To get rid of a $450.00 car payment, I traded in an 06 Mercedes Benz S class (36000 MILES AND STILL UNDER FULL WARRANTY) to Carmax Henderson (for $30,000.00), 5000.00 BEHIND Wholesale. I purchased an 01 E class, (approximately 74000 miles on the car) 1000.00 ABOVE retail ($15,999.00), and was promised many grand things about the condition and dependability of Carmax vehicles. I was told that all the vehicles undergo major inspections, where all the fluids are changed, belts are changed and the safety of the vehicle is inspected.
A guy in the service department, boasted about the amount of money put into each vehicle, to make it "carmax" approved. He claimed that they put approximately 3000.00 per vehicle into reconditioning. After purchasing the Carmax car, and trading in my "Gorgeous" 06 Benz which had all new brakes and rotors, brand new Michelin tires and just received the B service, I took the carmax E class purchase to the Mercedes Benz service center.
I was informed by Mercedes Benz that the 01 E Class had NOT had been properly serviced, all the fluids had not been changed, that the transmission service due at 50,000 had not been performed, that the flushing of the brake fluids had not been performed, it had a dirty fuel filter, it needed new spark plugs, it was soon do for a "B" service (the expensive one) and it needed 2 new rear tires because the tread was barely legal!
I immediately took the car back to Carmax and asked them why these services had not been performed. I also reminded them that one of their technicians had measured the tire tread before my purchase, on one of the rear tires, and that measurement had come up with a 3/32 which is "bald" and unsafe. The carmax manager, a guy named Mike, assured me that he would "SPLIT" the cost of new tires with me, and that they would make good on the car... As Mike put it, "You are dealing with Carmax and no other dealership would do this to help you."
Long story short, my new car has been stuck, held hostage by the Carmax service department for approximately one week. The store manager had told me that the transmission service would probably have to take place at the Mercedes Service center, because their service center was not equipped to perform that service. I was promised the car to be returned to me, serviced and taken care of in a couple of days, by Friday. I received calls last Friday stating the car would be ready on Monday. I called on Monday only to hear that there was a slip up on the spark plugs, not enough were ordered, so it would be ready on Tuesday. I received no calls on Tuesday, so I called myself, only to be told that the spark plugs were still not in, but it would be ready to go on Wednesday.
As of this morning, per another one of my calls, the service department now tells me that they need to order a piece of equipment to measure the amount of transmission fluid in the transmission, since they "supposedly" serviced the transmission. The service department explained they they were not properly equipped to service the transmission (EXACTLY WHAT MERCEDES BENZ HAD WARNED ME)!!! This is becoming a nightmare! Mercedes Benz had already warned me about the servicing of the transmission, should be done by a Mercedes certified mechanic, and that they only way to check that the service had been performed, required disassembly.
Long story short, this is entirely different than what was originally promised to me upon my purchase of the vehicle and my dealings with the store manager. I called Carmax corporate office in Virginia this morning to try and get some help, only to get a guy that said he was a customer service representative, and that he would be calling the store manager for a remedy. The guy didn't listen to me, as I told him I had already spoke to the store manager, I was promised things by certain dates and done by specific Mercedes Benz service centers, and non of it came to fruition.
I also mentioned to this customer service guy, that I had lost THOUSANDS on the trade in of my newer, well serviced car, to purchase a car that was over priced (1000.00 above retail) that has service and tire issues. I have already paid for the new tires which are on the car, but never received a penny towards the cost. I figure Carmax stands to profit largely off my trade in, while I am suffering for this purchase. I am stuck driving a crappy Chevy Impala, offered me by the "guys" at Carmax in Henderson.
Previous Carmax History: I was recommended to trade and buy at Carmax, by my brother who had a wonderful experience with a Carmax store in California. I was offered more money for my trade at other dealerships in Nevada, but decided to go to Carmax because I thought they could be trusted. I would strongly advise others to beware if you are thinking of trading any luxury vehicles at Carmax. I extend my warnings to others who are interested in purchasing a luxury vehicle from Carmax. Obviously, they don't readily advertise their "inability" to service high end cars. You could end up like me, being charged above retail, paying more than what a car is worth, costing you thousands in service fees, hundreds of dollars for new tires and HOURS OF FRUSTRATION!
I
Henderson, Nevada
U.S.A.
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