Vroom Complaints & Scams To Look Out For
I am a serial entrepreneur and a consumer advocate. When I’m not helping car buyers, I love working on ventures that have a positive impact.
I run a cause marketing agency and serve on the board of Vayu Global Health where we are disrupting the medical industry and preventing the needless deaths of mothers and babies during childbirth.
If you’re looking to buy or sell a used car online, chances are you’ve heard of Voom.
Vroom is an online used car dealership that claims to offer an easier buying and selling experience throughout the U.S. They specialize in pre-owned vehicles under three years old, primarily selling vehicles from auctions, dealers, and private owners.
In our full review of Vroom, we discussed how their BBB accreditation was revoked.
While Vroom is a legitimate business, they have its fair share of complaints reported by users. To provide an unbiased view of Vroom, we’ve aggregated the most common problems cited by customers on third-party review sites.
Table of Contents
Vroom BBB Accreditation
As of June 2022, Vroom is not accredited by the BBB. They had accreditation revoked.
The BBB displays an alert for Vroom due to “a pattern of complaints” regarding the following:
- A mismatch between the vehicle in the photos and the vehicle received. More damage or impairments than shown in photos.
- Issues with the delivery including cars being left outside with the keys in them.
- Problems with customer service and communication when trying to resolve issues.
- Warranty problems.
Overall there are 5,712 complaints about Vroom on the BBB. Notably, many of these complaints maintain an “unanswered” status.
Vroom Lawsuits
In May 2022, Vroom faced a lawsuit for deceptive trade practices. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Vroom Inc. and Vroom Automotive LLC regarding a lack of disclosure on title transfer delays. This lawsuit states that Vroom places an unnecessary burden on customers by not disclosing information about vehicle registration and title transfer delays.
Furthermore, the lawsuit states that Vroom does not accurately disclose vehicle conditions and history. These allegations violate the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Consumer Protection Act.
The lawsuit is ongoing and largely based on the 5,000+ complaints Vroom has on the BBB as well as with the Office of Attorney General and Texas Direct Auto.
Common Complaints When Buying a Car on Vroom
There are several common complaints that car buyers have when using Vroom. Some of the most common complaints when buying a car on Vroom include:
- Warranty coverage issues. Many customers complain that the included warranty does not cover what it claims to and that getting a problem reasonably covered by the warranty is extremely difficult. Many people feel that the warranty is not transparent or dependable.
- Late paperwork. Vroom is supposed to make it fast and easy to buy a car online, but several customers state that the necessary paperwork did not arrive for weeks. Beyond that, many customers were missing necessary documents. These delays are a large part of the ongoing lawsuit.
- Poor customer service. Customer service is another common complaint. Several reviews talk about how the customer service is hard to reach and not helpful.
- Car arriving in poor condition. Another common issue is the vehicle not arriving as pictured. Many car buyers report that the vehicle contained more damage than in the initial photo. Furthermore, people are often frustrated by how difficult it is to then complete the return.
Common Complaints When Selling a Car on Vroom
- Low-ball offers. Vroom makes money by selling vehicles for more than they purchase them for. Therefore, you can expect an offer that’s significantly lower than a private sale. Still, many people feel that the offer they received for their vehicle is unfair and far too low.
- Poor customer service. Customers complain about the helpfulness for both buying and selling vehicles. They claim it’s difficult to get in contact and to get questions answered.
Are There Vroom Scams?
Many customers feel that the way Vroom handles paperwork and sale completion is a scam. People did not receive titles, registration paperwork, and other vital information at the time of vehicle delivery. Thousands of reviews complain about extremely delayed paperwork that puts them at risk of driving an unregistered vehicle with expired plates, even after several attempts to contact Vroom.
While these issues may not be an intentional scam on the part of Vroom, they violate several laws and jeopardize the customers. This issue has gotten so bad that Vroom lost BBB accreditation and is facing a lawsuit.
What To Do If You’ve Been Scammed on Vroom?
Dealing with unfair practices from an online car dealership can be a frustrating experience. Here’s what you should do if you’re dealing with problems with Vroom:
- Contact customer service. The first step should be to report the issue to customer service and allow them to remedy the situation.
- Visit the DMV. If the issue is related to extremely late paperwork, then talk with your DMV. They may be able to help you get temporary registration or point you to another resource.
- File a complaint with the BBB. As many customers point out, customer service is not always available or helpful. If you do not receive the help you need, then file a complaint with the BBB.
- File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. You can report fraudulent practices and help spark investigation by filing a complaint with the FTC.
