Toyota Dealer Robert L. Hix Dies at 68

Robert L. Hix, the Orange County car dealer who made his Toyota of Orange agency the second largest in the nation by advertising aggressively during the oil crisis of 1980, died Monday morning following an operation to repair an aneurysm. He was 68. Behind the award-winning slogan, “You won’t get a lemon at Toyota of Orange,” Hix’s agency reached sales of more than 6,000 vehicles a year.

“People buy when they are invited to buy,” Hix said in a 1980 interview, explaining why he stepped up his publicity campaign even as others in the then-battered auto sales industry were slashing their budgets.

“He prided himself in providing a very good place for people to work, and he required from his sales people the highest moral and ethical standards. That was the key to his success,” said Randy Hix, his son and longtime business associate.

Robert Hix bought the Toyota franchise in 1974 and sold it four years ago, when he retired and moved to Los Angeles.

In 1986, he came out of retirement to start a new franchise, the Bob Hix Pontiac dealership.

He was born in Zearing, Iowa, in 1919. After serving at the Pentagon during World War II, Hix moved to California and, in 1949, became a car salesman.

In 1972, he bought his first auto dealership, Triangle Toyota in Hawaiian Gardens, which later became Toyota Cerritos under a new owner.

Hix was an active member of Childhelp USA, a charity that supports and houses abused children.

In addition to his son, Randy, he is survived by two daughters, Christy Toavs and Lisa Hix Pescan; a sister, Arlene Johnson, and five grandchildren.

Services will be at 1 p.m. today at Fairhaven Mortuary, Santa Ana. Donations to Childhelp are requested in care of the funeral home.