Darling's Kia Fees & Transparency Grade: C
C
Price Transparency Grade
65 / 100
Doc Fee: $599, itemized inside the advertised price
$49 above the Maine average of $550.
Score breakdown
Evidence
$599 dealer doc fee published in the store's own vehicle-page disclaimer ('Includes $599 dealer doc fee'); the store publishes no advertised prices or price stacks — every vehicle shows 'Contact Dealer for Details' — so the fee is never itemized. Checked October 19, 2026.
Checked October 19, 2026Grades are scored from the dealer's own published pricing.What this dealer does well
- States its $599 doc fee and that advertised prices include it.
What would change this grade
- Publishing prices with the $599 doc fee itemized would raise the score to 81 (B).
Frequently asked questions
- What is Darling's Kia's doc fee?
- $599 (Doc Fee), checked on October 19, 2026. $49 above the Maine average of $550.
- Is the doc fee included in Darling's Kia's advertised prices?
- Yes. The Doc Fee is itemized inside the advertised price, so the listed price already accounts for it.
- What does the C grade mean?
- The C grade reflects a score of 65 out of 100 on Car Thrive's five-part rubric: fee level, fee in advertised price, disclosure, consistency and no forced add-ons. Grades are scored from the dealer's own published pricing. Read the full methodology.