Keyport, NJ · Since 1962
Tom's Ford vs. Carvana & CarMax: Selling or Trading Your Car in NJ
Thinking about selling to Carvana or CarMax? Here's an honest side-by-side — including one New Jersey tax rule that can cost you over a thousand dollars if you sell online instead of trading in.
The short version: Carvana and CarMax give you a fast online number and real convenience. But that online number is an estimate — Carvana's is confirmed by a physical inspection at pickup, and both are subject to verification. At Tom's Ford in Keyport, we put hands on your car the same day, show you how we got to the number, and hand you a check you can walk out with — or apply to your next vehicle. And in New Jersey, trading in with the same dealer you buy from means you're only taxed on the difference — a credit you generally give up when you sell to Carvana or CarMax and buy somewhere else.
200 NJ-35 South, Keyport, NJ 07735 · Serving Monmouth County — Hazlet, Matawan, Holmdel, Aberdeen & Middletown.
Can’t get to the store? We’ll come to you — your driveway, your office, or your job site — and appraise your car on the spot.
Same-day appraisal · Keyport, NJ
The honest side-by-side
Everything below is each company's own published process as of 2026. Policies change — check the current terms directly before you decide.
| Tom's Ford (Keyport) | Carvana | CarMax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you get a number | Instant online estimate at our trade tool, then a real, in-person appraisal — same day. We pull your Carfax and show you the market data behind the number. | Instant online offer from VIN/plate + your answers. | Real online or in-store offer in minutes. |
| Is that number final? | We appraise the car in person before we quote you — the number is the number. | Online offer is conditional on a physical inspection at pickup; it can be adjusted. | Firm for 7 days — adjusted only if your car differs from the info you entered. |
| Where it gets appraised | ✓ At our Keyport store — or we come to you. Your driveway, your office, your job site. | Inspected at your home when they pick the car up, after the online offer. | In-store, or at-home pickup added Nov 2025 (a fee could apply). |
| Offer valid for | We'll honor a fair number while you decide. | 7 days. | 7 days. |
| When you get paid | ✓ Check in hand the same day. | At pickup, by check or direct deposit (typically 3–7 days end-to-end). | On the spot after in-person verification. |
| Title & registration | ✓ Handled in-state, directly with NJ MVC. | Has faced regulatory actions in several states over title/plate delays (see below). | No comparable regulatory record. |
| NJ trade-in tax credit | ✓ Trade + buy together = taxed only on the difference. | Selling separately generally forfeits the NJ credit. | Selling separately generally forfeits the NJ credit. |
| Who you deal with | A local NJ dealership you can walk into, family-run since 1962. | Remote / online, national. | National retailer; at-home pickup added Nov 2025 (a fee could apply). |
Sources: carvana.com and carmax.com published policies (as of 2026); CarMax at-home pickup announced Nov 18, 2025. Carvana and CarMax are trademarks of their respective owners; Tom's Ford is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by either company.
The online number isn't always the final number.
An instant online quote is a great starting point, and we give you one too. Just know what it is: an estimate based on what you type in. Carvana states plainly that its online offer is confirmed by a physical inspection when they pick the car up — if the inspection turns up wear, a warning light, or mileage that's higher than entered, the number can move. CarMax's offer is firm for seven days, but is still verified in person and can be adjusted if the car differs from what you described.
There's nothing wrong with that — a photo and a form can't see a car the way a person can. It's just the reason we do it in the opposite order: we look at your actual car first, then we quote you. We pull your Carfax, put it next to what comparable cars are bringing right now, and walk you through both — an evidence-based number, not a guess. You're not driving home on a number that might change in your driveway next week.
The paperwork that actually matters: your title & plates.
This is where selling a car online has tripped people up. Carvana has faced regulatory actions in multiple states — Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Maryland and Connecticut — over delays getting buyers their titles and registrations. Most recently, in January 2025 the Connecticut Attorney General announced a $1.5 million settlement with Carvana following hundreds of consumer complaints that included title, registration and payment delays.
We're not telling you not to use them. We're telling you why buying and selling with a local dealer is different: we process your title and registration in-state, directly through the New Jersey MVC. No cars shipped across state lines, no third-party middleman, and a real person in Keyport you can call if something needs fixing.
Sources: Connecticut Attorney General, Jan 14, 2025; state DMV/regulatory actions, 2021–2023. Reflects publicly reported actions as of 2026.
The New Jersey tax rule that can cost you $1,300+.
This is the one most people miss. In New Jersey, when you trade in your car and buy your next one from the same dealer at the same time, you only pay sales tax on the difference — the new price minus your trade-in value. Sell your car to Carvana or CarMax and then buy somewhere else, and those are two separate transactions — so you generally pay tax on the full price of the car you buy, and lose the credit.
Illustration using NJ's 6.625% sales-tax rate as of 2026; your numbers depend on your vehicle and deal. Confirm current NJ rate and rules — this is an example, not a quote.
Example — confirm rate
Why buyers in Keyport choose Tom's Ford.
1962
Family-owned since
28×
Ford President's Award
4.8★
From 5,400+ reviews
3rd
Generation, Keyport NJ
Tom's Ford appraisal team · Keyport, NJ
“I'll pull up your Carfax and walk you through every number — how we got there, nothing hidden.”
Humanity Comes Standard. 4.8 stars from more than 5,400 reviews across Google, DealerRater, Cars.com and Facebook.
Questions people ask us
Bring your best online offer. We appraise your car in person, which often surfaces value a photo-based quote misses, and we'll show you exactly how we got to our number. We can't promise to beat every offer, but we'll give you a real one you can take as a check or apply to a trade.
No. We'll buy your car outright and write you a check even if you don't buy from us.
Our online tool gives you a fast estimate, then we confirm it with an in-person appraisal before we quote you — so the number we give you is the number. Online-only services confirm their offer at inspection or pickup, which is when a quote can change.
In NJ, when you trade in and buy from the same dealer at the same time, you're taxed only on the price after your trade-in is deducted. Selling your car separately and buying elsewhere generally means paying tax on the full purchase price. On a $20,000 trade at 6.625%, that's roughly $1,325 — confirm your exact numbers with us.
Your title, both sets of keys, the owner's manual, any service records, and payoff info if you still owe on the car.
Get a real number for your car today.
Start online in under a minute, then bring it to Keyport for a same-day appraisal — check in hand, or toward your next Ford. Or tell us where you are and we’ll come appraise it at your driveway or workplace.
