I wrote a previous review in the middle of a transaction, and after all was said and done and I look back on my experience just a little over a month ago, I decided rather than edit I will just write a new review. I have raised my rating to 5 stars because I love my vehicle. I love the price I paid. My salesman Zach was great. All of the staff and managers were responsive to me, even at night and weekends and their own days off. I found my car on a nationwide search with Car Gurus. My car was located in Wisconsin and I live in Virginia. There were extensive photos so I bought the car sight unseen. I was told several times there was hail damage that contributed to the reduced price. I was a little surprised at the extent of the damage when the car actually arrived although it was disclosed, but it is all cosmetic and would not have changed my decision had I seen it on the lot. I had never purchased a car where I had to have it transported by a contractor and have more complicated paperwork and title registration processes. Usually the dealer does it all and I drive away. This process took longer and was more involved. I was anxious about my decision, which was a bit impulsive, and worried something would go wrong. Yet once my car was delivered and I got it registered and tagged, made my first payment and drove it on a trip, I realized I got an excellent deal and a great car. My only issue was that there were photos that appeared to be of 2 key fobs, so I was excited I was getting a second fob because generally used cars often only have one. I sent the manager Shawn the photos that confused me but I was told there never was a second fob. I was disappointed about that. I will have to get one made at some point. I'm not sure I will buy a car out of state in the future, but Stark was a great dealership to work with and they tried very hard to have a satisfied customer. I got a great car and I'm very happy. read more

Stark on the Beltline - Love my car already! - Used Car Dealers Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I attempted to do business with this organization and when I told him I had a trade-in, they told me that I should put it on Facebook marketplace instead of traded it... This organization is lazy and rude. read more

UPDATE (August 2026): We took this dealership to Wisconsin small claims court (Court Case Number for CCAP WI: 2026SC000185) over their deceptive practices and won. The defendant failed to even show up to defend their actions, and the Judge entered a formal judgment ordering them to pay for 100% of our actual engine repair costs ($2,998.39) plus our legal court fees. The court completely validated what our independent master mechanic found: they sold us a van with a pre-existing, dangerous 82 PSI cold-start engine defect and timing belt tensioner, lied about a 30-day warranty, and then explicitly texted us refusing to fix the safety issues unless we deleted our honest online reviews. We stood our ground, refused to let them hold our family's safety hostage, and the legal system held them fully accountable. Let our experience be a warning to anyone considering buying a vehicle here: get an independent inspection before you sign anything, and document every single word they say. A formal complaint and a copy of our winning court judgment have now been submitted to the Wisconsin DOT Dealer Section for a full licensing investigation. read more

Found my Toyota here at Stark. The yelp reviews are not what my experience was. Google is. thought I'd share. Thanks fellas for easiest car transaction I've ever had. read more

DO NOT BUT FEOM HERE. Absolutely horrible business and disrespectful people. we purchased a car with several issues that weren't stated that would cause catastrophic engine damage and they were entirely unflexible with fixing them. were rude to my wife and called out the integrity of my mechanic after they lied about there car being good to go. read more

The salespeople are very unprofessional and don't take the wellbeing and safety of their customers or the surrounding public seriously. My husband and I went to Stark to test drive a couple of their cars. The first car that we test drove should have been properly repaired first before ever being placed on the lot. To even get the parking brake lowered, my husband had to disassemble the plastic manifold, second the car was lowered to the point where it scraped the road whenever we were turning on an incline, finally there was some mechanical issue with the gear shift where we weren't able to reverse. When we got back from the test drive the salesperson explained to us that they knew of this issue and that there's a trick to it. This trick wasn't mentioned to us at the start of the test drive, nor did the salesperson go with us to explain it to us on the road. This is very dangerous, what if there was an emergency and we needed to reverse. Not knowing this trick not only puts our lives in danger but also all the other drivers in the area. I'm not a car person, but even I know that a car should be able to go forwards and backwards. Another issue was that the salesperson was so enthusiastic about selling that car that he offered to fix those issues that we brought up if we bought the car the same day. To me that sounded like a bait and switch tactic because as soon as we bought the car Stark had no obligation to fix anything. Since they already proved to be untrustworthy by not telling us of the issues in the first place. We politely declined the offer to buy the problematic car and went on to test drive another car that we were interested in. When we returned, the staff demeanor completely changed. As soon as we were pulling in, another salesperson named Gavin was yelling at my husband to get out of the car like an unhinged psychotic. My husband was so shocked that he forgot to put the parking brake on and almost ran over my foot with the car as I was rushing to get out. Gavin and another salesperson were yelling at us at how we were damaging their cars by going 90 mph on the road. That is actually physically impossible as Seybold is a very curvy road and with all the prior turns we would have to make, going 90 mph would be going against the laws of physics. It's our belief that the salespeople took the fact that we refused to buy the problematic car as a personal affront and chose to intimidate us by other means. That, coupled with their intimidating selling tactics is a horrible way to treat customers. People working at Stark are giving small family-owned car dealers a bad name. Stark exemplifies everything that is wrong with the used car industry. Save yourselves from the stress and hassle of buying anything from these shady dealers and go elsewhere. Please read the reviews on cars.com, they can't be bought and will show you a clear picture of how Stark treats their customers. read more

Stark on the Beltline - Not BBB accredited. - Used Car Dealers Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Test drove a car and we noticed there was some condensation inside. The salesman noted that they had just done some detailing causing the condensation. When we got on the HWY we noticed there was a leak in the 2 front car doors. Turns out the doors were both replace with not quite matching doors didn't completely match up size or color, causing a leak. Cheap repairs to move cars...Friendly folks, but not honest. read more

they sold my dad a car with problems and sold him on an expensive warranty and now that we are trying to get it fixed they haven't called or anything and are trying to tell us it's not covered when it clearly states that it is read more

Really rude and disrespectful really help. They sold me a Lincoln that had problems. Everything had problems never told me they said the vehicle is perfectly fine. I called to complain and they really just said it's part of maintenance and they really didn't just hung up on me really disrespectful. Do not go there they sell bad cars and they're scammers. All of their cars are junk. read more

Since they are trying to have my Google review removed, as its now hidden and clearly have done this to others, here's a yelp review. Monday 4/1/2024, 10;30ish AM after confirming with the beltline location that the 2014 Nissan Versa Note SV my wife wanted "I told her get the Altima from someone in Janesville!" but it was at the Mashall location, and that it needed an inspection and detailing but they had no further info and thus needed to call the other location. Upon calling Shawn the GM picked up, I relayed how the beltline told me the 2014 Nissan Versa Note SV was in but needed inspected and detailed still but we where very interested in it and would like to come look at it. He proceeded to be short with me, and didn't hide his contempt in the least. Telling me it was in transport and he couldn't tell me more, I asked for a rough estimate, having done plenty of cross country I understood it could be a second "I was well aware it was bought at auction from auction in Texas, instead of one of the Florida hurricane cars." till it arrived. Three days, five days, next week? Shawn tells me hes at the mercy of a transporter, and he cant tell me anymore, O.K. I thanked him and hung up. This guy called me back from a personal number, and when I didn't answer "Telling my wife how rude he was and we would never purchase from them at this point, trying to pay 10k for a car and with this attitude I could only imagine how we would get treated after getting into a vehicle with them." he sends me a text from that personal phone. Had I received the text prior to hanging up I would have ignored it, but it didn't come through yet so I called back. He proceeds to relay to me that the car is in and he wasn't aware "Yes, you where because I told you the beltline confirmed it was, your now lying!" and it would still need and inspection and detailing, that it would be a few days and starts to launch into his clearly scripted sales pitch. **I did sales and management for 5+ years before switching to a mechanics background** I stop him here and inform him with the attitude I was already shown hes driven me from the sale, that i have sale and management experience and this is not how you treat someone. Only to be cut off, hes incredibly rude, and being ugly at this point over the phone to me. That ended my willingness to have composure and deal with him, after hanging up with him, he continues to text me and ends it being condescending. Then texts me YET AGAIN! To let me know it has at least 5 major problems and it would be at least three days till its repaired. At which point I informed him that had my life been dependent upon purchasing a vehicle from them, I would not do so! This place is anything but a company I would suggest you purchase a vehicle from, I wish they could get no stars from me, as they certainly don't deserve any! read more

Stark on the Beltline - Used Car Dealers Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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The absolute worst customer service! Extremely unprofessional owner. And if you leave a bad review you will get threatening texts. This place is atrocious and I don't know how they are even in business. read more

I had a disappointing experience here. I left a $500 deposit after being told in writing it was refundable. When I decided not to move forward (the car was still being worked on at the time, per Kyle and Jose), I was told I could transfer the deposit to another car or get only half back. When I declined politely, Kyle told me to "either take half or get the f*** out." I have proof of the refund promise and am following the proper steps to resolve this. I wouldn't recommend buying anything here. Check their Better Business Bureau and Yelp reviews -- I wish I had before trusting they'd honor their word. read more

We were looking for a truck and found Stark on the beltline had 2 trucks my husband was interested in, from the very beginning Heath was a great person to work with!! I'm very Leary of car dealerships but I felt they were all very honest and helpful! We will go back! read more

Jared assisted me and helped me with all my questions! helped me find a great rate with uw credit union and even assisted after I purchased the vehicle and kept in contact! Thank you!! read more

Stark on the Beltline - Right after I purchased me vehicle! - Used Car Dealers Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Use caution when shopping this company! Peter Wisniewski (owner) and Kevin Cronk (sales) almost screwed me on a truck deal last night. Make sure you get everything you want IN WRITTING before signing ANYTHING! Apparently, they have no conscience when it comes to lying to customers to make a sale. sad. sad. sad read more

These guys have their own Ol Boy network, and a disliking for Black men in particular! So steer clear of these guys if your are Black they have an ultimate disdain for your kind! I bought a car from these tools, and the one and only mechanic they have on payroll put 75% mud water into my coolant system, and 25% old coolant..... my system was so dirty the tech at Valvoline recommended that I get another coolant flush soon! I was nothing but courteous to everyone there, and still was treated with pure hatred! I have all the evidence needed to show foul play, but the manager still looked at me with a shit eating grin and said the mechanic didn't do it! I wish I could share the pics with you! These guys are the living proof that the reputation of car salesman is not a cliche! Steer clear of these VIPERS!!!! read more

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This is the best service I've ever received from a dealership! There was no pressure to buy and everyone was so helpful and nice. They were extremely accommodating and got me into a car I loved for a great price! Mikel has gone above and beyond! I would HIGHLY recommend Stark and would buy from here again myself! read more

I had a fantastic time with Stark on the beltline. They answered all of our questions and met all our needs. They also worked with us as much as they could. I highly recommend going through them if you're wanting to buy a car. read more

Wow! Horrifying! Owner treats woman with complete disrespect and antiquated Condescension and disdain. Cars don't have mats, matching tires, and have a lot of hidden issues. They really treat people poorly here. read more

BAD: Would not recommend this dealer. I bought a used Toyota Highlander. Within a week the front left tire was leaking air. Took it to the shop and the rotors were completely shot. New brakes and rotors needed all the way around. I specifically asked about the brakes, rotors and tires, and sure enough I was lied to about two of the three items. This was after I showed up to buy the car, and it was not even on the lot. It was at a detailer across town, and it had not even been cleaned yet! I also had a hard time getting in touch with someone after this repair issue occurred, as it became apparent they were in no way interested in making it up to me. I am extremely dissatisfied with this dealer and would definitely not return. Please save yourself the time and trouble and shop somewhere else. I wish I could give them credit for holding a car for me during a very busy car market. But knowing that I was lied to about the condition of the car makes me not care at all...friendly people do not make up for $1,100 worth of repairs. read more

I purchased a vehicle from them, a Honda Fit, and the sale went well, I felt they were honest with me regarding the single listed issue. I read the paperwork carefully and made sure the vehicle didn't have a salvage title. I took it in for an oil change at my usual mechanic and found out that the entire subframe is rusted and so unsafe that the car cannot be put onto a lift for regular repairs or maintenance. In a collision, the car would snap in half at the driver side due to parts of the frame being so rusted that they are almost nonexistent. My technician at Zimbrick was apologetic to bear the bad news, but said the car looked like it had been sitting in water for months and that there was no way this could have been missed. I contacted Stark for a resolution under Wisconsin's consumer protection laws and will provide an update to my review if the issue gets resolved. Update 7/7/22: I have received a response from Crystal at Stark on the Beltline regarding my concerns. The car will be appraised by their staff before discussing resolutions. Update 7/12/22: I continue to receive unprofessional service, including belligerence from the owner, and a refusal to provide the results of their inspection in a written form. At this point I have taken the vehicle in for a third opinion to another mechanic. Heath was decent to deal with, the owner and salesperson Crystal do not deliver what was promised in text and verbally and are difficult to get in contact with. What could have been a simple exchange has become a headache, and the business seems mired in internal issues if the owner chooses to scream at a customer about how poor another repair shop's business is. Please do not do business here if you are expecting any complications or need future service. Update at end of business day 7/12/22: I had the Honda Fit thoroughly looked over by a third mechanic at West Town Tire, who determined it is safe to drive and can be put on a lift. The wear and tear was determined to be typical of cars in Wisconsin, and may be an issue in the future but do not currently impact the safety of the car. Crystal did resume regular, professional contact with me regarding this issue and I would consider the parting on good terms. If you purchase a vehicle from this business have it inspected elsewhere first, and prepare for a long road on any future issues. In their defense, they did provide a car in my price range during a national shortage and I would not have been able to find one in my budget elsewhere, and these types of issues do occur with used cars. It is only the communication and level of customer service that left a bad taste in my mouth at the resolution of this issue. read more

After calling to see if car was available to view drove 250 mile to see it!!! Got there and was in shop needed clutch work the least they could have done was call and say there is a problem. Honesty goes a long way but I guess not here!!!! read more

I would highly recommend Stark On The Beltline to anyone looking for a good used vehicle. Rob Ranthum was great to work with, I really felt like he understood what we were looking for and our concerns. Even after our purchase he is happy to answer questions. I have told family and friends to see Rob if they are looking for a vehicle. I would definitely go back when I need another vehicle. read more

I don't normally write reviews, but I thought this was necessary. This vehicle has been posted online for awhile for sale and I decided I would like to purchase it. I called and the person who answered the phone was pretty rude and not helpful at all. I said I was calling on this particular vehicle a 2012 GMC Sierra Denali that has been advertised for sale and he told me it isn't for sale now. Apparently they are listing it for sale with a supercharger and now they are not selling it because they are removing the supercharger. That was one of my reasons for selecting this one. I told him I wanted to purchase it and was told I can't it's not for sale right now, but advertised for sale? Then was told he had another call and had to go. Is this normally how you would treat someone looking to purchase a vehicle from you. I'm sure just by how this guy acted that they don't really care, but you definitely lost a customer! Would give Zero stars if I could! read more

I bought a vehicle from Stark on the beltline. After owning the vehicle for 2 months I had a flat tire. When changing the tire I noticed at least 3 plugs and a gash in the sidewall. I also noticed all 4 of my tires were dry rotted and they were the original tires with over 50k miles on them. When I called Robert Ranthum to see if Stark would buy me new tires he said his manager said no. When I looked at this vehicle the tires were all shined up to look new. Also he said he would fill the vehicle up with gas and that never happened. I also only had 30% oil life left. I will never do business with this place ever again. The sad thing is I worked for Stark as a detailer during a summer in high school. All our vehicles were cleaned and gassed up full when sold. They all had good tires on them. Stark what happened to customer service??? I wasn't expecting to have to buy 4 new tires after buying a vehicle from a dealership. That's why I went to a dealership in the first place. Tires should have been the least of my worries... read more

This is good little car dealership to buy a used vehicle. The sales staff was patient and there was very little pressure. The vehicle I purchased was $3000 below kbb dealer value and I great condition. As a mechanic by trade I am very particular while purchasing a vehicle. What really impressed me about stark is there is an on site mechanic with a with a well equipped shop. I was able to speak with the mechanic and THEY PUT THE VEHICLE UP ON THE LIFT FOR MY PERSONAL INSPECTION!!!!!! If you have ever spent any time around a dealership then you know that is unheard of. This pleasant surprise told me this company has nothing to hide, and is looking to do business the reputable way. Their mechanic was very knowledgeable and when I decided to purchase the sale staff put the paper work in motion for me to bring to the bank. Seriously buying used is SCARY, but this dealer does everything in their power to ensure they are selling quality vehicles. read more