Russ Darrow Madison Kia

by Marke on 06/03/2023

DO NOT purchase a car at Russ Darrow Kia Madison. I purchased a CERTIFIED 2022 Kia Niro EV with just over 3000 miles on it. I did two test drives of the car and each time the car was very dirty. I wasn't very concerned about the exterior condition of 2022 certified car with low miles from what I thought was a reputable dealer. Trusting the dealer and their certified pre-owned program, I purchased the car having never sat inside it when it was clean. Immediately upon leaving the lot after paying full asking price for the car and after it was cleaned I noticed the windshield was covered in scratches across the entire field of view from top to bottom and right to left. There are more than 50 visible scratches that can also be felt easily with a fingernail. They impede the view out of the window. A 2022 certified car should never have been sold with a windshield in such poor condition. I contacted the dealer right away to ask them to replace the windshield. They have refused to offer any assistance at all. They will not replace the windshield. Apparently their certified used car program is a pointless marketing scam. This experience has been like something out of a really bad movie where a used car salesperson cheats customers. It is so infuriating and disappointing.

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by Not Taking It on 05/11/2022

Russ Darrow is trying to charge $10,000 over MSRP now to any customer buying from them. We need to put a stop to this predatory practice. I would also say, this is incredibly short-sighted on the part of a business. They could earn a customer for life or try to take advantage of us for a day. They chose to try to take advantage. My guess is that Russ Darrow won't be in Madison much longer.

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by Sean F on 09/30/2020

Got a great honest price on the new Kia and an honest trade in. Clean facility and a painless buying process. We were treated with friendliness and respect

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by Randy on 10/01/2018

Russ Darrow Sales and Finance Team worked great in finding the right payment plan for my Used Vehicle. I came in with a $400 monthly payment in mind and they actually found a Bank that went below what I was expecting. We ended up with a one year old vehicle which my wife and I love. Thanks for all your hard work!

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by briansp3 on 09/14/2014

salesman was helpful I heard that I should be wary of the "undercoating" that Rus Darrow provides. this is from another salesman in the area. Otherwise I think the cost was appropriate for the market in Madison. The financial dept was helpful in meeting my needs. The windows had a film on them for the first week or two but this improved over time. They did not come off as too aggressive and the paperwork was seemless. Thinking back, I would have looked into different financials to double check on the best rates. The one thing I did not like was the tactic of signing a handwritten agreement to buy that day if they could meet my financial budget. Seemed like it could have been done with a brief conversation and this would have been less intimidating. As far as service I will have to wait and see. Additionally, it took some time to get the car I wanted as they tried to sell me a lesser model for the same money in a color I didn't want. Then in the end they went back to the car I was interested in. This could be eliminated from their repertoire.

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by kiaman2013 on 09/01/2013

Visited this dealership looking to lease a new Kia Optima. When I walked in, several seated salesmen looked at me but no one got up to talk to me. Finally a salesman approached me. His excuse was that he thought was just waiting for my car to be serviced. I had to initiate most of the conversation as he didn't seem too interested in me. When I asked about leasing deals, he went to his computer and looked up the same info that I already found myself at home. He gave me a brochure and sent me on my way never asking if or when I planned to make a deal. Two days later I made several attempts to reach the salesmen by phone, but he never called back. I called again and spoke to a young lady who was helpful and gave me me specific price info I requested, She offered to make an appointment with the salesman, which I did. When I arrived he was busy with another customer so he shifted me to his colleague. Once again, I had to explain to him what I was after. I wanted a firm price on a lease for a specific vehicle on there lot. He asked me to fill out a credit form which I did. He took that away and I thought he would come back with the info I expected. Instead he came back with a price scribbled on a piece of paper. He obviously just looked up a ballpark figure for the car I was interested in because it was $50 higher that the price the lady had quoted me the day before. When I questioned this, he said he couldn't give me real price quote until I signed an agreement. I told him I wouldn't do that until I got a firm price quote. He said this was there policy and basically take it or leave it. I said I would leave it and he let me walk out of the dealership. I haven't received any follow-up calls and don't plan to ever go back there. I will visit their competitor this week.

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by joe1942 on 08/17/2012

I had a strange and frustrating experience in my effort to purchase a new Optima SX from Russ Darrow Kia of Madison, WI. I was trading my (paid for) 2010 GTI on a new Titanium Optima SX with all options. Ian Stokes, the sales manager, gave me the trade price - I agreed. The deal was written up with the VIN number of the new car and the agreed upon price, with Ian's signature. Ian would be doing a dealer trade and said the new car would arrive soon from a dealer in northern Illinois. I left with the paperwork Ian gave me. Six days later I called and was told the car would be in soon. Four days later I called again and Ian said the car would arrive soon. Four days later I called again and Ian said the Kia dealer he was getting the car from would not answer his calls, but he would keep trying. Two days after that I called and informed Ian that the car with the matching VIN number he promised me was at the Illinois dealer - he needed to go pick it up! He again stated they would not respond to his calls and he would expand his search for an Optima SX to Minnesota. Then Ian actually called me and said they found a BLACK Optima, and it would be in soon. But no, my car did not come in. Apparently Russ Darrow Kia is not able to obtain cars from other dealers! I finally wised up and drove across town to Metro Kia of Madison - made a deal and my new Optima SX was delivered via dealer trade the next day. What a difference in professionalism, integrity and honesty! I have purchased many new cars, my first was forty-seven years ago(1965) many times trading after only 1-3 years. I pay cash. Never before have I experienced a dealership that could not produce a promised new car - there is no shortage of cars on dealer lots. In over two weeks Russ Darrow Kia could not persuade another dealer to do a dealer trade with them. There are good and bad dealerships - these two exhibit the contrast. In this case Russ Darrow lost a sale on a cash deal that had been agreed upon by both parties.

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by want_service on 08/06/2012

There is no real sales staff here. I was told the longest tenured sales person was three weeks, that's why they had a temporary sales force there for the week. When I was pulling out of the lot onto Odana (because the amount for my car they offered wasn't acceptable/blue book) some supposed manager, also a temp I believe, was shouting for me to come back. Another day I did come back. I was here three times over the course of a week and spent 24 hours in the place over those deays with what I would call hostage like tactics used, and that includes the regular two staff people employing these schemes. In the end, I bought a car and signed for $100/mo. more than I wanted to do because they convinced me there was no option. I realize now the original instinct to leave these people without a purchase was the right move. Next comes the lack of service. The keyless remote went bad after two weeks. New battery did not solve the problem. Car died about two months after purchase. Service guy answering the phone didn't care about me bringing it back there. The car was not a Kia and he was insistent I didn't buy the car there. WTF?!? Then he told me they make sure the cars are safe and they don't check for anything else, so if the car went bad, the fuel pump soured (the guess), then its tough luck. There is no warranty. They do not stand behind the product. There is no interest in you as a future customer or doing business like professionals or any sort of reasonable good will. Clearly, they don't care about word of mouth either. Because after this last set of issues (car died, service denies I bought the car there, they don't care if its brought to them to service, etc). I am leaving reviews everywhere and telling every acquaintance and person I know not to buy at Darrow. Yeah, when I was at the shop a couple blocks from Darrow getting that fuel issue resolved I told EVERYONE there not to buy at Darrow. No one takes my money, significant amounts of my time, and delivers terrible service in return, and walks away unscathed. Don't buy a car at Russ Darrow KIA. Got enemies? Send them to Russ Darrow KIA!!!

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