I'm really glad I took the drive down to CarMax. It was a simple, no hassle, way to see what my car was worth. I looked at KBB and had an idea what a dealer would offer based on past experiences, but why not have an actual offer in writing?
The process couldn't be any easier. I made an appointment (which did not appear to be necessary). I met with Frank who looked at my car and left the keys with an appraiser. He showed me the inventory of cars they had available while my car was inspected (never pressing me to take a look at anything). When my car was finished, it popped up on his screen, and he showed me how much they would pay for it. It was more than I thought and the offer is good for 7 days.
While I didn't end up buying or selling my car with CarMax, it was nice to have a backup plan and not be hassled in the process.