Best Car Dealerships in Des Moines, Ranked by CarEdge Data
Key Takeaways
- The top 10 car dealerships in Des Moines across all brands, ranked by CarEdge on verified out-the-door quotes — not star ratings.
- Stivers Ford Lincoln (Ford, Waukee) is the most transparent dealership in the Des Moines metro by verified data.
- Brand-by-brand rankings are linked below if you already know what you're shopping.
- Get an OTD quote in writing before you visit any dealer. CarEdge tracks real prices, not advertised ones.
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 10 dealerships across the Des Moines area; below are the 10 most transparent by score. Already know your brand? Jump to the brand-by-brand rankings below.
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.
Each dealer’s transparency score (out of 100) is weighted across four dimensions:
- Fee Transparency (30%) — Is the doc fee reasonable compared to the state average?
- Add-on Behavior (30%) — How often does the dealer bundle add-ons, and at what cost?
- Price Accuracy (30%) — Does the listing price match the actual OTD price?
- Data Quality (10%) — More verified quotes mean higher confidence in the grade.
Grades: A (90–100), B (80–89), C (70–79), D (60–69), F (below 60).
Top 10 Car Dealerships in Des Moines
Ranked by CarEdge transparency score across all brands, highest to lowest.
#1 — Stivers Ford Lincoln
Ford · Grade: A · Score: 100/100 · Waukee, IA
Stivers Ford Lincoln is an A-grade Ford dealer in Des Moines on verified out-the-door data — 100/100 across 5 verified quotes.
- Doc fee: $284 — well above the IA average of $197
- Add-ons: None detected in verified quotes
- Listing accuracy: 0.6% below the advertised listing
- Verified quotes: 5
See full review & verified quotes →
#2 — Kia Of Des Moines
Kia · Grade: A · Score: 100/100 · Des Moines, IA
Kia Of Des Moines is an A-grade Kia dealer in Des Moines on verified out-the-door data — 100/100 across 4 verified quotes.
- Doc fee: $180 — below the IA average of $197
- Add-ons: None detected in verified quotes
- Listing accuracy: 2.8% below the advertised listing
- Verified quotes: 4
See full review & verified quotes →
#3 — Stew Hansen Hyundai
Hyundai · Grade: A · Score: 95/100 · Clive, IA
Stew Hansen Hyundai is an A-grade Hyundai dealer in Des Moines on verified out-the-door data — 95/100 across 11 verified quotes.
- Doc fee: $180 — below the IA average of $197
- Add-ons: 27% of quotes, avg $145
- Listing accuracy: 0.9% above the advertised listing
- Verified quotes: 11
See full review & verified quotes →
#4 — Stew Hansen Buick Gmc
Buick · Grade: A · Score: 95/100 · Clive, IA
Stew Hansen Buick Gmc is an A-grade Buick dealer in Des Moines on verified out-the-door data — 95/100 across 4 verified quotes.
- Doc fee: $90 — well below the IA average of $197
- Add-ons: None detected in verified quotes
- Listing accuracy: 6.0% below the advertised listing
- Verified quotes: 4
See full review & verified quotes →
#5 — Karl Chevrolet
Chevrolet · Grade: A · Score: 94/100 · Ankeny, IA
Karl Chevrolet is an A-grade Chevrolet dealer in Des Moines on verified out-the-door data — 94/100 across 7 verified quotes.
- Doc fee: $0 — well below the IA average of $197
- Add-ons: None detected in verified quotes
- Listing accuracy: 2.2% below the advertised listing
- Verified quotes: 7
See full review & verified quotes →
#6 — Karl Chevrolet Of Stuart
Chevrolet · Grade: A · Score: 92/100 · Stuart, IA
Karl Chevrolet Of Stuart is an A-grade Chevrolet dealer in Des Moines on verified out-the-door data — 92/100 across 6 verified quotes.
- Doc fee: $30 — well below the IA average of $197
- Add-ons: None detected in verified quotes
- Listing accuracy: 0.6% above the advertised listing
- Verified quotes: 6
See full review & verified quotes →
#7 — Gregg Young Chevrolet Norwalk
Chevrolet · Grade: B · Score: 88/100 · Norwalk, IA
Gregg Young Chevrolet Norwalk is a B-grade Chevrolet dealer in Des Moines on verified out-the-door data — 88/100 across 4 verified quotes.
- Doc fee: $180 — below the IA average of $197
- Add-ons: 50% of quotes, avg $748
- Listing accuracy: 3.2% above the advertised listing
- Verified quotes: 4
See full review & verified quotes →
#8 — Willis Cadillac
Cadillac · Grade: B · Score: 85/100 · Des Moines, IA
Willis Cadillac is a B-grade Cadillac dealer in Des Moines on verified out-the-door data — 85/100 across 10 verified quotes.
- Doc fee: $162 — below the IA average of $197
- Add-ons: 80% of quotes, avg $478
- Listing accuracy: 4.2% below the advertised listing
- Verified quotes: 10
See full review & verified quotes →
#9 — Honda Of Altoona
Honda · Grade: B · Score: 82/100 · Altoona, IA
Honda Of Altoona is a B-grade Honda dealer in Des Moines on verified out-the-door data — 82/100 across 4 verified quotes.
- Doc fee: $90 — well below the IA average of $197
- Add-ons: 75% of quotes, avg $224
- Listing accuracy: 0.6% below the advertised listing
- Verified quotes: 4
See full review & verified quotes →
#10 — Deyarman Ford Indianola
Ford · Grade: B · Score: 80/100 · Indianola, IA
Deyarman Ford Indianola is a B-grade Ford dealer in Des Moines on verified out-the-door data — 80/100 across 4 verified quotes.
- Doc fee: $135 — well below the IA average of $197
- Add-ons: 100% of quotes, avg $237
- Listing accuracy: 2.9% above the advertised listing
- Verified quotes: 4
See full review & verified quotes →
Des Moines Car Dealer Rankings at a Glance
| # | Dealer | City | Grade | Score | Doc Fee | Add-Ons | Quotes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stivers Ford Lincoln | Waukee | A | 100 | $284 | $0 | 5 |
| 2 | Kia Of Des Moines | Des Moines | A | 100 | $180 | $0 | 4 |
| 3 | Stew Hansen Hyundai | Clive | A | 95 | $180 | $145 | 11 |
| 4 | Stew Hansen Buick Gmc | Clive | A | 95 | $90 | $0 | 4 |
| 5 | Karl Chevrolet | Ankeny | A | 94 | $0 | $0 | 7 |
| 6 | Karl Chevrolet Of Stuart | Stuart | A | 92 | $30 | $0 | 6 |
| 7 | Gregg Young Chevrolet Norwalk | Norwalk | B | 88 | $180 | $748 | 4 |
| 8 | Willis Cadillac | Des Moines | B | 85 | $162 | $478 | 10 |
| 9 | Honda Of Altoona | Altoona | B | 82 | $90 | $224 | 4 |
| 10 | Deyarman Ford Indianola | Indianola | B | 80 | $135 | $237 | 4 |
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 listing. Dealers with a gap between advertised price and final OTD aren’t being straight with you. Don’t negotiate off the listing number.
- Compare three dealers minimum. Even within the same metro, doc fees, add-on policies, and listing 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. Data updated quarterly. Last updated: Q3 2026.
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