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SoCal Public Auto Auction

3.4 (73 reviews)
Closed 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

Services - SoCal Public Auto Auction

Car auctions

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Thank goodness for insurance! Don't buy an auction car!
Frank L.

My first Mercedes! What a piece of junk!!! It must have been driven into the ground & yet, somehow passed smog?!?! Even though it started smoking on the way home. Yeah, right! What a bunch of liars. Bold faced liars. I desperately tried to get any help but they just strung me along until finally blocking my number. Very unprofessional, to say the least.

DO NOT BUY FROM THIS SHADY AUCTION **IMPORTANT TIPS if you do buy a car at the bottom of this review** I purchased a 2011 Hyundai Sonata with about 132,000 miles on March 20, 2022 from SoCal Auto Auction in Ontario for $10,450. First, what I noticed based on following their auction for a few weeks, both online and in person, is they have people online jacking up prices. When a car seems to be "sold" through their online bidding platform, they will have the car back in the auction the next day or week. They use the excuse of peoples loans not going through. This is just a false narrative. Second, they clean and spray some type of oil substance under the hood to disguise any oil leaks. Third, the smog check they claim to have on their cars is definitely not legit; since the car I purchased from them would 100% not have passed a smog check. As shown in the photos of how much smoke is coming from the exhaust after driving it about 40 miles since purchased. I was told by a mechanic and the dealership, the car needs an ENGINE REPLACEMENT of more than $12,000, which will cost more than the purchase price of the car. Lastly, although the car looks fine on the outside, it soon revealed all its problems. If you let them know about the issue for this 7 day warranty they say you will need to take it to their mechanics and you will need to pay 50% of all costs, labor and parts. This seems where they will rip you off for the second time. While I was waiting to complete the purchase process, DJ ( Dariush), the auction manager, told me it's a great a car, fully inspected and smog checked. And yet it turns out to be a complete bust! As none of his claims were true. They lie to your face taking advantage of people. They know their cars are complete money pits. DO NOT BE DECEIVED! **TIPS** 1. Immediately get a smog check somewhere else! Spend the money to do this the next day you purchase! 2. Take it to the dealership or trusted mechanic to be thouroughly inspected for any engine/transmission issues that have been disguised by their tricks. This will give you the upper hand to take advantage of the 7 day warranty. Again, do it immediately! 3. Check the oil and get an engine oil sample. An attorney told me they could have filled the car with diesel oil, which is thicker and could mask the engine burning oil. 4. There was a CONTRACT CANCELLATION OPTION paper in the documents saying I waived my right to return the car in the first couple days of purchase. They left it among other papers in the car after I signed all the documents. I personally don't remember that document was presented to me to be reviewed or signed as the copy they gave me has no signature but just a checked box next to waiving my right. Make sure you have this document in the initial papers they give you. By paying less than $200, you can reserve the right to return the car in the first couples days of purchase. 5. The DMV, Division of Investigations regulates the vehicle industry and licenses and regulates the occupational groups of dealerships and salespersons among several others. You may contact DMV at the following if you have additional questions:   Department of Motor Vehicles Investigations Division 8259 Demetre Avenue, MS/L219 Sacramento, CA 95828-0932   Phone: (916) 229-0167 or (916) 229-0168 Fax: (916) 229-0185 Phone Toll Free: (800) 777-0133 TTY: (800) 368-4327 List of Investigations Offices: www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/dmv/offices/investigationsoffice Download a Complaint Form: www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/uploads/2020/03/inv172a.pdf Website: www.dmv.ca.gov   For information on filing a complaint about a vehicle purchase, please see the following link: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/customer-service/report-an-issue-or-complaint/   I hope you find this information helpful. Disclaimer: These are solely my personal opinion

What we got!
Porsche E.

My daughter and I had a great experience with SoCal! This was our second time coming to an auction looking for her a car and really didn't know what to expect. The first place had horrible cars which probably wouldn't have made it to the next light. Not this place; all of the cars where in great running condition with tag and registration already taking care of. We had a minor hiccup by bidding on the wrong car and was pretty bummed; however, the manager was truly understandable and we walked away with the car happy and confident that she would be safe. What a weight lifted off a parents shoulder. Everyone the we encounter had a great personality and a welcoming smile. Oh and an added plus was "they even gave us a bottle of cold water while we waited for the auction to start! Five Stars hands down with no question!!! Stop by and leave happy....We Did!!!

2010 Audi Q5

Just picked up my Q5 I was able to get it for 2500 less than the lowest price on the market right now. With the current economy end not having credit this was definitely the best option for me. The car at a small dent on the side and they were kind enough to repair it for me before I picked it up. What I really enjoyed was the friendly customer service

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5 years ago

Great spot to get a car if u really in need or desperately want a new whip , helpful personnel and above all great cars to bid on !

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6 years ago

Amazing service, nice and friendly people, good prices!!! Good quality cars! Come buy your car here.

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7 years ago

Great cars and super friendly service! Great prices as well. Other auctions don't make the process as easy and clear as socal auto auctions.

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Riverside Public Car Auction - 2009 Chevy Impala interior

Riverside Public Car Auction

(25 reviews)

What an experience! I was a bit nervous about participating in a car auction, worried about whether…read moreI would find a reliable vehicle. However, my apprehensions quickly faded as I approached the auction lot at 11:15 AM (the gates opened at 11 AM) and was greeted by a friendly crowd. Everyone was so welcoming and social! I chatted with a mix of seasoned auction-goers and first-timers like myself, which made the atmosphere even more enjoyable. The owner and staff were incredibly attentive, guiding me around the packed lot of vehicles and encouraging me to explore my options. They were genuinely helpful, answering all my questions with sincerity and a smile. I couldn't have asked for better customer service! When the auction started at noon, I was pleasantly surprised by how smoothly everything flowed. They provided shaded seating, which was a nice touch, and even had complimentary water bottles to keep everyone refreshed. I did get out-bid on one car (LOL!), but I remained optimistic. Thanks to their suggestion to look around, I ended up scoring my dream car--an Infiniti! Yasss! I'm absolutely in love with it! After the auction, I headed to the office for payment, and the staff were just as helpful and friendly as before. Within minutes, I had my paperwork and keys in hand, ready to drive away. I'm thrilled I took this leap because I wanted to avoid another car payment, and my new ride is in fantastic condition. Plus, the 24-hour warranty on the transmission and overheating gave me peace of mind--no way was I going to risk any issues! If I do go back to purchase another car and ever encounter any problems down the line, I'll see if I have friends who can work on my car or if I'd like to take a crack at it myself, but with my busy schedule, I just didn't have the time to get that done this time around. For the price going to this auction, no matter what, it's worth it to me, plus the emphasis on nooooo payments lol Overall, I'm beyond happy with my decision to attend this auction. The prices for all the cars were fantastic, and the people were great. The process was seamless, and I walked away with exactly what I came for--my beautiful "infidelity baby." If you're considering a car auction, I highly recommend this one! You won't regret it!

Bought a truck that needed a whole transmission I test drove it on the lot because it had no tags…read moreand it drove fine but the lot isn't huge so I couldn't really open it up but as we paid and drive off I noticed it wouldn't shift passed 2nd gear the guy said he drove it personally from orange with no problems straight bs

West Coast Auto Auction - Infiniti EX35 Journey

West Coast Auto Auction

(27 reviews)

My experience with West Coast Auction was extremely frustrating and disappointing. The bidding…read moreprocess did not feel transparent or fair. It appeared that the same vehicle was being bid up repeatedly until the reserve price was met, creating the impression that bids were being placed by parties other than genuine buyers. Instead of allowing real market demand to determine the final price, it felt like the auction was structured to push bids higher until a specific number was reached. This made it difficult to trust the legitimacy of the auction. On top of that, communication was poor, and questions about bidding activity and reserve pricing were not clearly addressed. For an auction platform where people are spending serious money, transparency and trust are critical. Overall, I would not recommend West Coast Auction. Based on my experience, buyers should proceed with caution and be aware that the final price may not reflect true competitive bidding.

Horrible they are FRAUD and sell you bad cars ( will turn off check engine light) sell car and let…read moreyou buy a car knowing it's no good!!! they have you sign a form as is but it's fraud because they turned off the check engine light showing nothing wrong with the car as soon as I drove back home to Riverside th check engine light came on and I took it to autozone to see what was wrong and to my surprise issues that they knew about . I called same day and took the car back the next week for the to fix which I doubt they did got it back a week later and the same issues came about. I will be taking this to court because how dare you sell a car knowing it's a piece of shit! Now I'm stuck trying to fix a car that was messed up from day one

SoCal Public Auto Auction - carauctions - Updated May 2026

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