great experience. Superior customer service. process for buying a car c seamless can't be any better.

People often wonder why customers avoid the "stealerships" when it comes to service or parts. The SBAG parts department, specifically for Porsche, is not staffed with personnel who know about Porsches--hard to believe, hun? Clueless, and obnoxious. You're better off going to Sunset Porsche in Oregon then to try the local auto group. It's apparent that management doesn't value service excellence in their departments. Save yourself a phone call to this group.no real 'deals' and a lack of knowledge of the automobiles they pretent to support. read more

Go to Newport Beach big dealership instead. Here is why: 1. You still get your service here if you want but you have much better buying experience elsewhere 2. Not as much choice, very unresponsive with follow through and getting back to us. We've had to send repeated emails and phone calls on the same issue, even copying the manager, and we still get no reply. The lack of response, especially after you pay for the car is appalling. 3. They were not as competitive as other groups. 4. Thought we were getting tinted windows or some kind of windows that block the sun but that was not the case. Given delays in the car, we could not just then wait another X amount of months. 5. They didn't tell us about an incentive. If we finance that would save us another $7500. We learned that from the Newport Beach group. So we decided to finance for the first time and then pay it off pretty quickly dealing with finance was such a problem. We found one of the women so Patronizing. We also had issues with them continuing to send us letters that were irrelevant Very unpleasant experience. This was not the first time we bought from the group. We recently bought from Newport Beach and here to different Mercedes and we now I will never come back to buy in Santa Barbara. We have also bought a BMW from them and again it was hit or miss. We would've done much better. I'll be gone somewhere else. We have struggled with them as have our friends. It's too bad. It seems like they just coast on the fact that they're in a wealthy area and can get by without providing excellent service and competitive deals I have debated about doing this review and I hate to get bad reviews but because they just don't return my phone calls they haven't responded to our emails (post purchase) including about options to do post purchase about the windows, issues on the charging, some other questions... So maybe somebody will read the review, and finally get back to us and give us some service. I hate to have to use social media to try to get their attention, but hopefully this might help as well. Frankly, I'd like to give them a one star but I just hate doing that. Let's see if they get back to us then I will update this, but I still stand behind the facts of what I've shared . We've given them so many opportunities over the last many years, and they continue to disappoint read more

I can't speak for buying a car with SB Auto, but I have only the best things to say about their service department. Every single time I have had an issue with my Audi, Cameron has been incredibly responsive, friendly, and professional. Turn around has been quick, and loaners/rentals offered. Shout out to Cameron-- going above and beyond. Trust is hard to come by when your car is getting serviced, but you have mine. read more

Jimmy Trieste is the man!! He was able to obtain the exact Audi Q7 that I wanted. He is professional and a joy to work with:) When we picked up our car, he had us out of there in less than an hour. If you need a car, ask for Jimmy!! read more

We had an absolutely horrible experience here. We left a deposit for two Porsche 911. One was a regular standard 911 the other one was for a Targa. We paid the deposits in advance and received the order number and even did the bills ourselves online. Months after we are finished the cars arrived and now they are telling us that they cannot sell us the car because we are out of state buyers. I made it very clear to them before leaving the $10,000 deposit that we were out of state buyers. Tracy, who we dealt with agreed with us and told us it would not be a problem. Now we are months past the deposit our cars are in stock, but they are not letting us purchase it because we are out of state buyers, which is absolutely ridiculous because I made sure of this before leaving my $10,000 deposit. I would not do business with them because they will take your deposit and then maybe sell your car to someone else there's no point in leaving a deposit because it does not go anywhere. They will come up with excuses to why they cannot sell you the car then why accept my deposit to begin with. For anyone reading this review, please look up our company Premier Auto Rentals. We have storefront locations in five cities in the United States and we are Very experienced car buyers. We feel very wrong and upset because we were told one thing and They are not releasing us cars. The funny thing is we are cash buyers. We do not need any financing. We are ready to send the wire however they are not sending wiring instructions. Please see screenshots for more info. Hopefully this review will teach the dealership a lesson and they will not play games with peoples money. We are not some pushover. We are a company as well who have been in business for 11 years. Update they agreed to sell us the car after threatening our companies lawyer and now after seeing our review they refuse to work with us. Look at more screenshots read more

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Jimmy Trieste and I made a deal for a used Q5, great price. Flew down, Carlos picked me up at the airport. Jimmy was a very nice gentleman and treated me very well. Thank you for very good 5 star service. read more

My sales associate, Tracy Obermeier-Strand, and her manager, Tony Rossi, are exceptional. I had moved out of town but Tracy was worth driving up to help me because she's trustworthy, knowledgable, and cares about her customers. I had a challenging situation this last time around, and she went above and beyond to help, and put my happiness as first priority. My relationship with her is lifelong and she is the one I trust to refer my friends and family. Her and her manager are the best, they both truly value and care for their clients and it comes across. read more

I just leased an X5 from Jimmy @ the SB Auto group, and I can honestly say that it was a fantastic and fun experience. Jimmy was patient, knowledgeable and friendly throughout the entire transaction, and was very helpful in figuring out the best vehicle to fit our needs. We felt taken care of and really appreciated the experience that Jimmy provided us, and we will be doing business with him again in the future, when we buy another vehicle. Love my new X5! Thank you Jimmy! read more

Just built / bought a new car through SB Auto Group and could not be happier with the experience. Jimmy Trieste is the best! He was patient while I took my time deciding exactly what I wanted, helped me identify discounts, kept me informed every step of the way, and is just pure class. Will be coming back when it's time for the next one. 5/5 stars. read more

I live down in Oceanside in San Diego. I found an exact pre-owned car I was looking for, for my wife, online. It happened to be at Santa Barbara BMW. I submitted a request for more info and Jimmy Trieste got back to me. Jimmy was very helpful and not pushy. Showed me respect as a customer, sent me videos of the car when I asked for them, and helped me get everything in order so I could come pick it up easily and quickly, while still doing my due diligence on the vehicle. I took a train up, and Carlos picked me up from the station. They had the car cleaned and ready for my test drive. I checked everything out, then Shannon in Finance helped me efficiently get my paper work done. I was out of there with a gorgeous 2020 X3 in great condition for my wife! Thank you all. I would happily recommend Santa Barbara Autogroup to any one of my friends and family members. read more

Santa Barbara Auto Group - Car Dealers Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Fully agree with Christopher C's Yelp post made on 4/6/25. I too recently bought a new car from Jimmy Trieste at SB Auto Group - Audi. My last auto purchase was 10 years ago and much has change in technology and offerings. Jimmy provided great insights, ensured I received all discounts/incentives, and did not rush the sale, resulting in landing the desired auto features . His communication is exceptional and he respects the customer - on top of a wonderful sense of humor. He is a trustworthy member of the SB Auto Group. read more

We just had a wonderful experience at the Santa Barbara Auto Group. Jimmy was enthusiastic, helpful and communicated well with us throughout the entire process. We took the Pacific Surfliner up to SB and Jimmy picked us up at the station and had us out with our new Audi and enjoying our afternoon in Santa Barbara in less than an hour. The low pressure, friendly service of everyone at SBAG made it so pleasant for me and my family. After leasing many cars over the years, this experience with Jimmy was my favorite since my very first leased car in 1993. My beautiful car was waiting for me in the showroom yesterday! What special service we received. Thanks Jimmy; We'll be back! read more

Mike from Range Rover,did me good,I live in Phoenix he handled all site on unseen and bought my car,flew in to Santa Barbara,,Mike picked me up at the airport did my paperwork,went over the car and put my luggage in then went to spend the weekend in Solvang,my favorite place. read more

I just purchased a new vehicle and was very happy with the whole experience. Jimmy was my salesman, he was very patient and very honest. He didn't pressure me at all or give me a big sales pitch. He simply assisted me through the process. He also told me that my experience with the finance department would also be "No pressure" as well, Wow was he right. I went in to pick up my car & was finished in less than an hour & half. read more

July '25 BEST Experience purchasing a 2021 BMW/X3 PURCHASED FROM ABROAD via the internet and phones calls. I can not say more about the incredible outcome from start to finish I have had with SB Auto. Jimmy, thank you for your excellent service providing me with professional detailed information, quick and responsive communication, and making my entire experience so pleasant. It was VIP customer service throughout the entire process. OUTCOME, The BMW was in gorgeous condition and exactly what was represented to me! I am a VERY satisfied client. I highly recommend Santa Barbara Auto and please make sure to work with Jimmy Trieste- five stars to you ! Thank you, Thank you, Serena Crowley read more

Marcus was very helpful, it made the transition very easy of buying my first car!! I felt very comfortable and at ease when talking to Marcus. Leo who showed me how and what the car does was also very helpful. Leo showed me all the options and safety features in the car. Thank you gentlemen for today, I really appreciate it. Thank you Santa Barbara Auto Group!! read more

Santa Barbara Auto Group - Car Dealers Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Great people to work with! High integrity and very honest. In this crazy market, it is rare to find people like Tracy and the rest of the team in Santa Barbara Auto Group. Highly recommended! read more

Santa Barbara Auto Group - Car Dealers Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Bought a BMW X3 recently. Began the experience with Chad D. He was very kind and considerate on our first visit but couldn't be there on our second visit so Jimmy T. took over. We bought and worked out the financials with Jimmy who told us about two big discounts we qualified for and didn't realize we did--we were very pleased with that! We finished up the deal with Chad. I felt like we got a great deal because of the big discount so I was very, very happy with everything. Also, absolutely no pressure from anyone at the Auto Group about anything. Five stars from me read more

It was a pleasure working with Tracy from the sales team who was helpful and friendly. Even though I ended up finding a vehicle elsewhere which more closely matched the interior features that I wanted, I would recommend paying this dealership a visit if you are in the market. read more

I recently bought a brand new Porsche over the phone from SB Auto Group and I have to say WOW! I am so impressed! Their customer service ROCKS! It was the easiest and the MOST PLEASANT experience of car buying I have ever had. And their location is 5 hours away from my home. Their sales rock star, Tracy Obermeier-Strand & Summer Petrik (Finance), both work amazingly in-sync to smooth out the process from start to delivery. Tracy is super kind, knowledgeable, sincere and never pushy, giving me the flexibility to decide what I actually need and helped me all the way throughout the process. Their car pricing is also right on MSRP with no mark-up at all while other dealerships is putting at least 10 percent above MSRP! I recommend buying car from here 100% for the most pleasant experience you will ever encounter. From start to delivery, I am very thankful that I found this rare gem! Special thanks to Tracy Obermeier-Strand & Summer Petrik for giving me the most awesome experience of car buying over the phone! An experience so epic that my next car will definitely be from here! 100% recommendation! read more

We NEVER spoke on the phone sir. You stated via LinkedIn you're busy with your kids/ family. I told you family first, always. And we agreed for you to call me the next day, which clearly NEVER happened. SO please, keep your story straight. I forgot... I'm dealing with a car salesman... I forgot. read more

We received excellent treatment when we purchased our new BMW. The sales force and mangers were all knowledgeable and not pushy. The cost of our car was less than out of town dealers quoted. Our first service came due and our treatment by the service dept was also excellent! We made an appointment and were given a free loaner. Our was promptly serviced and returned washed and cleaned. We highly recommend this dealership read more

Just bought a used Porsche Taycan. I had been looking for awhile, and was surprised to come across one locally that was so well priced. From our first interaction with Tracy, thru working with financing, and then a complete rundown of the tech with Ty, service was amazing without any high pressure sales tactics that you've come to expect with car dealerships. Wonderful experience all around! read more

I just bought a BMW 330i and Jimmy Trieste helped me out, made the process so easy and we had a good time as well. Everyone was very helpful and extremely friendly. I was surprised at how fast the process was. Highly recommend this dealership... ask for Jimmy! read more

Jimmy Trieste - and the Santa Barbara Auto Group (BMW) truly deserve five stars. Jimmy actually made buying a car pleasurable. And the dealership deserves credit for not applying high-pressure tactics at closing. Examples: - I met Jimmy over the phone to ask about a car that was listed online. I requested an out-the-door price, and he gave me a clear price sheet 10 minutes later. - He told me he'd never call me unless I asked him to call. Wonderful, no hassling follow-up calls. I never felt pressured. - I had to do this sale via long distance. He made it super easy. If I'd been there in person I have no doubt that he could have concluded this sale in under an hour - with all paperwork signed. The dealership also deserves credit for: - Not doing BS-add ons, like "requiring" $2,000 for paint and upholstery protection. Some BMW dealers still try to force that on buyers. - Not subjecting you to a lengthy period of discussion with a high-pressure finance person trying to upsell you on extended warranties, upholstery protection and on and on. All in all, a very different - and pleasurable - car-buying experience. read more

Bottom Line here waste of time, money, and they didn't fix my car! This place has caused me nothing but worry, stress, anxiety and lost money. I took my car in to get fixed back in July and paid for a replaced coolant temp sensor. Well that wasn't the issue because after only a few weeks of driving my car it started doing the same exact thing as what I originally took it in for. So obviously the issue wasn't fixed! Second time around I take my car in yet again hoping they can figure out what is going on that is causing my car to malfunction. I didn't hear any follow up so I called to see what the latest was only to be told that it hadn't been looked at and it was just sitting there. I kept being assured by Kevin that my car would be looked at but he also said they were shorthanded mechanics and super busy. Ok, I understand but that just gave me the impression that my car wasn't priority or important to them to be looked at. I've never known a dealership to keep a car for a whole month only to be told at the end that they couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. Why? Because they only drove it around a few days and it didn't act up on them? When I called Kevin he clearly told me that my car was just sitting there and they haven't looked at it. Mind you this was almost two weeks later. Not until I called did he say they would try to drive it around. This dealership clearly needs mechanics that know what they are doing because obviously they don't since my car is not fixed after paying them for a job that wasn't necessary and a total waste of money. I couldn't even get a straight answer when I asked if they ever had this issue before with any other cars. They really didn't know! It's not rocket science but if I worked there and truly cared about my customer I would be calling around to see if anyone else has experienced the issue at hand. The sad part is that Kevin assured me that my car was repairable and they could fix the issue but at the end of the day they didn't do anything to fix it. I'm very upset by this and I hope management doesn't take advantage of any more customers such as myself. I picked up my car a few days ago because they basically gave up on it only to have it act up on me a few days later! I will be looking elsewhere to see if I can find a decent honest mechanic. read more

Fantastic experience. We will never buy a car anywhere else. Easy, professional and they don't charge over MSRP! Thank you Dave for a wonderful cary buying experience. We'll see you in 3 years. read more

The Santa Barbara Auto group and more specifically the BMW dealership there was one of my most enjoyable car purchasing experiences I've ever had. They had a BMW in the spec that I was looking for and everything from contacting them online to getting a prompt response was great. I'm from Orange County and drove down to Santa Barbara to pick up the vehicle and Jimmy Trieste made sure that I provided everything that he needed to make the purchase as quickly and as efficiently as possible to avoid having to wait there while all the documents were processed. On the drive back, one of the O2 sensors went bad. It was covered under warranty but Jimmy followed up to make sure that it was no cost to me and was extremely apologetic that their techs didn't catch it. I didn't fault them for that since things like that can happen with electronics. Grade A customer service and he's continued to follow up to make sure everything has been good with the vehicle. I would definitely recommend going to him and the Santa Barbara Auto Group if you're looking for a luxury car and great experience. read more

Santa Barbara Auto Group - BMW x4m comp purchased from the Santa Barbara Auto Group. - Car Dealers Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Me and my wife visited plenty auto dealerships across the central coast. We did find some nice people along the way. But Justin Hess made up our mind with his superior customer service. He made it simple to do business with him. He just told us the truth! It's hard to find salespeople like that especially in this market. We love our new Velar! If you are looking for an honest dealership I highly recommend Justin and Santa Barbara auto group! Thanks again Justin! -Steve and Delia Medina read more

Such a fabulous experience buying my car here, and hands down the best part about it was working with Jimmy Trieste ! I had been searching for a specific BMW in a rare color combo and Jimmy was the best - he kept me in mind, found the perfect car for my specs, called me up, test drove and just a few days later I was driving it off the lot. It was a smooth, professional, and enjoyable experience ! highly recommend. read more

"My experience with this dealership has exceeded my expectations. I knew what car I wanted so there was no trying to upsell or any pressure. David was the perfect sales representative and combined with Leo's expertise made this a more than pleasurable experience. Summer as well was excellent and helpful with the business end. Thank you again for making this a fun experience and look forward to any future business with you." -Gene read more

Santa Barbara Auto Group - Car Dealers Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The people here were very efficient and friendly. Tracy, Dave, Leo, and Summer are very professional. They treated me well and made sure my needs were taken care of. Tracy is a very nice person and she went above and beyond to ensure I got the car I wanted. read more

Santa Barbara Auto Group - Mercedes Benz - Car Dealers Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

My car is there now. The service department is awesome. The prices are a little out of control but I feel confident they will do great work. They diagnosed an issue no other mechanic could get to the bottom of. My only critique is I received an estimate for my approval via text and I decided to change mind and uncheck boxes of what was recommended and hold off on some work due to the massive cost of work discovered. However, I got a call that part of the work was already done. That should have been noted as not an option to uncheck when I went to their site for digital approval so I could calculate all the estimates. I was told I'd get a follow up call today, but no word yet. Probably a busy Monday... Perhaps you can fix this bug for future customers? If you schedule your appointment in advance you can also request a loaner car which has been helpful! read more

I just recently reached the age of 30 and have never had much luck with salesmen at car dealers. My gosh, did this change abruptly when I visited Santa Barbara Auto Group and was nicely greeted by Jimmy Triese and said what I had always said in the past I'm just looking around. He said great and not once approached me again. I did find a car I liked and wanted to check the Carfax report, etc. and called him the following day asking if the car was still available. It was and with a no pressure approach he just said you'ret welcome to test drive if you ever decide you would like to. I met with him the next day and he handed me the keys and encouraged me to take a 20 minute+ drive as this would likely give me enough time to get a feel for the car. It's truly the only time I've never had pressure put on me by a car salesman and fortunately the car was one I thoroughly enjoyed. Jimmy handled the rest of the purchase journey quickly and easily for me. It was a wonderfully unexpected, no pressure, experience. Allison F. read more

Nic Azzolina is the best! Don't waste your time and go anywhere else :D. We were looking for a new car and found the one that we wanted here. I contacted Nic through the website and he was very responsive and patient with all of my questions and concerns. He worked on a deal quickly and got us an amazing quote in just a couple of hours. We put down a deposit, drove up one day and were in and out of the dealership in 45 minutes. BEST AND FASTEST CAR BUYING EXPERIENCE, EVER! Nic is an amazing sales person, very friendly and professional and extremely patient and best of all, he was never pushy. Thanks for our new ride!!! read more

I've never posted a review before but I'm taking a few minutes to do so now. I called the Santa Barbara Auto Group to inquire about a BMW X5 that I had seen on their website. I spoke with a salesman, Jimmy Trieste, who talked about the features of the X5 and invited me to come in for a test drive. I explained that I was calling from Los Angeles and was looking for a vehicle to tow by boat with. He send me a very informative email which included all the details of the X5 as well as additional photos. I noticed at the bottom of his email that he sold Audi as well as BMW. I called and said I didn't suppose he had any Audi Q8s. He told me one had just arrived that very morning. I was so excited because that's my absolute favorite SUV! Jimmy was so unbelievably easy to deal with. My friend drove me to Santa Barbara the next day and Jimmy had everything ready! No waiting at all. That's a first for me when purchasing a car. Darouny in the finance department was so nice as well! She was totally prepared and again, no stress. Finally, Chad, their product specialist showed me around my beautiful new Q8 and got me comfortable with how everything worked. Without a doubt, my next purchase will be with the Santa Barbara Auto Group read more

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Bill, your response says it all. You sold a car that does not function properly and offered to buy it back for 20k less than I paid. I highly doubt that you are as frustrated as I am, as I am the one paying for the car while you try to figure out a solution. The right thing to do is take the car back and stop selling the features until it works properly...if you know it's a faulty product with no solution, it's unethical to take advantage of consumers. read more

Bill Fogg, your response to my review is absolutely untrue and I have never had a dog in my car and to make that claim is absolutely false. If that is true why did 2 other dealerships agree to repair after inspecting it. This just confirms my feeling about this dealership. On a positive note...I do want to mention that Jonathon Price is fantastic. He is patient has a great attitude, personable and very knowledgable. read more

One of Santa Barbara's finest predatory businesses. This group of dealerships should be avoided at all costs. The countless issues I've had are far too many to note. They intentionally damaged my vehicles, sold me 5+ year old tires, charged for services never performed, and so on. The absolute shear lack of ethics and morals is rampant throughout the organization. Avoid them at all costs! read more