Will carmax buy a car with cracked windshield

Blog/ Does CarMax Buy Cars That Don't Run?

Table of Contents Show

How Does CarMax Determine The Price Of A Non-Running Car?
Are They The Best Option?
Are There Alternative Options?
Consider SellMax To Sell Your Car That Doesn’t Run
Does CarMax accept cars with damage?
Does windshield replacement affect resale value?
Does a cracked windshield decrease trade in value?
Will CarMax buy any car any condition?

AuthorSarah RobinsonCategory Car Advice

The short answer to this question is yes, they do. CarMax buys cars in all types of shape. They buy cars with transmission trouble, engine trouble, blown head gaskets, bad clutches and more. CarMax will buy almost any vehicle. They do have some rules and formulas to how they work though.

How Does CarMax Determine The Price Of A Non-Running Car?

CarMax determines car value based on a number of factors. First they take into account the overall shape of your car. This includes physical damage, mechanical problems, engine problems, computer systems and damage to core parts. This is the first factor that determines the car’s value. They look at physical deformities as well such as dented fenders, windshields, headlights, damage to the interior, dashboard and seats of a car, anything that will impact the value. It is good to note that having the car cleaned will not improve the value of the car when it is inspected.

The second thing that CarMax looks at is the age and mileage of your car. For cars over 100,000 miles, CarMax does not resell these vehicles. Therefore the market value of these vehicles is significantly lower by CarMax’s appraisal standard. They will still purchase old and high mileage vehicles, even ones that do not run, the relative value will be diminished accordingly.

The third factor that CarMax takes into account in their appraisal process is market interest. More popular vehicles fetch more money. This means that a more popular vehicle is worth more and thus gets a higher appraisal. This can cause even a non running vehicle to have a higher value. CarMax also requires all cars to have a valid title and proper identification and other paperwork before they are sold. This can be an issue for some sellers.

Are They The Best Option?

That question is sort of relative. They are a good option for selling your non running car but it is not what they specialize in . If the car is not able to be repaired they may only purchase the vehicle to be sold at auction or sold for parts. When this is the case the appraisal value of the car will be lower. They are a good option for a car seller who is looking to make a quick payout on a non running car and they are better than some other options out there.

For sellers, CarMax offers the convenience of a guaranteed sale in the cases where vehicle value is not as important as simply being rid of the vehicle. Their offers are generally very fair based on the shape of a vehicle, though a seller could make more selling it on their own, the tradeoff is the time it takes to do so.

Are There Alternative Options?

There are a few options out there to sell you non running vehicle. The most obvious option is sell your car for scrap. They will often pay you a set amount per pound based on the weight of the car. This usually results in a few hundred dollars or so for the vehicle. This is the quick and easy option for vehicle disposal but certainly not the best.

Another option may be to try and find a used car dealership that takes broken down vehicles as trade ins or for small amounts of cash. Generally, you won’t get much out of the vehicle but it will take the liability off of your hands. This is another fast and easy option, assuming you can find a dealership that will take the vehicle.

The third and most risky option is to try and sell the vehicle yourself. The problems with a personal sale are the time it takes and the liability of selling a broken vehicle. It can often take a lot of time to sell a vehicle yourself either through online ads or through local papers and things. It is also difficult to avoid issues when disclosing vehicle damage as the seller is often held liable for any mishaps even after the vehicle is sold if they failed to disclose anything. This can lead to lawsuits and all sorts of other hassles.

Consider SellMax To Sell Your Car That Doesn’t Run

SellMax not only buys cars that don’t run, it’s what they specialize in. SellMax buys old cars, broken cars, frame damaged cars, ugly cars, and many other types of “bad car”. You can get an instant offer from our site and sell your car to us the same day. We come to you, so no having to bring the broken car to the dealership or appraiser, we do the towing for free. What’s even better is that once you sell your car to us, you’re liability free. No more worrying about that broken down car or potential lawsuits from a disgruntled customer.

Hi all! I'm new here. I've been looking to buy a new or slightly used car for a couple of months now. I narrowed it down to 2015-2017 Honda Accord V6's (EX-L and Touring trims). I finally bought a 2017 Touring sedan from CarMax yesterday, but have some questions and concerns about it.

2017 Touring sedan (black)
no trade-in
21.3k miles
$26k base price
$26,925 NADA value for 22k miles, clean retail
$2.8 total additional charges
$28.8k total price

Still has the Honda 3 years/36k miles warranty. Includes a 30-day warranty from CarMax. Didn't buy any additional warranties from CarMax. Have 6 days left to return the car for no fees. Financed through my credit union and don't know how the process would work if I returned the car, but I don't expect any large fees, if any at all.

The interior and the engine seems fine, although I will probably be taking it to mechanic soon to check it out. Would it be better to have a trusted, independent mechanic or a Honda dealership look at it?

What concerns me is that there are etchings on the paint. The salesman said it was probably due to bird poop. From my research online, that makes sense. I immediately noticed a few when I first came in to see the car (had it transferred from another location). After I bought the car, I noticed some more. I was surprised that a 2017 would have a number of these etchings. There's probably 5-8 of them that I've noticed. It seems like it might look particularly bad on black paint.

I also noticed that there was a small crack on the windshield on the passenger's side. Took it back to CarMax to inspect the windshield. They pointed out that the crack was filled with something (I forget... epoxy?) and that you could tell by the small circle in it. They said if it had been on the driver's side, they probably could have replaced the windshield (or maybe that's under Honda's 3yr/36k warranty.) If you enlarge the image of the windshield crack in imgur, you can get a really good look at it. It looks like it might spread, or is that how all small cracks look?

You can see most of the paint etchings and the windshield crack here at https://imgur.com/a/VbFiBmv
I don't have enough posts to post links, so I attached a few of the images.

Are these paint etchings and the small windshield crack considered normal wear and tear for a 2017 car? Would you find it acceptable if you bought the car? CarMax think it's normal. Whether it is or not, I don't feel comfortable about it. I thought I might get used to it, but I feel pressured to return it soon if I can't feel comfortable about such a large purchase. I'd probably be happy with the car if not for the paint etchings and small windshield crack (with some small reservations about the price), but these imperfections make me wonder if the car can be considered "clean retail" by NADA and priced at $26k, which is $925 under NADA clean retail value.

Considering re-looking for a similar car. Not sure whether to get something like a 2017 Touring in the $25k+ price range, a 2018-2019 new Accord, or a cheaper option like a 2015 EXL V6. Maybe give up the idea of the V6 and get a 2015-2017 Sports trim. I will go to a Honda dealership today and tomorrow to check these options out. I am thinking buying a CPO car from a Honda dealership would be best.

Your thoughts?

EDITED TO ADD: This was a leased car that was given up after a year. I think the car salesman mentioned that CarMax bought it at auction--not sure. Is that a bad sign? CarFax says car was registered on Nov 9, 2017. Reported 13k miles on March 5, 2018 at a Honda dealership. That's 13k miles in 4 months. No service records in between. Then 17.7k miles on Aug 8, 2018 at same Honda dealership. Then offered for sale at 21.3k miles as dealer inventory on Oct 28, 2018.

Does CarMax accept cars with damage?

Does CarMax Buy Cars With Problems? Yes — CarMax does buy damaged cars. In order to sell a vehicle to CarMax for cash, you typically have to bring the car in to get it appraised.

Does windshield replacement affect resale value?

When you are trading in your vehicle, or selling it to an auto dealership, they will decrease the amount that they offer you due to windshield chips and cracks. This is because a dealership will need to replace the windshield before they sell the car.

Does a cracked windshield decrease trade in value?

Anytime you trade in your car the dealer is going to evaluate it and give you a lower offer if there are any significant problems. So a cracked windshield would definitely affect how much money you get for your car. It's always better to repair a cracked windshield as soon as possible.