If I could give Select Motors of San Mateo more than five stars, I would. This was the best car-buying experience I've ever had -- no pressure, no gimmicks, just a straightforward, professional process from start to finish. Horatio really knows his cars. He does deep inspections and genuine research on what he sells, and it shows in the quality. What stood out most is how he treats customers: like he'd treat you as a close friend -- honest about the details, clear about pricing, and focused on getting you into the right car rather than "making a sale." The pricing was refreshingly straight up and felt better than what I was seeing on the broader market for comparable vehicles, especially considering the condition and how well-vetted everything was. One tip: come prepared. If you've done your homework and know what you want, Select Motors is the place. This isn't a dealership for spending an afternoon casually test-driving a bunch of different makes and models -- you'll get the best experience when you respect Horatio's time (and your own) and show up ready to make a smart decision. Highly recommend! read more

Wow, the experience at Select Motors was amazing. After too many bad high-pressure experiences at dealerships, I resolved to buy my next car from somewhere else. The cars here were all beautiful and in incredible condition. I knew what I wanted, and Horatio made it super simple. The process was extremely quick (though Horatio did not rush me at all and was happy to let me take my time to feel comfortable with everything), and I was happily out the door with my new car! This is SO much better than buying from a dealership, and I am so happy I found Select Motors so I could actually ENJOY purchasing a car! Completely recommend to anyone! read more

I bought my BMW I3 from Horatio after months of research and visiting 8 dealers around the bay. The experience with other sellers as so bad compaired to Select Motors that before Horatio had the car I wanted I had decided that I would wait to buy it from him. Why, because he is very efficient, honest, knows his cars inside and out, and wants a lifetime relationship with his customers. No other dealer I met came close to meeting those qualities. Finally, he had the car! We had texted enough in advance that when it came it we agreed on a price and time to buy via text. I brought a bank check, the paperwork was ready, the car was as advertised, he did not try to upsell me on anything - the whole transaction took 20 min! (On a Saturday, no less.) His website is accurate and honest - if you see the car you want, give him a call. read more

Select Motors - My I3 - Car Dealers Near Me - San Mateo, California

Easy, honest, and personal--like buying from a car enthusiast not a used car salesperson. I'll never set foot in a dealership again! From the start, the experience felt completely different from the usual dealership runaround. Instead of sales pitches, I got real knowledge and straight talk from someone who genuinely cares about cars. He walked me through the car, answered every question, and made sure it was the right fit for me--not just what was in stock. I couldn't be happier with the BMX iX Drive 50 - and the overall buying experience -and knowing that the car was there at Select Autos means it was a cut above. No pressure, no gimmicks--just passion, honesty, and a great car **And a very cool facility/showroom!** read more

Select Motors - Car Dealers Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I had the opportunity to purchase an auto from Horatio (the owner) of Select Motors. The car was just as advertised and the experience was smooth. Horatio is a no nonsense straight shooter and doesn't negotiate on price (the price was fair and competitive). He takes wires and certified bank checks. He has a lot of reasonably priced luxury vehicles in his show room. I encourage anyone to check it out. read more

I had an absolutely fantastic experience buying an Audi Q4 from Horatio. Three things that set him apart: He carefully sources his cars, using his insider knowledge and connections at dealerships to get good deals on lightly used cars with no history of mechanical issues. He sets low prices and doesn't negotiate--his cars tend to be priced lower than other dealers' because the price he's advertising is the lowest price he's willing to sell for. And he focuses on generating repeat customers and good word of mouth, which means he has every incentive to keep customers happy and sell them sound cars. I put off buying a used car for a long time because I couldn't find a dealer I trusted and was so glad to stumble upon Horatio. He's the first place you should go if you're looking for a used BMW or Audi. read more

Super easy to work with gave me a great deal on my used F150 the truck is everything I wanted and also sold it to me under market value. Was very clear on the history of truck and where it came from. Thank you for your service read more

I just purchased my second bmw I3 from Horatio. Absolutely top notch integrity and a BMW electric car maven! Highly recommended!!

This is the perfect place to buy a car if you want immaculate high quality cars without having to deal with typical car sales douchbaggery. I refuse to go to common dealers but this place is different. If you're a car person and really care about great quality at a fair price or if you want someone to can truly consult you on a perfect fit, Horatiu is your guy. He's extremely knowledgeable and fastideous. He's not a salesman but more of a consultant. Straight shooter that won't waste your time. Great variety of high quality merch especially in the hybrid, EV and luxury/sport market. Why pay full price for a car when you canget much more value for money curated by a real passionate car person. Just got an i3 here. If you're looking for one don't go anywhere else in the Bay Area. read more

I've been meaning to write this review and it's astonishing to me that my sincere appreciation and pure excitement and glee has not waned over the past two months since my AMAZING experience buying at Select Motors in San Mateo! I was so stoked to drive home same day with my BMW i3. As a single female with a mission to visit 3 places and purchase a car same day, my plan stopped with Horatio as I could sense his honest, upfront and non-pressurized way of doing business. He was very transparent up front in initial conversations that the advertised price was the cash price. When putting in the car specs in a 3rd car review site, the pricing came up as "good deal. Slightly below market." It was apparent the quality of cars for sale were chosen carefully by the proprietor and that he didn't just "sell anything." He was super passionate about the brands he sold, and spent a good deal of time educating me about the car I ended up purchasing, as well typical pros and cons and everything in between. Coming from a family passionate about cars, it is important to me that the person or place I buy from is as well. When you are purchasing from Select Motors, it feels like "an experience" vs the weariness of the haggle and pressurized car dealership lot shenanigans. Thank you Horatio for your kind expertise, help and integrity driven way of doing business. I will definitely be back as long as you are here, and I have already verbally referred a good number of friends in the event they are looking to purchase a specific type of car. (there was also no request to post or rate my experience from the Owner- this is coming purely from the heart and intellect.) Thank you again! read more

Select Motors - BMW i3 - Car Dealers Near Me - San Mateo, California

I'd been searching for a specific BMW i3s with the Technology Package, Harman Kardon sound system, and ideally, a sunroof. It also needed to be a BEV, which made finding this specific combination a challenge! I finally found exactly what I was looking for at Select Motors. I spoke with Horatiu over the phone to learn more about the car and arrange a time to see it. Living in Southern California, I flew up to meet him. Horatiu runs a no-nonsense operation, which, while it might not suit everyone, was exactly what I appreciated. I knew what I wanted, and he didn't waste my time with sales pitches or pressure. He was transparent about the car, answered my questions directly, and let the i3s speak for itself. He even pointed out some minor flaws that I might not have noticed otherwise (It's a 7 year old car after all!). The car was exactly as described, and the pre-purchase inspection confirmed it was the right one. Horatiu then handled shipping the car back to Southern California quickly and efficiently. The entire process was smooth and efficient. I really appreciated Horatiu's transparency and directness throughout the process. If you're a prepared buyer who knows what you want and appreciates honesty and a no-nonsense approach, Select Motors is an excellent choice. I would happily do business with Select Motors again in the future, despite the distance. read more

Select Motors - Car Dealers Near Me - San Mateo, California

Just drove home in our 2nd purchase from Horatio at Select Motors in San Mateo. "Select" is an appropriate company name, as Horatio always seems to have selected the best used cars available on the market. He's incredibly responsive, professional, and fair if you are serious about the cars he is offering. I was equally impressed about how he advised my wife against a car he was selling a few years back when he knew it wasn't the right fit for her. My wife and I were excited to give him our repeat business, since being able to trust him and the quality of his cars was major value added to the purchase. I often find myself perusing the Select Motors website to see what gems are on offer, so I imagine I'll find a reason to become a customer yet again in the future. read more

Bought our gorgeous bmw iX M60 from Horatio! Good and honest service! No bells and whistles and the cars in his shops are all great. We kept in touch because our preferred car was sold but then we went for another one, communication was great. read more

Select Motors - BMW iX M60 - Car Dealers Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I had an incredibly disappointing experience at Select Motors today. From the moment we walked in, the tall salesman (I didn't catch his name) made us feel unwelcome and disrespected. Instead of engaging with us in a respectful, helpful manner, he took on a demeaning attitude that made the whole encounter uncomfortable. When a family member tried to step in and clarify what we were trying to accomplish, the salesman refused to let them speak, almost as if he didn't want to hear our needs at all. He didn't even make an effort to understand our situation or ask how he could assist us. Instead, he became dismissive and kicked us out, refusing to engage in any kind of conversation. Wanted to surrender this old vehicle and buy a new one--said he was too busy with other customers. Didn't even allow us to say hello and what we were doing there. You can see by the response he's made below how horrible . I thought it was a sexist thing at first cause we are female but yes, just a narcissist. To make matters worse, he humiliated us in front of them, making the whole experience feel unnecessarily hostile. We were simply trying to get some assistance, wanted to surrender, turn in , whatever its called when you buy a new car and give them the one you don't want towards it. Instead we were treated with disrespect and made to feel like we didn't belong there. I've never been so taken aback by a sales experience, and I will definitely not be returning to Select Motors. It's hard to believe a business could be so blatantly unprofessional and rude to potential customers. Should be kind to everyone you never know who you're standing next to. He will eventually see us again realize what we were doing there. I guess this is why it's important for sales people to listen more than they talk. Lol! This guy must live in a pool of frustration. read more

Bought my Maserati Ghibli from Select Motors and had an amazing experience! Horatiu clearly loves cars, talking to him felt more like getting advice from a friend than dealing with a salesperson. He was upfront, knowledgeable and easy to work with. The showroom is spotless which completely impressed me and they have an impressive lineup of high-end cars. Absolutely recommend Select Motors and working with Horatiu, you'll get fair pricing and smooth communication throughout! read more

I recently bought a BMW i3 from Horatio and had a great experience. He was upfront and knowledgeable about the vehicle and it's history. I also appreciated his transparency about the way he works and can tell he has pride in his business. The whole process only took a couple hours but never felt rushed. read more

I wholeheartedly recommend you by your next vehicle from Select Motors. The owner Horatio is the stand-up gentleman who does what he says he will do. His cars are top notch. He makes sure he buys them from well-known sources and inspects the vehicles soup to nuts. I recently bought my X7 from him from across the country. Simple, clean and friction-free transaction. The vehicle arrived within 6 days and the paperwork followed. I can't say enough about Horatio. Definitely one of the best car buying experiences I've ever had. read more

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We bought a very nice car from Horatio who is the owner of Select Motors. We like his fact based no-nonsense style. His cars (and his location) are spotless and it is obvious that quality and solidity are core to his business. He is upfront and knowledgeable in discussing the different choices in his cars and clearly takes pride building lasting customer relations vs 'making a sale'. We have another car to replace soon and we will be back to Select Motors for that. read more

6 months in from our purchase of a BMW i3 and still incredibly happy!! Horatio has a deep knowledge of each of his vehicles and a no nonsense approach that is refreshing. His experience and relationships with the BMW dealership really shows as he is able to ensure that you are looked after even after you've made your purchase. I look forward to purchasing my next vehicle from him in the future. read more

Horatio at Select Motors is straightforward. He will sell you a car, but he won't sell you on a car. His pricing was fair, so there was not a need to haggle it down. This is our second experience buying a car from Horatio. He is invested in the quality of the vehicle he selling, not just the sale of the vehicle. I liked that he gets his vehicles inspected at the dealership before listing it for sale. Make sure to make an appointment beforehand. He takes care of everything personally! I also like that we were dealing directly with the owner. He honored our time. We are a repeat customer and appreciate the consistent reliability. read more

I bought a beautiful 750i from here a while ago, and not only is the car fantastic, but the owner was super interesting and very honest and I really enjoyed spending a few hours there. He shares my appreciation for beautiful cars and we even went for coffee after. 2 years later I still love the car and the mileage is still very low, but when its time for replacement, I know Horatio will find me something clean and not try rip me off. Super good experience read more

Purchased a 2020 M8 Competition in March of '24 and had it shipped to MO where I live. Horatio could not have been better to work with. Assisted with a pre-purchase inspection at BMW dealership and answered all my questions. Very knowledgeable, patient and courteous. Car is beautiful and as described. Could not be happier with the purchasing experience. read more

Select Motors - Jonathan - Car Dealers Near Me - San Mateo, California

I want to strongly acknowledge Select Motors and Haratio. I purchased an 2020 Audi Q5 before the end of 2024 and the whole purchase experience was really great. But I'm even more impressed when an mechanical issue developed a few weeks after my purchase. Haratio actually showed up at the service department at Audi Burlingame, really advocated for me and worked with their service department to make sure they fixed the issue. I know where I'm buying my next vehicle and sending friends and family! read more

Recently purchased a very clean Alpina from Horatio. Process was smooth and easy. He is very detailed and showed off every detail of the car, including superficial scratches that other dealers would skip over. He has nothing to hide. Some may not understand his sense of humor, but I assure you he is friendly, professional, and meticulous when it comes to selling clean cars. Hope to do business with him again! read more

Select Motors - Alpina B7 - Car Dealers Near Me - San Mateo, California

Best car buying experience ever. Very clear and straightforward process. Highly recommend!

Haratiu is knowledgeable, helpful and transparent. He knows German cars and he respects potential buyers It felt more like he was finding the right car for me rather than trying to move his inventory. I'll reach out to him again when I need another vehicle. read more

I got very professional service with Horatiu kind help while I purchased my car. It is a very comfortable and smooth experience. Even after sales service, when I ask my car related questions, I got prompt reply. Highly recommend him. read more

Car as advertised/photographed/stated condition. No hidden fees like some other dealers. Knowledgeable about i3 vehicles. Helped me get the car delivered to SoCal from San Mateo. Overall a great used car purchase experience. read more

My husband & I had bought a car at Select Motors by Horatio and had 5 star customer service!! I highly recommend this business for luxury car purchase. Horatio is Honest and knowledgeable about his cars. Please check out Select Motors for your next car purchase. read more

I bought a 2023 BMW iX a few weeks ago. The buying experience was just fantastic. The proprietor, Horatio, was friendly, a good communicator and very straightforward. Many of his cars, while used, were all nearly pristine. The cars are reasonably priced for what they are, and I appreciated his no nonsense approach to selling cars. The painted white interior of the shop makes you feel like you're entering a lab for cars. Horatio was quick and efficient about closing the deal. Once I told him I wanted the car and wired the funds, which was in the morning, the car was ready for pick-up that afternoon. I was able to drive it up to Yosemite that weekend. True to the quality of the car, it performed beautifully on the drive up. For a 2 year old EV it still has good range and I could have made it from San Jose to Yosemite on a single charge. I topped off a bit just to be sure and so I arrived with over 100miles left on the battery. read more

We purchased a vehicle from Horatio and had a fantastic car buying experience. Horatio is knowledgeable, honest and genuinely cared about our experience. We had been to a few dealerships looking for a BMW i3 and Horatio had just what we were looking for in his inventory. He took the time to give us all the information we asked for and then some on our vehicle, its history and what we could expect in the future when it came to warranty work at our local dealership (the car still has 1 year of manufacturer warranty remaining). We drove 120 miles from Roseville California and would gladly make the trip again to deal with Select Motors, San Mateo. Thank you Horatio! read more

Select Motors - 2021 BMW i3 10K Miles! Great find!!! - Car Dealers Near Me - San Mateo, California

We bought a car from Horatio and also sold a car to Horatio. Both times the transactions were hassle free and quick. Horatio's cars are clean and in great condition. It's a pleasure doing business with someone who is honest, fair, straight forward, easy to work with and knows his cars. After selling our car to Horatio he even drove us home since we only came in one car. We appreciate the extras that he does. If you see the car you want at Select Motors, I highly recommend doing business with Horatio! read more

I bought an BMW i3 here 3 weeks ago . I am very happy with the car and the service. Horatiu is very professional and trust worthy. Last week, the car had a check engine light on. I took the car back to Select Motor, Horatiu tried to find the cause but could not. He sent me to his mechanic , Jordan, at Peter Pan BMW in Burlingame. It took Jordan five minutes to find out the issue. It caused by a bad charging station near my home. She plugged the car in the charging station on the shop, the check engine light went away. I would recommend both Horatiu and Jordan to all my friends and family. Tam Tran read more

Great experience and I love my new Audi, it is beautiful!! Everything went smoothly and I highly recommend Select Motors.

Just bought a beautiful A7 Audi /S-line/prestige premium plus package from Horatiu. Only 5,000 miles. It is a beautiful car and I couldn't be happier. Feels and looks brand new. Great price, Great car, Great Dealer to work with. Highly recommend this dealership if you are in the market. read more

Select Motors - Car Dealers Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I bought an M4 Competition loaded up with a ridiculous amount of options from Horatio here in November. He's very straight forward and knows exactly what his vehicles are worth. Horatio can tell if you're just shopping or if you're serious. Once he knew I was serious -- a test drive was no problem. I arrived early at 10AM on a Saturday, checked out the car, test drove it, got a great low APR loan on a used car, went to pickup a cashiers check for down payment, signed over everything, and was driving home at 1PM. Loving the M4, thanks Horatio! read more

Select Motors - New car day! - Car Dealers Near Me - San Mateo, California

I had an outstanding experience purchasing a vehicle from Horatio at Select Motors. It was a no pressure environment, which was nice after visiting other dealerships earlier in the day. I would recommend setting up an appointment if possible. When Horatio is with a client, he puts 100% of his attention into making the customers experience as good as possible. If you take a chance and show up without an appointment, you may have to wait a bit for him to finish with a client. He will let you know how much longer he will be before he can work with you. You will appreciate it when its your turn, as he will give you all the time and attention you need to make your decision. Cars are his passion and it shows. He wants to make sure you understand all the features you may be getting with a specific vehicle and takes the time to answer all your questions. Horatio was pleasurable to deal with and not your typical car salesman. I would not hesitate to work with Horatio and Select Motors for future car needs. Highly recommended. read more

I bought a BMW i3 from Horatiu at Select Motors and I have nothing but positive things to say about him and his business. I'm from Maine and after looking here (in the east) for weeks I couldn't line up anything in my price range that I loved. I had also never considered shopping out of state let alone on the complete opposite side of the US. The car looked great on the website and had all the features I wanted and was priced about $4k under what I was finding in my area. I was a little nervous putting all my trust in a dealership across the country especially considering I couldn't test drive it. Horatiu was very direct, to the point with zero nonsense. He informed me of several small defects in the car (small scratches) and was very honest and trustworthy. He's a busy guy and stays away from the car salesman haggling by just offering great prices. Read some negative reviews of him and the dealership that just don't add up. Yes, he's to the point but extremely quick to respond and if your serious about buying a car from him goes the extra mile. Had the car shipped and when it arrived it was exactly as described and exceeded my expectations. For a car that has 33k miles it is in incredible shape. Not one complaint or regret whatsoever. Got a great car at a great price and it couldn't have been easier and more positive even being almost 3000 miles away. Thanks so much Horatiu for such a great car buying experience! read more

Horatio provided a very pleasant car buying experience. He is very knowledgeable about the car he sold to me. He answered all of the questions that I had. And didn't try to hard sell an extended warranty that I wasn't interested in. The warehouse his cars "live in" is clean. The car I was seeking, and bought, was meticulously clean! I loved his parting words to me, "I'm happy this car has found a good home!". read more

Let me start by saying that Horatio Pop, the owner, is not your usual used car salesman. He isn't going to "beg" for your business and he's not going to negotiate much, if at all, on price. He knows the value of his cars and treats knowledgeable buyers as real prospects. If you're "just looking," don't expect him to stop what he's doing to show you a dozen cars and take you on a bunch of test drives. However, if you are a serious buyer who's done your homework and doesn't care to go back and forth on a price, you'll be satisfied with the process. I was looking for two years for a particular vehicle, and when I found it on his website, I knew it was a fair price for an excellent vehicle. I've never bought a car without driving it, but after seeing the reviews of those people who actually bought cars from this dealer, I felt confident that he would take good care of me, and I wqs right! Don't go looking for someone who will be your typical, suck up kind of dealer because this is not your guy. If you're looking for someone with great cars at fair prices who knows what they're doing and will guide you through the process , I cannot recommend him highly enough! read more