CarMax review: terrible service!

I would not recommend Carmax of Plano, TX to anyone. Their website claims that they do a 125 point inspection and spend an average of 12 hours going over each car before they put it on their lot for sale. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I bought a 2008 Pontiac G6 from Carmax Plano and my experience with them turned into a nightmare. After I purchased the car, I started hearing noises from the front of the car and noticed the car wobbled when I applied the brakes. I took the car to Christian Brothers Automotive and the mechanic said that the car needed these items repaired.

All brake pads replaced
Both tie rods replaced (part of the steering linkage)
All four rotors needed to be replaced as they were warped beyond repair
Transmission fluid was dirty and needed to be changed
Brake fluid was very dirty and needed to be changed

I took the car back to Carmax Plano and left the car with them along with the list of the repairs needed. My service advisor, James, called me later that day and said that the car was unsafe to drive because of the tie rods (which are part of the steering linkage) were bad and needed to be replaced. He also agreed that the brakes were bad and all four rotors were bad.

James refused to change the transmission fluid and brake fluid and would only resurface the rotors, not replace them as the mechanic said is what needed to be done. So they put a car that was unsafe to drive on their lot for sale. What about their so-called “125 point inspection” that they claim is done on every car?

They gave me a loaner car to drive for about five days while my was being repaired. When I finally got the car back, I noticed a rattling noise coming from under the car. I took it back to them and they had to take it to a GM dealer to find out that a brake cable had come loose.

Got the car back and there was another rattling noise. Took it back to Carmax and they found that a heat shield by the muffler was loose. This was repaired.

Got the car back and noticed another rattling noise that I could hear when the windows were down. Again, I took the car back to Carmax Plano and they could not find anything wrong with it. I took it to a GM dealer myself and they found out that Carmax had replaced the brake pads with the wrong ones. The dealer installed the correct brake pads.

James had promised me he would order a replacement remote control as one was broken. On one of my numerous trips to Carmax Plano, I asked if it had arrived yet, only to find out James had never ordered it.

I had enough at this point and asked to speak to the manager, Nate. I asked Nate him for his assistance to help me get the remote. Much to my astonishment, he said “I have 180 employees and over 3000 customers per month and I don’t have time”. He said I would have to deal with the service advisor, James, to which I replied that was the reason I was talking him, because I was not having much luck with James.

I asked Nate that if I could not get this small issue resolved with James, would he step in to help. He flat out said “no”. I could not believe a manager had this type of attitude problem and wondered how someone with his personality became a manager.

I called the Carmax corporate office and spoke with a lady in customer service about everything that had happened. She said she was taking notes and would get back with me. Never heard from her but was not surprised at this point.

So with was my experience with Carmax Plano and if you don’t want to possibly go through what I went through, buy your car from somewhere else.