Auto City
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Auto City - How We Source Our Cars

Auto City – How We Source Our Cars

Auto City advantage of superior inventory

At Auto City we only choose the best used car cars in San Diego and forget the rest!


One of the most common questions we get from people is about where we get our cars. Some people want to know this because they’re just curious. Other people are on the lookout for something very specific in the answer. If we say we get some of our cars from wholesale dealer-only auto auctions , they run the other way. There’s a widely held assumption out there that car auctions are only for inferior vehicles that no one in their right mind would ever want. But nothing could be further from the truth.

But first, it’s important to understand that we get our inventory from a variety of sources. We’ll buy a used car from just about anyone – as long as the car is great. If you have a used car that it’s in awesome shape, we’d love to buy it from you. You can get details about selling or trading in your car to us on Auto City’s Trade or Sell Your Car page.

And yes, like most used car dealerships in San Diego , we do get some of our cars from wholesale auctions, but we take the time to make sure anything we buy is top quality. That’s where our expert buyers come into play. Millions of lease returns, trade-ins and bank-owned vehicles are sold through wholesale auctions every year. Nearly every car will end up at an auction at least once in its lifetime. Our buyers look at a hundred or more cars just to buy one. We work very hard to choose only the best vehicles.

We call this the Auto City advantage of superior selection. It means we only select superior vehicles to begin with! You don’t want to buy a lemon, and we won’t sell you one. We select the best, and forget the rest.

At Auto City you can eye it, try it, and buy it with confidence because we’ve done the legwork for you. Each and every car at Auto City has been thoroughly inspected, reconditioned, and detailed to the highest industry standards. Here’s the process we use on every car:

Our service and reconditioning department is equipped with the latest in automotive technology and is staffed with a team of seasoned professionals with years of experience and solid automotive expertise. We start with a detailed vehicle inspection to check for any needed maintenance, repairs or cosmetic blemishes. We then perform the necessary maintenance or repairs. This always includes an oil change and simple maintenance.

Sometimes, however, a vehicle may require reconditioning beyond basic maintenance, such as tires, belts, gaskets, engine work, or a scratched panel may need to be repainted. Whatever a vehicle may need, we make sure it gets done. The final steps are detailing and quality control. Only then we are ready to present the vehicle to the public on our lot.

Then we give that car the best price you’ll find anywhere, so you don’t even have to haggle. Every car comes with a warranty, and if for any reason you have second thoughts about your purchase, you can return the car within three days for a full refund, no questions asked.

Our inventory is very dynamic and we add new vehicles daily. Our team of buyers and a reconditioning department are hard at work every day to provide superior selection and quality. We also frequently update our specials. Browse our current inventory at Auto City in San Diego to find your next vehicle. We have hundreds to choose from!

To learn more, watch this fun video about our inventory: