What is Carvana Certified?
There are plenty of ways to buy a new car today. You can go to a dealership, browse online listings, or even use a mobile app to find deals. But what sets Carvana apart is how easy it is to buy a car. Simply put, Carvana makes buying a new car simpler than ever before.
Once you're ready to purchase, you'll start by choosing a vehicle type, such as sedan, SUV, crossover, truck, van, etc., and then narrow down your choices based on features like price, mileage range, safety ratings, fuel efficiency, and more.
Carvana offers a simpler way of buying a car. They do their best to set specific standards on all of their vehicles such as no reported accidents on any of the listings.
If you are wondering what exactly is Carvana Certified and how it differs, good or bad compared to other options, then read on.
Peace of Mind Comes Certified
I like cars. I like cars with no problems. I like cars that won't burn a hole in my pocket in repairs.
When it comes to used cars, I always try to purchase a certified pre-owned vehicle. However, Carvana is a little different as they offer a pretty solid warranty for 90 after you purchase so you are covered there.
A certified pre owned car is like having a warranty without the hassle of paying for it. You know what you are getting into upfront. This is because the seller has already taken care of the maintenance and repairs needed to keep your vehicle running smoothly. If anything goes wrong, the manufacturer covers it under the terms of the warranty.
Carvana Certified is a little different as they state that each car goes through a 150 Point Inspection. Overall, I think they focus on the main items that will ensure that each vehicle they sell is road worthy and is safe to drive.
In this article, I will share my own experience and insights on what exactly is Carvava Certified and what you should know before taking the leap in buying from Carvana.
"Worry Free" Guarantee
The WorryFree guarantee provides you with peace of mind. If there are problems with your product within the first 3 months of purchase or 4,000 miles, SilverRock, the warranty company, will take care of it for you free of charge.
Free Carfax Vehicle History Report
The first thing that is great about Carvana is that every vehicle that they sell comes with a free Carfax. Carfax is the gold standard for vehicle history reports. I always aim to review the Carfax of ANY vehicle that I am looking to buy.
If you have not read my Free Guide on Buying a Used Car, check it out since it includes my top # key metrics I look at when deciding on a purchase. Download it now to avoid costly mistakes.
This is a great start with the buying process as it helps you determine the type of maintenance and service history of the car.
- Was it serviced at the dealership?
- Were oil changes done at regular intervals?
- How many owners did it have and how long did they own it?
No Accidents
Carvana also advertises that their inventory has no reported accidents. This is a good baseline to finding a good quality vehicle with no accidents since it helps weed out any vehicles with potential frame damage or flood damage.
While there is an asterisk with this statement, I have found the photos on the website to be very detailed so that you would be able to tell if any of the body panels are a different shade.
No reported accidents are far and few but they can occur if the car was the only vehicle involved and it was repaired without any insurance involved.
As always I recommend that you look closely at the vehicle in person to make sure the paintwork and exterior meet your satisfaction.
TIP: While no accidents are preferred, if you do find a car that was in a previous accident I would not immediately rule it out since length of ownership after the repairs would be a good indication of how well the car operates afterwards.
Are Carvana's Vehicles Certified?
Carvana’s cars are inspected by our team of experts before being delivered. They’re checked for safety issues like airbags, seat belts, brake lights, fuel system leaks, etc.
Additionally, Carvana offers a 7-day money-back guarantee and a 100-day/4,189-mile limited warranty.
The good thing is that Carvana works with SilverRock to handle any issues or repairs that might arise during the first 7 days.
From experience, SilverRock is very accommodating in getting the repairs resolved for you so that you are more inclined to keep the car. Remember you are not obligated to keep the vehicle if you did decide the vehicle was not for you.
How Good is Carvana's 150-Point Inspection?
How Good is Carvana Inspection?
I believe that the 150 Point Inspection is a good baseline.
From a recent survey, a number of Carvana employees did mention that the company spends about $2,000 to prepare the vehicle for retail. However, there have been reports in the past that their cars are not properly inspected.
This was not the case for me as the website did point out some issues in detail in the photographs. I don't believe the complaints that they are putting out bad products.
Remember, you do have 7 days to get a PPI which I always recommend to buyers.
I was able to pull the report for my purchase and found that the tires did not pass their inspection. As a result, I received four brand new Ironman iMove Gen 2 tires on the car.
150 Point Inspection vs a PPI
A PPI is a pre-purchase inspection typically done to reveal any issues with a vehicle. It should be unbiased and should disclose any potential items that need to be addressed.
The PPI did reveal some issues that I will detail next but I ALWAYS suggest that you schedule your PPI so that you can have it completed BEFORE your 7 days expire.
TIP: Call your advocate to see if you can get a 1-week extension in order to have a PPI done and to continue to evaluate the car. My advocate was happy to extend it one week so that the PPI would be completed at the dealership.
I also recommend that you select a dealership to conduct the PPI. They have the knowledge and experience to report any findings. Plus they will most likely try to up the repair bill as they will be paid directly from SilverRock. I have found that SilverRock is very accommodating during the 7 days test drive.
My PPI did find a rear shock faulty and the front rims out of round. Because the rims were not impeding the function of the car, it was not covered. However, the rear shock was for the invoice price of $800+ that I luckily and happily did not have to pay a single cent.
Thank you to SilverRock.
Does Carvana Pay for Inspection?
Carvana does not pay for your PPI. You will have to pay out of pocket for that but this is a small investment especially if SilverRock covers for the repair bill.
If you do not have a dealership near you, you can opt to use an in-network shop for diagnostics but again, the PPI would be a separate cost.
Repairs After Purchasing
After my vehicle purchase from Carvana, the check engine light did pop up on the dash after 28 days. With a quick OBD scanner I have to check for codes, I found that it was for a purge valve.
I took the car back to the dealership for diagnostics. Carvana did cover the diagnostic fee but checked your terms and conditions as things might have changed.
After having the car for a day, the report came back with a bad purge valve and the repair bill was for $2,200.
The dealership submitted the estimate for approval and SilverRock did honor this repair.
Thank you again SilverRock.
A few days later, I got the car back and everything looks to be in great order. I am very happy with the coverage and did invest with the extended warranty after purchase called ForeverCar.
Does Carvana Change Tires?
Short answer is yes. Carvana does change tires IF during the 150 point inspection that the tires are below 5/32 tread or showed signs of wear.
My car was replaced with a brand new set of Ironman Imove tires with DOT of 2022. While not my first choice in tires, they do offer decent performance and a comfortable ride on the highway. I have hit a few potholes in New York City and they all survived unscathed so far.
I will update the post once I hit 5,000 mile and 10,000 miles regarding any decrease in performance.
Do Carvana Cars Come Detailed?
As part of their 150 point inspection, there is a line item that lists:
Complete premium interior detail including odor test
My thoughts are that they vacuum the interior and wipe down the surfaces. If you do have an issue with the condition of the car, you can point out the issue to the delivery driver who will make a note in their computer.
The driver will also take photos as well. I assume this would be part of their SOP to ensure that whoever is assigned to clean the cars does a better job for the next set of cars.
I have read only that some people had pet hair. As a shade detailer on the side, pet hairs are hard to remove and require additional time.
You might be able to get reimbursed by Carvana if the interior is really bad.
Final Thoughts on Carvana Certified Vehicles
Carvana has made buying a car easy and affordable. With their service, you can buy a vehicle from anywhere in the country, and pick it up within hours. They offer financing options, extended warranties, and delivery. When you combine these features with their low prices, it's hard to beat Carvana.
My overall experience from Carvana has been a positive one. A used car is a used car. With Carvana Certification and Warranty Protection with warranty claims, I give the company two thumbs up with their vehicle inspections.
If you are looking to purchase or thinking about Carvana, send an email to anthony@buycarblog.com for a promo code to save $500. This will help offset your taxes on your purchase as well as support this blog. Good luck and feel free to post your questions below.