DRIVEN BY PASSION

SCOT PRESCOTT, FOUNDER OF AUTO VAULT ON RODEO DRIVE, TRANSFORMS LUXURY CAR CARE INTO AN ART FORM, CELEBRATING 45 YEARS OF SAFEGUARDING THE WORLD'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS VEHICLES WITH A BLEND OF PASSION, PRECISION, AND UNPARALLELED DEDICATION

By Cary Schultz
Men’s Grooming by Lashelle Ullie
Photography by Michael Allen

Photo by Michael Allen

At Auto Vault on Rodeo Drive, the practice of storing and caring for exotic automobiles reaches new heights, driven by the passion and dedication of founder Scot Prescott, the guardian of some of the most prestigious vehicles in existence. With the knowledge that Scot has acquired over the last 45 years, he has assisted car collectors in enjoying and appreciating their automotive collections.

Growing up as a car-loving teenager in a small New Hampshire town, Prescott's early days were spent immersed in car magazines and films like Starsky and Hutch and Bullitt, dreaming of his own automotive adventures. This fascination led to a pivotal moment at 15 when he took on his first car restoration project: "My dream car as a child was a '57 Chevy Bel Air. However, in the woods near our street, I stumbled upon a neglected '55 Pontiac with a tree growing right through it. I asked the owners if they'd sell it and they offered it for free if I could remove it, so with a bulldozer and a chainsaw, I extracted the car. I worked on it, eventually got it running, and that Pontiac became my first car."

Always industrious, Scot maintained a year-round job mowing lawns and shoveling driveways from the age of 12. He would bike to these jobs, towing his lawnmower behind him.

"For more distant jobs, my mother would drop me off in our station wagon." The work was often challenging; he describes one large property: "It had such an expansive yard that it took five hours with a riding tractor to mow, sometimes requiring me to continue the job the next day to avoid the midday heat."

This dedication not only earned him pocket money but also taught him valuable lessons in financial responsibility. "My parents covered basic needs, but if my brother and I wanted something more expensive, like the $14 All-Star Converse instead of the basic $7 pair, we had to pay the difference." This system, he reflects, "not only afforded us the 'Cadillac of shoes' but also instilled in us the value of hard work and money from a young age."

In the 1970s, at just 17, Scot moved to California and launched his first venture, Detail 301, in the San Fernando Valley. Starting modestly, he focused on washing and detailing cars. His commitment to excellence and a deep understanding of luxury vehicles led to the evolution of his business into Auto Vault, the premier luxury automotive concierge service on Rodeo Drive. Over four decades, his business has catered to thousands of clients, ensuring the safety and upkeep of their cherished automobiles. "When I started Auto Vault, I did not see the full picture. Auto Vault grew out of customer needs for maintaining their vehicles. It's turned into a passion for people and the values of relationships."

Photo by Michael Allen

His approach is heavily influenced by his New England roots. "Growing up in a small town with 148 people, you know everyone. You are friendly and respectful to everyone," he remembers, underscoring how these values have shaped his business ethics and customer relationships. "I treat all my clients like family."

These principles were reinforced by his mentors in California, who helped him navigate the business world with practical advice: "My whole way of learning business was to make a mistake, get back up, and try it again."

An early career highlight for Prescott was detailing a yellow Rolls Royce Corniche for radio legend Casey Kasem. "Back in the early '80s before Two Rodeo was there, it used to be a used car lot on Wilshire and Rodeo Drive and there I washed and detailed my very first celebrity car. It was very exciting."

Transitioning from rural New Hampshire to Beverly Hills was a significant adjustment from a familiar small town to a major urban area. Living in Beverly Hills offers many benefits, but for Prescott, the community is key.

"It's surprising, people think it's all superficial, but that hasn’t been my experience. There are many more really amazing people here. And to work with them is quite an honor," he reflects.

Photo by Michael Allen

His dedication to the Beverly Hills community is evident through Auto Vault's sponsorship of local events such as the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance, a Father’s Day tradition for over 29 years.

As Auto Vault marks its 45th anniversary, Scot reflects on the automotive industry’s changes. "I have seen the automotive industry evolve in technical, performance, horsepower, aerodynamics, and handling. Cars had much more simplicity before—you could work on them in the '60s and ‘70s—but today it's too much technology to work on your own car. . . to see all the things the car companies have done from the beginning and through my lifetime has been amazing."

Scot starts his day with a stroll down Rodeo Drive alongside his Yorkshire Terrier puppies, Jennifer Marie and Mimi Lily, before meticulously planning to address each customer's needs. "A lot of cars to clients are like their children. Every customer's needs are different. Every car's needs are different." To unwind after a busy day at Auto Vault, he engages in a mental exercise to clear his mind recharge, and start again the next morning.

If Scot hadn't founded Auto Vault on Rodeo Drive, he might have pursued a career as an automotive designer. His journey was significantly influenced by reading Shelby, the biography of Carroll Shelby—a legendary figure in American automotive history known for his contributions as a designer, racer, and entrepreneur. "Since I was about five or six, I've been assembling model cars and drawing my own designs. I always dreamed of relocating to Los Angeles to cruise down Van Nuys Boulevard, taking in the parade of cars."

Scot was once an avid boater and scuba diver. He served as the head of the Marina del Rey dive club and owned an offshore boat for several years. This deep connection to the aquatic world reflects another of his passions. “I'm Pisces, so I kind of relate to the water. I've always said that the ocean was the washing machine of the mind," he shares.

Today, Scot’s favorite ride is the iconic 1989 Ferrari F40, yet he remains refreshingly humble: "Being in a very luxurious town, I'm a very simple guy."

He defines success as a mindset, asserting, "It’s about feeling content and grateful, whether you're driving a Toyota or a Bugatti—that's true success."

His reassuring advice to his younger self? "Don't worry so much because it's going to work out."