CarMax used vehicle retailer opens

CarMax Inc., the nation’s largest retailer of used cars, has opened in Santa Fe at 6800 Cerrillos Road, its second New Mexico location, the company announced recently.

The Richmond, Va.-based firm has approximately 140 cars on its lot and access to many more via its website, said Lindsey Duke, company spokeswoman.

The company advertises “no-haggle car buying,” in which the car is firmly priced but the vehicle history and condition are available online with its listing. The Better Business Bureau website gives the company an A-plus grade.

The company purchases vehicles from individuals and at auctions, but typically resells only those fewer than 10 years old or with fewer than 100,000 miles on their odometers, Duke said Friday. CarMax also will transfer a vehicle from one location to the buyer’s location for a fee, but in some cases for free. Moving a vehicle from the CarMax lot in Albuquerque for a buyer in Santa Fe would not involve a fee, for example, she said.

CarMax provides limited warranties and service agreements for its sales. The Santa Fe location is also a service center, she said.

The company has 190 locations in 41 states, Duke said. She said CarMax is expanding out of larger metro areas into smaller metros like Santa Fe, Macon, Ga., and Lynchburg, Va.