Car Buying Stories: Return to Sender

From Car and Driver

For all that 2020 has changed our lives, coins still have two sides—meaning the online experience hasn't always, ahem, delivered. Billy Huys had a fantastic experience buying online from a dealer in Gladstone, Oregon. But New York City's Michael Livote has experienced the flip side of the online buying story. Choosing Carvana for his first-ever purchase and financing of a late-model used car, he went through two lemons before landing on a decent apple.

Livote said buying online offered "a pleasant place to leisurely look at many different cars with absolutely zero pressure," whereas his take on NYC dealers is that "you are treated more like an ATM than a valued customer." Carvana got the nod because it "had the best delivery options."

After working through what he considered "a disjointed sign-up process," he found a 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage ES with 9800 miles. A few clicks later, it was his. Livote expected Carvana would deliver the hatchback, with temporary New York tags, to his address in the city. However, on the appointed day, Livote said the company called him a few hours before the meeting time and insisted he take an Uber. "Ninety miles to New Jersey," Livote said.

Used cars are having a moment. According to Edmunds, franchised dealers in the United States moved 1.2 million cars and trucks in June. New Yorkers have engaged in what the New York Times called, "The Great Gotham Vroom Boom of 2020."

Livote found out later that any car Carvana delivers in New York needs to be registered in New York before delivery. A Carvana rep explained to Livote that the company has been overwhelmed with registration requests. With New Jersey delivery, Carvana can put temporary New Jersey plates on the car and transfer registration to New York after the customer's seven-day trial period ends.

Upon arrival in the Garden State, a delivery driver introduced Livote to a Mirage ES that didn't exactly match the Carvana photos. Livote said the hatchback "looked like it had been abused by former owner," with stains on the dash and "a chewed-up center console." Despite the rough edges, he signed and took the car home.

His mechanic inspected the car a couple of days later, discovering the front passenger side's strut and mount damaged. Four days after getting the Mirage, Livote requested Carvana take it back. Carvana offered to repair the strut issue under the company's SilverRock warranty service, but Livote refused, calling the rest of the car "pretty bad."

Refusing to dismount midstream, Livote hit up Carvana again to buy a 2019 Ford Fiesta while the unloved Mirage was still parked outside. Carvana said it would drop the Fiesta three days later when it picked up the Mirage. When Carvana then asked for another week—while also asking Livote to hold onto the Mirage—Livote refused. He'd already arranged to cancel the insurance on the Mirage.