Transparency Verdict
Criswell Auto earns an A.
One of the good ones.
You can walk in here with confidence. Fees are reasonable, add-ons are rare, and the final number usually matches the listing.
Moderate confidence — based on 15 verified out-the-door quotes and 4 tracked negotiations · Gaithersburg, MD
Collected Oct 31, 2025 – Feb 27, 2026 · Updated May 3, 2026
The full story
Why Criswell Auto earned this grade
Between October 2025 and February 2026, CarEdge negotiated or logged 15 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
3 thingsAdd-ons are the exception, not the rule
Only 20% of quotes include dealer-installed add-ons, averaging $897 when present. Most shoppers here never see them.
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."
Shoppers who negotiated saved real money
Across 4 back-and-forth negotiations we tracked here, buyers saved an average of $9,428 from first quote to final. That tells you their opening number has room.
TipNever take the first quote. Their floor is lower than what they offer on day one.
! Where to push back
1 thingDoc fee is slightly padded
$800 is $25 above the MD average of $775. Not outrageous, but worth questioning.
TipAsk them to match the average. If they won't, factor it into your overall price — every dollar here is negotiable.
15 verified OTD quotes from Criswell Auto
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
8 vehicle transactions — 15 individual quotes
2024 Maserati Levante Trofeo
Most Common Add-ons
At a Glance
Tips for Criswell Auto
- Doc fee is $400 above national average. Ask if they'll match competitors or reduce it.
- Minor add-ons (~$179) may appear. Ask what's included and if they can be removed.
- A-rated dealer! Focus on vehicle price negotiation—fees are already competitive.
- Dealer markup is about 8% below listing (excluding taxes). This dealer keeps fees very low.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Criswell Auto's doc fee?
Criswell Auto charges a typical documentation fee of $800. The MD average is $775. This is based on 15 verified OTD quotes in our database.
Does Criswell Auto add mandatory add-ons?
Criswell Auto adds an average of $179 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 Criswell Auto a good dealer?
Criswell Auto has a transparency score of 91/100, earning a Grade A. This score is based on their doc fees, add-on behavior, dealer markup, and data quality from 15 verified OTD quotes. This is a well-above-average score, indicating transparent pricing practices.
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 Criswell Auto in Gaithersburg, MD, that has meant 15 verified OTD quotes across 4 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 A.
Doc Fee Comparison
Pulled 15 quote records · Grades update as new data comes in · Dealers cannot pay to change their score.
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