California Cars - Thousand Oaks?

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

Hi, Anyone have any experiences pro or con with this dealer that they can share with me? Private Message PM would be fine. Thanks

Ronbo · 06-25-2005, 04:47 PM

I went there when they used to be located in Calabasas. They were a low pressure dealership, but the cars definately looked better in pictures than in person. They also wouldn't allow a PPI. This was about 10 years ago, so maybe they changed their policies.

drums · 06-25-2005, 05:07 PM

I bought my '89 from them and had good experiences with them. This was back when they were in Calabasas, also.
There is/was a guy I know who moved with them [the only one], his name is Rich. Ask for him, he is one of the owners [at least last I know of] and he treated me with the utmost respect. I know he is a 'Porsche guy' and races them, too.
A month after buying the car, there was a very strong gas odor, I took it to them, they changed the fuel line [behind the engine] for nothing.
Pretty stand up, I'd say.
Drums

Kurt B · 06-25-2005, 05:20 PM

I got my red car from them 1999. They *****ed me as a noob.
Fuk em. Don't go there.
I really knew nothing back then and stupidly trusted them. The guy took me for a ride in the red car, and I turned on the AC.
He said "The AC is really poor in these things," instead of the truth which was "The compressor is frozen in back and couldn't run without help from the Lord. In fact, it's not even hooked up."

FUK EM.
I got the 91C2 from a couple o' Indian dudes in Santa Monica, and they were open and honest in every single-god-dammed way (of course by then, I was going through everything important to me, hints of respray, ever single item perfect and new, wiring perfect , even on how the cab top was mounted since I'd learned so much in the interim).

PS.
FUK EM. Send em to this link if they have any doubts. They were dishonest with me.

Kurt B · 06-25-2005, 05:22 PM

Oh yeah. I forgot. California Cars *****ed me.
I love the red car BTW. It's my pride and joy, and it's a great little monster, but I hate dishonesty.

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

Hi Kurt...other than the AC....what else did they dik you on? Im looking for opinions as they have a car that that Im interested in. PM me if youd like thanks

ScottKelly911 · ScottKelly911's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Kurt B
I got my red car from them 1999. They *****ed me as a noob.
Fuk em. Don't go there.
I really knew nothing back then and stupidly trusted them. The guy took me for a ride in the red car, and I turned on the AC.
He said "The AC is really poor in these things," instead of the truth which was "The compressor is frozen in back and couldn't run without help from the Lord. In fact, it's not even hooked up."

FUK EM.
I got the 91C2 from a couple o' Indian dudes in Santa Monica, and they were open and honest in every single-god-dammed way (of course by then, I was going through everything important to me, hints of respray, ever single item perfect and new, wiring perfect , even on how the cab top was mounted since I'd learned so much in the interim).

PS.
FUK EM. Send em to this link if they have any doubts. They were dishonest with me.

Hey Kurt, how do you really feel about them? lol

PatrickB · PatrickB's Garage

Hell hath no fury, like a scorned 911 owner...

RoninLB · 06-26-2005, 06:35 AM

the 911 dealer on Lincoln Bl in Marina Del Rey is another prize winner.

I'd just go to a shop like TRE in NH and ask what's happening for a used 911 with their custiomers. Redline is another good shop if you're into that kind of buying.

Quicksilver · 06-26-2005, 07:55 AM

I bought my car there and they weren't up front about its condition. At least I had my eyes open. They said the car had never been in an accident but in the bright sunlight it was obvious that it had been resprayed on the passenger fender and door.

It also had the wrong rear window in it. An 87 is the only Carrera that had the upper rear brake light at the bottom of the window. A few years later I found glass in the speakers.

This all being said, I was looking specifically for a lower priced car. The chassis was square and I didn't care about the interior because it was going to go away anyway. The car actually had less problems down the road then I expected.

Oh, the first irritating bit... The only 911 I had any experience with had a drysump tank with a sight tube where the rear passenger seat was so I had no idea how to check the oil. They let me leave there with it a bit over 3 quarts low!

I'm happy with the car but I'm not happy with them.

Jared at Pelican Parts · 06-26-2005, 10:09 AM

Dont buy from them.

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

Over priced roaches....the guy may be a "Porsche guy" but they are pretentiuos rip offs.....

Except for new, I would never buy any car off of a lot....specially from those guys. Went looking there a couple of times....once for a 914/6....turned out to be a raped piece of crap and another time at an SC....same classification.

Bob's Flat-Six · Bob's Flat-Six's Garage

The key to finding a good Porsche or anything for that matter is doing your homework.
I've bought good cars from little lot's that their only specialty was 4 wheels.

Just keep in mind that if it's for sale their motivation is to make the sale.
This runs the gamut in anything your looking to buy new or used.
From new houses built on bad soil to anything you pic up at a swap meet.
Keep your emotions under control and if your not knowledgeable in an area pay someone who is. If the seller isn't agreeable to 3rd party inspections, walk.

As for good deals, don't let that be your only motivation to make the purchase. Be willing to pay a fair price that the seller and buyer are both happy with.
And also be willing to pay a little extra for something really special.

widebody911 · widebody911's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by RoninLB
the 911 dealer on Lincoln Bl in Marina Del Rey is another prize winner.

A friend of mine lives right down the street from there, and I took a look at what they had the last time I was there. I'm guessing most of these cars had salvage titles or were close to it when they were dragged in there. They had a lot of 911's on the lot, but most had that rode-hard-put-away-wet ambiance about them.

techweenie · techweenie's Garage

I sold an '87 cab by consignment with California Cars in ablout '92. Took them a while to sell, and they ground me on the price.

Weeks later, I spotted my old car at a stereo shop and stopped to chat up the new owner (an attractive woman). Asked her what she was doing, and she said "adding a CD changer." I said, "what happened to the changer that was in it?"

Bottom line: California Cars had removed the CD changer from my car before selling it, and back then, they weren't exactly cheap.

YMMV