Carvana, an e-commerce platform for buying used cars, opened its largest Car Vending Machine to date in Tempe last month. The machine, standing tall at nine stories high, holds up to 34 cars. The tower is made out of glass, and drivers can see it lit up at night from the Valley’s South Mountain Freeway.
Based in Tempe, Carvana has opened up 11 Car Vending Machines in other states so far. The company was founded in Phoenix in 2012 and opened an inspection center in Tolleson last fall, but the right conditions for building the vending machine didn’t come together until now.
“We were proud to launch our free, as-soon-as-next-day vehicle delivery in Phoenix last August,” said Ryan Keeton, co-founder and chief branding officer. “Car Vending Machine locations and timing are determined by a variety of factors, including real estate locations, construction and the like, and we’re pleased that everything came together for us to debut our Tempe location this summer.”
Customers interested in buying a used car can shop from a selection of more than 10,000 sedans, pickup trucks, minivans, convertibles and more on the Carvana website or mobile app. Once they make a selection they can schedule delivery for as soon as the next day. Or, if the car is available in the Car Vending Machine, they can show up and receive a commemorative coin that they pop into a slot to activate the delivery process. The car is transported down to the delivery bay, and the customer gets to drive off without any of the dreaded haggling that takes place at regular dealerships.
Customers who want to use the vending machine but do not live in the area get a chance, too – Carvana subsidizes airfare up to $200 and arranges transport from the Phoenix airport to get customers to the machine.
All of the cars offered in the machine and online are “Carvana Certified,” which means they have passed an 150-point inspection, have never been in a reported accident, and have no frame damage. Information about features, imperfections and safety recalls are part of each car’s description page.
“We’re incredibly proud to be a part of the metro Phoenix community,” said Ernie Garcia, co-founder and CEO of Carvana. “Opening our largest Car Vending Machine to date in the city that shares our headquarters means so much to us. We’re excited that our hometown and many of our employees can continue to enjoy the new way to buy a car, now with the unique vending machine experience we’re known for.”
The machine is located at 707 E. Gilbert Drive and is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
