CARMAX LAUREL

“I came into CarMax excited to purchase my vehicle, but unfortunately the experience quickly became frustrating and disappointing. After purchasing my vehicle, I experienced repeated delays, poor communication, and a lack of transparency. I was the one having to call for updates, only to learn that repairs were taking longer than expected or that parts hadn’t even arrived. At one point, more repairs were identified after I had already been waiting almost 2 weeks to take delivery of my car. The entire process left me with very little confidence in either the vehicle or the overall customer experience. That said, I do want to recognize two employees who made a positive difference. Delaiah was kind, compassionate, and genuinely tried to help throughout the process. After I ultimately decided to cancel my purchase, the General Manager, Nick, came out to speak with me personally. He listened to my concerns without being dismissive, acknowledged where the process had failed, and treated my experience as a learning opportunity. He shared that he plans to use what happened to improve training for his management team so future customers don’t have the same experience. I truly appreciated him taking the time to hear me out and showing genuine empathy. Because of Nick’s professionalism and Delaiah’s kindness, I’m giving 2 stars instead of 1. While I ultimately chose not to move forward with my purchase, I sincerely hope the concerns I raised lead to meaningful improvements for future customers. I do hope that Keith Barr, their CEO, is attentive to the email I also sent as this is an experience that should be shared and hopefully avoided in the future.”

“Absolute nightmare. Crashing my vehicle, paperwork fraud, and shorting my trade-in payoff. UNACCEPTABLE. If I could give zero stars, I would. CarMax has put me in a horrific position through sheer incompetence and borderline criminal business practices. I traded in my 2024 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport and purchased a vehicle here. Before I could even drive it home, CarMax staff crashed my new truck. They stuck me in a loaner, and weeks later, handed me official paperwork certifying that a brand-new OEM door had been installed. They lied. Upon inspection, the work was never done—the original damaged door is still on the vehicle. Falsifying repair documentation is fraud. To make matters worse, they shorted my Honda trade-in payoff by $528 after I explicitly made my regular car payment to avoid a late fee, leaving me financially exposed. Their solution to crashing my truck, committing paperwork fraud, and messing up my trade-in payoff? A pathetic, insulting offer of $1,000. I am an insurance professional. I am currently paying insurance on a truck I do not possess because of their gross negligence, while they hold my trade-in. If the Location General Manager does not contact me immediately to fix this disaster, my next steps are filing a formal claim, letting my carrier subrogate every dime of repair and rental costs directly against CarMax’s garage liability policy, and taking them to small claims court for the full diminished value of the truck. Do NOT buy here. The service department is incompetent and deceitful”

“Do not buy a car from CarMax Laurel. Last month, my husband and I purchased a 2025 VW Atlas Crossport from this location after paying to have it transferred from the Dulles, VA store. One of the biggest selling points was that, despite being used, the car looked nearly brand new. Two days after purchasing it, we took the vehicle to our local mechanic for a multipoint inspection. CarMax told us that although they inspect vehicles transferred from other locations, they are not obligated to share the inspection results or disclose any maintenance or repairs performed before the sale. They couldn’t even confirm whether the car had received an oil change. Our mechanic identified a few maintenance items that should have been addressed before the vehicle was sold. We brought the car and the report back to CarMax, and they agreed to complete the repairs at no cost. A few days later, when we returned to pick up the vehicle, we immediately noticed multiple scratches that were not there when we purchased it. Some were several inches long and had gone through the clear coat. A service technician acknowledged the damage and suggested it was probably caused by the car wash they use, as if this was a common occurrence. We were told the scratches could be touched up and would no longer be noticeable. After yet another trip to the dealership, the scratches were still obvious. We spoke with the service manager and requested compensation for the damage that occurred while the car was in their possession. They offered to explore repainting the affected panels, but admitted that matching the color perfectly would be difficult and could potentially make the appearance worse. They refused to provide any financial reimbursement, stating that because the vehicle was already used, they could buy it back and resell it for the same price we paid. CarMax acknowledged that the damage occurred while the vehicle was in their care, yet they refused to compensate us for the diminished value of the vehicle or for the repeated inconvenience of multiple trips back to the dealership. The entire experience made it clear that once the sale is completed, customer satisfaction takes a back seat. Save yourself the frustration and buy from a dealership that values accountability and customer service—not just closing a transaction.”

“I had a great experience at the CarMax Laurel location, all thanks to Levin. He made the entire car-buying process smooth and stress-free from start to finish. Levin was knowledgeable, patient, and made sure I felt confident in my purchase. He reassured me that I was getting a reliable vehicle and took the extra step to have the car fully cleaned and filled with gas before I drove off, which I really appreciated. His professionalism and attention to detail truly stood out. I highly recommend asking for Levin if you’re visiting the Laurel location!”

“As a loyal customer who has purchased six vehicles from CarMax over the last 15 years, a new purchase every 2.5 years from them. I have always viewed the company as a gold standard in the industry. However, my recent December 2025 purchase has left me deeply concerned, the high standards are no longer being met nor a priority! My latest vehicle, valued at over $54,000, was cleared for sale with significant defects that contradict Carmax Certified advertised inspection standards. Specifically, one of the four doors is a completely different color than the rest of the vehicle—an issue never disclosed in the online gallery (clearly bigger than a dime), I only noticed this because I had washed the car and was waxing it after dusk. CarMax typically highlights even minor scratches with a picture of a dime next to the issue. Furthermore, the vehicle was sold with grooved rotors from metal-to-metal brake contact, the rear seat is detached because of a broken clip, tail light has water in it and mismatched windshield wiper styles, and they only provide one key fob now. Again, the five other vehicles we purchased had two fobs. These items were eventually repaired upon my request, it is unacceptable that a vehicle in this condition, costing this much, passed Carmax Certified quality inspection. The service department was A+, they were my advocates as I went through the process. (Thanks Ms. Dickens) I have attached photos for reviews. I value CarMax’s history of excellence and hope they go back and review what happened during the review of my vehicle. I will continue to be loyal customer to CarMax, looking forward to my next purchase with them!”