Pro Beach Volleyball Player Matthew Unger Now “LAcarGUY”

By DAYNA DRUM | Reporter

Palisadian Matthew Unger never intended on being known as the “car guy,” but he has been holding the title for over 15 years. Unger is the general manager and partner for Lexus Santa Monica, one of the 10 LAcarGUY dealerships around Los Angeles.

After growing up in Pacific Palisades and moving away for college, Unger recently returned to give his children the same experience he had growing up. “It’s a great place to grow up. It’s a safe place to be,” Unger told the Palisadian-Post. 

Volleyball was one of the three sports Unger played for Palisades Charter High School and he went on to play beach volleyball professionally for 10 years. Unger traded in his board shorts and volleyballs when the money from the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) tour slowed.

As an athlete, Unger had a sponsorship deal with Ford and his uncle owned a Ford store. Additionally, Unger had been driving Fords so it seemed like a natural progression for him to enter his uncle’s business on a part-time basis. In 2001, he transitioned to Lexus, where he has been ever since.

“I’ve realized that there’s no ceiling. The dealerships are open every day; there are opportunities to make money. This many years later, I’m still here,” Unger said.

Unger moved to the bluffs off of Las Pulgas Canyon in February and is happy to be back in his childhood community. He already sells vehicles to many Palisadians, but he wants to be involved further in the community now that he’s returned to the area. “I’d like to reinvest everything back into what people did when I was a kid,” Unger said.

Participating in annual community events like the Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce’s annual Expo Car Show and the Fourth of July parade are just a couple of the plans Unger has. The people Unger gets to meet and the relationships he’s formed are the most fun parts about being in the car business, he said.

Working with a company like Lexus is also something Unger has enjoyed about his work.“The manufacturer that stands behind the car makes this job a job that anybody would want,” he said. Since becoming a partner with Mike Sullivan, the owner of LAcarGUY, Unger sees himself at Lexus for at least the next 10 years. And after that, only time will tell.

“There’s always opportunity in this business,” Unger said.