If you ever wondered where automotive YouTube sensation Doug DeMuro dreams up his daily content, the answer is appropriately unusual. Three stories below ground, entirely windowless, and accessible only via a dedicated, heavy-duty car elevator, the official Cars and Bids headquarters looks and functions exactly like a billionaire superhero’s secret automotive lair. This subterranean garage serves simultaneously as an active vehicle storage facility, an open-concept corporate office, and a fully equipped television production studio.
Because the massive concrete room lacks any interior walls or soundproofing, conducting daily corporate business here requires some incredibly creative workarounds. When DeMuro is actively filming vehicle reviews under the bright studio lights, employees are completely forbidden from taking meetings or having loud conversations due to the aggressive echo. As a result, when the staff needs to make a private phone call or join a Zoom meeting, they simply climb into a manual BMW X5 or whatever classic sports car happens to be parked nearby, essentially turning the inventory into highly expensive office cubicles.
YouTube: Petersen Automotive Museum
A Rotating Cast of Quirks and Features
The Petersen Automotive Museum YouTube channel featured Doug’s garage and the inventory parked beneath the streets of San Diego is exactly as quirky as you would expect from DeMuro. Rather than focusing exclusively on multi-million dollar exotics, the basement is filled with a fascinating, rotating cast of low-mileage oddities and future classics currently awaiting review and auction. On any given day, the floor space might feature a mint-condition Nissan Pathfinder with just 800 original miles, an ultra-rare Lotus 340R, or a pristine third-generation Acura TL.
The staggering inventory continues with a low-mileage Pontiac Firebird Ram Air, a V12 Aston Martin Vanquish, a front-wheel-drive Lotus Elan, a fifth-generation Dodge Viper SRT, and a 1960s Alfa Romeo TZ. Rounding out the diverse auction lineup is a Nissan Skyline R34, a turbo-diesel Toyota Land Cruiser 80 series, a right-hand-drive Ford Sierra Cosworth, and a 2009 Maserati GranTurismo uniquely converted to a gated six-speed manual.
YouTube: Petersen Automotive Museum
Living in the Lair
While DeMuro famously drove his 2005 Ford GT across the country rather than preserving it like an 8-mile museum piece, his current personal fleet parked in the lair includes a beloved Lamborghini Countach and a worn 1999 Mercedes-Benz G500 Cabriolet. Employee Ryan Lopez’s custom “Zesty” drift car also shares the floor. Beyond the vehicles, the facility is thoroughly equipped to keep the Cars and Bids team operating around the clock, featuring a full kitchen routinely stocked with donuts, a laundry room, and a full bathroom.
When the team actually takes a break from reviewing rare Japanese imports and manual-swapped Maseratis, they retreat to a sprawling entertainment section. The hangout space includes a large putting green, comfortable couches, and an incredibly high-end racing simulator custom-built by Linus Tech Tips. The sim is even connected to a physical leaderboard, proving that even when they are off the clock, the crew never truly stops chasing lap times. Ultimately, this hidden subterranean bunker serves as the perfect headquarters for the rapidly growing auction platform, perfectly reflecting the passionate and quirky car culture DeMuro has championed for over a decade.
YouTube: Petersen Automotive Museum
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Roy Robles
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