the “Sell To Carvana” process is so quick and easy, a lot of customers are skeptical! We hear a lot of “That’s it? You’re sure?” To reassure anyone who is uneasy, we let them know about Carvana’s A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and that Carvana is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. If the customer is still unsure for any reason, the original offer on the vehicle is good for seven days.
We don’t just want our buyers to have peace of mind, we want our sellers to have it too! Like buying, selling a car can have its fair share of hassles-but it doesn’t have to be that way. We’re not just the new way to buy a car, we’re the new way to sell one too.
