Transparency Verdict
Colonial Auto Center earns a C.
Negotiate. Hard.
Average transparency — expect pushback on fees and add-ons. Shoppers who hold the line here consistently save money.
Limited confidence — based on 2 verified out-the-door quotes and 1 tracked negotiation · Charlottesville, VA
Collected Apr 24, 2026 – Apr 24, 2026 · Updated Apr 25, 2026
Early read. The grade may shift as we log more deals here.
The full story
Why Colonial Auto Center earned this grade
Between April 2026 and April 2026, CarEdge negotiated or logged 2 verified deals with this dealership. We pulled the doc fee, the add-ons, and the gap between advertised and out-the-door price from each one. Then we graded them the way a friend in the business would: on the things that actually cost you money.
✓ What they do well
2 thingsDoc fee is in line with the market
At $799, their doc fee sits at or just under the VA average. Not exceptional, but nothing to fight over.
The price you see is the price you get
Their quoted selling price almost exactly matches the advertised listing price. No mystery markup, no surprise "market adjustment."
2 verified OTD quotes from Colonial Auto Center
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
1 vehicle transaction — 2 individual quotes
Most Common Add-ons
At a Glance
Tips for Colonial Auto Center
- Doc fee is $399 above national average. Ask if they'll match competitors or reduce it.
- Expect ~$648 in add-ons. Items like "dealer accessories," paint protection, and theft deterrent are typically negotiable.
- Dealer markup is about 8% below listing (excluding taxes). This dealer keeps fees very low.
- Limited data (2 quotes). Score may change as we collect more information.
Nearby Rated Dealers
These dealers near Charlottesville have transparency scores based on verified pricing data.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Colonial Auto Center's doc fee?
Colonial Auto Center charges a typical documentation fee of $799. The VA average is $499. This is based on 2 verified OTD quotes in our database.
Does Colonial Auto Center add mandatory add-ons?
Colonial Auto Center adds an average of $648 in dealer add-ons when present. Ask for an itemized breakdown and negotiate to remove non-essential items like paint protection, nitrogen tire fill, or VIN etching.
Is Colonial Auto Center a good dealer?
Colonial Auto Center has a transparency score of 79/100, earning a Grade C. This score is based on their doc fees, add-on behavior, dealer markup, and data quality from 2 verified OTD quotes. This is an average score. Compare with nearby dealers before making a decision.
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 Colonial Auto Center in Charlottesville, VA, that has meant 2 verified OTD quotes across 1 negotiated deals logged into our database. Each one is a PDF, an email, or a screenshot showing the actual doc fee, the actual add-ons, and the actual final price — not a salesperson's promise.
Fee Transparency
30%Is the doc fee reasonable, or is it just profit? We compare it against the state average — and the legal cap, where one exists.
Add-on Behavior
30%How often does the dealer try to stick on paint protection, theft deterrent, or nitrogen tires? And when they do, how much do they cost you?
Price Accuracy
30%Does the advertised listing price match what you'd actually sign for? We flag dealers whose out-the-door diverges from the listing.
Data Quality
10%More data = more trustworthy grade. Dealers with lots of recent, complete quotes score higher for consistency.
The four numbers behind the grade
Weighted ScoreThe raw component scores — the math that led to C.
Doc Fee Comparison
Pulled 2 quote records · Grades update as new data comes in · Dealers cannot pay to change their score.
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