I visited Pacific Auto Center to view a vehicle, then came back ready to negotiate and pay cash for it. The online listing made the car sound pristine, but in person, it had a long list of issues: broken trim, missing parts, mismatched tires, rusted rotors, and a non-functioning rear screen. These flaws weren't disclosed in the ad.
Worse, the dealership attempted to charge $5,500 for paint protection, theft deterrents, tint, and other add-ons that were never discussed beforehand, despite claiming "no hidden fees." Their fine print later revealed these were pre-installed and not part of the advertised price.
I waited more than 20 minutes to speak with a manager after raising concerns but willing to negotiate, but no one followed up, so I walked out.
This place banks on uninformed buyers accepting inflated prices and vague add-ons. If you're a serious buyer, read the fine print, ask hard questions, and be ready to walk.
UPDATE 6/28/25: After buying the same make and model at a different dealership -- one with FAR better integrity -- I want to reflect back at my experience at this dealership and their practices. First, salesman wanted me to negotiate on the final price, not the vehicle price. That's a classic dealership tactic as it protects the sticker price for their metrics, have an easier time hiding add-on profits, and it creates a false impression of flexibility. Ultimately, this is bad for the buyer because transparency is lost, it protects their margin and limits one's leverage. I knew that's what they were aiming at, so I held the line on only negotiating on the sticker price. Again, LOOK AT THE PICTURES AS TO WHY!! In spite of what I just said, he proceeded with the oldest trick dealerships do: "cool-down" or "sweat-you-out" tactic. This is done to make one feel uncomfortable or impatient with the ultimate goal of getting one emotionally invested in staying and "finishing the deal". By doing so, they wear you down so that you're more likely to agree to their numbers just to be done. There are other reasons too but this is a big one. ~20 minutes of waiting, I told one of the salesmen that I've been waiting a while for the manager and will leave in 5 minutes if he doesn't arrive. True to my word, I left. I never heard from them after that (they had my contact info) which tells me they would rather wait for a less informed, emotional buyer to foolishly agree to the unfair price of this car AND overpriced mandatory add-ons.
Here's my take away from this dealership:
1) High-pressure, low-integrity dealership model: They prioritize margins over relationships with a focus on flipping cars at inflated prices. They also rely on delays, confusion, and "manager invisibility" to outlast smart buyers.
2) Poor reconditioning = Cut costs: The car's condition (damaged trim, mismatched tires, rusted rotors, broken screen and so on) says they're not investing in inventory. They're pushing it out as-is and hoping no one notices.
3) The "Fool Tax" strategy: the biggest one for this dealership. They keep cars on the lot long enough to find someone unaware or emotionally invested. I was never their ideal buyer. I was informed, direct, and clear.
PLEASE TAKE MY EXPERIENCE AS A WARNING. AVOID THEM. I AM SPEAKING AS SOMEONE WHO DID NOT PURCHASE FROM THEM. IMAGINE HOW I WOULD FEEL IF I DID.
UPDATE 4/1/26: Since my visit, California passed SB 766, aimed at deceptive practices like misleading pricing and add-ons, the same issues I and many others have raised here. After 10/1/26, dealers engaging in those practices will face greater scrutiny. If you believe you were misled or defrauded, consider filing a complaint w/ DMV Investigations and keep all documentation.
In Jan 2026, Yelp placed a "Suspicious Review Activity" alert on this dealership's page (see pic). Read it, then look at how many good reviews come from accounts with 1-3 total reviews here, versus those with a much longer review history. Draw your own conclusions.
IF YOU FOUND A VEHICLE YOU LOVE AT THIS DEALERSHIP, PLEASE STAY AWAY!! THEY WILL USE YOUR EMOTIONS AGAINST YOU. read more