
Dan Dooley Car Sales: Used Cars in Limerick Reviews
In Knocklong, a small village off the main N24 road between Limerick and Tipperary, a car dealership has outlasted empires of showroom chains and online-only sellers. Dan Dooley Car Sales opened its garage doors in July 1961, and more than six decades later, it is still in the same family, now authorised for Fiat, Jeep, and its longstanding Ford Centre.
Established: 1961 ·
Location: Knocklong, Limerick ·
Family-run: Over 65 years ·
Current brands: Ford, Fiat, Jeep ·
Inventory example: 49 cars (Carzone)
Quick snapshot
- Family-run since July 1961 (DoneDeal.co.uk)
- 49 cars listed on Carzone with 4.5/5 rating (Carzone.ie)
- Authorised Fiat, Fiat Professional, and Jeep dealer (Fiat.ie)
- Exact date of Gowan Auto appointment announcement
- More recent reviews beyond 2023
- Detailed annual sales volume or turnover figures
- Ford Fiesta 1.1 Zetec at €14,950 (DoneDeal.ie)
- Skoda Kodiaq 7S Style at €34,950 with €572/month finance (DoneDeal.ie)
- Ford Kuga St-line X at €34,950 (DoneDeal.ie)
- Continued expansion of Fiat and Jeep sales in Munster
- Multi-brand used car inventory growth on online platforms
- Service and maintenance offerings alongside vehicle sales
Key Facts at a Glance
The table below consolidates verified information about Dan Dooley Car Sales, drawn from their official site and leading Irish automotive marketplaces.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | July 1961 |
| Ownership | Family-run |
| Primary Location | The Cross, Knocklong, V35 D293, Limerick, Ireland |
| Authorised Brands | Ford Centre, Fiat, Fiat Professional, Jeep |
| Listing Platforms | Carzone, DoneDeal, CarsIreland |
| Carzone Rating | 4.5/5 from 103 reviews |
| Inventory Size | 49 cars (Carzone), 53+ total |
| Finance Options | Available with skilled personnel |
Dan Dooley Car Sales Used Cars
When someone searches for used cars in the Limerick area, Dan Dooley Car Sales appears across multiple marketplaces with a varied inventory that goes well beyond Ford. While the Ford Centre branding remains central to their identity, their listings show vehicles from Volvo, Hyundai, Audi, and Skoda, reflecting the reality that a rural dealership serving Knocklong and the broader Munster region must stock what customers actually want to buy.
Current examples from their DoneDeal listings include a Ford Fiesta 1.1 Zetec priced at €14,950, a Ford Kuga St-line X at €34,950, and a Skoda Kodiaq 7S Style at €34,950 with a finance option of €572 per month. The Ford Focus 1.5 Tdci Vignale appears at €24,950, while higher-end options like a Volvo XC90 are listed at €57,750. This price range—from budget-friendly to premium—suggests the dealership serves a wide cross-section of buyers, from first-time drivers to families upgrading to seven-seaters.
Dan Dooley stocks 49+ vehicles across six brands, making it competitive with larger urban dealers while maintaining a focused, family-run operation that can offer personalised service difficult to replicate at corporate chains.
The Carzone platform lists 49 cars directly attributed to the dealership, while their DoneDeal presence shows the broader inventory including commercial vehicles like the Ford Transit Courier. Each vehicle is presented as safety inspected with guarantees, a point emphasised across their official site and marketplace listings.
Available Inventory
- Ford Fiesta 1.1 Zetec – €14,950
- Ford Focus 1.5 Tdci Vignale – €24,950
- Ford Kuga St-line X – €34,950
- Skoda Kodiaq 7S Style – €34,950 (€572/month finance)
- Volvo XC90 – €57,750
Ford Models
Ford remains the dominant brand in their inventory, which aligns with their Ford Centre designation. The Fiesta and Focus serve the compact hatchback and family segments, while the Kuga addresses the popular crossover market. Their commercial vehicle options, including Transit models, suggest they also serve business buyers in the Limerick and Tipperary catchment area.
Pricing and Stock
Pricing on DoneDeal appears competitive with national averages for equivalent models and years. The €14,950 Ford Fiesta represents an entry point for budget-conscious buyers, while the €34,950 Skoda Kodiaq demonstrates they are not exclusively focused on Ford products—their authorisation as a Fiat and Jeep dealer extends this multi-brand approach into new vehicle territory.
Dan Dooley Car Sales Reviews
Customer feedback for Dan Dooley Car Sales tells a story of two distinct experience types—those who bought and those who left frustrated. Understanding both matters for anyone considering a purchase, particularly because the positive reviews are specific enough to reveal what the dealership does well, while the negative feedback raises questions about operational priorities.
Carzone aggregates 103 reviews for the dealership, producing an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5. This score places them solidly above average for Irish dealers, though the distribution of individual ratings matters as much as the aggregate. Specific testimonials highlight individual staff members by name, which adds credibility to the positive feedback.
Customer Feedback
“We just bought a car from Dan Dooley. Eddie the salesman was top class—good communication and the car we purchased was in top condition, comes with full service history.”
— Verified Buyer via Dan Dooley Car Sales
“Recently bought a Ford Focus from here. I dealt with Johnny who was very helpful throughout the process. Would definitely recommend—very professional and car was in excellent condition.”
— Verified Buyer via Carzone.ie
Service Quality
The positive reviews consistently mention two elements: named salespeople and vehicle condition. Eddie and Johnny appear in testimonials as representatives of a broader culture that the dealership’s own site explicitly markets—quality service, clean facilities, and modern equipment. The emphasis on full service history and top condition suggests Dan Dooley invests in presentation and transparency, not just sales.
The critical review, appearing on Tripadvisor, criticises what the poster describes as poor signage and interprets this as evidence that “Dan Dooley does not make good customer service a top priority.” However, this post is notable for several reasons: it appears on a forum discussing car rentals rather than sales, the author acknowledges uncertainty about whether they are reviewing the correct Dan Dooley entity, and Tripadvisor’s own content flags it as potentially relating to Dan Dooley Car Rental, a separate business. This raises questions about whether the criticism applies to the sales dealership at all.
Pros and Cons
Upsides
- 4.5/5 from 103 verified Carzone reviews
- Specific praise for named staff members
- Emphasis on vehicle condition and service history
- Factory-trained and certified personnel
- Finance and lease options available
Downsides
- Rural location requires travel for Limerick city residents
- One critical Tripadvisor post (potentially unrelated entity)
- Limited transparency on exact inventory updates
- No online review responses visible on all platforms
Dan Dooley Ford Centre Used Cars
The Ford Centre designation represents Dan Dooley’s historical core business—selling and servicing Ford vehicles to customers across Limerick, Tipperary, and the wider Munster region. For decades, this was likely the only brand connection the dealership maintained, but a recent appointment by Gowan Auto has fundamentally altered their brand portfolio.
Gowan Auto, the official importer for Fiat and Jeep in Ireland, appointed Dan Dooley Car Sales as an authorised dealer for Fiat, Fiat Professional, and Jeep. The announcement on Fiat.ie explicitly states that the appointment “strengthens Fiat/Jeep presence in Munster region,” indicating that Gowan Auto sees Dan Dooley as a strategic partner for expanding into rural areas where major dealership networks have limited coverage.
The Fiat/Jeep authorisation transforms Dan Dooley from a used-car specialist and Ford Centre into a multi-brand new vehicle dealer while maintaining their used car business. For buyers in Knocklong and surrounding villages, this means one visit can potentially cover both new and pre-owned options across four brands.
Ford-Specific Stock
Ford-specific stock remains the largest component of their inventory. The Fiesta, Focus, and Kuga represent the volume sellers in the Irish market, with pricing that competes directly with urban dealerships while offering the advantage of personalised service that large showrooms often struggle to replicate. Commercial vehicles like the Ford Transit Courier add another dimension, serving both retail and business customers.
Knocklong Location
The dealership sits at The Cross in Knocklong, addressed as V35 D293, positioning it off the N24 corridor that connects Limerick city to Cashel and beyond. This location makes it accessible from both Limerick and Tipperary while keeping overhead costs lower than a city-centre showroom. For customers willing to travel 30-40 minutes from Limerick city, the location offers a viable alternative to congested urban dealerships.
Other Brands
The DoneDeal listings confirm that Ford Centre branding does not restrict the dealership to Ford-only stock. Volvo, Hyundai, Audi, and Skoda vehicles appear alongside Ford models, suggesting Dan Dooley purchases stock from auctions, trade-ins, and regional distributors to maintain variety. This approach keeps the dealership competitive with online-only sellers who aggregate inventory across multiple manufacturers.
Dan Dooley Knocklong
Knocklong is a small village in County Limerick, population roughly 300, that sits between the county capital and the Tipperary border. Finding a long-established car dealership here—one that has survived for more than six decades through economic cycles, industry consolidation, and the rise of online car sales—requires understanding what the village offers and what the dealership offers in return.
The official address is The Cross, Knocklong, V35 D293, Limerick, Ireland. This appears consistently across Carzone, DoneDeal, and the dealership’s own website, confirming a stable physical location with multiple online presences. Visitors using GPS navigation to the N24 corridor will find the Cross clearly marked, and the dealership’s visibility from the main road—despite the Tripadvisor criticism about signage—means regular passing traffic provides organic brand awareness for passing motorists.
Dealership Address
The Cross, Knocklong, V35 D293, Limerick, Ireland. For those unfamiliar with the area, Knocklong is approximately 30 minutes east of Limerick city on the N24, positioned between Hospital and Solohead. The village centre consists of a cross roads with the dealership visible from multiple directions, though directional signage from the main road could be more prominent. For those interested in the game’s mechanics, a comprehensive Sonic X Shadow Generations guide is available at Sonic X Shadow Generations guide.
Contact Details
Contact appears to be available through the DoneDeal contact page and the official Dan Dooley Car Sales website. Their marketplace profiles include direct messaging options, while the dealership’s own site emphasises their readiness to handle enquiries via standard business channels. Personnel are described as factory trained and certified, suggesting technical competence alongside sales capability.
Visit Info
Buyers who prefer to see vehicles before purchasing will find the Knocklong location manageable from Limerick city with a 30-40 minute drive. The rural setting means ample parking space, and the family-run nature of the business suggests flexible appointment arrangements. However, travelling specifically to view one vehicle without prior confirmation carries risk—checking availability via DoneDeal or Carzone before visiting reduces the chance of a wasted journey.
Dan Dooley DoneDeal
DoneDeal.ie claims to be Ireland’s largest motor marketplace, hosting listings from thousands of private sellers and hundreds of dealers. Dan Dooley maintains an active dealer presence on both the Irish (.ie) and UK (.co.uk) versions of the platform, using the Dan Dooley Ford Centre name on these listings rather than the full Dan Dooley Car Sales branding.
The dealer page on DoneDeal.ie presents their current inventory with photos, pricing, and basic specifications. Vehicles display the dealership’s contact information alongside the listing, and the DoneDeal messaging system allows enquiries without revealing personal contact details. This approach protects buyer privacy while enabling direct communication with the sales team.
Listings on DoneDeal
The DoneDeal.ie dealer page shows vehicles across multiple brands, with prices ranging from approximately €14,950 for the Ford Fiesta 1.1 Zetec to over €57,000 for the Volvo XC90. Each listing includes multiple photos, vehicle specifications, and where available, service history documentation. Finance options appear on select vehicles, showing monthly payment figures alongside the purchase price.
DoneDeal listings update regularly, meaning the specific vehicles and prices mentioned in this article may change by the time you read it. The broader pattern—multi-brand used cars priced competitively with finance options—remains consistent across their marketplace presence.
How to Browse
Browsing Dan Dooley Ford Centre on DoneDeal requires visiting their dealer page directly or using the platform’s filtering tools to show only dealers in the Limerick area. The listings sort by date added by default, meaning newest arrivals appear first. Filter options allow sorting by price, mileage, and fuel type, useful for buyers with specific requirements.
Current Deals
Current pricing examples from the DoneDeal listings include the Ford Fiesta 1.1 Zetec at €14,950, the Ford Focus 1.5 Tdci Vignale at €24,950, the Ford Kuga St-line X at €34,950, the Skoda Kodiaq 7S Style at €34,950 with €572 per month finance, and the Volvo XC90 at €57,750. These prices position Dan Dooley within the competitive range for equivalent models across Irish used car markets.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I contact Dan Dooley Car Sales?
You can reach them through their DoneDeal dealer page messaging system, directly via their official website at danDooleyCarSales.ie, or by visiting The Cross in Knocklong, V35 D293, Limerick. Their platform profiles include contact options suitable for both initial enquiries and specific vehicle questions.
What makes Dan Dooley Car Sales stand out?
Their 65+ years of continuous operation as a family-run dealership in rural Knocklong distinguishes them from newer urban dealers and online-only sellers. They hold Ford Centre status alongside Fiat and Jeep authorisation, and their Carzone rating of 4.5/5 from 103 reviews reflects consistent customer satisfaction.
Are Dan Dooley cars reliable?
All vehicles are presented as safety inspected with guarantees, and customer reviews specifically mention full service history and top condition. The factory-trained and certified personnel suggest mechanical competence in assessing and preparing vehicles before sale.
Can I test drive at Dan Dooley Knocklong?
Contacting the dealership directly via their official site or DoneDeal messaging will allow you to arrange a test drive. The rural location with ample parking space suggests they accommodate test drives, but confirming availability before travelling is advisable.
What payment options at Dan Dooley?
Finance and lease arrangements are available, with DoneDeal listings showing specific examples like the Skoda Kodiaq at €572 per month. Discussing options with their staff will provide personalised guidance based on your credit profile and preferred terms.
Is Dan Dooley Car Sales open today?
Standard business hours apply, but specific current opening times should be confirmed by contacting the dealership directly via their official website or phone. Rural dealerships may have different patterns than city-centre operations.
How to sell my car to Dan Dooley?
As a used car dealer, Dan Dooley purchases vehicles through trade-ins when customers buy from them and may purchase directly from private sellers. Contacting them directly with details about your vehicle—make, model, year, mileage, condition—will provide a valuation quote.
What Customers and Partners Say
“Gowan Auto is pleased to announce the appointment of Dan Dooley Car Sales as an authorised dealer for Fiat, Fiat Professional and Jeep in Ireland.”
— Fiat.ie (Official announcement from Gowan Auto)
“We just bought a car from Dan Dooley. Eddie the salesman was top class—good communication and the car we purchased was in top condition, comes with full service history.”
— Anonymous verified buyer via Dan Dooley Car Sales reviews page
Summary
Dan Dooley Car Sales occupies an unusual position in the Irish used car market: a family-run rural dealership that has survived six decades of industry disruption while expanding from Ford Centre roots into authorised Fiat and Jeep representation. Their 49 vehicles on Carzone, 103 reviews averaging 4.5/5, and active DoneDeal listings demonstrate operational legitimacy, while specific testimonials naming Eddie and Johnny provide credible evidence of the personal service that distinguishes independent dealers from corporate chains.
For Limerick buyers weighing Dan Dooley against city-centre alternatives, the calculation involves trade-offs: personalised attention and multi-brand inventory versus the convenience of closer proximity. The Fiat and Jeep authorisation adds official new vehicle capability to a used car business that already serves diverse customer segments with vehicles priced from €14,950 to €57,750. The rural Knocklong location keeps costs manageable and allows the family approach to persist, but requires willingness to travel beyond the city.
For buyers in the Knocklong and Tipperary corridor, the choice is clearer: Dan Dooley Car Sales offers locally accessible, reviewed, and competitively priced options across multiple brands with documented service quality. The alternative—travelling to Limerick city or buying online without physical inspection—carries different risks that may outweigh the minor inconvenience of a 30-minute drive to The Cross.