Carvana Opens World's First Car Vending Machine

From snacks and beverages to Bitcoin and video games, you can buy just about anything from a vending machine. In fact, you can even purchase a used car via a vending machine, thanks to a bold new project launched by Carvana.

Up until now, Carvana customers have only been able to purchase vehicles from the company's website, at which point the vehicle is delivered to their residence. That has since changed, however, as Carvana recently opened a new "car vending machine" in Nashville, Tennessee.

The new car vending machine is reportedly five stories tall and is capable of holding up to 20 cars at a time. When a customer makes a purchase on the Carvana website, they will now have the option to choose between delivery or vending machine pickup. Assuming they choose the latter, the customer must visit the Nashville location, choose their name from the kiosk, and then insert a special oversized coin into the machine. This triggers the delivery system to move the customer's vehicle from the storage area onto the tracks, at which point it travels to the delivery bay.

Some people may be hesitant to purchasing a car from a vending machine. After all, the car buying process is confusing enough. But Carvana says that customers are allowed to test drive their vehicles after they purchase them to see whether or not it's right for them. If the customer is not happy with the vehicle, he or she can either exchange it for a different vehicle or return it for their money back. Carvana offers a 7-day test drive period for all new purchases.

What's even more impressive is that Carvana is offering customers a $200 reimbursement voucher for the cost of airfare to pick up their purchased vehicles from the Nashville vending machine.

“We realized we could invest in more technology for people interested in that (pickup) option,” said Carvana CEO and founder Ernie Garcia in an interview with BizJournals. “We wanted to do something that was still on brand and put the customer in complete control. We thought a vending machine was a great symbol for what we stand for as a brand generally and a fun experience for customers who want to pick up their car.”

Video: Carvana – Car Vending Machine