My Car Guy Company Profile

ave Sutch, owner and founder of My Car Guy in San Francisco, is a person who spent an entire career doing one thing, while his true calling waited patiently.

A Long-Time Car Enthusiast
Dave, who graduated from San Jose State, spent over 30 years as a top-rated stockbroker. In 1983 one industry publication named him one of the Top Twenty Brokers in North America. During this time Dave collected vintage cars, including a 1954 Morgan Plus 4, a 1957 Porsche Speedster, a 1958 Alfa Romeo Gulietta Spider Veloce and a classic '67 Corvette convertible. He also raced and competed in his cars. He has participated in the California Mile, La Caerra Panamericana, The Mexican Road Race and Carerra de la Paz. He also raced in the Michelin Challenge Series for Dodge Vipers.

Over the years he met and befriended people from all over the car world, including dealers. For years, even when working as a broker, friends and acquaintances turned to Dave for advice on cars, car purchases and for help in the haggling process when they bought new cars. They thought of him as their car guy.

A Vision To Help Others
After retirement, Dave had a vision: "I'm very good at buying good vehicles," he said. "I always have been. I figured I could help people find new and used cars at wholesale prices for a flat fee." Originally that was the plan, and it worked. For a low flat fee Dave would help search for whatever vehicle his client was looking for and get it for cheaper than his client could on his or her own. He also helped others sell their cars. Then sellers wanted to leave cars with Dave so he could sell them for a consignment fee. As his inventory grew, Dave had to move to bigger digs. "I didn't expect to end up with a large inventory," he said, laughing.

Specializing in Turbo Diesels
While Dave can get any kind of vehicle that anybody is looking for, over time he has come to specialize in turbo diesels. "I came across Volkswagen turbo diesels; I liked them as an alternative to hybrids because they get better mileage," he said. "There was a test between a Toyota Prius and a VW Jetta and the Jetta won at forty-nine miles per gallon. I've actually gotten fifty-seven miles per gallon in a Jetta."

Dave has access to many other turbo diesels from many manufacturers as well. According to his Web site, using Dave to find your new vehicle will save you a tremendous amount of time, eliminate any haggling with sales people and net you a deal that you can't likely touch on your own.

Able To Save His Clients A Lot of Money
"I don't know why I'm good at picking cars," said Dave. "But I have good instincts and a lot of experience. When I call dealers I find out how many days they've had a particular car and how much they'll sell it for. I talk to management, not salespeople," he added. "For example, if they're asking thirty-nine thousand, I can probably get it for thirty-six and a half. I save my clients a lot of money. I can get cars for wholesales to ten percent under on used."

Dave claims that if he can't save you a significant amount over what you could likely negotiate on your own, his flat fee is lowered. Customers see the dealer's invoice before the sale is finalized. Everything is transparent, from the price to the broker's fee.

My Car Guy has earned the prestigious Diamond Certified designation for the highest ratings in customer service and satisfaction. It is San Francisco's only Diamond Certified Auto Broker/Dealer.

Smart Cars
Recently Dave has begun to add European Smart Cars to his inventory. After import, the cars are adjusted to pass smog and other local regulations. His Web site lists his current inventory and has plenty of information on how you can save money using his services. When people ask how you got such a great deal, you can say, "from My Car Guy."


                                                                ---Jim Brumm
                                                                    Staff Writer
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