What Others Say
Issues from Day 1… $15,000 mechanical repairs in first 9 months. Another Jeep dealer identified root cause: Darcars had different size tires on the car from Day 1. Darcars won't admit fault, but is offering a lowball cash compensation offer if I shut up.
My story:
- Bought used 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee from DARCARS in March
- Within 10 miles of driving off the lot, the transmission started jerking and jolting at every start. Grinding noises. Felt very unsafe. I called dealer that day and multiple times the first week. Initial response from dealer was “some cars just drive rougher than others.” After 2 additional calls, the dealership agreed to look at it during their 30-day dealer warranty window.
- DARCARS response was “We took it on a short test drive, and it drives like normal.” No further detail provided. They refused to further acknowledge my concerns.
- Situation got progressively worse and worse until car was undriveable. I took it to a different Jeep dealer who immediately said “yes, there are major mechanical issues here. Your transfer case is full of metal shavings, and the drive shaft needs to be replaced.” Eventually the transmission had to be replaced.
- Other dealer finally diagnosed that Darcars error with tire size was root cause. Darcars was willing to offer cash compensation ($350) as soon as they realized they were at fault, but low-balled the offer.
- Total repair cost: $15,000. Since I paid $4000 for the Ally extended warranty, my additional out of pocket expenses were ~$1,987... $300 in deductibles, $700 in rental car/transportation expense not covered by warranty, and $1000 in new tires. (Note: I will never trust a car from DARCARS without a third-party warranty)
- Since this was a Day-1 issue at the time I purchased the car and I raised it immediately, I asked DARCARS for some kind of reimbursement or remediation for the $2000 out of pocket. After multiple calls and escalations, the regional manager offered me some nominal credit which could only be used for future DARCARS purchases. The rationale was “If we paid in your situation, we would have to pay for everyone else in similar situation too.”
Other Day-1 issues with the Jeep (less critical): weak headlights failed within 3 months, missing floor mats, missing license plate holder, only 1 key (no extra), poor cleaning at purchase (French fries under seat, sticky residue throughout console), both air filters bad (note: at the first post-purchase appointment, DARCARS notified me that both were worn out and needed to be replaced… 2 weeks after purchasing the vehicle from DARCARS)
Punchline: this appears to be one of the lowest quality national brand dealerships I have encountered, and the worst car buying experience of my life. If you find a car you like, and can’t find it elsewhere, you should factor in an additional few thousand dollars for the Ally warranty, otherwise it’s a huge risk.
We have been longtime customers at Darcars Jeep, having leased multiple vehicles from them over the years. Unfortunately, our recent experience has been disheartening and has changed our perspective on this dealership.
While we were initially pleased with the staff’s apparent friendliness, our most recent interactions have involved misleading information, unfulfilled promises, and pressure to leave positive reviews in exchange for incentives. Notably, a sales manager urged us to post a favorable review in return for receiving something extra with our previous lease. This practice casts doubt on the authenticity of the dealership’s high ratings.
Most concerning is the pattern of deceptive sales practices surrounding our leases and the DARCARS Assurance Package. We were repeatedly promised the ability to trade in our leased vehicles at any time with no out-of-pocket cost and a guaranteed above-market trade-in value, yet when trying to exercise these benefits, we faced resistance, undisclosed fees, and a lack of transparency from the dealership. Attempts to resolve these issues led to delays, shifting explanations, and little accountability from management.
In light of these issues, we have filed a formal complaint with the Maryland Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. Our complaint details the misleading sales tactics, undisclosed add-on fees, and failure to honor the very assurances that influenced our decision to lease with Darcars Jeep Rockville.
It’s worth noting that our experience mirrors the broader pattern of misconduct that resulted in a major lawsuit and $3 million settlement against Darcars of Bowie, Inc. The Attorney General’s action against the Bowie dealership was prompted by widespread complaints of hidden “sales commission” fees, misrepresented add-ons such as the Assurance Package, and failure to disclose terms to consumers—a pattern we, too, have encountered in Rockville.
Instead of feeling valued as repeat customers, we now feel deceived and ignored by assurances that were never honored and by a process that lacked transparency and integrity. We cannot recommend Darcars Jeep to anyone seeking a trustworthy or honest dealership.
If you are considering doing business here, proceed with caution: insist on every promise in writing, scrutinize all add-ons, and be prepared for the possibility that even written assurances may not be honored. Our experience was the opposite of what we were led to believe and what every consumer deserves.
Horrible scamming dealership just look at how many lawsuits they have generated just in the last 20 years screwing over the general public here in Rockville Md. Brian Ferguson who was working with them
This dealership is very slow and would not process MD chesapeake tags. I will not recommend them for anything.
Helpful, responsible, patient, , I extremely recommend this dealership because of their knowledge and attitude towards customers.
Had a really smooth experience with everyone I worked with. Miguel was really great. He was upfront, knowledgeable, and not pushy at all. Will definitely go back to them again.