Quality Trumps Price for Car Buyers, CarMax Reports
For the second straight year, car buyers said “quality” is the most influential factor when shopping for a vehicle in CarMax Inc.'s annual consumer survey, with more than double the amount of respondents choosing quality over price in this year’s study.
RICHMOND, Va. — For the second straight year, car buyers said “quality” is the most influential factor when shopping for a vehicle in CarMax Inc.'s annual consumer survey, with more than double the amount of respondents choosing quality over price in this year’s study.
Conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of CarMax, results from the survey showed that 45 percent of Americans who have purchased a vehicle said quality has the greatest impact on their car buying decision, followed by price and safety. Additionally, 53 percent of men and 37 percent of women chose quality over price. Resale and environmental factors were least important, at seven and six percent, respectively.
“Choosing a vehicle that balances high quality with a fair price provides the value that consumers are looking for,” said Tracy Hanson, Nashville region vice president of service operations. “It’s why our vehicles go through a rigorous inspection and are thoroughly reconditioned.”
“Which of the following factors most influences your car-buying decision?” | ||
Responses | 011 Percentages | 2010 Percentages |
Quality | 45 | 37 |
Price | 22 | 28 |
Safety | 15 | 22 |
Resale value | 7 | 4 |
Environmental or green factors | 6 | 6 |
For more information, visit www.carmax.com.
More Auto Finance

Interest Rates Further Squeeze Auto Consumers
Last month’s hike and a potential second increase this month add to a growing list of inflation woes that could continue to dent overall car sales.
Read More →
Mind Your Process
Consistent steps taken in various aspects of the F&I office can make valuable differences over time, similar to an outline for a best-selling book.
Read More →
Top Five Credit Application Fraud Flags
Compliance audits regularly reveal bad habits that can lead to fraud charges and should have been stamped out decades ago.
Read More →
More Auto Loans for the Taking in August
Riskier categories were on the uptick for the month as lenders loosened access in several areas while balancing out the exposure in another, Cox Automotive reported.
Read More →
July Was Hot for Auto Borrowers
Credit proved readily available for many, but most loans left buyers in negative territory, Cox Automotive said.
Read More →
Dealer Lender Preferences Revealed
When lenders provide consistent, fast service, their overall satisfaction scores with dealers greatly improve, according to JD Power research.
Read More →
Auto Refi Savings Surge
Consumers with 84-month auto loan terms who refinanced saved the most on monthly payments, according to a new report by auto refinancing provider Caribou.
Read More →
Subaru Enters Lending Business
The automaker follows other brands in adding captive financing in the U.S., and says the move will strengthen its position here.
Read More →
Positive Equity Reaches Record High
Mainstream vehicle owners who bought a car seven years ago are likely to have positive equity when trading in for a new vehicle, according to second-quarter Edmunds data.
Read More →
Dealerships Are Paying the Price for Extended Car Loans
Growing negative-equity scenarios mean such lengthy terms should be addressed in a forward-looking way to make them work for the dealer and the consumer down the road.
Read More →