For a car dealership, this place has been pretty solid for us. We purchased a car in 2020 from them, which was a pretty straightforward experience, and have used their service department for two cars. Frankly, I wish Ford made minivans else we'd still be going there for our next vehicle. Also, I have had two different cars appraised and the whole process was really simple and straightforward; I didn't feel pressured. Granted, it could just be the people I worked with over the years, but it's been a pretty consistent experience. I am a huge fan of their service department: everything is done promptly, parts are always available, and they have a shuttle service plus will deliver your car after maintenance is done. The flexibility is hard to beat. read more

Please list your hours online so people don't waste their time. You have different hours for everything to save you money but have no problem charging over $200 and keeping a vehicle for 24-48 hrs just to look at it. At least take the time to fix this or train people from service to get parts. read more

Charles Gabus Ford - Waiting for the parts department to open because this business can't properly list their hours online and nobody here can help me. - Car Dealers Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

ZERO rating I went in for my oil change for life and of course they tried to up sell me on repairs that THEY thought I needed. When I said NO they removed all of those parts from my car associated with the repairs that THEY thought I needed and are holding them HOSTAGE telling me "Go to the parts department and BUY your parts back". I DID NOT sell any parts to them or authorize ANY TYPE of work other than the oil change. I'm talking with lawyers on Sueing them. Beware if your older or handicapped because they will target older cars with lower miles. Older people in general. DO NOT DUE BUINESS WITH THIS COMPANY!!! read more

We came from California and we're here in Iowa visiting our daughter when my Ford Broncho transmission went out. Ford Emergency Services came out picked up vehicle from the RV Park and took it to Charles Gabus Ford. They diagnosed my transmission and said that it needed to be replaced. Charles Gabus Ford had rental car for us to enjoy our vacation here. I told them we would only be here for 2 weeks and we had to head back to California. We had my Broncho back in just a little over a week. Thank You All so much for helping us at a really crucial time. I would recommend this place 100%. read more

Every 7500 miles we need to have our oil changed. This place is the one we always choose to have that done. They change our oil and rotate our tires every 6 months. read more

We had a great used car buying experience here in the summer of 2018. Our sales person (Jessica), was super friendly and no-pressure; her boss, Nick, treated my wife and I really well. They have tons of inventory, not just Ford vehicles. Their sales process is transparent and the prices competitive. We didn't have a lot of questions, but the ones we had were answered really well. Overall, I was happy we found a car that we liked and I felt like we paid a fair price. We never felt pressured and the staff was fun to work with. We would shop here again. read more

I brought my 2018 Escape here with transmission issues at the recommendation of my mechanic. I was expecting the repair to be expensive, but after charging me almost $200 for the diagnostic they told me I needed a new transmission and it would cost $8,000. Yes, 8 with 3 zeros. They can't be serious. I know dealers are more expensive than local mechanics. The reason I brought it to them was because the transmission shouldn't be going bad on a 5 year old suv with ~65,000 miles. I was hoping they could help me out with what was clearly a manufacturing issue (which was confirmed by the mechanic who ultimately did the repair). No help, no payment plan options, not to mention no sympathy whatsoever. I ate the $200 diagnostic fee (ouch) and brought it to a local mechanic, who fixed me up with a rebuild for half the price. Still an insane amount of money to spend on a 5 year old vehicle. Everything they say about dealerships is true of the guys at charles gabus. do yourself a favor and take your car anywhere else. read more

Tried to charge me $200+ for a 'engine diagnostic' that O'Reillys did for FREE! Complete scam, don't go.

Giving them 2 stars because the sales process last year went pretty smooth. The service department leaves much to be desired. I bring the truck in for regular service, and have a prepaid service plan. While it was under warranty, I did bring up some malfunctions, and it was a battle just getting them to honor what was clearly covered under the warranty. (For which I paid a premium) Every conversation I've had with their service team, it's like they're prepared to dismiss whatever concerns you have without much thought. I booked an appointment 4 weeks out for service. I drop it off at 8:00 am and confirm it should be ready by around 12. I call at 12:50 after they've had the truck for almost 5 hours to get a status, and was told the guy is at lunch but he's been working on it for 2 hours. (Why did I book an appointment if you aren't going to work on my truck when I drop it off?) Anyways, It's a domestic dealership with mediocre customer service. They're not going to make you feel like you made a good choice in purchasing a Ford. read more

I brought my 2017 Ford here for a diagnostic and was charged close to $400 after the man in the service department told me it would be around $180. Once receiving the diagnostic I was quoted close to $5k in repairs. After comparing prices to other repair places and gaining and additional diagnostic the price in repairs was near a $4k difference. DO NOT believe them when they say "recommended repairs." The man who I worked with in the service department was rude and talked down to me as well. I would NEVER recommend bringing your Ford here and their repair prices are astronomical compared to anywhere else. Customer service was some of the worst I have dealt with involving a vehicle. read more

This is a service review. My F150's 4x4 was making some strange noises. After doing so e research on my own, I determined what the cause was but we did not have the space to fix it in the cold. I contacted Gabus' service center and scheduled an inspection to get an estimate. At first they didn't think they could get me in within the next couple days but then said they could. I was able to take it in the next morning and they could fit me in. I had explained the issue over the phone but when I arrived they barely had any description. After explaining what the noise was and my research findings, they confirmed that what I described sounded correct. They said there would be an inspection fee and I could pay it later. They called in a timely manner and described the issue (same as I had told them). They also quoted me a price. Of course it wasn't cheap but what repairs are anymore? I called them back and asked that they fix it and wave the inspection fee since I was the one that told them the issue. They accepted my request to wave the fee! I picked up my truck that evening before closing and it has been working great since it was fixed (2 weeks or so ago). Based on this experience, I would go back to them. read more

so I would love to give props to a buddy of mine here (Jake Davis). I needed a car and he hooked me up good. He wanted to make sure I got a reliable car for a good price. I really love Charles gabus ford service and the employee Jake Davis. read more

I received a letter that my Lincoln was recalled for the passenger air bag exploding upon impact. It was so dangerous, that Ford/Lincoln was wanting people to drive a rental car until the part to fix the airbag was available (said it'll take several months.) This being said, I was really nervous driving my car knowing it's really dangerous. I tried another Lincoln dealership in town and they didn't understand the letter I showed them, which made me feel like I read it wrong. Well, I went back the next day and they still told me it'll take a few weeks to "get my name on a list." I was feeling helpless. I just happened to see a Charles Gabus Shuttle Van driving around and decided to see what they could do! Ed (service writer) was absolutely FANTASTIC. He took all of my vehicle info over the phone and told me he'd call me back in a few minutes. He called back and said "Just come in, we've got it all set up for you" I was so elated. It was no big deal to them. Frank then got me all set up in under 10 minutes! I can't thank them enough for being concerned about my safety and following the procedures of Ford/Lincoln regarding the recall. If I'm ever in need of a car, I'll for sure check them out first due to their stellar customer service. read more

Was drawn to Charles Gabus Ford because of they advertised a $50 oil change and tire rotation on Facebook. I took my Jetta into the shop and came back 1 hour later to find a $140 bill. There was no phone call to explain the $90 up-charge. The explanation: The oil in my car is "special" they added $90 to the original $30 labor, $20 oil. (I got 7 quarts) The 5W-40 oil at autozone costs $28 for 5 quarts. The conclusion: They charged over $15 per quart of oil when it is purchased for $6. Don't go to Charles Gabus Ford. Go somewhere that doesn't lie, withhold information, and overcharge you. read more

They sold me a car and with in 30,000 miles the motor blew and the life time power train warranty is a scam

Not the most amazing experience ever! Recently I hit a deer coming back into Iowa from a show in MO! The deer got me pretty good, smashing my left head light and ripping off my bumper! Naturally I only have liability on this car cause its a bit older but only has 80,000 miles on it.. I could easily get another 100,000 since its a Camry. Anyway.. I was told to go to Charles Gabus to get a quote on fixing it.. When I arrived the 3 people were sitting there looking like they hated life.. And no one was over joyed to get up and check out my car.. Finally a guy came out to look at it.. Spent about 1 minute looking at it, went back in sat at his computer for another 5 minutes and then printed me off a list of things to fix and quotes.. But then gave me the great news that, "Hey this car is to old and not worth fixing the problems." and Im like but all I really need is my headlight working, I don't care how it looks and I was like this car could probably run another 100,000 miles.. And he said., "Yeah probably." But we won't work on it... So I left dumb founded that they didn't want my cash to fix the car and left with no real answers on how to get it fixed... Gee thanks! read more

Totally screwed me on a used car ! The differential went out 1 month after purchase and they blamed ME !!!! They claimed i wrecked the car !!!! Wwwhat ????? They basically sold me a junk car and wouldnt stand behind it !!! Unreal !!!! Lawyer involved . read more

I bought a new 18 Escape in March 2018. I always trusted the service department to not try to prematurely sell me replacement items. They recently did the Works package for a routine service. They came back and told me the 48 Motorcraft month battery needed replaced soon at full replacement cost for me. The head service manager offered no discount for a battery replacement as the existing battery was less than half of the advertised life. I paid my bill for the Works and left. A few days later I stopped at Interstate Battery for a second opinion and my battery tested to be perfect. I sent a complaint to the general manager of the dealership but have not received a response. No response to a customers complaint is not an acceptable business practice in my book. I will be taking all my wear item replacement business elsewhere. read more

I wish I could give Charles Gabus Used car sales department a lower score. I went there with my wife looking for a Ford C Max. The salesman Todd seemed nice when I met him. I tried to trade in my wife's Volvo and they would only offer me $500! Their price was way to high. Every bit of research I'd show him why his price was overpriced was wrong. I walked out. Kept getting emails from him that I guess we're automated. I told him that was funny that your asking if I have questions on a car you wouldn't sell me and told him to lose my email and place me on your do not contact list. What do you know, he emails back this. You don't get it! Those are auto emails. I had no intentions on reaching out to you after you offer us $14000.00 for a car we have listed at $18000.00 after coming in three times!!! if you would of offered us a decent price or offer of $16000.00 you would be driving our car. I'll remove Your email from my contact list as you asked, but please do me a big favor! Next time your in the market please don't offer a dealer that has a great product and price $4000.00 off. Thank You, I'll never buy one thing ever from Charles Gabus again! Very disrespectful and rude. Here's some advice Todd, don't low ball a customer's car and maybe you will have more sales! read more

A full service dealer. They usually have good personnel in the second vice department. Sales area are not very friendly. I like buying Fords. Not sure if I will buy here. They do some nice things for the community and support the troops that work for them. read more

Charles Gabus Ford - Car Dealers Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Originally went in for 2 tires for my Ford F150 They didn't have the tires originally advertised so they needed to "bring in" tires or we could get 2 other higher priced tires that were there. Fine. Not wanting to wait, accepted the tires. My foot rail (runner?) was bent from an accident so I asked if someone could just weld the other side back in place and i would pay for that. Instead they take it upon themselves without telling me to saw it off completely because it's easier for them and charge me 100 bucks for that. And another 130 bucks for alignment. Fine. Took over 3 hours. I justed wanted to get out. So the 300 I was going to originally pay turned into over 600. A customer representative later called and made restitution for some of the bill. read more

I got rear ended after only having my car for a few months and lesson 11,000 miles on it. I was super nervous never having been in a car wreck with the car this new and under warranty. I wanted to make sure everything went smoothly. From start to finish Charle's Gabus body shop maybe feel really confident that everything was going to be handled correctly. They pointed me in the right direction when it came to getting a rental car and dealing with the insurance company. They communicated every step of the way. They went above and beyond to make sure my car, a Toyota, Received its slightly overdue 10,000 mile service check at the Toyota dealership (another thing I was very concerned about getting done). They got my car done ahead of schedule and returned to me cleaner than when I dropped it off. I really had a great experience with them and I appreciate all the effort they put in to make sure everything was taken care of. You would never be able to tell my car was ever in a fender bender. read more

one time had a oil leak after service climbed under car filter was loose last time rear floor mat missing sent a email to service manager no reply so after many years of service I will go to a different dealer for service when they don't care how they treat you time to move on read more

Never again will I go back to there body shop didn't do it right the first time and then something was taken from my truck manager not professional at all called me a liar and my 2017 truck with 5600 miles was far from new very rude I won't be back read more

I facilitated my mother and her husband buying a Ford F-350 for roughly 60 thousand dollars about three months ago. When we were talking about the vehicle with the salesman Joe Green; he informed us that it had an engine block heater. This was important as it is a diesel truck and it is cold here in the winter. We failed to check that it had said heater as we trusted what the dealership told us. Fast forward three months and we go to plug the truck in and low and behold there is no engine block heater. When my mother called to ask the salesman and the used car manager if they would make this right their response was NO. Very unprofessional and for spending $60K dollars I feel we were treated rather poorly. Ames Ford Lincoln has bent over backwards to help correct the things that Charles Gabus refused to do and should have completed. Would never buy from Gabus again and strongly recommend you look elsewhere for your next vehicle. read more

If I could give 0 starts I would. I brought my truck in for recall service. Prompt appointment, and they got me in right when I got there. Service took a little over twice as long as I was estimated(problems getting the computer reprogramming to take), I get it that happens. Well yesterday I tried to change the fan speed for the air. The display changes but no change to speed. Huh, what else is wrong, rear defrost won't turn on. No problem I will take it back and they will fix it. "Sure, after we run two diagnostics at $120 bucks a pop, if we find that it was our fault we will fix it and not charge you", so after you find these random codes that are messing with the cpu after you reflashed it I won't be charged. Or if for some reason you can't find these errors I just have to pay? "Yes that is basically how it works", thanks but no thanks. "Well what do you want?" I want my truck to work the way that it did when I brought it in and not have some sleight of hand bs milk money from me. read more

Bought my first car ever from here. The experience was pleasant and enjoyable. Jake Davis was the person who showed me the car and everything else related to It. I would certainly be going back for the new car when I need one. read more

We came here receiving a flyer saying we won a free gift in a contest mailer, the staff was super friendly and we ended up looking at a few vehicles while we were here, just for fun. They have a beautiful showroom and a TON of choices! Overall a great experience we will consider them in the future when my husband is in need of a new truck. read more

If I could give them a lower score I would. The customer service in this location was god awful. just EXTREMELY awful. The man I worked with bill freeman was the rudest man I have ever met. i went in trying to find a car (sedan) and he kept telling me I should buy a truck or SUV and I already have BOTH. I made it quite clear 4 times I wanted a sedan. Something that I could have fun with and do a few custom things too and he told me there's no point in doing that and I should think about my wife and buy her an SUV and I shouldn't be buying a car because I like it my wife needs to agree with me. he was rude when asking how much money I make a month basically implying I couldn't afford the car I was looking at. Like hello ever heard of a down payment..?? A savings account??? TWO people paying the monthly payments? He was Abrasive and harsh. I would NOT recommend asking for him or going to this place in general. It was dirty and they had like MAYBE 20 vehicles on the lot to choose from which OUTRAGES prices. he kept rushing me and then would take his SWEET time coming back to help and the car I settled on was apparently sold. So that means NO communications goes on in this store. read more

Have taken my Fords to Gabus many times over the years. I have always been treated fairly. If under warranty they take care it. I am a loyal Ford customer because of the service received at Charles Gabus. read more

My wife and I got a 2015 Chevy Silverado the whole process of buying the vehicle was smooth.this is our 3rd car we buy from a mayor car dealer,and I was surprised they didn't wanted to sell extras.like a dealer in Clive nor hide extra charges and fees like a dealer in Ankeny.I would definitely consider do more business with them again.the only reason I wouldn't give them 5 stars is their communication.they need to call back their customers when we leave them a message.other than that I'm happy with the quality vehicle and the buying experience read more

We recently purchased a vehicle from the used car lot at Charles Gabus Ford. I would highly recommend David Geyer as a sales person for both new and used. We felt that he was very honest with us. We visited 4 dealerships in the area. Out of all of them we were given honest answers and the best trade in for our vehicle with David. read more

I called in to the service center to ask about a recall on a 2003 Mercury, after I received a letter for a customer satisfaction promo that fixes a headlight issue. I was more than relieved because for as long as I've had the car the headlights will intermittently turn off. i pulled into the garage, presented the letter, and was told that the letter was old, and there would be another letter coming that states the parts are not available, and after THAT letter I would get another when the parts became available. the service guy said there was nothing he could do and I would have to be patient. to which I replied "I would love to be patient but my F*^%#+^ headlights don't work". I left charles Gabus and phoned ford directly and was told that if my headlights didn't work they could expedite the part... I was furious. terrible customer service from charles Gabus, they were completely unwilling to do the repair, or be helpful in any way. I took my car to Stivers and it was fixed within 2 days. I recommend going to Stivers for purchase or repair on your Ford Lincoln or Mercury. read more

Professional, friendly , quick service. My last 4 cars have all been bought here and I could not be happier with Ford and Gabus service is terrific. read more

Austin Parks and team (Dan Gaumer and Austin Alessio) were all super friendly and helpful. A great first experience with your dealership and Ford. Austin won the deal over Stivers Ford through his relationship first and value centered approach. Dan was very professional in finance, yet kept it lighthearted. And Austin was helpful providing the right amount of support versus independence for my knowledge level during delivery. Keep up the great work as a team! read more

No Ford dealerships can beat the great service here at Charles Gabus! Their price is unbeatable too! I strongly would recommend anyone to purchase vehicles here! :) read more

Looking for a new or used vehicle? LOOK SOMEWHERE ELSE! My wife and I were recently looking for a car to replace our truck as I had separated from the military and we have a newborn. We went to Charles Gabus Ford to test drive the new Focus as it had a high MPG EPA rating. We had found a vehicle on the used lot that we liked more however. When we inquired about a negotiating a price, the salesperson came back with a price and even wrote it down for us, saying that it was good for 24 hours. When we returned that evening to have them appraise the truck for a trade in value they told us the price quoted earlier was no longer good as the manager allegedly "never told the salesperson that price." We decided to sleep on it and come back the next morning. When I returned, the salesperson took me straight to the manager to see if perhaps we could talk it out at which point the manager, John O'Donnell, began yelling at me in front of his employees, claiming that he didn't care what the salesperson told me. I attempted to contact the president of the company, Gene Gabus, but he was on a business trip so I left a voicemail. I never heard back from him so I decided to follow up directly about two weeks later. He was very brief (as is expected from the president of a large organization) however he told me "You and him had a disagreement. I'm used to it." To which I replied, "Sir, he embarrassed me in front of your employees". "He responded with "He didn't think he did" and ended the call with that. My wife and I have since shopped elsewhere and when retelling the story to other dealers, John O'Donnell apparently seems to have a reputation as nothing less than what I encountered with him. Looking for a good car, Ford may be the right choice for you. However, there's another dealer in Ankeny right down the road that will actually treat you with some semblence of dignity. read more

I brought my truck in with a knock after they had my truck for an hour they came out and said that I needed a new engine at the cost of $18000 they said that the #4 cylinder rod was bent funny thing was I drove it back to where our camper was hooked on to our trailer and drove to Oklahoma with out so much as a whimper from the truck. I would not recommend there service department to anyone read more

Horrible dealership!!!! Bought a new F150 and it began malfunctioning at 20 miles. That was in June. It has been in to be fixed over and over and now is eligible for the lemon law. There is paperwork that says the malfunction occurred when the dealership checked it in from the manufacturer. Afraid I'm going to have to get a lawyer to get any satisfaction from this dealership. read more

I am so disappointed at the lack of customer service. I was in Iowa and needed my dad to help me make a few repairs to my car so we order the parts from Gabus. We were told that they could overnight the parts from Kansas City. My dad consulted with me before ordering them and when he went to order the parts they said one of the parts had to come from Memphis and would take 2 days. My splash guard has 2 pieces. When it arrived only half of it arrived. That's when they told my dad the back half had to come from somewhere else. Seriously?!?! Why would we order half of the splash guard. When I drove all the way to Des Moines from Newton to get the part it didn't have the clips that came with it. They told me oh well you didn't say you needed those too! Come on! We also ordered a lower grill for my car and it came defective. I found the customer service rep in the parts office very unfriendly and the fact that we had to make two trips to Des Moines is displeasing. read more