Designed for Unique Customer Experience, LEED Certification
RICHMOND, Va. (Oct. 4, 2012) - CarMax, Inc., (NYSE: KMX), the nation’s largest retailer of used cars, officially opened its first auto superstore in Des Moines, Iowa today, located at 10315 Hickman Road in Urbandale. The store is more than 44,000 square-feet, employs more than 60 associates and stocks about 300 used vehicles of nearly every make and model.
The Des Moines CarMax store will be LEED certified. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) provides independent, third-party verification that a building, home or community was designed and built with requirements that include sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
“We continue to grow and expand into new markets, with the opening of Des Moines, our first store in Iowa,” said Tom Folliard, president and CEO of CarMax. “Our Des Moines store combines new technology and design with our unique brand of superior customer service featuring wireless technology, videos and digital displays, tablets and social media. We are excited to bring our unique car buying experience to Des Moines area residents.”
More than 200 local dignitaries and CarMax associates attended a grand opening event at the Des Moines location today. The event included a “Road Rally” for charity featuring local television and radio personalities competing in contests, which included parallel-parking and pack-the-trunk events. CarMax donated $1,000 to each participant’s charity, and the winner’s charity received an additional $1,000.
The CarMax Road Rally participants included WOI-DT weekend meteorologist Chris Conoan, LAZER 103.3 radio personality Moose, and KCWI-TV meteorologist of Great Day Jason Parkin. Organizations that received the donations were the ALS Association and Variety, The Children's Charity of Iowa.
CarMax opened its first store in Richmond, Va. 19 years ago after the company surveyed thousands of consumers to find out what they liked and disliked about car shopping. CarMax was designed according to the survey responses, giving consumers what they asked for:
Low Prices
- No hassles, no haggling on all four parts of the car purchase:
- The price of the vehicle, which is posted clearly on the car and on carmax.com
- Extended service plan, consumers can choose the plan that’s right for them
- Financing, with all options displayed on a computer for the consumer to review
- The “trade-in,” a written offer good for seven days whether or not the customer buys a car from CarMax
Broad Selection
- Hundreds of vehicles on every lot (generally 250 to 450 per store)
- Nearly every make and model (both domestic and import used vehicles)
- Used vehicles that are generally one to six years old with less than 60,000 miles
- More than 30,000 vehicles online at carmax.com
- Transfer most used cars to the store nearest you
Commitment to Quality
- CarMax used cars are Quality Certified
- CarMax cars undergo an average of 12 hours of thorough inspection and renewal
- All used cars we retail are protected by a 30-Day Limited Warranty and no-hassle 5-Day Money Back Guarantee
Customer Friendly
- A kids play area
- CarMax will buy any car, whether or not the seller purchases a CarMax vehicle
Des Moines, Iowa area residents can also preview CarMax vehicles by logging onto www.carmax.com. The website features actual prices and photos of thousands of CarMax vehicles available nationwide. Prospective car buyers can have a vehicle transferred from any CarMax location to the Des Moines store for a fee.
CarMax is sharing photos and videos from today’s event on the company Facebook page: www.facebook.com/CarMax and through Twitter @CarMax.
About CarMax
CarMax, a member of the FORTUNE 500 and the S&P 500, and one of the FORTUNE2012 “100 Best Companies to Work For,” is the nation’s largest retailer of used cars. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., CarMax currently operates 114 used car superstores in 57 markets. The CarMax consumer offer is structured around four customer benefits: low, no-haggle prices; a broad selection; high quality vehicles; and customer-friendly service. During the twelve months ended February 29, 2012, the company retailed 408,080 used cars and sold 316,649 wholesale vehicles at our in-store auctions. For more information, access the CarMax website at http://www.carmax.com/.
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Media Contacts
Elia Imler, CarMax Public Relations, (804) 747-0422 ext.4029
Britt Farrar, Public Relations Manager, (804) 747-0422 ext.3473
Twitter: @CarMax, Facebook: facebook.com/CarMax