The death of CarMax dream

"Jimmy Tango" (jimcalliu) 12/12/2014 at 02:33 • Filed to: None

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Since Doug inspired me with CarMax + MaxCare for my super reliable german vehicle needs, I have been wasting many hours of my life browsing CarMax.

I almost bought a M5 on my birthday.

I almost bought a XF-R.

Those would have been great buy since MaxCare can save you from wake up middle of the night in cold sweat with all the light on dash blinking in your dream.

Last night, I was wasting my life and browsing for F10 M-Sport. Saw this one 2011 535i M-SPORT with 53k on the meter, for $30998.

http://www.carmax.com/enus/view-car/…

Not a great price, but a decent one consider all the whistles and bells it came with "hollyshit this is the first time I came across a car with Dynamic Drive!"

(See build sheet here !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! )

But, the 21/03/11 production date proves that this is an early production car. While it's not a death sentence, albeit the previous owner drove 53k miles, I would still err on the side to account for MaxCare.

So I left the message to my nearby CarMax and said I am requesting a transfer.

Today, I pick up the call from the sales guy. The nearby CarMax opened this year in September, and I have been wasting my life since July on CarMax. I literally know more than this guy (he didn't know I couldn't buy 5yr/75k term on a car with more than 50k on the odo.)

He goes: "This car has $6000 MaxCare for 5yr /100K with $50 deductible, or $8000 5yr/125k with $50 deductible . "

Me: "What?"

He: "Yeah BMW is expensive to get the MaxCare. MaxCare covers iDrive, and BMW is like a giant computer. "

Me : "So you are telling me as long as it's a BMW, it will be expensive to purchase MaxCare."

He: "Yeah, like this one on our lot, 2013 528xi, 34k miles, would be $4000 if you are purchasing for the same term."

$4000 for a car that factory warranty starts from Nov. 26, 2012. There is TWENTY THREE MONTHS LEFT on the factory warranty, and MaxCare still wants $4k.

He: "Yeah, cause factory warranty didn't include iDrive, but MaxCare does." (<- I don't know if this is bullshit since I was a little mad that I didn't buy the M5 on my birthday. That car has less than 3k for a 5yr/75k plan)

Unless this guy actually is bullshiting me (don't you think it is kind of odd that all the numbers he gave me is a perfect, even number with three zero? ), I think that ring the death bell on purchasing a nice BMW (with MaxCare) from CarMax.

Today becomes shittier. Thanks, Doug.

Too many M's > Jimmy Tango 12/12/2014 at 03:35

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Ummm, the original factory warranty (4yrs) definitely covers iDrive. There's the corrosion one that goes for ten years which doesn't, for obvious reasons.

shop-teacher > Jimmy Tango 12/12/2014 at 04:53

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That guy is clearly full of shit.

Doug DeMuro > Jimmy Tango 12/15/2014 at 00:21

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Bump up the deductible! That will lower the warranty cost. I'm also a bit suspicious of warranty costs ending in 00 — usually they end in 99.

BTW $6k is insane for a 2011 car and absolutely not in line with ANY of the previous research I've done on it. They don't even charge HALF that number for a 2011 Range Rover.

Jimmy Tango > Doug DeMuro 12/15/2014 at 02:52

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I know, I am pretty sure that guy is a con as yesterday I talked to different store and they gave me a more realistic (albeit still expensive) quote for CarMax. Now I realized, if you want to pay 4k or below for MaxCare, look for mileage less than 40k ones. Which give you the option to go for 75k instead of 100k, which lower most plan cost by 2k.

I was asking a 2006 M5 (already gone!) that only has 18k on it. 5yr 75k cost $3299. 5yr 100k cost $5199. Ask another Jaguar XF, which selling price around 31k, with 40k miles on the odo. 5yr 75k cost $3499, 5yr 100k cost $4899.

I am not really sure bump up the deductible wins me in the 5yr return. I had a 2004 e46 in last 3 year and it visited shop 3~4 times a year. I wouldn't be surprised if the latest generation 5 series is more fragile after 5 years of age.

Doug DeMuro > Jimmy Tango 12/15/2014 at 09:16

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yes but remember the deductible is per VISIT not per issue. So if you can live with a few issues lingering for a while, you can build up some time and go in less frequently.