I needed a new daily just to get back and forth to work. Even though I always said I’d never buy a car from Carvana, I went against my better judgment and pulled the trigger anyway.
The car checked a lot of boxes. One owner, low miles, and living on the East Coast, AWD is a must for me. I thought $19k was a bit high even with the mileage, but given my situation, I was willing to pay a premium just to avoid the hassle. I’m currently working 7 days a week, and running around car shopping on top of that just wasn’t something I wanted to deal with.
For context, I’m very familiar with these cars. I had a G35x for 10 years, my wife had a G37x for 10 years (until it got totaled when someone cut us off on the expressway), and my younger brother has a Q50S. Safe to say, I’m a Nissan/Infiniti guy.
Originally, I was actually looking to go in a completely different direction. I was cross-shopping Mustangs and Blackwings, but my wife and I started talking about buying a house. That’s when it hit me, dropping $50–60k on a toy right now probably isn’t the smartest move if a mortgage is in the near future. So I went back to my roots and started hunting for a G37x with plans to slowly build it over time.
I put $6,500 down and figured I’d make two or three payments, then just pay the rest off in one shot.
Delivery was scheduled for Saturday, April 26. I even took the weekend off work so I could receive the car and bring it straight to my mechanic just to be safe.
Friday night at 8:32 PM, I get a text saying the delivery is delayed.
I call, and they tell me the car didn’t pass inspection because it failed the drive cycle. That immediately caught my attention, but I tried to stay positive. Maybe the car had been sitting, maybe the battery died, something simple. I brushed it off, even though I had just lost a weekend of pay, and decided to enjoy the unexpected time off with my wife. We rarely get weekends together anymore.
I rescheduled for Sunday, May 3. Took another weekend off.
I called Carvana on Thursday, and they said everything is good. I call Friday again just to be sure, and they confirm the car will be there Sunday between 8 and 11 AM.
Sunday morning, I’m up at 5, coffee in hand, just waiting. At 6 AM, I get an email saying the car is on the way, and I’ll get a text 45 minutes before arrival.
At 8:05 AM, I get a text…
Delivery delayed. Again. Another week.
At this point, I’m obviously pissed.
I call Carvana, and this time they tell me the car failed inspection again because water got into the fuse box, and it couldn’t pass.
That was it for me.
I asked for my money back, and now I have to wait 10–15 days for it to clear. Their solution? Offer me $500 off another car.
No thanks.
My message to anyone who comes across this car: Stay away. I even asked if it was flood-related or maybe a leak, and got no real answer. That’s not a risk I’m willing to take, and neither should you.