The Sharpest Rides

We recently purchased a 2012 Ford Escape from The Sharpest Rides, and I felt compelled to share our experience.
First of all, there are a ridiculous number of options at this lot (in a good way). You could honestly walk around for hours and not see them all. So that’s good.
The salesmen, overall, are pretty great for used car salesmen. They aren’t overly pushy, they’re pretty knowledgeable, and I honestly felt like they wanted to be sure whatever purchase we made was meeting our needs… not just pushing the biggest sale they could make.
Finally, they really did work with us on price to find a number that felt fair to us as buyers and them as sellers. I was also pleased with the financing because they honestly took the time to find an option that worked with our budget.
However, as soon as we got the car home, we ran into some electrical or circuitry issues. That was frustrating in general because I had asked multiple times about what kind of inspection was done on the car, and was assured that it was «like a 200 point inspection» and if there was any problems, they would have found it. That obviously wasn’t the case.
Also, upon contacting them about it, they pretty much shut me down, citing the fact that I had signed paperwork saying we accepted the car as is. That loses another star for me because I would think that a reputable dealer would at least look into the problem when it occurs only 24 hours after leaving the lot.
So moral of the story: as far as used car dealerships go, this place is decent. But… it’s still a used car dealer, and you better be prepared for some nonsense. Also, I suggest taking someone who knows cars well. Just as an extra precaution against ending up with a lemon… because once you sign the papers, it’s your problem.

We went not knowing what to expect– and were extremely satisfied! Audrey is The Best. She helped us find a safe, economical and STYLISH car for our 18 year old. She got us new tires and low-​rate financing with our son on the loan — so he can build his credit. In and out, 2 hours. Easy. Go there and ask for Audrey!

I found a Jeep Grand Cherokee that I decided to purchase from The Sharpest Rides. I called the dealership Friday, ⁹⁄₁₈ right around opening time, as I had to work for the day before going in that evening to finalize the deal. I gave all of my necessary information to Nick who said he would call be back by noon with some numbers. I called twice during the course of that day to try to get additional information and make a plan for picking up the Jeep, but never received an answer or even an estimate of a time we would have an answer.
I left work early to try to get business handled and go about my day, so I arrived at the dealership at 3:30 in the afternoon to take a test drive and try to get in-​out and done quickly. Boy was I way off base…
I met with Nick somewhat quickly and gave him all of my information for the second time of the day. After asking to see the actual vehicle for the third time, he grabbed the keys and pulled it up to let me take a test drive. He zipped me around the block for a quick minute, then let me drive around the next corner to pull it back into the lot, not much of a test drive in my mind, but I didn’t hear or see any issues right off the bat. Once we got back to the dealership, we went inside to figure out the purchasing details.
At this point, rather than actually getting paperwork going (or anything really), I was asked to sit and wait. And Wait. And wait. About an hour went by as Nick was helping other customers and I was left to sit there. I couldn’t even take a closer look at the Jeep at this point. Nick took the key after the test drive and somehow ‘misplaced’ it. Didn’t think much of it at that point, aside from the fact that I was starting to get pretty irritated from the seemingly pointless waiting. (Keep in mind, I still hadn’t had much time to fiddle with electronics and open compartments, etc. to verify the vehicle was in-​fact as solid as the dealership had said.)
6:30 rolls around and I’m finally called in to start signing paperwork. YAY! Or so I thought…
SIDE NOTE (I PUT $ 10,000 CASH DOWN ON THIS VEHICLE)
I live 24 miles from the dealership, so here I am, halfway home from the car lot and my brakes started to squeak, not a small squeak, but a SQUEAK! I picked up my fiancé to head to dinner and by the time we reached the restaurant it was no longer a squeak in my brakes but it had started to grind. WOW! After dinner, I got in the Jeep and the message center immediately said «OIL CHANGE REQUIRED» (this is the first time I had been in the driver’s seat while starting the vehicle, so the first time I had seen any message come up) so we stopped at Auto Zone to buy brakes, oil and a filter too. When I changed the oil the next morning (Saturday), it was about 3 quarts low and darker than the black color of the Jeep. WTH!
I also realized that Friday evening that there was no spare tire/​wheel underneath OR a jack kit. (I’ll gladly take the blame for not checking on that first, but I don’t think that is something that most people actually think they need to worry about when buying a new ‘used’ vehicle).
Left me clarify, I’M HAPPY WITH THE JEEP. I know how to change oil and I know how to do brakes, so the fact that it needed done isn’t what bugged me. What bugged me the most is that The Sharpest Rides sold me this vehicle in much poorer condition than they led on.
That’s STILL not the end! I called on Monday morning to check if they had found the Emissions Test that they had promised me. I spoke with Nick again. They still couldn’t find it, so they said they would call me back in the afternoon and let me know to either come pick up the Passed Emissions report OR an Emissions Coupon. While I was on the phone with Nick, I asked about the brakes and the oil change right after I got it. He immediately raised the tone in his voice and told me that I should have checked those things before I bought the vehicle and that they take no responsibility. (I didn’t ask them to pay for any of the issues, simply pointed them out and asked if it were standard practice to sell a vehicle with shitty brakes and bad old oil.) After giving me the over-​the-​phone lashing, he abruptly hung up. Supposedly, THIS is their ALL-​STAR SALES REP.
I tried to sort this whole thing out before writing a review, but the way I was treated by Nick was definitely wrong. It put me in a very bad mood/​mindset. I will pay for my own emissions test. I’ve already replaced all four brakes, changed the oil and scheduled to have the rotors turned.
I took all of «The Sharpest Rides» logos and signage off of my car Friday night. I would NEVER recommend a friend OR an enemy to use this dealership, nor will I ever be back.
PS. I can’t wait to see the reply I get from management regarding this review, seems all of their other replies are persistent that ‘The Customer is always wrong’ and that they should have done a better job of inspecting the vehicle prior to purchasing.

I am a skeptical shopper, and I don’t like pushy sales guys or deceptive prices. A friend referred me here when I told her I needed to replace my car so we decided to check it out. This dealership is in a strange location, it appears to be a former apartment building in an industrial area in Lakewood. The building is bright green so it’s difficult to miss, and it was crowded as all heck when we came on a Saturday late afternoon. I knew exactly what I was looking for, a 2012 murano and Andy was right at the door ready to greet us. He was friendly and professional and showed us right in the lot where the crossovers were. The car I saw online had a dead battery so he jumped it for us. The battery was crap but once it charged a little bit it ran fine. They said it must have been sitting there awhile. It test drove beautifully and this was the car I’ve wanted for months so I decided to take it. Andy was able to get below my budget (barely, but he did) and a decent trade in rate for my current car. When we headed out very late that night, the staff was a little unprofessional (I’m not sure if they all have to hang out until they close) because I heard some bad language and crazy loud music and screeching tires as we walked inside and outside to transfer my things from the old car to the new car. I guess we were holding up the staff because I felt a little rushed with signing the paperwork. They sent me home with a new battery to change out in my car and it was the wrong one. They rushed through getting me the things I needed and didn’t double check if it was the right size so I had to drive the 25 miles back again on Monday (today) to have my battery changed out and some other little minor things fixed, and it didn’t take too long at all. I think I take away a star because all cars sold here are sold «as is» and no warranties are issued, because of being rushed with the paperwork, they gave me the wrong battery and the staff partying while I was still trying to buy my car. That was kind of weird. But I definitely recommend Andy and overall I liked this experience more than previous experiences at car dealerships.

This place looks shady. I don’t like the way the sales people talk to you. The whole place just gives me a bad vibe, it smells like weed and Mcdonalds. Also it’s over crowded and they make you do an application and sit and wait for long periods before you can even test drive a car. How am I to know if I am wasting my time or even want it?! You’re better off going to a real dealer!

Third car ive helped my family buy this one was for my wife and it was at a great price and great service. Paul the sales manager was a great help and is an asset to this company! Thanks for all your help.

My family recently purchased a vehicle here. The one thing I can say is that the staff is nice.
The downfalls
They are crazy busy, with people everywhere, salesmen everywhere.
Our salesman was trying to take care of 1 or 2 other clients while taking care of us. Running back and forth between clients. Which made our car buying process over a 5 hour experience. There was always a 15 – 25 minute wait every time he had to go do something. I mean I understand they work off commission but where’s the balance of good customer service and hitting your daily sales goals.
After he got us approved he pawned us off on another guy. The gentleman was very helpful but rushed us through the paperwork. The first piece of paper we were rushed through, and now I know why, was the agreement that you understand you’re buying the car «as is» with no warranty and that they aren’t liable for any problems.
A day after we drove the car off the lot the a/​c stopped working. When we talked to the dealership they said they’d look at it and let us know how much it would cost us to fix it. Then they want to keep the car for 2 – 3 days to fix it. I can’t believe they’d even think about charging us to fix something that they said was running good when we bought it. I mean id understand if it was several months later, but it was 2 days after purchasing a car.
I had high hopes for this because they have nice cars and they’re busy, but unfortunately it seems like it’s only about the quantity and not the quality.

This place sucks they bait you in with the nice cars but then say you have to put 4k down well hello if people have 4k to put down they wouldn’t be in your shop. The only great thing about this place is looking at the cars you can’t afford. Oh and get this the guy next to me wanted to trade is car in they told him he would have to pay it off first

They sold me a lemon!
I agree with the other reviewers, I too was not pressured to purchase a truck, but I was in dire need of a good truck at a price I could afford. I didn’t try to get the price down other than for them to split the cost of new tires. New tires cost $ 1,000, so I agreed to an even split and had the overall price reduced by $ 500.
I declined the extended warranty because I was moving out of state and needed the truck to help me move. I kept asking them to have their mechanic inspect the truck before I took possession and they promised they would have it done. When we finally closed on the deal, they told me their mechanic was gone for the day and the weekend. So I was hosed.
I took it to the Ford dealership and had new tires put on. I then discovered I needed new brakes, an alignment, a belt and hose replacement, wiper blade assembly replaced, and a new battery. Before you say it, I have been dealing with this dealership for over 10 years, so no they were not taking advantage of me. Total additional costs were $ 2,500, including new tires. Oh year, we discovered the truck didn’t come with a spare tire, but Rich was able to locate one for me before I left.
As I hook up the U haul trailer, I discovered the towing light assembly was working. I figured I would get this fixed at my new place. As I was driving down the highway, I discovered the cruise control wasn’t working either. I took it to Ford and luckily the fuse needed replaced for the lights but as for the cruise control, it was going to cost $ 1,000 just for a replacement part. I said forget it because I could live without this feature. The truck was only driven once a week for 6 months and the drivers side power window fell off the tracks. So back to Ford I went.
They said the the arm assembly broke apart and needed to be replaced. They also told me the passenger door motor was going bad and would eventually need replacing. Then they asked me about the ticking sound when the engine was turned on. I thought it was because it was cold as it eventual went away after putting it in drive. Nope. The manifold was separating from the block which created some additional engine damage. Hence another $ 2,500.
I didn’t have this truck for a full year and this is what I get? Rich and his crew ripped me off. Stay away, far away!!!

Nice place to be. I have bought two cars there! I bought an Acura RSX and a Honda S2000 there (I am a Honda guy). All people there are friendly. If u get troubles they will always try to help u. They always give every car really nice description and detailed pictures online, which is really helpful. Overall it is a highly recommended dealer!

I have purchased two cars here and the first experience was smooth, easy and great. The second was terrible. The salesman didn’t call me back, then financing didn’t call me back and it wasn’t until I threatened to call the owner that things were handled.
I have been very pleased with both vehicles I’ve purchased here which is why I rated a 3.

Be very careful when shopping for a car here they’ve become very popular because of their large inventory and commercials but Honestly they just add rims to their cars and they think that makes up for the messed up cars they have trust me they won’t last you, we test drove a new Nissan Murano and when we came back to the dealer it was throwing out smoke thank god that happened before we purchased the vehicle always ask for a car fax!

Sad to see all these poor reviews. Maybe I was just lucky with my sales person Nick Aragon but it «seemed» everyone there was friendly and honest that I saw. Here is my story:
I am a mom of two, active duty military working in Colorado Springs and totaled my car in the blizzard two weeks ago. My husband and I wanted a good SUV for Colorado so I researched through USAA, Auto trader, Craig’s List, Carmax… you name it… I searched it. We hit a million dealerships and this was our last stop for the day.
After being at a bunch of fancy dealerships this place did not feel like it would be a good place to get a car but I was wrong! DO not let the area scare you… the people are amazing, friendly, and not pushy at all. They do not wear the fancy suits and maybe that turns people off but I loved the laid back atmosphere. They get their cars at auctions and are able to sell them at lower costs. Very forthcoming on the history (free CarFax) and they have mechanics on site to answer any questions. At the end of the day when you buy a used car you take a risk so ask questions, get the history, do your research.
We fell in love with a 2010 Subaru Forester and Nick Aragon took great care of us and saved us a ton of money. We tried a few Subaru dealerships and they were extremely overpriced, overbearing, and pushy. Other dealerships bashed The Sharpest Rides to us and had I listened we would have missed out! Nick’s laid back attitude put us at ease and let us have the car buying experience we needed to pick a car. The dealership work amazingly well with USAA and I rolled out of the parking lot with positive equity on my car loan.
I really can’t explain all the poor reviews other than may they have improved their customer service or I just got lucky with Nick. My husband is a mechanic and said Nick knew his stuff, so if you are worried take someone with you who knows about cars OR get Nick :). My family & I were taken care of and I would recommend this place to anyone.

I recently purchased a vehicle from The Sharpest Rides, and at first I was happy, then very upset. The car I bought was a 1990 Honda Accord which was in pretty good condition for the age and miles, and I was desperate for a car since I had just got over being sick from riding my scooter in 20 degree weather. I only had one day off for almost two weeks and I needed a car, and since this dealership had a good standing with the BBB and a large inventory, I came right down.
I agree with other reviewers that I was not pressured into buying anything and I was treated well by my salesman, Rich, but soon everything unravelled. Call me naïve, but after bringing the car for a test drive and remarking about how good the interior condition was, and how clean the engine was, my salesman retrieved another employee who told me that the car was a recent trade-​in from a mechanic. He said that the timing belt had just been done and there was always routine maintenance performed. The car shifted and ran well. The asking price was $ 2000, plus dealer fee’s and taxes etc, the total was $ 2400. I told Rich that the KBB value was only $ 2000 in perfect condition, and he assured me they check the vehicles and it would run fine and WAS in top condition and worth the $ 2k. I told him I only had $ 2100 in cash and would need it to be $ 2100 out the door, but I wanted them to replace the battery because I noticed the car cranked for a few seconds before firing up, and he assured me they’d replace it., and the total would only be $ 2100, so we made a deal and I paid in cash. Then the trouble started.
The next day I picked up the car and they assured me the battery was fine, it just needed a cleaning and they did that for me. A few days later I brought it to autozone and indeed I did need a new battery, that was $ 115. About two weeks after I bought the car, it just stopped running while I was driving it, and I had to pay $ 120 for a short tow. The ignition switch was broke, and luckily it was only $ 100 to fix. My mechanic also noted that the engine was running abnormally cool and replaced the thermostat for a discounted rate of $ 80. Then less than a week later I noticed that there was a clunking noise when the wheel was turned all the way to the left, which I didn’t think of checking while test driving (noticed this during a u-​turn). It turned out one of the boots was torn and that was $ 130 to replace. Then I noticed a few days later (less than a month after getting the car) that first gear was a bit sticky. I brought it to my mechanic (who loves me at this point) he said there was a leak in the seal between the transmission and engine and to keep topping off the fluid so it wouldn’t dry out (the oil in the tranny was brand new so The Sharpest Rides knew about this issue). Then about another week later my car broke down AGAIN! The CV Axel came out of the transmission and the car ran but wouldn’t move. After another $ 130 tow, I was told that the transmission was rapidly failing and would only last another 3 – 6 months. I was quoted $ 800 for a used transmission and labor, luckily the mechanic took pity on me and put the CV Axel back into place for free. I also asked him if the timing belt was done recently. He said normally someone would make a note on the engine w a special marker if they did and many parts would be new (including the thermostat), and there was no mark and although there were a few new parts, it wasn’t the same parts as a timing belt kit, he thinks they just replaced the hoses, nothing else.
As of now, I am still driving the car but the transmission is getting worse and worse and I look like a new driver bucking up and down streets after stopping since first gear works only occasionally and reverse has to be SMASHED into place in order to work.
Now I know what you’re thinking, could it get any worse? Well yes it can, and it does. After all this, I had to register my car a week or so later after getting the CV Axel put back into place, and I was expecting about $ 100 since it is a 23 year old car and light weight. Well my bill was almost $ 200 and I asked how that was possible and the DMV employee kindly pointed out that although the dealership is supposed to collect local sales tax for Denver, they didn’t include it in my bill of sale and I owed an extra $ 85 which isn’t a ton of money but it’s the point of the matter; when they told me they could get it out the door for $ 2100, I was under the impression that was for ALL fee’s and taxes, not for some trick to not include my sales tax in order to make it seem like a deal.
Well I guess that last part just proves I am naïve, and if you go here you’d better bring a mechanic with you to check out the car and have everything the salesman tells you put in writing.

Every employee here is wacko. One guy came to us and said he was the owner, which made me want to leave even faster. He talked like a gangster, and walked like one. We told them several times were not talking numbers and kept trying to get us inside. I dont like salesmen like that. Its not the cars i didnt like, its the salesmen.

While I might have walked away with a vehicle, this place has horrible customer service once you leave the door. They talk big about WE WANT OUR CUSTOMERS TO BE HAPPY, but in reality; it’s a crock! I have left 2 emails and one voicemail to acquire information for my insurance agent as well as check to make sure I have an appointment this coming Saturday, I have yet to hear from anyone.
Word of advise.. .don’t preach what you don’t practice! It makes you look like a liar and a fraud.. .it will eventually bite you in the butt.
I don’t plan on ever purchasing a car from them again!

So I saw a Jeep on
that was posted by Family Trucks and Vans. When I called on it unbeknownst to me I was transferred to the Sharpest Ride for some reason? They said the vehichle was at the Sharp lot if I wanted to come down and look at it. I went down the next day and the truck was not there. They said it needed it’s back glass window replaced and it would be a few days until it came back from the shop? Strange because I was looking at the soft top wrangler and it doesn’t have any back glass.
I decided to go back 2 days later for a test drive and noticed that they had pulled the truck in backwards into a parking spot. I found out why when I was on the way to the mechanic to have it checked out. I went into reverse and the truck started making a huge loud knocking noise. Once the mechanic looked over it he said the back drive train was 2 min’s away from falling out of this vehicle because it was completed rusted threw.
When I took it back to sharp and told them what my mechanic the sales dude just grabbed the keys and said «Oh sorry.»
Bad customer service, convinced their running some type of scam. Will never shop there again.

My wife and I bought a used Volvo s60 from these guys for around $ 800 cheaper than we were seeing them going for at other dealers. Our buying experience was actually very good. When I questioned our salesman about the stiff ride he said it was because of the sport suspension. I noticed a discoloration on a front fender and asked had it ever been in an accident. The salesman pulled up a carfax report that said it had been in a minor collision, no problem after he threw in a year warranty.
When we tried to get plates for the vehicle the woman at the DMV pointed out that she found two different VINs on the car and the VIN that’s supposed to be on the dash was missing. The DMV had to generate a VIN so that we could plate the vehicle, something they do for salvage vehicles. No problem, car was running fine which it continued to do for about 18 months.
Took it in to Rickenbaugh for a noise from the front end and discovered there was damage to the front and rear suspension stemming from a major accident. Rickenbaugh allowed me to drive one of there used Volvos to compare how the vehicle should have been driving these past 18 months, the difference was significant. Rickenbaugh did some research and looked up the vehicles history and informed us that the car had been a theft recovery.
I contacted sharpest rides multiple times asking for info on our salesperson and requesting to speak to a manager. I never heard from them unless I called back. Eventually I got the manager on the phone «who was just about to give me a call» and this guy tells me that according to his paperwork we were aware that the vehicle was a theft recovery. I asked him why would I have agreed to pay used car market price for what was essentially a salvage vehicle, he said he would look into what he could do for us and get back to me. I assume he threw my number away since we never heard from them again.
Also a coworker, despite my warnings, went to look at a suv they had. He ended up leaving before even seeing the vehicle because when he walked into the building several of the sales people were huddled around a computer looking at porn and he and his family promptly left.

I made the long trip from Northglenn to The Sharpest Rides on the advice of a very close friend of mine, who had purchased his Jeep Liberty there about two years ago.
After following their website, which is a fantastic way to window-​shop, for several months, I finally made the trip down there when I had down payment money in my hot little hands.
I made the drive down there to test drive a 1999 Camaro with a custom paint job and low miles. It was there, no bait and switch attempts were made. On the other hand, the moment I started my test drive I realized that at 35 I’m just too damn old to keep buying these tiny little sports cars that are a struggle to get in and out of.
I parked the Camaro back on the lot, and then experienced the single happiest moment of my car-​shopping life. I was left totally alone, just wandering their lot and looking at the inventory. First, it struck me that they do a great job of filling their lot with every desirable type of car. There were sports cars and sedans, there were SUVs and pick-​up trucks. They also did a great job of filling in every conceivable price point, from a $ 4,000 Chrysler in very good shape, up through some near new cars in the $ 20,000+ range.
So I walked. As I walked I noted things that I would never consider driving, or owning, before that day. Throughout the entire experience it was just my girlfriend and I, walking around the lot together and discussing what we need in a car. After walking the lot there were a few things I wanted to look at, but the first thing I wanted to look at was a 2001 BMW 740i. It was a great maroon color, with a tan leather interior, and fully loaded in the BMW sense of the word. It also had just over 90,000 miles on it, a remarkable number of a car of her age.
So, I went back into the dealership office and asked to take it for a test drive. I was handed the keys and off we went. Within moments I had fallen in love. We drove for about twenty minutes, mostly because I was concerned about the size of the vehicle, having mostly driven a Miata, a Celica convertible, and a 1976 MGB up to this point, this would be the largest car I’ve owned.
Having made the decision to purchase the vehicle I returned to the dealer. Out on the test drive we had poked around the car, looked up blue book values, and decided we were happy with the $ 9988 asking price. When we got back to the dealer we told them what we were willing to put down, and they went to work on the loan.
We hung out for about an hour, because I don’t believe in driving off a lot without the loan in hand, and then I drove off the lot in my very first BMW. She may not be new to the world, but she’s new to me.
I’ve been driving her now for just over a month, and even though she needs windshield wiper fluid, I think I can handle that myself. This was a fantastic car buying experience for me, and after I pay off this 740 we have every intention of returning to buy a 325i for my girlfriend.
If you stop in there, tell them John Stephens sent you. They pay $ 100.00 for referrals. :)

To update anyone that read my first review of this place, I just wanted to let you know this place did not get any better. After my last review, I dealt with over three sales people, all of which never called me back. I believe there was a total of 13 promises of a phone call within «a few minutes» which resulted in me calling them back every time, several hours later.
Finally on Friday, I asked to speak to a manager, and after telling him what horrible customer service they had, he apologized and promised to get to the bottom of all this nonsense. 10 HOURS LATER, I called them back, and told them what I thought of their establishment, and even made one of the salesmen promise me that he’d call all his other clients back, as his excuse for not calling me back was that he had too many clients to deal with.