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Good afternoon.I would like to find out how to submit a story about my awful experience with Carmax, in an effort to warn potential buyers of what may happen.

On April 17, 2012 I purchased a 2009 Volkswagen CC Sport with 35,000 miles on it for $21,000.00. I test drove the vehicle and was pleased with how the car handled and found no issues with the car at that time. I was excited about purchasing the car, and agreed to let Carmax arrang the financing through Santander Bank.

Within the first 45 days of owning the vehicle my newly acquired 2009 Volkswagen CC Sport which was carmax QUALITY certified shut off on me while driving to work, home from work, and on the way home from picking my father up from Dulles International Airport. Each time I was left stranded for approxamately one hour. The last time the vehicle shut off on me while driving, a few lights came on my dashboard (check engine, and ECV). I started to research online what these lights mean and found a open bulletin issued by Volkswagen for a faulty throttle sensor which could cause the car to shut off while driving. I then proceded to take my Volkswagen into the Carmax service department and explained what had happened and they agrred to repair the vehicle at no cost to me even though I was already past the initial 30 day period of owning the vehicle. When I finally got my Volkswagen back 5 days later I was told the throttle sensor was replaced and a ECV valve was replaced by Lindsay Volkswagen of Sterling Virginia.

For the next nine months my car worked like a charm and I did not have any issues until Monday February 11, 2013 when things went down hill in a hurry. On my way to work Monday February 11, 2012, during a sleet storm, my drivers side window got stuck in the open position. At the same time my passenger door window got stuck in the closed position and my check engine light came on. I took my Volkswagen back into Carmax in Sterling Virginia to have the repairs made. Again, my Volkswagen was sent to Lindsay VW of Sterling to have the repairs completed. Two weeks later my Volkswagen was repaired and the motors were replaced in both windows. Carmax stated the reason the check engine light came on was due to a low battery and they replaced the battery. Thankfully, I purchased the Max Care plan so the total repairs cost me ony $468.00. As I was driving away from Carmax I noticed my check engine light was still on, so I turned around and spoke the service representitive that was cordinating the repairs on my car and told her my check engine light was still on. She promptly pulled my service records up on her computer and saw that Lindsay VW still needed to program my car. This time Carmax provided me a loaner car to use while over the next three days my car was over at Lindsay VW in Sterling Virginia.

To make matters even worse, the loaner car I was provided was a 2011 Ford Fusion which was fine but the service technician only gave me a Valet key which did not have the remote keyless entry capabilities. So when I got home and realized I had to go to the store I was not able to get into the car. I called Carmax that evening around 8:30 PM and spoke with a Manager and was told the only way they could help me is if I took a cab into work and they would bring me the remote keyless entry key to me the following morning at work. That wouldn't have been a problem, except I live in Brunswick Maryland and work in Leeesburg Virginia, and the cab fare would have been more than they were willing to reimburse me. I finally was able to crawl through the trunk and unlock my drivers side door later that night. I will say Carmax did still make the effort and did deliver the remote keyless entry key to me at work the following morning as they agreed.

When my car was ready to be picked up I drove all the way to Carmax again. This time, as I was getting into my car, I noticed my drivers side door would not close properly. It felt like it was hitting something prior to the door closing. Unfortunately, I had to wait a while to get my car and I was on my lunch my break, so I did not have time to talk to them again at that point in time. So, on my way home from work that same day I planned on calling them and schedulling another service appointment to fix my door. Well sure enough, my check engine light came on again so I had to call and get my car back in the service department to have the repairs made. That same night, as I was picking up my kids from daycare, the drivers side rear door seal completely fell off the car.

I took the car back into Carmax the following morning. I was given a loaner car while my car was sent over to Lindsay Volkswagen of Sterling to have the car repaired again. Another week went by until the repairs were complete and was told this time that one of my fuel injectors were faulty and needed to be replaced as well as one of my Spark plugs. Since my car's manufacturer warrenty was expired the Carmax service plan I purchased would only cover the faulty injector and Spark plug instead of doing the logical thing and replacing all of the injectors and spark plugs. At this poin,t the service manager, Scott Boymel, promised to have the remaining injectors replaced if something else were to occur.

One week later, again on my way home from work, my check engine light came back on again. So I took the car back into the Sterling Virginia Carmax service department where again they provided a loaner while they sent my Volkswagen back to Lindsay VW of Sterling Virginia to have the repairs completed. When I picked my car up my car a few days later I was told this time a coil needed to be replaced. Unfortunately, on the same day I picked up my car from Carmax my check engine light came on again. The next day I took my car back into Carmax in Sterling Virginia to have the repairs complete by Lindsay Volkwagen again. This time my car was out of commision for 4 days and I was told that the other injector and spark plug was faulty, but again only the faulty injector and spark plug would be replaced since it was too expensive to have the remaing injector and spark plugs replaced. But Scott Boymel, the Service Manager, stated he would write a letter to me stating that Carmax would cover the cost in the future if any of the other injectors or spark plugs would need to be replaced (which I still do not have).

At this point, I decided to write a letter to the CEO of Carmax about my experience with my Volkswagen that I purchased from Carmax. In my letter I explained to the CEO all the issues I expeirenced with my vehicle, even though it has passed the 150 point QUALITY Carmax inspection. Two weeks later I recieved a call from Mrs. Apple in the executive relations department and was told that ultimately the Sterling Virginia Carmax Management team would be responsible with for resolving the problems with my car. About two days later after speaking with Mrs. Apple from Carmax I recieved a call from Scott Boymel the Service Manager stating that Carmax will offer a resolution and buy my car back from me but at $19,000.00 which is $2,000.00 less than what I paid for the car. Keep in mind my car, within 11 months of purchasing the vehicle, has been in the service departments at Carmax and at Lindsay VW in Sterling Virginia for more than 30 days cummalitively.

I took it one step further and reached out to the General Manager, Jerry Holloway, at Lindsay Volkswagen in Sterling and was told that he would help me out and get rid of this Lemon that Carmax sold me. Unfortunately Mr. Holloways idea of helping me out was selling me a new VW CC Sport R line edition and adding the negative equity onto the loan for the new CC Sport R Line.

At this point in time as I write to you, my 2009 Volkwagen CC is back in to be repaired with Carmax and Lindsay VW of Sterling and neither Carmax or the Volkswagen manufacturer is willing to do anything to help me to get out of this lemon. To make matters worse I spoke with my lender and they are willing to negotiate with Carmax about eliminating the negative equity on my current loan but Santander Consumer bank is only willing to negotiate with Carmax. Unfortunately Carmax is unwilling to contact Santander Bank to negotiate with Santander Bank, even though Carmax facilitated the loan with Santander.

The moral of the story is buyer beware and dont expect Carmax, Santander Bank, or Volkwagen to be socially responsible and stand by the products they advertise!!!

Monetary Loss: $21000.

Location: Sterling, Virginia

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Guest

How is this a $21000 loss if you still have the car. You should just take the $19000 and get a Prius.

Guest

I know exactly how you feel. It's too bad there are people out there that prosper from the less fortunate .

Sooner or later these individuals time will be up . I hope it is the most agonizing event of there lives. You know sometimes you try to do things by the book and get no results . I see people on a daily basis ,, ready to snap .

I'm sure when Carmax reads these articles and have there own people reply negatively to posts like yours, they sit back and laugh at all of

us .

Sooner or later they will cross the wrong person and they or there loved ones will get what they deserve. I won't even go there.

Guest

It was the car not carmax. VWs are notorious for what happened to you.

Guest

ok lol i bought a 2008 subaru wrx they are telling me the same been to the subaru dealer already to be fixed everything he said needs fixed on my subaru... funny but what makes mine different is i bouth my car 1 week later they got my car because it shut off, they still have my car (26 days later), and they still dont know whats wrong with it and now im suppose to take the fall of the interest for the loan, someone is getting money in there pocket for this deal and im being screwed... carmax will ***...

Guest

Carmax is not the problem. You thinking the world owes you something is.

Guest

CarMax is the seller, not VW. CarMax took the VW to the dealership more times than they probably should have to have taken it.

The buyer bought this from CarMax ... they responsible for selling this car with the big gazillion point check points. Naw, I'm afraid this buyer should be compensated by a full refund of the whole deal. CarMax is a big boy, they're going to run into their fair share of lemons.

Build it into their price.

The consumer could have have it replaced new if they bought it from Sterling VW. I'm on the consumers side on this one.

Guest

Gee, this is an amazing story. Had this been purchased in Florida as a new car it would have been replaced after three visits to the dealership for the same compliant.

New car! I was on the *** of buying a car from CARMAX but I sure am glad I read up on some of these issues. Pretty awful. I feel badly for what you have gone through.

You need some legal help with this one. They should give you a full refund of everything, including your service fees for what you've been through. Or, I'd take the loss ...

take the $19K and run as fast as you can from CARMAX. Doesn't seem like a particularly good place to purchase a vehicle.

Guest

the word they **** out is a synonym for slow and rhymes with cupid...which is also ***

Guest

OMFG lady!!!! (can tell you're a woman cause this is how *** chicks think...when you are ***, youre *** this way, not that all women are *** or anything like that.) You're problem is OBVIOUSLY with VW (which is a problem, only you're aiming all your angst at the wrong place.

So your problem can't REALLY be fixed. Do you really expect carmax to fall on their sword and come out of pocket for something thats VWs responsibility? Seriously, whats wrong with you?!?!) I'm not saying carmax shouldn't help but the root of the problem here is quite clearly that your car has a foundational irregularity (some mistake has been made that has a ripple effect across the functionality of the car. Probably electrical or computer related.)This probably came from the factory this way and vw would probably be willing to make you whole on their own dime if you had the basic common sense to be pursuing it with them all this time and only talking to carmax in terms of resolving your immediate problems until VW can see all the facts and resolve your case.

Instead you're blasting carmax when they are going many extra miles to try and help the best they can when it's not their fault. I get your point about the 150 point inspection but its SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO invalid cause how could they realistically be expected to FIND the type of problem you have, even the actual VW dealership isn't finding it. ...LOL i just read some of the other comments, warms my heart to see that almost everyone else sees it too.

learn to think things through and most of the "problems" in your life will work themselves out. not a personal attack, constructive criticism.

Guest

Sounds like you got a lot better customer service from that carmax service than you were originally promised. and it concerns me more that you didnt know how to open the door of the Fusion when you had a key - just not a keyless remote. The long shiny part goes into the tiny hole under the handle- just a hint for next time.

Frankie S Ync
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-657729

Hey DBC, You feelin just a bit frustrated with customers? Is your job making you really arrogant with people?

If you answered yes to both these questions, you should find another job. You may want to consider being a sales associate, and greet people when they come in and explain the "never sell car" and how carmax sells high quality vehicles, and has low prices, and a great selection.

You know what carmax should have for every customer that walks in? They should have a cooler full of flavored Vaseline, instead of water.

Guest

Were all obese. We cannot see our genitals, but yet we can pass judgement on all of you. That is all.

Frankie S Ync
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-652186

Ok you silly children, lets keep the topic about carmax. There is no need to impersonate anyone, or act like children. I know it may be difficult for some you that work for carmax, but there are many others that work there and can reply like adults.

Frankie S Ync

The best thing to do is tell as many friends as you can about your experience. carmax corporate will not like that, but it's a good start.

Then have your friends read all these posts and they will think twice about going to carmax when it's time for a vehicle.

Actually, you can tell your experience to many of the social media sites out there. Good luck Anonymous!

Guest

Sounds like you should be mad at VW not carmax

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-633057

I agree I am a carmax tech and all the european cars I have to deal with day in and day out frustrate me to no end... they're big ole *** boxes but *** people keep buying them up left and right then complain to us when they break. All I am left saying is " I didn't tell you to buy some POS european car " So point the blame where it needs to be at VW for making a *** box that you were *** enough to buy, not CarMax

Frankie S Ync

Wow, that experience surely sucked. I have been saying for months, that carmax DOES NOT SELL QUALITY VEHICLES!

Lacey S Fwn

I feel you...I test drove a Nissan Sentra back in 2004 at a Carmax in Knoxville, TN. Well, no sooner had I pulled out of the lot than the transmission went out!

The salesman tried to act like it was no big deal, but I was in heavy traffic, and had to figure out where the hazard lights were (of course dip$h1t didn't know).

And, after all that, he STILL tried to sell me a car! It was all I could do not to laugh in his face.

Guest

Let me get this straight, so you bought this 2009 Volkswagen, and 45 days you discover it has a faulty throttle sensor, which is, according to your research, a Manufacturer's defect. You take it to Carmax, and even though you are out of your 30 day grace period and the service center FIXES THE PROBLEM FOR FREE, even though they had no obligation whatsoever to do that for you?

The only thing that matters after this point is that you say "For the next nine months my car worked like a charm." That's it. That's the end of your issue with Carmax. That vehicle you're crying about is only four years old! Carmax probably had it for a month. You've had it for close to a year. For 25% of that car's total life span it has been in your care. These issues aren't Carmax's issues. You could have had them do a 25,000 point inspection and that's not going to reveal issues that occur nine months later. Are you kidding me? You bought a USED CAR. You'll find you need to do regular repairs on used cars. And it sounds like this dealership has been bending over backwards for you.

So you're frustrated that the issues with your car aren't being fixed right the first time. Carmax isn't even doing the repairs, they're sending it to a certified VW service shop. So if you're going to write a bad review, sounds like it should be directed toward Lindsay VW. All Carmax has done is give you loaner cars, and hold on, offer to buy back a car you've had FOR A YEAR at only $2,000 difference? First off, they shouldn't have even offered to buy it, because it sounds like you really jacked that car up in the short time you had it, and I wouldn't want to spend $19,000 on a car with so many issues. And secondly, what did you expect? Did you want a full refund? What makes you think you can drive a 2009 VW for nine months and sell it back for the price you purchased it? Or for anything less than $2,000? If you rented that car ($50/day), you would have paid $13,500 to drive a car like that as long as you've had yours. Everything Carmax has done up to this point has been a favor to you.

The fact of the matter is, your car is having issues, and instead of taking accountability, or ownership of the vehicle, you'd rather place the blame on somebody so that you can feel good about being mad. "Don't expect Carmax to be socially responsible and stand by its product." They did that when they fixed your faulty throttle sensor for free, sweetie.

The question is, at one point are you going to take some responsibility for your possessions?

Frankie S Ync
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-632863

First of all Jake, carmax brags about satisfied customers, but when it comes to non satisfied customers, you guys have tons of excuses. It is what it is!

It would cost carmax thousands to do all the repairs they should be doing before selling a vehicle, but they choose to have the customer deal with it and screwing the customer is much cheaper for carmax. It's just amazing how many *** complaints there are with this horrible company.

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