When a Mississippi woman bought a Lexus RX 350 through Carvana this past April, she expected a modern, hassle-free car-buying experience. She says that what she got instead was a months-long spiral into missing paperwork, a vanished financing account, and surreal customer service calls.

“The woman on the phone says, ‘Your vehicle’s on the way!’” creator Jana Marie recalls in the first of a series of TikTok videos detailing her purportedly ongoing Carvana difficulties. “I said, ‘Ma’am, I’m in the vehicle. I’ve already made a payment.’”

So far, Jana says her experience has been filled with dead-end calls, contradictory updates, and the creeping anxiety of driving a car the system says she doesn’t own.

Buying Cars in the Digital Age

‘Buy the Replacements on Amazon for $7:’ Mechanic Tells Woman to Change the Cabin Filter After Her Oil Change. Should She Do It?
‘I Would Have Just Cried and Waited for Everyone to Leave:’ Woman Tries to Park Ford Expedition at the Airport. It Backfires

Carvana built its brand around simplicity: browse cars online, get financing in minutes, and have your new vehicle delivered to your door—no dealership haggling required. It’s car buying reimagined for the Amazon Prime generation.

But the experience isn’t always seamless, buyers say.

After the sale went through, Jana’s claims her experience quickly unraveled. She says she’s dealt with missing tags, a ghosted finance portal, and dozens of phone calls with no clear answers.

What was supposed to be turnkey became Kafkaesque, per her retelling.

In traditional dealerships, you can escalate such issues with a manager. In the digital-first world, you’re left navigating call centers and apps—and hoping to find someone who can actually help.

Jana says the timeline of her Carvana purchase went down like this:

April: She buys a Lexus RX 350 through Carvana and submits her paperwork digitally.
Delivery is delayed, but the car eventually arrives.
She makes her first payment with no issue.
No license plate or temporary tag ever shows up.
When she tries to make her second payment, her finance account is gone.
She calls the finance company. They tell her she returned the vehicle.
Carvana reps are baffled: one insists the car is still being delivered. She’s already driving it.
After multiple calls, she’s told her paperwork was never completed, even though she says she finished it in April.
She calls trying to straighten things out and keeps getting put on hold.

All the while, she’s behind the wheel of a car that, according to the system, doesn’t exist.

Other Carvana Complaints

Carvana has a pattern of problems that span multiple states and impacts consumers nationwide.

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles cited Carvana for over 30 violations in 2021, issuing more than $10,000 in fines after numerous complaints about delayed titles, expired or out‑of‑state temporary tags, and several reports of customers waiting months to legally drive their cars.

In August 2021, state regulators suspended Carvana’s dealership license in Raleigh for six months due to failures in delivering titles, ignoring state inspections, and issuing out‑of‑state temporary plates.

Following a 2021 compliance review by Michigan regulators, Carvana entered into an 18‑month probation, later extended by six months, and paid multiple fines after the state uncovered repeated failures to transfer titles within 15 days, improper temporary registrations, missing odometer records, and other violations.

In Connecticut this January, the company reached a $1.5 million settlement addressing consumer complaints dating back to 2019, including prolonged title and registration delays, postponed lender payments, and misleading vehicle descriptions.

No Resolution

More than two months after her purchase, Jana is still driving the car but says she remains in legal limbo. She reportedly still hasn’t received valid paperwork and her financing status is unclear.

She says no one at Carvana has offered a clear path to resolution.

“I can’t make it anymore. Did I get the car for free? No. I’m still dealing with them,” she says in a post about the experience.

“I need to be on the phone with them right now.”

Motor1 reached out to Jana via direct message and to Carvana via email. We’ll be sure to update this if either responds.

 
Carvana Is Getting Into New Car Sales
Carvana’s Massive Success Is a ‘Mirage:’ Report
Spotted: New Lexus LFR Supercar Caught Testing in California
Yes, Lexus Really Calls This V-8 Sedan the Climax Edition