How does one get started in car sales?

[HudsonFalcon]

I didn't work in auto sales but I did sell restaurant equipment in the late 2000's just when the market took a huge shit unfortunately.

If you're a people person, know the product you're selling and can be honest then I say go for it. I truly enjoyed helping my customers before, during and after the sale. Plus, the rush of closing a deal can be quite intoxicating.

The most important lesson i learned is that, when everything else is equal, people buy from people.

 

[Buckwheat 1]

Honest to God, I would love to work with you. Haha We would have a blast.

You have bowls full of gummy dicks for your bad salesmen?

 

[13COBRA]

You have bowls full of gummy dicks for your bad salesmen?

Nope lol I imagine that would be a sexual harassment case waiting to happen.

Instead I make them help move the cars on the lot around, follow up with service customers to ensure good reviews, etc.

I don't define a bad salesman by the amount of volume or gross he brings to the table...I define them by if they're just being stupid or not.

 

[Buckwheat 1]

Nope lol I imagine that would be a sexual harassment case waiting to happen.

Instead I make them help move the cars on the lot around, follow up with service customers to ensure good reviews, etc.

I don't define a bad salesman by the amount of volume or gross he brings to the table...I define them by if they're just being stupid or not.

Even if it was a parting gift.

 

[SweetSVT99]

35 years of being in the store, you'd think if we ran it awfully, then it wouldn't be 35 years long.

Dealership culture and atmospheres are toxic. Unless the store is highly corporate and has proper safeguards in place, the average dealership will be full of golf playing divorcee's that talk about cheating on their wives. It's a very common theme at ANY dealership.

The automotive industry is difficult to exit once your in it. And I am a firm believer that the dealership model will change, just as you say it's changing, but in a way that it moves towards a carmax or Tesla model. It's going to become more and more convoluted as they cut back on sales staff, utilize more electronic devices and porters, and make the sales process more objective.

Point is, salesmen are very disposable. It's not a job that you have much security in and I find it to be not worth it.

I am not in the car sales business, never have been, and have no aspirations to be. However, I have a few close friends who are in various capacities and this is exactly how I would describe the business. Maybe it's just certain areas or something.

 

[03cobra#694]

Honest to God, I would love to work with you. Haha We would have a blast.

Probably too much Nick. Picked up a huge account last week. My boss is happy, but not. Need to hire more people, and try to find ones that are qualified...

 

[13COBRA]

Even if it was a parting gift.

I don't dare test the waters. I hate spending money on stupid things, like: lawsuits, non-alcoholic beer, and born-again-virgin strippers.

 

[03cobra#694]

I don't dare test the waters. I hate spending money on stupid things, like: lawsuits, non-alcoholic beer, and born-again-virgin strippers.

Hookers and blow are ok though, right?

 

[phillycobra99]

The hardest part from the consumer's aspect is knowing if your getting the lowest price the salesman is willing to go or not. I haven't met a salesman yet who is convincing enough.

 

[SweetSVT99]

The hardest part from the consumer's aspect is knowing if your getting the lowest price the salesman is willing to go or not. I haven't met a salesman yet who is convincing enough.

I don't think the salesman has much say in that at most dealerships, it's the guy above him who is feeding him the numbers to take back to the customer.

 

[phillycobra99]

I don't think the salesman has much say in that at most dealerships, it's the guy above him who is feeding him the numbers to take back to the customer.

Makes sense, so what triggers the Manager coming over to try and negotiate the deal?

 

[SweetSVT99]

Makes sense, so what triggers the Manager coming over to try and negotiate the deal?

Probably either the sales manager thinking the salesman is doing a crap job, a tactic to make the customer believe he or she is so important the boss is coming out of the office to talk directly, or a combination of both. Never sold anything in my life though, so I have no idea

 

[13COBRA]

Makes sense, so what triggers the Manager coming over to try and negotiate the deal?

A lot of dealerships will let you walk if it's over a couple hundred dollars or so.

I'm not going to beg someone to buy from me and breakeven or lose (after paying the salesman).

I think there's a fair price that consumers should be willing to pay, and a fair price the dealer would be willing to sell for.

At the end of the day, you're buying a product, but also a service. Depending on the store and the salesman, your service could vary greatly; just ask @Screw-Rice

 

[M91196]

This worth listening to, I've been told it's a great inside take on car sales life at crunch time

https://m.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/513/129-cars

"We spend a month at a Jeep dealership on Long Island as they try to make their monthly sales goal: 129 cars. If they make it, they'll get a huge bonus from the manufacturer, possibly as high as $85,000 — enough to put them in the black for the month. If they don't make it, it'll be the second month in a row. So they pull out all the stops."

 

[Buckwheat 1]

I don't dare test the waters. I hate spending money on stupid things, like: lawsuits, non-alcoholic beer, and born-again-virgin strippers.

Best attorney in the country right here.

 

[Screw-Rice]

A lot of dealerships will let you walk if it's over a couple hundred dollars or so.

I'm not going to beg someone to buy from me and breakeven or lose (after paying the salesman).

I think there's a fair price that consumers should be willing to pay, and a fair price the dealer would be willing to sell for.

At the end of the day, you're buying a product, but also a service. Depending on the store and the salesman, your service could vary greatly; just ask @Screw-Rice

The difference between a good dealer (extremely rare here) and a bad one (plentiful here) can be all the difference. Bought a truck last week over 3 hours away instead of one literally 15 minutes away because the salesman tried some sleezy "tough guy" bullshit among some of the other experiences I had.

 

[13COBRA]

This worth listening to, I've been told it's a great inside take on car sales life at crunch time

https://m.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/513/129-cars

"We spend a month at a Jeep dealership on Long Island as they try to make their monthly sales goal: 129 cars. If they make it, they'll get a huge bonus from the manufacturer, possibly as high as $85,000 — enough to put them in the black for the month. If they don't make it, it'll be the second month in a row. So they pull out all the stops."

A lot of manufacturers have gone away from that stair step program.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[rotor_powerd]

Small sized dealerships you can make $85-90k being a good salesman. Middle of the road stores you can make $120k. Large stores you can make upwards of $300k.



I've never heard of a salesman hitting $1mil a year. I have met 3 guys that made over $500k at least once.



Close, for a smaller store.

I was joking - was saying by the way they talked, they want you to think that. That seems to be true for salesmen in any industry though.

 

[03cobra#694]

View attachment 92566
Best attorney in the country right here.

Jesus, you post stupid shit sometimes.

 

[choate]

I'm a buyer with this

Sent from my SCH-I545 using the svtperformance.com mobile app