Car Buying Concierge in Malibu

Malibu has 21 miles of coastline and no new-car dealers. Every trip to a showroom means PCH one way or a canyon road the other, and a full day gone before anyone talks numbers.

So don't make the trip until the deal is done. You tell us what you want, we negotiate with the dealers on both sides of the mountains, and you get a written out-the-door price. Then you sign at home or make one short visit.

Two directions, two sets of dealers

Malibu buyers split by geography. From the east end and Point Dume, a lot of people head down PCH into Santa Monica, where BMW of Santa Monica and Toyota Santa Monica sit on Santa Monica Boulevard. From western Malibu, it's often easier to go over Kanan or Malibu Canyon to the 101. Mercedes-Benz of Calabasas is right off the freeway in Calabasas. A bit farther, the Thousand Oaks auto mall has Porsche Westlake, Mercedes-Benz of Thousand Oaks, Land Rover of Thousand Oaks and Lexus of Thousand Oaks.

That spread is useful. Most buyers only shop one side because the drive is a pain. We shop both, which means two Mercedes-Benz stores and several luxury brands quoting the same car, in writing, without you leaving home.

   

What Malibu tends to drive

Plenty of Malibu cars need to handle sand, canyon roads and the occasional washed-out shoulder. Land Rover Defender and Range Rover, Mercedes-Benz G-Class and GLS, Porsche Cayenne, Lexus GX and Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser all make sense here. So do weekend cars, like a 911 for an early morning run on PCH. Electric SUVs are popular with people who have solar and home charging, though the long gaps between fast chargers on the coast deserve a hard look.

Lease or buy?

Malibu miles are long miles. A round trip to Santa Monica, Century City or the Valley can easily run 40 to 60 miles, so low-mileage leases are often a bad fit. If you do lease, we'll set a realistic cap from the start. Buying often wins for rugged SUVs you'll keep for years and drive hard, and for cars that hold value well.

Salt air and sun are tough on paint and trim, so dealers here push protection packages hard. Some are worth it for coastal owners, most are overpriced. We'll tell you which is which and what they should cost.

   

Who's working for you

John Ricci spent about 30 years inside dealerships, including time as a Finance Director, before switching sides about 20 years ago. He knows the add-on menu from the inside, and he works only for buyers.

How it works

 
1. You tell us the car, budget, and timeline. One short call covers it. Torn between two models? We'll help you think it through.
 
2. We shop dealers and negotiate. We contact the stores, compare real inventory, and get the out-the-door number in writing. You don't take sales calls.
 
3. You approve the deal and drive. You see every line before you sign. Say yes, and we set up the signing, or delivery when the dealer offers it.

Price and guarantee

 
• $997 flat for a new-car purchase or lease.
 
• $497 to add your trade-in.
 
• Guarantee: if our savings don't beat the fee, you pay nothing.
 
• Our clients save about $3,200 on average.

No commissions and no dealer money. You're the only one paying us, so you're the only one we work for.

Your Malibu Questions, Answered

The most common questions Malibu buyers ask us before we get to work.

Do I really have to drive to Thousand Oaks or Santa Monica?

Often not. We negotiate remotely, and many dealers will deliver the car and paperwork to your home in Malibu for signing. Some want a short in-person signing. Either way it's one trip, not a day of back and forth.

Is an EV practical for life in Malibu?

It can be, if you charge at home. Fast chargers along PCH are limited, so we'll talk through your typical drives before you commit. A plug-in hybrid or a regular hybrid SUV is often the more relaxed choice here.

Should I buy the paint and interior protection packages for coastal driving?

Maybe one, rarely all of them. Dealer packages are often marked up heavily. We'll tell you what's worth paying for, negotiate the price down, or get it removed from the contract entirely.

One call, then one trip

Want the full picture first? Read how our car buying concierge service works, or see every city on our areas we serve page. Nearby: Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica.

Get started for $997 or call or text (949) 270-3307.