Car Salesmen

[VroomPshhTsi]

I know there are a few on this site. Just wondering if you could share your thoughts on a few questions.

What training did you go through?
What is your favorite/least favorite part of the job?
How can one (23 year old) start in the auto sales industry?
How did you land your current (or past) jobs?


Any help is appreciated. Thanks.


- Brian

[Slow Joe]

I know there are a few on this site. Just wondering if you could share your thoughts on a few questions.

What training did you go through?
What is your favorite/least favorite part of the job?
How can one (23 year old) start in the auto sales industry?
How did you land your current (or past) jobs?


Any help is appreciated. Thanks.


- Brian


I started the EVS Way :rolf Which might not be the right way, but it was a start none the less...

*For Training I went to the DMV, got the book, studied it and went and passed my test. Some dealerships have training courses for newbies.
*Favorite part of the job is when business is good and cars are sellin and you're makin money.
*Least favorite is just the opposite, which is normally winter so at some dealerships you have the last favorite part (not selling much) with the addition of snow removal.
*I started sellin cars at 19 at EVS in the Falls. Getting a job selling cars is quite simple, show initiative, show that you want to sell cars and that you'll be good at it, and show that you want to make alot of money (the last shows that you're truely motivated).
*Past jobs, I landed mainly by knowing someone that I had met while working at EVS.. (except the job at EVS obviously, then I was hard up for a job and needed cash)...

I'm sure some of the others will chime in, but that's my story :thumbsup

[Red97GTP]

I got my training through our dealership. Favorite part is when you make a huge deal and get a big commission. Least favorite, the constant arguing with managers, and the down time. I got the job because I knew the finance manager's son. I was hired at Dodgeland a few years back, and got the job without knowing anyone. I think the younger you are, the more eager you are for money, and if you have knowledge about cars that's a plus, too.

[formul8]

Managers at dealerships want dumb salespeople. They are easier to whip. I spent 3 years of my life in the car business. I hated almost every minute of it.

What training did you go through?

I got some training, but you pick it up as you go along. You learn how to manipulate both the customer AND the manager. Don't ever think either one is on your side. You are just the middleman.

What is your favorite/least favorite part of the job?
It can be fun when you have cool customers and sell interesting products that command a decent profit.

The sucky part is the downtime, the two 12 hour days per week (commonly called "bust outs", standing around bullshitting and picking up bad habits, boredom, slave driver managers, mooching customers, making $50 commissions, Jan/Feb/Mar- the "ramen noodle months", mooching customers, running around for nothing sometimes, boredom, evil managers, having shitty inventory, dealer trades, lazy porters, greedy finance managers that blow up deals, combative customers, getting nailed of CSI surveys that kill bonuses, etc... That is only half of the reasons.

How can one (23 year old) start in the auto sales industry?
Apply somewhere. Some managers love people with no experience because they can mold you into their style because you don't now any better.

How did you land your current (or past) jobs?
Just went in and applied. The beauty of the car business is: After a while and a few dealerships, you will know lots of people and you can quit or get fired today and have another job tomorrow. It is a nomadic, almost gypsy-like business in many ways.

[Car Guy]

^^^^^ I couldn't have said it better...!!! I filled in as a 'salesman' only a few times in my three or so years at a Ford dealership and quickly realized how shitty it can be. There is $$$ to be made but it's far and few between.....

The worst part is how you're treated by almost everybody, no way in hell I could deal with that without going 'postal' in a heartbeat.....







:3gears: :3gears: :3gears:

[ND4SPD]

Worst part would be combative, know-it-all, (know the actual prices of the vehicles) customers like me that only want you to make a couple hundred bucks on a sale. ;)

[VroomPshhTsi]

Thanks for the input. I've always been interested in car sales (I know eveyr profession has it's bad parts) so just keeping my eyes open.

Another question about pay. About how much of your salary is commission? Are you guys on salary+com. or is it $/hour+com.?

[Karps TA]

IMO you couldn't be picking a worse time to think about being in car sales. Economy is in the crapper, car sales have sucked the last year or so to begin with, and with $4 gas apparently on the horizon besides the people trying to get out of SUV's there isn't going to be alot of people buying.

The best part about working in auto sales is once you get in you'll always have a job. It's the most recycled job force you'll ever encounter. You suck as a sales manager at X, don't worry cause Y, and Z will be right there to hire you and allow you to suck there as well.

If you like cars alot, selling cars isn't the greatest job to me. Even if you work say for Chevrolet cause you love Corvettes, odds are you may get to sell one Vette, but you'll end up selling a bunch of stupid crap like Cobalts and Aveos. Real hard to tell someone with a straight face that the Aveo they are looking at is a nice car.

I've been around dealerships since I was like 5 and worked at 1.5 and thought it was a miserable experience. I still can't believe my mom's been at the same one for 30 years +

[Flight_740]

God am I lucky. I never had to work for the big guys. My old man took me in and I was just told to sell cars. So thats what I did. Me and my dad work more as a team than anything. Not to mention my dad was in the business for many years before buying his own so he was a great coach.


Really the only shitty part of my job is customers coming in and treating me like the "stupid used car salesman". But jokes on them. I kick them out!!! They ask for the manager and I say "I am the manager now get out".:rolf:rolf:rolf


Believe it or not, the customers can be really harsh on the salesman just trying to do his job.



Could I sell more cars by kissing azz to these people? Probably yes. Is it worth it? Hell no.

[GRAMPS SS]

gift of bullshitt helps....

[lordairgtar]

Just go do it. You'll have to take a test to get licensed. I worked for one of those little cheapy lots on Forest Home years back and got my taste of it, but you don't make a lot doing those kind of places. Try for a job at a "brand" store, one preferably standing alone. I think those places would be easier to work at given the culture at the mega lots or places that are multi-make stores.

[Slow Joe]

Another question about pay. About how much of your salary is commission? Are you guys on salary+com. or is it $/hour+com.?

That depends on the place you work at... The place I was at was an hourly wadge (minimum wadge) which was a draw check. That came out of your commission check. Your only source of income was your commission check. You could go for a month without selling anything, and you'd owe the dealership your minimum wadge checks back the next month.

[CobraSnake]

Thanks for the input. I've always been interested in car sales (I know eveyr profession has it's bad parts) so just keeping my eyes open.

Another question about pay. About how much of your salary is commission? Are you guys on salary+com. or is it $/hour+com.?

yeah good luck. Every car sales jobs that i've either worked or applied for is 100% commission. I'm selling furniture now because turn around is alot better then cars and I don't have to stand outside all day. I'm actually trying to get out of sales but its so hard because thats all I know. The thing about sales is this you either make or you don't. So like these guys said when you go in to apply just apply and make it seem like your really interested in making lots of money and selling cars. You will get hired either on the spot or they don't want you. Thats how every sales job i've applied for in the past has been at least anyways. But, like I said I was thinking about getting out of sales and getting something with a little bit of guaranteed money. So I might be getting my CDL.

Mark

[juicedimpss]

I know there are a few on this site. Just wondering if you could share your thoughts on a few questions.

What training did you go through?
What is your favorite/least favorite part of the job?
How can one (23 year old) start in the auto sales industry?
How did you land your current (or past) jobs?


Any help is appreciated. Thanks.


- Brian

try to find the "Joe Verde" videos,he is a bit boring to listen to,but has some really great strategies.If you follow some of his ideas,you will do fine.

[Slow Joe]

If you do decide to get into the car business, drop me a PM, I have a ton of CDs that you could listen to...

[GRAMPS SS]

I Love Sales............

[Slow Joe]

I Love Sales............

Depends on what you sell... I love sales as well... :thumbsup

There is one very good plus to being in car sales... It's sales experience that you can take anywhere...

[Karps TA]

If you're going to be serious about this make sure you come in dressed the part
http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/1163443/2/istockphoto_1163443_used_car_salesman.jpg

As for it being sales experience, I work with alot of sales people and I can always tell if they sold cars in their past. And that's not a compliment. lol

[Crawlin]

I got recruited from Best Buy, hated it cause i was 18 y/o and no one took you seriously. That was in '99.

So i tried it again when I was a little older. Joe Verde tapes for a couple days then on the sales floor.

I sold cars for all of about 3 months. Then I was promoted to internet manager for Braeger, then BDC manager, and then moved on to Heiser to do internet. did that one more year, doubling their internet business(i did on average about 26-35 cars/month)

then i got into F&I and into the best part about it, SUB-PRIME :) I hate talking to customers that think they have all the answers. We have customers that will take a higher rate through, let's say Landmark, then they would have gotten through the dealership AND us using Landmark for them, JUST BECAUSE they don't want the dealership to make money. At that point I just laugh and point out their flawed thinking and show them the $1000 in savings they would have gotten and just deliver the car and keep laughing. Not my friggen money :) I enjoy telling people YES when everyone else has told them NO. Yes I make money on them. Without that we wouldn't have service departments and showrooms to bring them the products they want. I have a conscious. I will not **** someone over into a position they cannot afford. And banks will not let you do it either. Most of the time, anyone above a 20% interest rate, we can't mark up anyways, and are usually buying the car cheaper than a "normal customer" would be at too, because the banks want to see a LOW loan to value ratio.

Rule #1, CUSTOMERS lie more than salespeople do. If you cannot accept that fact, or think it's flawed thinking, do NOT get into this business.

Rule #2, the people who ARE NOT in the business now, are not exactly the best people to take advice from, because obviously they aren't still in it for a reason.

Rule #3, no one is going to hand you deals. YOU are the only one in charge of your income.

New GM car sales.... If you are a certified sales consultant, and sell over 75 new cars, GM will pay you $50/car at the end of the year as a "bonus". If you are a decent salesperson that can escape the bullshit of "sitting around drinking coffee" and those idiots that always have something negative to say, you can sell on average of about 200 new cars(Willie at Heiser Chevrolet will do more than that). That's an $11,000 bonus at the end of the year for 220 cars.

Make sure you know what new car "mini's" are at the dealership you are planning to work. Make sure you know if you can sell used AND new, or if it's a split floor(meaning you can only sell one or the other).

People can knock car sales guys ALL they want, but in reality, when it comes down to it, the ones who've lasted are the best salespeople there are. When there is 50 other guys at 30 other dealerships you are competing with, it's a bit different than selling a one of a kind MRI machine to a hospital. At that point, you are just a biller/order taker, because the hospital will always need that stuff.

If you can stick it out and realize you will make only about 30g's/year for the first 2 years with those long hours, it will grow. Those 500 people you sold that previous year, will send you maybe 50 referrals. That means that second year, you will sell maybe 700(50 + getting better at what you do will net a larger customer base). So now you have another 700 of which are sending referrals. It's a a pyramid scheme, but backwards. You can get to the point that you will only be taking referrals, and people will wait 3hrs on a Saturday to talk to ONLY YOU. At that point, you'll be making anywhere from 85-100k/year. If you can deal with the stress at a place like Wilde Toyota. And the bullshit. Where everything is a mini, but people flock there for cars, you'll make a shitload.

People get screwed on furniture, get screwed on jewlery, hell even BEER has a greater mark up than cars do, but yet it's always the car stuff that people want to poke fun, complain, get enraged.

Last note... if you do not work for a dealergroup/management staff that is on your side, then you are ****ed. If they will not boot a customer out because they are being an idiot, then you shouldn't work there.

Despite what people say about the economy, the ONE thing people need, is transportation to their job to pay for the crap they already have. And NO ONE wants to ride the bus.

Oh yeah, and if you can speak spanish, you are MILES ahead and can demand a premium

[Slow Joe]

Very very good points Chris! :thumbsup

[formul8]

Great post, Chris.

I got out of the business because it was just not for me. Maybe the sales climate is different down here in Chicagoland, but lots of morons and jerkoff managers in this area.

Perserverence and treating your customers fairly are what keeps you in business. The short term thinking of the typical "car salesman" differs from the "pro". One's intent is to screw you for as much as possible and the other is to make a fair deal to get you and your friends/family to buy more cars.

Chris is correct about the customers are usually bigger liars than the sales person. The thing that they forget is I do this everyday, they do this every 5 years on average. I have seen it all, heard it all, and know it all. You cannot outsmart the dealer. It won't happen. The big assholes will get clubbed somewhere in the process.

I had a few people beat the shit out of me on the car price, but then paid full price for the protection package. I HATED selling that crap but had to when the commission on the car is $50 and the top package makes me $150. Some people are just too stupid for their own good.

The business is changing, although some dealers and managers are clinging to their old ways of doing things. These are the ones you do not want to work for and won't be around long anyways.

[formul8]

Here is some interesting reading. It's long, but pretty accurate.

http://www.edmunds.com/advice/buying/articles/42962/article.html

[Crawlin]

yeah, our mini's up here are larger than in chitown area. or I should say WERE when I was a salesperson. At Braeger(this was the old way, it's not that way now) our mini's on new cars since that's all you could sell(split floor) was $250 for the first 5, then 300 for the next 5, then 400 for the next 5. So if you sold 12 cars/month(which was extremely easy). I've also found through talking with other finance managers at conferences that chitown managers are pretty ****ed up like Dylan has said

5 x 250 = 1250
5 x 300 = 1500
2 x 400 = 800

$400 demo bonus

$500 for a csi bonus if you were above 3.75 for GM rating

$4450 for that month.

I don't know what they do anymore for a payplan. This was back in '04 I think.

[formul8]

$4,450 selling any of the big three down here in Chicago would be a GOOD income...

There is a Chevy or Ford dealership next to every other Starbucks down here, so the competition is tough.

[Slow Joe]

Minis were $100 no matter new or used where I was at...

[88Nightmare]

what does that mean, "mini"?

[Flight_740]

what does that mean, "mini"?


Mini deal = mini pay.

[Slow Joe]

what does that mean, "mini"?

Mini = Minimum Commission...

Such as if someone buys a new car at or below invoice, you'd make a mini...

[Crawlin]

yep, minimum you'd make. on cars that are older inventory, you'll hear talk of "top list" vehicles that even though they'd sell it at a price that you'd normally only make $100, but you'll get paid $300 because they just want to get rid of it.

[Crawlin]

$4,450 selling any of the big three down here in Chicago would be a GOOD income...

There is a Chevy or Ford dealership next to every other Starbucks down here, so the competition is tough.

Yeah, it's kinda close to that up here, but I'm sure still smaller. At Heiser Chevrolet, point in 45* increments, and there is a Chevy dealer 5-10 miles away. If not more dealerships than that.

It was funny when I was in internet there.

$2000 salary
$400 demo bonus(i eventually just had a demo)

same payplan doing about 20-25 cars/month. I split alot of those deals since i was so busy, but those were new AND used. I think I was averaging about 6k/month.


I guess the overall point is, I would look at sales as just the starting level. There are not many places where you can work your way up to a guaranteed 100k/year job w/o having any kind of schooling. I don't have a college degree, and yet I'm a finance manager for one of the largest dealergroups in Wisconsin, and can pretty much be guaranteed a job anywhere at anytime in the car business or even a bank as a credit analyst, if I was unhappy. If you can deal with the BS at the beginning, it will be rewarding. Let them know you'd love to work the internet dept.

[Flight_740]

Chris, I have never worked for the big guys. Do Finance guys work the long hours as well? Or do you work more of a 9-5?

[Flight_740]

And on a side note, Watch the movie "used cars". It will teach you everything you need to know.:rolf

[Slow Joe]

And on a side note, Watch the movie "used cars". It will teach you everything you need to know.:rolf

Used Cars and Suckers :thumbsup Two of my all time favorites!!!

Those are great training videos :rolf :rolf

[Crawlin]

HELL YEAH THEY ARE.... Those movies are awesome. Just search the little clips on youtube for some previews, hahaha

I do work the normal hours. My schedule was

Sunday - Off
Monday - Off(lucked out on that, haha, it's changing)
Tuesday - 9-9
Wednesday - 9-9
Thursday - 9-9
Friday - 9-4
Saturday - 9-5


It all depends on the dealership, some offer a rotating schedule, but as cool as it sounds, it sucks if you have a weekly engagement you want to be at(my golf league for example). Other dealerships(like Holz and Metropolitan Cadillac) will close at 5-6pm on Friday nights. Some smaller ones like the Pontiac/Buick in Muskego(****, i live 1/4 mile away and can't think of it) seem like they close at 5pm every night, haha. WAIT, EJ Salentine is it, haha

[07ROUSHSTG3]

I know there are a few on this site. Just wondering if you could share your thoughts on a few questions.

What training did you go through? go to dmv, take classes online from the manu.What is your favorite/least favorite part of the job? the money was great when it was busy. also meeting people that liked what i liked was cool. the least favorite part was getting treated like sh!t from a$$hole customers. i did not need to sell cars, i chose to for fun, some people acted like i was there just to beat up on.How can one (23 year old) start in the auto sales industry? most dealerships are hiring, just decide one day to start. the big thing, is to listen and pay attention to what the good salesmen are doing. selling does take some skill, you will get lucky once in a while, but there are tricks of the trade. spend some time just hovering around the power sellers and pick up on some of the lines and tactics that they use!
How did you land your current (or past) jobs? i got offered my sales job, but EvS offers everyone sales jobs, so it is not that big of a deal :thumbsup


Any help is appreciated. Thanks.


- Brian



you can make a lot of money, but you have to learn how to cope with having bad months. it takes a lot of self control if you have bills. some months you are a rockstar, then a bad month comes along and you are wondering what the hell you are doing.

[Crawlin]

very good point! you need to know how to have self control. it's fun getting that $10,000 check for one month, but realize there is a $3000 month coming soon, if not $2000.

and when you get down on yourself after only making $2000, that will carry on so you need to learn to leave all that at the curb. need to just forget your personal life problems. it carries across in your attitude on the floor.

funny thing, most dealerships will not hire someone that can boast that he has no bills. because what's the incentive that person has to sell something? now, if you got someone that has a family, has bills, has a mortgage, well that person is just a BIT more motivated to do what it takes to fulfill those debts ;) that's why you'll see some dealerships(cough, evs, cough) hiring drug addicts(not joe ;) ) because they have to facilitate that income to pay for that crap, hahaha

[Slow Joe]

funny thing, most dealerships will not hire someone that can boast that he has no bills. because what's the incentive that person has to sell something? now, if you got someone that has a family, has bills, has a mortgage, well that person is just a BIT more motivated to do what it takes to fulfill those debts ;) that's why you'll see some dealerships(cough, evs, cough) hiring drug addicts(not joe ;) ) because they have to facilitate that income to pay for that crap, hahaha

:rolf :rolf

I got hired 'cause I wanted to make alot of money... :thumbsup