B
80–89 · Above average

Transparency Verdict

Mark Ficken earns a B.

Mostly honest. Stay alert.

Fair on the big stuff, but there are small things to watch. Read the out-the-door carefully before you sign.

Moderate confidence — based on 15 verified out-the-door quotes and 3 tracked negotiations · Charlotte, NC
Collected Oct 27, 2025Mar 21, 2026 · Updated May 4, 2026

Location

Charlotte, NC

4 rated dealers within 30 miles · Open full map →

The full story

Why Mark Ficken earned this grade

Between October 2025 and March 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

2 things

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 3 back-and-forth negotiations we tracked here, buyers saved an average of $3,467 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

2 things

Doc fee is slightly padded

$899 is $101 above the NC average of $798. 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.

Add-ons show up on most deals

47% of quotes include dealer add-ons, averaging $2,852. Expect them to try to include something — paint protection, nitrogen-filled tires, VIN etching.

TipNearly all aftermarket add-ons are optional and removable. Say "please take those off the quote" and watch the OTD drop.

15 verified OTD quotes from Mark Ficken

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

6 vehicle transactions15 individual quotes

2025 Lincoln Navigator L

Reserve 4x4New3 quotes
$108,988
$899doc feeNo add-onsSaved $3,824
View 3 Quotes →

2023 Honda Odyssey

EX-LUsed
$36,199
$899doc feeNo add-ons
View Quote →

2026 Lincoln Nautilus

PremiereNew
$55,209
$899doc fee$2,995add-ons
View Quote →

2026 Lincoln Nautilus

Reserve 4dr All-Wheel Drive J8KNew4 quotes
$69,975
$899doc fee$1,995add-onsSaved $6,161
View 4 Quotes →

2024 Toyota RAV4

XLE (A8) 4dr FrUsed2 quotes
$26,018
$899doc feeNo add-onsSaved $416
View 2 Quotes →

2018 Lexus GX 460

Base 4dr 4x4Used4 quotes
$30,489
$899doc feeNo add-ons
View 4 Quotes →

Most Common Add-ons

1
protection planavg $2,852
7 quotes

At a Glance

Minimal dealer markup above listing price

Tips for Mark Ficken

  • Doc fee is $499 above national average. Ask if they'll match competitors or reduce it.
  • This dealer often adds $1,331 in dealer add-ons. Request a quote WITHOUT any add-ons upfront. These are almost always removable.
  • Dealer markup is about 6% below listing (excluding taxes). This dealer keeps fees very low.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Mark Ficken's doc fee?

Mark Ficken charges a typical documentation fee of $899. The NC average is $798. This is based on 15 verified OTD quotes in our database.

Does Mark Ficken add mandatory add-ons?

Mark Ficken adds an average of $1,331 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 Mark Ficken a good dealer?

Mark Ficken has a transparency score of 84.9/100, earning a Grade B. 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 Mark Ficken in Charlotte, NC, that has meant 15 verified OTD quotes across 3 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 Score

The raw component scores — the math that led to B.

Fee Transparency (30%)
90
Add-on Behavior (30%)
62
Price Accuracy (30%)
100
Data Quality (10%)
93

Doc Fee Comparison

This dealer$899
NC avg$798
National avg$400

Pulled 15 quote records · Grades update as new data comes in · Dealers cannot pay to change their score.

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*Information provided for general informational purposes only. Scores are independently calculated and do not imply endorsement of or affiliation with any dealer. Verify all information independently before making a purchase decision. See our Terms of Service.