Is Carvana Going Out Of Business?

Carvana has certainly been a rollercoaster ride in the business world over the past decade. There's plenty to admire and equally plenty to critique. For those who haven't been closely tracking its journey, there have always been surprising developments. Let's dive into a quick recap because this story is too intriguing to miss. Often dubbed "The Amazon of Used Cars" by the company itself, Carvana has made a name as a pioneering online-only used car retailer. They were trailblazers in scaling up this concept, dramatically shaking up the industry. Perhaps their most iconic innovation is the car vending machine – towering, ten-stories high, housing numerous vehicles. Although I haven't personally used one, I’d love to hear from those who have, as they seem quite a spectacle. Initially, this novel approach proved hugely successful, but the company's fortunes has taken a turn for the worst. Just look at the stock prices for a snapshot of this now struggling company: from over $375 per share in August 2021 to under $10 by December 2023, wiping out nearly $58 billion in value in less than two years. During this period, founder and CEO Ernie Garcia III saw his net worth plummet by 98%, dropping well below the billion-dollar mark. Moreover, there's growing concern that Carvana might be heading towards bankruptcy. Not so long ago, they were celebrated as one of the fastest-growing, most successful enterprises. Now, they're teetering on the edge of insolvency. This dramatic ascent and descent are precisely why I felt compelled to make this video about Carvana's tumultuous saga.

So how did it all start? In 1990, Ernest Garcia the second, a real estate developer entangled in a significant scandal with Lincoln Savings and Loan, pleaded guilty to a fraud scheme involving concealed land ownership near Phoenix. This complex affair not only precipitated the bank's failure but also resulted in Garcia receiving a three-year probation sentence. During this time, he acquired a bankrupt car rental business, transforming its assets into a used car dealership that catered to customers with subprime credit. He renamed the enterprise DriveTime Automotive, which, over the next few decades, expanded into the largest retailer of its kind with over 100 dealerships across numerous states and annual sales reaching about $1 billion from around 50,000 used cars. Many are familiar with this extensive network of dealerships, perhaps without knowing its origins.

The story of DriveTime is particularly relevant because it served as the launchpad for Carvana, initially a minor segment of the business. In 2007 the son of Ernest Garcia the second, Ernest Garcia the 3rd, a Stanford University graduate, joined DriveTime, taking on various financial roles and eventually ascending to vice president and treasurer. Over five years, he gained deep insights into industry trends, especially the growing influence of the internet on car sales. He observed that consumers were increasingly conducting online research, often gathering more information from various websites than from salespeople. This realization led him to believe that the car buying process could be shifted entirely online, aligning more with consumer preferences for a digital experience.

In 2013, DriveTime invested $50 million to launch Carvana as its subsidiary. That same year, Carvana introduced its first car vending machine in Atlanta, allowing customers to conveniently pick up vehicles they purchased online. Officially described as an Automated Parking System, the machine was stocked with cars acquired from dealer auctions. This innovative system simplified the car buying process by eliminating the need for salesmen, a change many consumers welcomed for its speed, ease, and reduced stress. The streamlined operations not only lowered overhead costs but also enabled Carvana to offer competitive pricing, often well below Kelley Blue Book values. Carvana enhanced vehicle selection through the use of proprietary algorithms to acquire cars, a rigorous 150-point inspection process, and pooling inventory from across the nation, providing more choices than traditional dealerships. This approach, offering lower prices, a broader selection, and the novelty of a vending machine transaction, made Carvana particularly appealing. While this might sound promotional, these features genuinely differentiated Carvana from conventional car dealerships and attracted millions of customers.