# Carmax or Texas Direct Auto??



## dicklaxt (Jun 2, 2005)

I did a google on both of the above and found a multitude of complaints against,,,,,,,,,,,,,I wonder if this a a complainer group or really indicative of the big picture.

I will be looking for a late model pre owned car in about 6 weeks and wonder if I should give them my time or stick with Dealers?

Tell me some stories good or bad.

dick


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## Silverspoon (Jun 1, 2005)

My mom and step-dad recently bought a used Cadillac from Carmax and it is one sweet ride! They have purchased a few vehicles from Carmax over the years and have not had a bad experience.


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## Bull Red (Mar 17, 2010)

All I saw when I looked at Tx Direct was fleet cars. Am I missing something?


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## Gilbert (May 25, 2004)

Texas Auto Direct isn't really for car shopping. Find the car you want, go in and drive it/get it checked out, buy it. Its not like a typical car dealership. They don't walk you around the lot and show you all kinds of cars. When you go its cause you know what car you are wanting to look at and ready to buy. That's why it gets a bunch of complaints.


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## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

Google ANY car sales establishment and I guarantee you will get the same results as you did with Carmax and TXdirect, it is the nature of the beast. There are scumbag salesman and there are customers who will never be happy.


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## Bull Red (Mar 17, 2010)

Wait I was thinking of that public auto auction place....not Tx Direct.


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## dicklaxt (Jun 2, 2005)

Thanks that the kind of info I need,keep'em coming

dick


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## Jim Martin (Jun 3, 2009)

I took a vehicle to Carmax with a certain number in mind I wanted to get for it. I dont have time to run an ad and show a truck to 10 different tire kicking low ballers. Carmax made me an offer above what I was thinking they would give me. They bought it on the spot with no pressure to sell me anything. I went back a week later after locating a truck on the lot I wanted. I went in, tried to negotiate and they wouldnt, so I bought it and left and I have very happy with the vehicle....


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## wisslbritches (May 27, 2004)

I have bought a few from Carmax and know many who have. Never a complaint. To me, the convenience of not having to negotiate with a salesman is worth something plus with CarFax you have access to what sort of person/group previously owned the car.


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## wish2fish (Mar 1, 2005)

My CEO's wife bought through Texas Direct and had high praise. I have been looking into it and basically this is how I understand Texas Direct Auto.

They list eBay auctions but you find the stock number of a few you are interested in. You then contact them and ask for Reserve pricing and provide these stock numbers. This is any where from $50-1000 off of the buy it now price, depending on car, trim and whether or not they can move them fast, i.e. popular car.

This price is non-negotiable. From what I hear they blow dealers out of the water by a few thousand dollars.

Yes they get cars from all over, fleet, rentals, driver education turn ins, etc. They completely inspect each car and provide a vehicle facts report that lists anything and everything.

Once you find the one you want you put 500 down to pull it of the listing. If you do this and change your mind you lose the 500 dollars as they do a lot to list and remove listing.

If it works out this 500 gets applied to the loan.

If you decide you want to go drive it first without putting your 500 down and someone hits the Buy it Now button while your out driving around, you don't get that car.

If you put your 500 down, no one else can buy it now.

It seems simple and as I said I know someone directly that got a great car at a great price. It is just done a little differently.

I was able to use their prices to negotiate at a Dealer but I didn't go through with the deal.


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## Mrschasintail (Dec 8, 2004)

Texas Direct Auto is AWESOME!


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## reelthreat (Jul 11, 2006)

I will never deal with Tx Direct Auto. I went there two times:

1) I was about to sign the papers on a 1 year old Z71 at a fair price and I happened to look under the truck... it looked like the frame was about to crumble from rust and not just surface rust I am talking about pitting on a 1 YEAR OLD TRUCK. I have no clue what that thing went through but I for sure did not want it.

2) Then I went to look at another Z71 thinking it was just a fluke. The salesman said the truck was never wrecked. Well, the Z71 sticker was missing from one side and I looked down the side and you could see it was wrecked... then he back tracked and said that a sales guy backed it into another truck and they fixed it (very poorly). This wreck was not a minor fender bender there was frame damage.

I think they get rejects from an auction and pretty them up with rims, detail them and sell them for way more than they are worth.

BTW, both carfax were clean.


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## Mrschasintail (Dec 8, 2004)

We are right by them. They are honest people. We have done alot of biz with them. They do a TON of business. If they did what you are accusing them of, they would be out of business. They just moved to a larger location too. Do what you want check them both out, but don't believe every thing you read here, that is for sure.


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## OG Donkey (Aug 22, 2007)

I bought my 2008 F-150 from TX Direct and have nothing buy praises for them. The showroom was awesome and the coffee was hot. I had talked to the guy over the phone and put the $500 down on the truck i wanted. I went in after i set an appt....they gave me WAAAY more on my trade (2002 crew 4x4 Duramax) than any dealership and I was in and out in about 2 hours total....The guys I worked with were class acts as well. Very polite and professional. Go to their web site and find what you're looking for, read the car's history and set an appt to test drive it....I would send anyone there after my experience.....and we all know how painful buying a vehicle can be...


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## manwitaplan (Dec 9, 2005)

*Texas Direct Auto*

I also had a great experience with them. Bought a 2007 new body style Z71 in 2008. I had a great experience and was able to get them to come down 500.00. I have recommended them to all and I will probably use them again. When I was looking they had Carmax beat in pricing bigtime. I also look at Carmax for pricing.

I would definitely check frame, paint, etc... at either place.

Good luck.


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## reelthreat (Jul 11, 2006)

Mrschasintail said:


> We are right by them. They are honest people. We have done alot of biz with them. They do a TON of business. If they did what you are accusing them of, they would be out of business. They just moved to a larger location too. Do what you want check them both out, but don't believe every thing you read here, that is for sure.


MCT, why would I lie?

I have nothing to gain... I just posted my experience with them, as dicklaxt asked.


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## Bull Red (Mar 17, 2010)

My SIL bought an Escalade from TX Direct last year and was very happy with the price and the vehicle. Personally, I think they have good deals and not so good deals. I looked at some cars on their website and thought they were priced a little high (btw, I think the same thing about Carmax). Just check the NADA trade in value. If they are close to it, it's probably a fair deal. Typically I either buy new on a partnership plan (set price), or from an individual. I've had too many dealers try to take advantage of me before. If they say "that's less than my cost"...RUN! And be wary of the "too good to be true deals"....there's usually a reason.


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## cannonjb123 (Mar 30, 2006)

There is a reason texas direct is so cheap... and it's not because of the volume they move. I have also looked at several cars before they changed their deposit policy and they were all in questionable shape. You pay for what you get.


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## Sugar Land YAK (Jun 19, 2004)

*TX Direct*

Majority are auction cars that have been through the auction multiple times...


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## Baconeer (Jan 17, 2010)

Shopped at Carmax last summer. Car is either overpriced or had fender bender repairs , look closely you can see the overspray paint under the hood , behind bumpers. One had a hood that doesn't lock. Salesman says they do not sell wreaks. Texas Direct Auto also sells fender benders or repos. 

Bought a 4 year old Accord on Ebay, it is from a local Acura dealer. Car is showroom clean. Price 10% cheaper than Carmax's wreak. Am very pleased. Good deals are out there.

BTW , the Carmax wreak I looked at had clean Carfax.


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## Devans87 (Sep 5, 2007)

I have always heard good things about texas direct auto....


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## SEAHUNT186 (Dec 24, 2004)

I've dealt with Carmax before and would not go there again. When I test drove a car with manual transmission the clutch was slipping bad. I told the salesman as we were driving out of the dealership for the test drive and he had no idea what I was talking about. They talk about how their cars are inspected and are in great shape....not this one. Also, their offer on my car was horrible. This happened a long time ago on the one located on the Gulf freeway and I had no interest in going back. 
Steve


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## longhorns13 (Aug 22, 2006)

Had my girlfriends(now wife) Nissan Pathfinder in autotrader and was bored one day so we took it to carmax. Wasted 2+ hrs for them to give me a lowball price. They were going to take off $1000 from normal offer because the tires on the car were not original size. Tires were brand new and they were only one size bigger than the factory recommended. Couldn't believe they tried that. Told the salesman even if I bought the exact same tires that were originally on it, it would have only cost 770.00 with tax and road hazard. He said $1000 was what it would cost to put the tires on. Never will go to carmax again. Embarassed I went anyway! I always look at Texas Auto Directs trucks and they seem clean but have never dealt with them. Hope this helps!


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## TechTopwater (Jul 17, 2009)

Had a great experience with TX Direct early last year. I did look at three trucks before I pulled the trigger. One of them was a little beat up, but the other two were in great shape. I have had the truck for about a year and a half now and it has had zero issues. I ended up with a 2006 crew cab Lariat and I could not be happier.

I wanted to avoid the hassle of selling my old truck myself. TX Direct Auto beat Carmax's buy price by $750.

When looking at used cars, there are always going to issues with different cars since they are "used". Take you time and check out what you are buying. TX Direct, throws you the keys to test drive and lets you take off by yourself. Take it to your mechanic to look at, I did.

I would definitely recommend Texas Direct Auto and will be using them again in the future.


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## ChasingReds (Jul 31, 2009)

Great info on Texas Direct, will check them out. Have looked at a few cars at CarMax, but never seen anything I wanted to commit to. Also will take used cars to them for the appraisal to compare with what a dealer will offer. They do push their financing real hard! I always go through my bank so told them I had it already lined up. They kept on pushing so had to tell them "bring it up one more time, and I'm outta here. They did, so I left...


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