Giant used car vending machine opens in the USA

After purchasing a car on the website, the buyer is able to schedule a pick up time. Upon arriving at the vending machine location, the customer identifies themselves and picks up a ceremonial oversized coin, which they then deposit into a slot.

This kicks off a choreographed show where a machine spins and whirrs inside the tower as it locates, retrieves and ushers the buyer's vehicle into one of three delivery bays. There the buyer can inspect his or her new ride, before driving off into the sunset.

The tower can hold around twenty vehicles of all different shapes and sizes, and the Nashville car vending machine is open six days a week from 9am to 7pm.

This is technically the second vending machine opened by Carvana. Back in 2013, the company opened its first used car vending machine in Atlanta, Georgia. The Atlanta site works in a similar manner, but doesn't feature Nashville's five-storey motorised glass display cabinet.

Used cars bought through Carvana's site can also be home delivered, but the company is currently offering a US$200 ($280) travel subsidy to out-of-towners who want to pick up their vehicle from one of their vending machines.

Ryan Keeton, a co-founder of Carvana, told The Tennessean that while designing and engineering its vending machines involved a big upfront outlay, the company hopes to recoup that through lower manpower and real estate costs.