Former long term employee - Anonymous employee CarMax Employee Review

2.0
Nov 9, 2014
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Continuous training. Fair work/life balance. Can make a decent paycheck if you are on your game all the time and work your days off..

Cons

Micro management Micro management Micro management. Corporate treats employees as numbers only not as people. Corporate blind to employee abilities only sees policies and rules. FAVORITISM! Corporate bias to promotions, if management doesn't like you, you will not get advancement regardless of performance....period. Sales personnel received 1 pay increase in 15 years! Yet the CEO takes a $2 MILLION DOLLAR PAY INCREASE AND HUGE BONUS EACH YEAR!!! Corporate says to sales staff "if you want a pay increase sell another car!" Sales staff considered and treated with "dime a dozen" mentality. $160 per car commission was GREAT...in 1985!!! Management has no interest in assisting you in closing a deal, too lazy. They would rather sit behind a desk and check email/play games on their phones instead of coming out on the floor to help close a deal! Management out of touch with the sales floor due to lack of involvement. Most LGM's have less than 6 months of sales experience but consider themselves experts. Oh did I mention MICRO MANAGEMENT?

Explore other reviews about CarMax

5.0
Jul 13, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

we treat each other like family

Cons

no cons what so ever

4.0
Jun 13, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The perks of working at CarMax are quite extensive. Associates are offered an aggressive 401k program, Stock Purchasing Plan, in store discounts on sales and service, access to the CarMax Wholesale system, excellent healthcare, plenty of PTO, and at my location we are given as much OT as we want. My coworkers are generally good people, that I enjoy being able to work along side day in and day out. Management is very understanding in regards to calling out sick family emergencies, and schedule requests.

Cons

Despite doing the work of 5 people, and very politely asking for a raise management will not give me more than my 3% annual raise which is the single biggest let down. The bonus change of 2025 being labeled as "exciting" was straight corporate gaslighting unlike anything I've ever seen. Since the start of 2026, as of this review being written we have lost 7 associates largely due to pay, and I am soon to join those associates. Management from the store level up to corporate needs to understand that to retain their top performers they need to be compensated like a top performer. Some members of management are cliquey and moody which is very frustrating to deal with. Quality of Management varies wildly from store to store as well

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