Best Car Dealerships in Des Moines, Ranked by CarEdge Data
This is the CarEdge Dealer Transparency Index ranking for car dealerships in the Des Moines metro — every brand, scored on verified out-the-door quotes, not Google star ratings.
We graded 8 dealerships across the Des Moines area; below are the 8 most transparent by score.
Last updated November 11, 2026. CarEdge refreshes these rankings daily as new verified out-the-door quotes come in.
What is the best car dealership in Des Moines?
The best car dealership in Des Moines by verified out-the-door price data is Stivers Ford Of Waukee (Ford, Waukee, IA): A grade, 100/100 across 4 quotes from the past year, with quoted add-ons on only 1 of its 4 quotes from the past year.
Close behind:
- Stew Hansen Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM Fiat (Chrysler, Urbandale), A grade, 99/100 across 6 quotes from the past year, with no quoted add-ons in its 6 quotes from the past year.
- Karl Chevrolet Ankeny (Chevrolet, Ankeny), A grade, 98/100 across 9 quotes from the past year, with no quoted add-ons in its 9 quotes from the past year.
Best for:
- Lowest dealer fees: Stivers Ford Of Waukee (Ford, Waukee), $180.
- No quoted add-ons: Karl Chevrolet Ankeny (Chevrolet, Ankeny), none in its 9 quotes from the past year.
- Most quotes, past year: Stew Hansen Hyundai (Hyundai, Clive), 10 quotes from the past year behind its A.
Among the A and B dealers ranked on this page.
Full ranking, dealer fees and quoted add-ons for every graded dealer are below.
Top 8 Car Dealerships in Des Moines
Ranked by CarEdge transparency score across all brands, highest to lowest.
#1 — Stivers Ford Of Waukee
Ford · Grade: A · Score: 100/100 · Waukee, IA
Stivers Ford Of Waukee is an A-grade Ford dealer in Des Moines on verified out-the-door data — 100/100 across 4 quotes from the past year.
- Dealer fees: $180 — at the IA median
- Quoted add-ons: On 1 of 4 quotes from the past year (25%)
- Quotes, past year: 4
See full review & verified quotes →
#2 — Stew Hansen Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM Fiat
Chrysler · Grade: A · Score: 99/100 · Urbandale, IA
Stew Hansen Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM Fiat is an A-grade Chrysler dealer in Des Moines on verified out-the-door data — 99/100 across 6 quotes from the past year.
- Dealer fees: $180 — at the IA median
- Quoted add-ons: None in 6 quotes from the past year
- Quotes, past year: 6
See full review & verified quotes →
#3 — Karl Chevrolet Ankeny
Chevrolet · Grade: A · Score: 98/100 · Ankeny, IA
Karl Chevrolet Ankeny is an A-grade Chevrolet dealer in Des Moines on verified out-the-door data — 98/100 across 9 quotes from the past year.
- Dealer fees: Not shown in its quotes from the past year
- Quoted add-ons: None in 9 quotes from the past year
- Quotes, past year: 9
See full review & verified quotes →
#4 — Karl Chevrolet Of Stuart
Chevrolet · Grade: A · Score: 98/100 · Stuart, IA
Karl Chevrolet Of Stuart is an A-grade Chevrolet dealer in Des Moines on verified out-the-door data — 98/100 across 6 quotes from the past year.
- Dealer fees: $180 — at the IA median
- Quoted add-ons: None in 6 quotes from the past year
- Quotes, past year: 6
See full review & verified quotes →
#5 — Stew Hansen Hyundai
Hyundai · Grade: A · Score: 94/100 · Clive, IA
Stew Hansen Hyundai is an A-grade Hyundai dealer in Des Moines on verified out-the-door data — 94/100 across 10 quotes from the past year.
- Dealer fees: $180 — at the IA median
- Quoted add-ons: On 3 of 10 quotes from the past year (30%)
- Quotes, past year: 10
See full review & verified quotes →
#6 — Honda Of Altoona
Honda · Grade: A · Score: 91/100 · Altoona, IA
Honda Of Altoona is an A-grade Honda dealer in Des Moines on verified out-the-door data — 91/100 across 4 quotes from the past year.
- Dealer fees: $180 — at the IA median
- Quoted add-ons: On 3 of 4 quotes from the past year (75%)
- Quotes, past year: 4
See full review & verified quotes →
#7 — Gregg Young Chevrolet Of Norwalk Inc
Chevrolet · Grade: B · Score: 87/100 · Norwalk, IA
Gregg Young Chevrolet Of Norwalk Inc is a B-grade Chevrolet dealer in Des Moines on verified out-the-door data — 87/100 across 4 quotes from the past year.
- Dealer fees: $180 — at the IA median
- Quoted add-ons: On 2 of 4 quotes from the past year (50%)
- Quotes, past year: 4
See full review & verified quotes →
#8 — Ramsey Subaru Of Des Moines
Subaru · Grade: B · Score: 86/100 · Urbandale, IA
Ramsey Subaru Of Des Moines is a B-grade Subaru dealer in Des Moines on verified out-the-door data — 86/100 across 10 quotes from the past year.
- Dealer fees: $180 — at the IA median
- Quoted add-ons: On 6 of 10 quotes from the past year (60%)
- Quotes, past year: 10
See full review & verified quotes →
About the CarEdge Dealer Transparency Index
Most dealer rankings come from Google star ratings and Yelp reviews — easy to game, impossible to verify. The CarEdge Dealer Transparency Index is different. We score every dealer using verified out-the-door quotes: real PDFs, emails, and screenshots from actual transactions.
Only quotes from the past year count. We split them into four groups, newest first: the newest counts 50%, then 30%, 15% and 5%.
Each dealer’s transparency score (out of 100) is weighted across four dimensions:
- Fee Transparency (30%) — Are the dealer’s fees reasonable? We add up every dealer fee and compare the total with the state median.
- Add-on Behavior (30%) — How often does the dealer include quoted add-ons like paint protection or theft deterrent, the kind you can’t say no to? Add-ons the dealer marks as optional don’t count against them.
- Price Accuracy (30%) — Does the advertised price include every charge you have to pay? We check each quote against the vehicle page: dealer fees, add-ons, the advertised price and the discount.
- Data Quality (10%) — Does the quote list taxes, dealer fees, add-ons and government fees each on its own line? Each one is worth a quarter.
Grades: A (90–100), B (80–89), C (70–79), D (60–69), F (below 60). Read the methodology →
Des Moines Car Dealer Rankings at a Glance
| # | Dealer | City | Grade | Score | Dealer Fees | Quoted Add-ons | Quotes, Past Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stivers Ford Of Waukee | Waukee | A | 100 | $180 | 25% | 4 |
| 2 | Stew Hansen Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM Fiat | Urbandale | A | 99 | $180 | None | 6 |
| 3 | Karl Chevrolet Ankeny | Ankeny | A | 98 | Not shown | None | 9 |
| 4 | Karl Chevrolet Of Stuart | Stuart | A | 98 | $180 | None | 6 |
| 5 | Stew Hansen Hyundai | Clive | A | 94 | $180 | 30% | 10 |
| 6 | Honda Of Altoona | Altoona | A | 91 | $180 | 75% | 4 |
| 7 | Gregg Young Chevrolet Of Norwalk Inc | Norwalk | B | 87 | $180 | 50% | 4 |
| 8 | Ramsey Subaru Of Des Moines | Urbandale | B | 86 | $180 | 60% | 10 |
How to Use This Data When You Shop
- Get an OTD quote in writing before you visit. Any dealer can send a worksheet by email — if they won’t, that’s a red flag.
- Ask for a quote with zero add-ons. Everything in the F&I office is optional. Say “please remove all dealer add-ons” and see what the price does.
- Anchor to the OTD, not the advertised price. Dealers with a gap between advertised price and final OTD aren’t being straight with you. Don’t negotiate off the advertised number.
- Compare three dealers minimum. Even within the same metro, dealer fees, quoted add-ons and advertised price accuracy vary widely. Use this ranking as your shortlist.
Rankings are generated from the CarEdge Dealer Transparency Index, a public methodology that scores dealers on verified out-the-door quotes — not Google star ratings or paid placements. CarEdge refreshes the rankings daily as new verified quotes come in.
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