Vroom Review: Is It Really That Easy? | Find The Best Car Price (2024)

What is Vroom?

Vroom is a national online retailer that allows users to browse and post used cars and trucks without much hassle. Buy, sell, or trade-in your car with ease and enjoy delivery right to your door. Vroom specializes in low-mileage pre-owned vehicles, many of which are under 3 years old. They only sell cars with a clean title, and the vehicles come from private sellers, dealers, and auctions.

Is Vroom Legit?

Vroom is located in New York City and has a refurbishment facility in Stafford, TX. While they appear to be a legitimate business, their status with the Better Business Bureauis "accreditation revoked." The BBB states that businesses with revoked accreditation failed to operate according to their standards of trust.

Can You Negotiate with Vroom?

Vroom, as a "no-hassle" online car-buying service, operates with a non-negotiable pricing approach. This means that the listed price of the vehicle is the final price, and negotiation is not possible.

While some buyers may prefer the convenience of not engaging in back-and-forth haggling, it's important to note that the price you see on the vehicle's listing is typically the price you will pay, with any additional fees such as tax, title, and delivery.

Vroom's streamlined process aims to provide transparent pricing upfront, simplifying the car-buying experience.

However, it's always a good idea to carefully review the terms and conditions of any purchase and inquire about any potential discounts or promotions that may be available at the time.

Simply put, the price that you see listed on the vehicle’s listing is the price you are going to pay for the vehicle. The only other additional fees may include tax, title, and delivery.

Does Vroom Change Their Offer?

The offer will be good for seven days or 250 miles. During that time, Vroom will honor the offer that they provided you. The only exceptions would be if the vehicle were to be significantly damaged during that time.

How Much Does Vroom Cost?

Vroom is based on set prices, so there is no negotiation or haggling. Buyers must pay a $599 delivery fee, or $999 if they want an enclosed trailer. You can avoid the delivery fee if you pick up the car in person in Houston. To hold the car as a buyer, you must put down a $500 deposit.

Sellers do not pay to sell on Vroom because they are not listing their car, they are selling to Vroom. While you won't pay a fee to do this up-front, you can imagine that the instant-offer you get will be lower than what Vroom will sell the car for. You may also trade-in a vehicle and apply the value to your new purchase or down payment.

Does Vroom Price Include Tax & Title?

When you look at the price listings on Vroom, you will not see the tax and the title included in the price. That is because your specific tax and title cost will depend on the state where you register the vehicle.

Does Vroom Have Hidden Fees?

Unlike standard dealerships that like to charge a number of fees, Vroom tries to simplify the process. You only pay the tax, title, and delivery fee.

You won’t have to deal with advertising fees or other fees that you may encounter at a dealership. Just be sure to look over the contract before you make any final purchasing decision.

How Much Does Vroom Charge for Delivery?

Vroom has two delivery types available. The standard delivery is $699 and the vehicle is transported via an open trailer.

For $999, you can have the vehicle delivered to you via an enclosed trailer. Both of these fees are standard no matter where you live in the United States and no matter where your vehicle is coming from.

Recommended: Check out our guide on how to ship a car that you bought long distance.

How Does Vroom Make Money?

There are a few different ways that Vroom makes money. One way they make money is by selling the used vehicles on their platform. They work similarly to many other dealerships in that the price they pay to sellers is lower than what they sell the vehicle for. Vroom also sells vehicles at wholesale auctions if they do not meet the quality standards of their platform.

Additionally, Vroom has physical operations and third-party partnerships to help lower its capital requirements. They also make money from their financing options which we will discuss in the next section.

Does Vroom Offer Financing?

Vroom also offers financing options for the vehicles they sell. Vroom works with several lenders to provide financing options. Similar to Carvana, Vroom offers competitive rates that are often lower than the current market value.

Does Vroom Check Your Credit Score?

Vroom does not perform a hard credit inquiry for pre-qualification. However, you will need a hard credit pull for final approval. You can also have a co-applicant. Of course, you should be aware of the loan options for bad credit, as you don't want an option with extremely high APRs. You will find out about the decision for pre-qualification within minutes.

The Vroom restrictions for financing include:

• For Vroom vehicles only.
• Minimum income of $1,800 per month.
• Maximum loan term of 75 months.
• Only available for vehicles 8 years old and newer with less than 100,000 miles.
• You must pay the $500 deposit and $599 delivery fee.

What Documents Does Vroom Need?

If you're looking to purchase a vehicle from Vroom, you will need to provide a valid government-issued ID as well as proof of income if you're looking to finance the vehicle.

If you're looking to sell the vehicle to Vroom, then you will need to provide a government ID along with the vehicle’s registration and title. If you do not own the vehicle outright, then you will need to provide the loan information about the vehicle.

Also, you will have to provide a photo of the odometer.

How Long Does It Take for Vroom to Verify Documents?

Once you send your documents to Vroom, they will take anywhere from one to two business days to perform their verification.

Does Vroom Buy Cars That Are Not Paid Off?

Yes, Vroom will purchase a vehicle that you owe money on. You will have to provide the loan information to the company before they will make an offer on the vehicle. You will be responsible for any outstanding payments owed to the vehicle.

How to Sell a Car to Vroom

You can sell or trade-in your car to Vroom online with contact-free pickup. To sell your car to Vroom you should:

1. Complete the free appraisal form online. You must provide your VIN/license plate number, mileage, and features.
2. Vroom will send you an offer that is good for 2 days or 250 additional miles.
3. The offer is solid and does not allow haggling.
4. If you accept the offer, you complete the paperwork to transfer the title to Vroom. Vroom will then schedule your free vehicle pick-up.
5. The driver will come to pick up the vehicle. They inspect it and you sign a bill of lading.
6. The driver leaves with the vehicle and notifies Vroom of the pick-up.
7. Once Vroom has your car, they process the payment and you receive a check within 2-3 business days.

Looking for an alternative for selling and buying a used car? Check out Carvana.

How to Buy a Car from Vroom

The process to buy a car from Vroom is:

1. Browse Vroom cars online and choose the one you are interested in.
2. Click "Start Purchase" to create a Vroom account.
3. Choose how to pay for your Vroom car. Pay with cash, finance through your own bank, or finance through Vroom. (You can also trade in a car for credit).
4. A Vroom Car Specialist will get in touch. Send proof of your insurance and a photo of your driver's license to verify your identity.
5. Send your $500 fully-refundable deposit to hold your vehicle for 24 hours so nobody else can buy it while you finalize details.
6. Complete the overnighted or emailed paperwork for your purchase. Review it carefully and then return the signed paperwork within 24 hours.
7. Next, Vroom will inspect the car one last time and book delivery. You'll receive regular updates from the Delivery Support Team, and should have the vehicle within 10-14 days of purchase.
8. When your car arrives, you should have temporary tags. You'll receive an email about registration and titling, which you'll need to do once you have the car. If you finance through Vroom, they handle the DMV paperwork for you.
9. You then have 7 days or 250 miles to test out the car and make sure it's the right fit. If it's not, you can get a refund for the purchase price. If it is, enjoy your new car!

Vroom Policies

Here are the important policies to keep in mind:

• Warranties. Vroom cars come with a 90-day or 6,000-mile limited warranty, and one year of roadside assistance.
• Return policy. You can return Vroom car within the first 7 days or 250 miles, whichever comes first. The car will be picked up for free if it was delivered, but you will not get the delivery fee returned. If you picked it up, you must drop it off and you may have to pay a $599 restocking fee.
• Trade-ins. You can trade-in vehicles to Vroom. Vroom will give you an offer that lasts two days or 250 miles. If you accept, you will get paid once Vroom picks up the car, or apply the money to a Vroom purchase.
• Delivery. Vroom delivers to the 48 continental states. Delivery time is approximately 10-14 days, but can be longer. You can also pick up from a Vroom dealership near Houston to eliminate the $599 delivery fee.

Recommended: Check out our guide on how to buy a car out of state.

Vroom Review- The Benefits and Drawbacks

Vroom Pros: Here Are the Good Things

• No haggling. The prices on Vroom are set, there's no negotiation. This takes a lot of pressure off of buyers because you know exactly what you'd pay and can decide accordingly.
• Easy process. It's incredibly easy to purchase a car online with Vroom. You avoid the lines, time, and salespeople at a dealership and can purchase a car without leaving your home.
• Vehicle selection. Vroom offers a vast selection of vehicles with a wide range of prices, making it a great place to search for your next car.
• Detailed inspections. Vroom only sells vehicles with clean titles, and they perform a rigorous inspection of all vehicles.

Vroom Cons: Here's What to Watch Out For

Despite the many great qualities of Vroom, there are considerable drawbacks. Here are some of the most common complaints customers have about Vroom:

• No negotiation. While no haggling is good for some reasons, it can also prevent you from getting the best deal, as there's no wiggle room.
• Low satisfaction overall. Vroom has alarmingly low satisfaction ratings on Consumer Affairs and had its accreditation revoked from the Better Business Bureau. These low ratings are concerning and point to an overall deficit with the company or process.
• Weak return policy. Vroom has a pretty weak return policy, only allowing up to 250 miles or 7 days. Unfortunately, this is somewhat common for these online dealerships.
• Failed warranty. Several customers on multiple review sites complain that Vroom does not adhere well to their warranty and is not as helpful as they could be when issues arise. This also leads to a question regarding the strength of the inspection process.
• Customer service. There is a mixed consensus about customer service at Vroom. Some customers applaud their service, while others feel Vroom does not respond in a timely or helpful manner.

Alternatives to Vroom

There are many similar alternatives to Vroom that allow you to buy and sell used vehicles online. Some Vroom alternatives are:

• Carvana. Carvana is a fully-online used-car dealership that also offers financing options. Read our full review of Carvana in this post and see how Carvana compares to Vroom.
• Carmax. You can shop for certified vehicles or sell yours online at CarMax. CarMax also provides curbside pickup and delivery. Read our full review in this post.
• Shift. Shift is a digitally-driven company that offers car buying and selling. Shift owns all the cars they sell and offers haggle-free pricing. Read our full review of Shift here.
• WeBuyAnyCar. They provide a fast, convenient process for selling a car from the comfort of your home. Read our full review of WeBuyAnyCar here.
• Rental Car Companies. Enterprise, Hertz, and Avis are the leading rental car companies, and you can find a good deal on a well-maintained used vehicle. Check out our full comparison here.