Buying a used car is often considered one of the most stressful experiences a consumer can have. Between the fear of "buying a lemon," and the rise of online scams, it’s natural to ask: is Carma legit?
The short answer is yes.
Carma is a publicly listed Australian company (ASX: CMA), backed by over $100 million in global investment, and the exclusive preferred used car dealership of the NRMA. Unlike traditional marketplaces, we own every car we sell, ensuring each vehicle meets a rigorous mechanical and cosmetic standard before it ever reaches your driveway.
Carma was founded in 2021 by Lachlan MacGregor and Yosuke Hall with one goal: to fix a broken industry. They realised that for most Australians, the problem wasn't finding used cars in Australia, it was finding ones you can actually trust. To solve this, they built a vertically integrated model. Rather than hosting ads for other people’s cars, Carma buys the best 10% of vehicles available, inspects and reconditions them in-house, and sells them directly to customers online. This end-to-end transparency is why Carma has grown into a leading digital dealership, with a team of over 185 people delivering the Carma experience to Aussies across NSW.
One of the strongest indicators that a company is legitimate is its financial transparency. In late 2025, Carma officially listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: CMA), raising $100 million in its IPO.
Being a public company means we operate under strict Australian regulations. Our financial health, leadership, and business practices are a matter of public record. Not to mention our growth is fueled by major global investors like Tiger Global and Five V Capital, who only back companies with proven, ethical business models.
In the world of Australian motoring, no name carries more weight than the NRMA. As such, Carma is incredibly proud to be their exclusive preferred used car dealership.
And this isn't just a marketing badge. The NRMA formally endorses our inspection and quality assurance processes. One of the most common questions from first-time buyers is, “Is Carma legit?” This partnership is the clearest answer to that.
At its core, asking "is Carma legit" really means, "Can I trust Carma to deliver the car it’s promised?" Because of this, we’ve built the industry’s strongest safety net to ensure customers aren’t stuck with a vehicle they don’t love or can’t rely on.
Industry-leading Inspection & Reconditioning Centre
Every Carma car goes through a state-of-the-art, 35,000sqm inspection and reconditioning centre in St Peters. There, certified technicians check everything from engine diagnostics and brake pad thickness to the smallest interior electronics. If a car doesn't meet our insanely high standards, it won’t make it onto the website.
7 days to drive and decide (your money-back guarantee)
Does anyone really think a 10-minute test drive with a salesperson is enough to understand a car before buying? With Carma, you get 7 days to test the car in your everyday life. Does it fit in your garage? Is there room for the kids' car seats? If you aren't 100% happy by day seven, return the car for a full refund.
3-month warranty
Every Carma car comes with a 3-month / 5,000km warranty and 12 months of NRMA Roadside Assistance included. Basically, we stand by the quality of our cars long after the Carma truck leaves your driveway.
Simple, stress-free and when the car was delivered, I felt like a kid in a candy store! - Rowan, Toyota RAV4
But don't take our word for it. Our legitimacy is reflected in the hundreds of 5-star Carma reviews we’ve received on independent platforms like Google and ProductReview:
If you find yourself asking, ‘is Carma legit?’ rest easy knowing that not only is Carma legitimate, we’re also redefining what it means to buy or sell a used car in Australia. By removing the middleman, pressure, and risk, Carma leaves you with nothing but a high-quality car you can count on and an experience that’ll blow you away.
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