Phillips Auto

Bait & Switch?
This dealership grossly misrepresented the car that we drove long distance to buy. They advertised the vehicle as having all of the premium features we were looking for (leather seats, moon roof, back up camera, etc.) yet immediately upon arrival we noticed that the car described on their website had none of the features it listed. In fact, the car on the lot was the absolute base model. What made it worse was their unapologetic and condescending attitude. We would still have considered purchasing the vehicle if they would have adjusted the price, but instead they shrugged it off, and tried to up-​sell us to a vehicle we had zero interest in. They blamed their junior staff for listing the vehicle incorrectly on their website. One would find it hard to believe that a vehicle the dealership purchases, inspects, details and displays front and center in the middle of their showroom could pass by unnoticed with a long list of features missing. Was it a Switch & Bait? I hope not. But if it was, shame on you.

Sold my car to them. They were easy to work with. They gave me a quote and stuck They have a great team all easy going and fun to be around. Recommend them highly!

Tread carefully. Ive been in this business 30 years and was surprised at what happened here. I’m not going to go into too much detail but I purchased a car here which has been great. I left my car on consignment but had a firm offer from them if they hadn’t sold it within a month. My car was inspected there and had all kind of things wrong with it and they told me they couldn’t sell it in that condition. After being told a few different things from two different people I decided to get the car back. Ive taken it to two places of which one is a Porsche main dealer… guess what? The problems have disappeared! I wouldn’t have purchased their car if I didn’t have a firm offer from them. Not to be trusted.

I recently bought my M3 from Phillips Auto. It was a much better experience than the last time I dealt with a used car dealer. But they are a used car dealer. Remember that their goal is to sell cars and make money doing that. They are great no-​pressure people but do your homework!
My experience:
I saw a car I liked on the Internet at their shop. I drove over after work one day, saw the car on the lot and spent about 10 mins. exploring the outside and underneath of the car as best I could. No one came to bother me, I liked that. When I was done, I walked in the building and met with Michael. He is a nice friendly guy. I told him about my interest in the car and he got the key and we went over to the car. He pulled it out and encouraged me to take it for a spin. We both went for a brief spin. When I got back, we talked more about the car and the price. He said that they bought it from the original owner and sold it to someone in Montana who had it for a couple of years and then bought it back because they knew the car. He also mentioned that the car had just gotten new tires all the way around for $ 1,200 and the best he could do is take a $ 1,000 off the advertised price.
A few days later, I went back with my wife to test drive the car. I had called ahead and had to reschedule a couple of times due to babysitters cancelling but when we got there, the car had been washed and was on the floor. He pulled out the car, gave me the key, opened the door for my wife and that was it. I really liked the no pressure environment and the genuine friendliness of everyone.
My wife liked the car and gave me her blessings, whew! My next step was to get a Pre-​Purchase Inspection (PPI) at my mechanics’. This is where things got interesting. I met with Yul and Theresa and asked if I could take it to my mechanic who was 28.5 miles away (according to Google Maps) to make sure he checked the undercarriage and suspension to check for rust damage. Yul said, it shouldn’t be a problem but he had to check with the manager. Theresa said, we can’t let you go that far, regarding the car being in MT, there is a good chance it was never in MT, they register some cars for customers in MT to avoid sales tax and this could be the case for this one. She was willing to show me the inspection they did on the car before they put it on the lot. When I got there, she did confirm that the car had been in MT for 2 years. I appreciated the inspection details, most things checked out fine, they had changed the battery, serviced the brake system and the tires were listed as repair. She also shared the ‘Reconditioning details’ sheet which listed the work done and the price paid. I had a question on one of the items and was honestly told that that was the Vehicle Pack (some of their profit baked in). The other item that stood out was that the tires only cost $ 560, this was in stark contrast to what I was told earlier, it was explained away as they having access to wholesale pricing. I appreciated all the transparency and was close to making a deal. As I headed out, a friend of mine had recommended taking picture of the DOT on the tires (date of manufacture). When I inspected the tires, the fronts where the originals from 2010, they had NOT been replaced, the rears were new. This inconsistency really through me off and I refused to buy the car unless I could have it inspected by my mechanic. They relented and allowed me to take it to get inspected. The car checked out well and my mechanic told me that the front tires were down to the wear bar and on the inside, they were down to the second layer of rubber. The car was not safe to drive and recommended changing them immediately. When I got back to their office, Theresa refused to negotiate the price. She is a business woman through and through.
I called again a few days later and spoke with Yul, he agreed to split the cost of the tires (same tires as the rears but in a different size) and alignment. We had a deal.
When I went in to sign the paperwork, I dealt with Michael again, he was quick and efficient and we were done in under 30 mins. The front tires were new, but there was no paperwork for the alignment. Turned out that an alignment was never done. Michael said I could drive over to their tire shop and he’d have them do an alignment for me. When I got there, I discovered the fronts were Michelin Pilot Sports and the rears were Michelin Pilot Super Sports. I had insisted on the same compound on all 4 corners. There were some phone calls made and the tire guy swapped out the fronts for PSS’s and all was good.
Overall:
Nice people, courteous and friendly. Low to no pressure. Inconsistencies in the stories did annoy me. Eventually, I was happy with how I was treated and the car I bought. Just remember, you are dealing with Used Car Salesmen, do YOUR homework.

I can say that this place does choose its cars nicely. They have some of the best qualities I have seen around the country hence the 3 stars. However…
I came in to check a car I liked that was just price dropped to $ 57k. Chris was assigned to assist me. He took me on a nice test drive and was friendly about it. Everything went well until we talked about price. The price was originally 60k and was just dropped the day before.
When I engaged about the price, I told him if price can be negotiated and he said yes. To skip the minute details in respect of the company, the problem began when I stated that the car is $ 57k, can we drop a little bit? I was ready to push the yes button when Chris came back and said no, the car is at 60k… He went back to the office and came back to confirm that the price did not push thru, but that the car is indeed at 60k from 57k. He asked if I could meet at midpoint. I told him no.
It’s been almost a week since, and I confirmed twice now, the car is still at $ 57k and on a website, it says it was dropped from 60k to 57k. I am left with a bad aftertaste and kind of offended that such sales tactic was used on me. I was ready to pull the trigger if they were willing to negotiate just a little as I know the car’s quality is superb.

Phillips Auto provided me with a great buying experience as a first time car buyer. I had my heart set on a used Range Rover Evoque and found just the car that I wanted at Phillips Auto while searching
. I called Phillips Auto up and Mike Alibrando was very helpful with answering all of my questions over the phone. It was Mike’s honest, upfront attitude that convinced me to come out and see the car in person.
Upon getting to Phillips Auto, I was introduced to Chris Ruggiero. Chris reflected the same professional, helpful attitude that I had experienced with Mike. Chris took me on a great test drive and was extremely honest about the car’s history, etc. I arrived with a price in mind for the car and Chris helped me make it happen. I walked out of Phillips Auto with an amazing car at a great price. Both Chris and Mike made my buying experience painless and enjoyable. I am in love with my new Range Rover Evoque. Thank you Phillips Auto for making it happen.

Great dealer. Theresa awesome job. Great selection of cars. Very easy process loan approved prior to me arriving. Excellent customer service. ‚!!!

This was a great experience buying a car. This was our first time buying a car and we looked at a lot and knew our stuff. We know we had a great car for a great price. Chris R. treated us like family, was kind, respectful, extremely knowledgable, and fought to get us a great interest rate. I can’t speak more highly of this place. Thank you Chris R. and Mike for a wonderful car!

Truly as good as it gets! A must stop shop for car inquiries. I hunted all around LA and decided to go all the way down to Newport Beach to check out their inventory and I’m super happy that I did. Theresa & Yul were helpful and when I got handed the keys to test drive I was shocked that I’d get to explore the car on my own and not have a harassing sales cloud over me. They were able to answer all my questions and show original paperwork for the car and I found their policy to be true: «Only offer high-​end excellent conditioned cars.» I drove it off the lot that day! It’s been a few weeks and I’ve never been happier with a purchase. I will return when I’m ready to trade up. Highly recommend you check it out for yourself (don’t buy a car without checking this place out!)

I had the best experience here. Theresa is the best at what she does, she makes you feel comfortable, she has high standards for her customers. I have bought over 20 cars in my lifetime and this experience has been the best one yet. They have the #1 customer service and it starts at the top with Theresa. I love my new Beemer!!! Best cars and best service!!!

I am baffled when a car dealership /​sales force does not greet a potential customer. That is what happened at Phillips auto. We stop by to look at their selection of 911’s and went two salesman walked by us and said nothing, we decided to look elsewhere!

How do I add more stars??? I have been buying and consigning vehicles with Phillips Auto since 1999 yes 16 YEARS. I NEVER had a bad experience, I have bought at least 17 vehicles and consigned 6 or 7, I cannot believe the quality of vehicles Malcolm Phillips keeps in his inventory. There is never any pressure, and if I had any questions, I would receive an answer IMMEDATELY.
You can always reach Malcolm or his right and left hand Teresa she will give you an answer without and car dealership BS, she is 110% straight forward, to the point, honest, and does not beat around the bush, plus she’s kind of cute… If more businesses were run the way Malcolm and Teresa run Phillips auto there would be no need for a Better Business Bureau. Anyone giving Phillips Auto a 1 star rating should drive a moped.

Very accommodating and incredibly helpful. Mike and Teresa went above and beyond to facilitate the purchase of our Tesla in an extremely timely manner. This is the second car we’ve purchased from them. The prices are very fair. I’m always looking to score great deals. Usually those come from private party transactions, not dealers. So I feel I got a good, solid fair price. Not a home run, but it was VERY convenient, and that accounts for something.

I waited with my review for about two month now after I purchased my S-​class from Phillips auto and now here I am telling you about my experience and hopefully it’ll be beneficial for you as well.
I did window shopping for about a month and a half, called many places, visited many places and even if the desired vehicle was something I would be interested in I passed it and just cause of the customer service which didn’t meat any basic requirements.
It is important to mention that I am living in San Francisco and of course purchasing a vehicle from somewhere nearby dealership would be the best but unfortunately/​luckily didn’t happen.
I found Phillips from online, did tons of background search for these guys and didn’t find anything that would raise attention for me. I called them and asked about the car, and I was seriously impressed with their service quality and professionalism. They were not even a bit pushy or demanding. Mike was the person who dealt with me and all the paperwork got done within hours (without me even seeing the car).
I flew there and from courtesy they sent a driver to pick me up and brought me to the dealership. The car was absolutely beautiful; no hidden damages (like most dealership do — shame on these guys), no extra mileage no nothing, the car was like brand new.
Two months in and after 3000 miles the car does not have even a single problem that I should complain about.
All in all, I would not strongly, but I insist you to look at their inventory and find your next reliable and host vehicle. Purchasing a new car is not only about having a car the way you expect it to be, but also customer service and the experience of buying a car to be as professional as it is at Phillips Auto.
Thank you guys, and I know where I am going to buy my next car from.

Having flown into Santa Ana from Dallas and was picked up at the airport, after weeks of countless email exchange and phone conversations, Theresa and Mike were extremely accommodating and professional. They made my purchasing of an Aston Martin an extremely pleasurable experience. They gave me the comfort of supporting with the sales process and gave advise on regulations both in and out of state purchase. Theresa even went out of her way to help with car registration when I drove the AM back to Dallas.
Staffs were extremely friendly and knowledgeable and I would highly recommend Phillips Auto for any car purchasing.

I was looking at trading in my Porsche 911 for a BMW 650i. I met with Chris and tried to work a deal. We were a little apart on the pricing. There was no hard feelings and I left with Chris apologizing for not be able to make the deal work
We talked later that day on the phone and ended up working a deal. I returned and Chris had the car ready to go.
I then had to meet with Theresa (I believe she’s the GM) to do the paperwork. I wish everyone was as pleasant and efficient as Theresa.
Overall, what a great experience and car!

My husband and I bought a 2009 Porsche Cayenne from Phillips Auto.
We worked with Duffy and were very pleased with him. He was very kind and accommodating to us. We had the car inspected and Duffy personally took the car to our mechanic in Laguna Beach to have it looked over. There were some scratches on the back of the car and on the rims, and Duffy arranged to have it repaired no charge. When I brought the car in to have the repairs, he offered me another car to drive while I waited, but with the Balboa Bay Resort across the street, I just waited at their coffee shop while they worked on it.
All in all, great experience. Will return in the future when we buy another car and will ask for Duffy again. Thanks!

I bought a BMW M5 from Phillips Auto after visiting their dealership on a few occasions. They are highly visible in a great location on Pacific Coast Highway so it is so tempting to drop in, as they stage several of their vehicles out front and you can see quite a bit of their inventory given the glass windows and wide real estate lot.
Their staff was definitely knowledgeable and professional. The sales process was quite efficient and I didn’t experience any games or non-​sense. I think they have a very nice selection of vehicles, often with a performance focus, but also broad enough for most luxury buyers.
Car dealerships, particularly pre-​owned, come and go, so I think it says something that they have been around for a while, and that PCH rent has got to be steep. I felt I got a solid deal on a nicely kept car. Very pleased overall.

Contrary to the reviews that are openly visible for this dealership, I was pleasantly surprised by my experience.
I couldn’t make it during normal operating hours, due to time constraints with my own work hours, so Mike (one of the sales guys here) was very accommodating and kept the place open for me to stop by to check out, and to test drive the vehicle I was interested in purchasing.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to walk away with the car I went there for, but Mike was very straight up with me. My biggest pet peeve is when Sales «Hyena’s» at larger dealerships try to hound you for every penny they can possibly squeeze out of you along with giving you an endless list of excuses of why they can or can’t do something, but Mike was very real and very straight forward. I had a price in mind, and he was honest about not being able to meet me at my price and it was that.
Mike was a stand-​up guy and very personable in my opinion, and I absolutely did not feel pressured at any time during our conversation. I didn’t feel like I was getting the run around of excuses from him, and I didn’t feel like he was hiding anything about the car, price, etc.
SO, if you’re in the market for a high-​end vehicle, I think these guys are worth considering, as they have a wide variety of cars on their lot. But, like any sensible person should do, definitely do your own research about the vehicle you’re interested PRIOR to dropping by Phillip’s Auto, or to ANY dealership for that matter, so you know exactly what to look for, and what to ask for.

I bought recently bought a car from Phillips Auto and the overall experience was mixed. Phillips offers a fantastic selection of luxury vehicles from sports cars to SUVs and all the leather-​upholstered and wood-​trimmed sedans in-​between. I was in the market for a particular sedan with low-​mileage and found it on their website in the color that I want. I called ahead for a last-​minute appointment and was off to meet the sales representative.
When I arrived, the sales representative I spoke to was very courteous, friendly, and professional. The car presented just as well as described on their website. the inspection and test-​drive was without issue. The negotiation was straightforward and the sales transaction was swift. Those are all the good parts which deserved a 3 – 4 star rating. Now onto the other areas that could be improved.
1. Do some homework about the car (2-​stars): The sales representative did not know the vehicle (e.g., did not know how to adjust the side mirrors) nor did not appear to make any attempt to learn its features despite calling ahead and giving a 1.5 hour lead start before arriving. Good thing I knew a bit about the car I wanted. And the rep was upfront about not knowing anything about the car. Speaking of which…
2. Be upfront: The car only came with one key. And if you know luxury cars you also know that keys are a pain to replace because of special electronic programming and cutting. Replacement keys can easily cost a few hundred dollars. So I had asked prior to the sale if the car came with 2 keys and the rep said he would check. It wasn’t until after the sale when he handed me a single key and confirmed that they had no other. He brushed the issue aside and suggested I buy a used key from eBay to have re-​programmed at a much cheaper cost. Since the time of the purchase, I did investigate the used-​key route and discovered it was hit-​or-​miss and just not worth the potential money saved. One gesture of goodwill that could have made this a non-​issue is to pay for the cost of the second key despite not being upfront about it missing during the sale.
3. Online presence but does not work online: They have a decent website which suggests that they understand how the internet can influence their business. Their business cards also has the email address of the staff which suggests that they communicate over email. So I sent an email asking for information about a vehicle service agreement (i.e. potential sale opportunity) and have not heard back. This business still operates on brick-​and-​mortar principles which is painful for those that want to avoid phone-​tag for basic information.
As for those that gave low-​ratings about the sale or of the quality of the vehicle, the burden is on the customer to inspect and determine the value. You take your chances with the upside of getting a great car at the price you want. The downside is missing severe mechanical/​technical issues. If you want to avoid the risk, buy a certified pre-​owned vehicle from a dealership instead.
So would I buy from them again? Not sure… let’s see if they ever get back to my email.