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Carter Subaru Ballard earns an A.
Fees are reasonable, add-ons are rare, and the advertised price matches what you pay.
- $200
- Median dealer fees
- 14%
- Quoted add-ons
At the WA median
On 2 of 14 quotes, past year
Moderate confidence (latest quote Oct 2026)Seattle, WAUpdated How we score dealers
The full story
Why Carter Subaru Ballard earned this grade
Carter Subaru Ballard has an A grade; from December 2025 through October 2026, CarEdge reviewed 14 verified quotes. The review considers dealer fees, required extras, selling prices and whether charges were clearly shown.
What they do well
- ✓ Dealer fees were itemized in most quotes. Fees were fully itemized in 13 of 14 quotes; those 13 averaged $200 in confirmed dealer fees, equal to the $200 Median state fee in Washington, the monthly middle-fee reference.
- ✓ Two offers were below the advertised vehicle price. In those written quotes, the prices averaged $2,465 below the advertised prices, with differences ranging from $1,001 to $3,928.
Where to push back
Three quotes show required extras averaging $123. Ask which extras are required, whether they can be declined, and request an itemized written offer showing the selling price, fees, extras, taxes and government charges before agreeing.
14 verified OTD quotes from Carter Subaru Ballard
Real out-the-door worksheets, not reviews. Click “View Quote” on any row to see the price breakdown.
Recent Quotes
Verified out-the-door prices from real transactions
All 14 quotes are from the past year and count toward the grade
2026 Subaru Solterra
2026 Subaru Forester Hybrid
Over a year old · shown for reference, not counted in the grade
Most Common Add-ons
At a Glance
Tips for Carter Subaru Ballard
- 2 of 14 quotes included add-ons (Floor Mats), not marked optional.
- A-rated dealer! Focus on vehicle price negotiation, since fees are already competitive.
- Total dealer fees are at or below the state median. One less thing to negotiate.
- The advertised price has matched the real price. Use it as your starting point.
Keep researching
Look up another dealer by name, brand, city, or zip.
On the lot right now
Separate from the grade above: this is what's currently listed. Useful for spotting aging stock with room to negotiate.
Current Inventory
View all 276 vehicles →$36,305
Median Price
24
Median Days Listed
43
Added This Week
Days on Market
How long vehicles have been listed. Older stock means more room to negotiate.
Nearby Rated Dealers
These dealers near Seattle have transparency scores based on verified pricing data.
CarEdge Certified near Seattle
Frequently Asked Questions
What fees does Carter Subaru Ballard charge?
Based on 14 verified out-the-door quotes from the past year, Carter Subaru Ballard charges $200 in dealer fees. Quoted add-ons average $26 when present. Carter Subaru Ballard earns Transparency Grade A (97/100).
Does Carter Subaru Ballard add dealer add-ons?
Carter Subaru Ballard adds an average of $26 in quoted add-ons when present. Quoted add-ons appeared on 2 of 14 quotes in the past year. Ask for an itemized breakdown and negotiate to remove non-essential items like paint protection, nitrogen tire fill, or VIN etching.
Does Carter Subaru Ballard's advertised price include all required charges?
On all 2 quotes we could check, the out-the-door price before taxes and government fees matched the advertised price.
Is Carter Subaru Ballard a good dealership?
Carter Subaru Ballard has a transparency score of 97/100, earning a Grade A. This score is based on its dealer fees, quoted add-ons, advertised price accuracy and data quality from 14 verified OTD quotes from the past year. This is a well-above-average score, indicating transparent pricing practices.
What do reviews say about Carter Subaru Ballard?
CarEdge reviews Carter Subaru Ballard on 14 verified out-the-door quotes from the past year, not star ratings. It earns transparency grade A (97/100), with dealer fees of $200 versus a WA median of $200. On all 2 quotes we could check, the out-the-door price before taxes and government fees matched the advertised price. Quoted add-ons appeared on 2 of 14 quotes in the past year.
Is Carter Subaru Ballard a transparent Subaru dealer in Seattle?
Yes. Carter Subaru Ballard holds CarEdge Transparency Grade A (97/100), based on 14 verified out-the-door quotes from the past year. That is well above average on dealer fees, add-ons and pricing accuracy.
How does Carter Subaru Ballard compare to other Subaru dealers?
You can compare Carter Subaru Ballard's transparency score, dealer fees, and quoted add-ons against other Subaru dealers using our comparison tool or by browsing Subaru dealers in your area. Scores are based on the same methodology for every dealer. CarEdge's market guides Best Subaru Dealerships in Seattle, Best Subaru Dealerships in Washington and Best Subaru Dealerships in the US rank Subaru dealers on the same data.
Explore Subaru and Washington dealer data
How we know this
Every number on this page came from a real deal.
Most dealer review sites scrape star ratings and count angry posts. We do the opposite. CarEdge shops for cars alongside thousands of real buyers every week — and when we negotiate on their behalf, we capture the full out-the-door breakdown the dealer sends back.
For Carter Subaru Ballard in Seattle, WA, that has meant 14 verified OTD quotes from the past year across 3 negotiated deals logged into our database. Each one is a PDF, an email, or a screenshot showing the actual dealer fees, the actual add-ons, and the final price against the advertised price — not a salesperson's promise.
Only quotes from the past year count. We split them into four groups, newest first: the newest counts 50%, then 30%, 15% and 5%.
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.
The four numbers behind the grade
Weighted ScoreThe raw component scores — the math that led to A.
Total Dealer Fees Comparison
Graded on 14 quotes from the past year (14 on record) · Grades update as new data comes in · Dealers cannot pay to change their score.
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