CarMax Des Moines

Carmax was the best car buying experience ever. They were very nice prompt and caring during the entire process. They made sure they had everything ready when it came time to purchase the vehicle. I recommend Carmax to anyone no matter what kind of credit or situation you’re dealing with it was absolutely fantastic

I emailed the information to ccr@carmax.com and jennifer_sheppard@carmax.com on 1/31/26. Exceptional Service from Christian, Sales Manager – Des Moines Location I am writing to share my sincere gratitude for the outstanding service I received during my recent purchase of a 2022 Honda CR-V. While I received great service from the sales and business office staff, it was Christian, the Sales Manager, who truly became my advocate during a difficult service issue. I quite literally would not be in this vehicle without his help. My teenage son and I were rear-ended on Christmas Eve. The accident left me with a concussion, my son with minor whiplash, and our previous car totaled. As I have learned, I do not recommend buying a car while recovering from a concussion. This was the most difficult car purchase of my 40+ years of driving. I struggled to think clearly and continually questioned my own judgment. Our salesman, Andrew, was incredibly patient and even reached out to me on his day off. However, a conflict arose after a post-purchase inspection at Firestone. They recommended replacing the front brakes (glazed rotors) and two air filters. Interestingly, the Firestone representative—a CarMax customer himself—urged me to buy MaxCare, calling it one of the best warranties on the market. Based on his advice, I went to CarMax to purchase MaxCare and to address the brakes. Initially, the service department (specifically Ted Martens) insisted the brakes were fine, suggesting Firestone might be attempting an "upsell." This placed me in an impossible position: I had to choose between a mechanics that I have trusted for years—who had just complimented CarMax—and a service department telling me my car was safe when it didn't feel safe. Feeling overwhelmed and unsafe, I informed Ted that if the repairs weren't made, I wanted to return the vehicle and receive a refund. I was prepared to start the exhausting process of car shopping all over again when Christian stepped in. He went above and beyond to advocate for me, coordinating with the service staff to cover the majority of the brake work. By doing so, he saved the deal and ensured I had a safe vehicle without the added stress of a new search. The brakes have been repaired and I can share any of the information and photos, if requested. Christian’s empathy and professionalism turned a very difficult time into a positive experience. He was truly our "angel" during this process. Employees like Christian are a credit to your company, and I request that this commendation be shared with his leadership and included in his professional record. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

The process seemed slow. I got home and one of the fobs didn't go to the car. Called for two days to get a hold of the service department. Never got a call back. Called Denver. They put me on hold and called Urbandal. Told me service would call me right back Then they closed for the weekend

First of all my experience with my sales person, Andrew, was fantastic. Yes, he was kind and non-pushy, but also very creative in finding a car that I absolutely love.

Great attention to the Customer and All of the headaches of Trying to buy a car were Completely taken away.

Great experience. Car was perfect and processes was easy and quick. Personnel were friendly and helpful. Will definitely look there for future car needs.

This is the second time I bought at the Des Moins Carmax, I am very pleased with the experiences I have had

Although I am now pleased with my purchase, I was frustrated by several things in the process: 1. Once I'd requested shipping, I got two conflicting responses. One estimated delivery in 1-2 days, and the other gave a range with the last date being 12 days. The actual delivery date was 10 days. I hoped for the best (since the car was only being shipped from 4 hours away) but ended up paying more for my rental vehicle than anticipated. 2. The exterior picture of the vehicle was dark purple, but two of the interior pictures showed a bit of the exterior, and that exterior was a very light purple. The latter could not have been pictures of the dark purple vehicle I received. 3. I was dismayed when the final bill included a charge for $800+ of documentation (in addition to a smaller ($135?) charge for transfer fee. I asked about the two and still didn't understand the $800+ charge at all. 4. The one-day test drive was limited to 30-45 minutes, which is not nearly enough to perform all the suggested tests that the literature mentioned. I requested a couple of hours, and had to get special permission for a 24-hour test drive instead. On the flip side, your employees were very friendly and I was thankful that the salesman accompanied me when I returned my rental vehicle so I didn't have to ask a friend for a ride.

Dealership was clean bright and I met good people trying to do their jobs with helpful suggestions. I was satisfied with everyone we met.

they wete very courteous and helped roll with the punches to get done what needed to be done.