Car Salesman?

[Saltman]

Help! I'm looking for opinions and advice from experienced car salesman. I need a new job and my background consists of accounting / finance, but I've been out of work for about 4/5 months now and I'm desperate! I just got a call from a Honda dealership for a salesman position I applied for and I'm weighing my options as to whether or not I want to pursue it. I'm kinda timid and I'd prefer to work in an office setting, but so far, I haven't been able to land anything. So what's your thoughts as to being a car salesman? Should I go for it? I know the money can be great if I can sell the cars and Hondas pretty much sale themselves. Help me...

[max2damax]

do you know how to lie,.... perfect, you've got it made

[Jung918]

The auto market is declining so might be better to find a different field of work. What are your other options?

[exitspeed]

You must not be full of enough shit, or you know TOO much. Seriously, car salesman are clueless. I love drilling them about what's going on in the industry.
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/images/clueless1a.JPG

[tunerzimage]

You must not be full of enough shit, or you know TOO much. Seriously, car salesman are clueless. I love drilling them about what's going on in the industry.
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/images/clueless1a.JPG



SOME of them not all. I used to sell cars and i whenever a customer asked tech questions i never failed to give them a fully detailed answer.

Just make sure you're selling cars you like. Its not hard to sell cars, but you have to be persistant and willing to work hard, the money will flow.

[Saltman]

The auto market is declining so might be better to find a different field of work. What are your other options?

Well that's some good information to know. Thanks for the heads up. My only other option is just waiting around for a company to call me. I've got about 50,000 resumes circulating right now. It's a job trying to find a job and the wait just sucks. I've had plenty of interviews and a few offers that didn't work with my schedule. Like I said, I'm desperate right now.

You must not be full of enough shit, or you know TOO much. Seriously, car salesman are clueless. I love drilling them about what's going on in the industry.

I know what you mean. I also hate when they haggle you. I used to pull up to Superior Nissan just to buy parts and I'd just get bum rushed by salesmen. Plus I hate being cheated so I know I wouldn't be able to do that to someone else. I was thinking of just being a used salesman since I personally don't believe in buying new cars, but what worries me is that I wouldn't be able to meet quota and be out of another job.

I really would just like to do something around cars since that is my passion and I know Hondas and Nissans. I wish I went to school to become a certified technician, but back then I hated to get my hands dirty until I got tired of paying mechanics for work that I could research and teach myself to do. I've applied at this Honda dealership for 3 other jobs and they either hired someone else or said I was over qualified for the job (Lube Tech - I wanted to start off there and then go to school for my certification). I'm thinking, I can start off as a salesman and then transfer to something else within the company. I just know that I want to be around cars. I'd rather start up my own tuner shop (I've got a handful of connections I made at SEMA and when writing for HiBeamz Mag), but alas, no money. So... that pretty much sums up my situation.

[40daws]

There is not much upward movement in the car business for salespeople. If you don't get into finance or become a new/used car manager its just that daily sales grind known as BELL to BELL. Open to close,or until you sell 1-2 cars. Then be prepared for major disappointment, like Jung918 said . Average new car commisions are $50-$100.00. More money CAN be made selling used cars,and this is why most salespeople love to sell only used cars.

[ALTRNTV]

Saltman?! James?! How's Alabama man?

Complete thread-jack. :keke:

[TheWolf]

Some jobs don't guarantee any pay. It's just commission. High pressure dealerships are also the type that like to get 20 hungry salesmen around with no pay. You'll find that if you arn't aggressive you'll never meet a customer. You'll also find that there are stereotypes and sucessfull sales people will work off of them.. race, clothing, car you drove up in are all factors in how a saleman will treat you.. Give up your weekends, and fridays. You'll be staying late to work.

I'll never forget my experience at the kia dealership where we were sold on our car and the dealer promised to have one in 45 minutes from "across town". 2 hours later we left the showroom and bought a suzuki from down the street because they didn't have the car we wanted. Deals fall apart all the time in the closing stages so don't expect miracles.

[Saltman]

Thanks for the input guys! I'm def glad I asked first before jumping in that boat.

[PRADOgy]

A sales rep is a very hard job to do, too much commitment IMO, and not worth it at all, i can see your point on jumping on to a sales man out of desperation of not being employed for months. If this is the field you would like to go, I recomend the subprime market. economy is so bad there is more to make in subprime. Honda's sell themselfes sure but when i go to a Honda lot theres like 15 people outside. I recomened DRIVE TIME car sales.. sure theyr business is douche status but your gauranteed to sell.. and they are always hiring.. they are a great company, i use to work for them but thats a different story.


Coming from F&I,Underwriter
How did is it hard for you to find a job bro..
with this kind of backround i think it will be easy for you to find a job at CARMAX
they were on theyr kneese for me. you should try them as well


:excuse my spelling, im at work and typing in a hurry so i dont get in trouble LOL:

[PRADOgy]

Oh By The Way I Think Drive Time And Carmax Pay Which Ever Is Highest, Commission Or Hourly...

[89dc240]

Parts department at a Harley Dealership. Any dope can learn the computer system. Then, take home the accessory catalog and upsell shit for more commission. You usually get like 1% or share 1% with the rest of the department, but it's usually good for an extra paycheck at the end of the month, with some months being less, and some being more. It definitley helps if you have some Harley experience, but people are usually willing to help you, in my experience. I don't work parts by the way, but some of the people I see at parts counters are retarded. And they start you at like maybe 10 an hour depending on where you are(geographically). It's a job you could stick with, or leave at a moments(better job) notice. Then if you need to, you can go to ANY Harley dealership in the world cause it's all the same computer system, and all the same bikes, and all the same parts.

$.02

[S14DB]

I give you about 60-90 days at the stealership...

[BPMKA24DE]

do you know how to lie,.... perfect, you've got it made
this is BULLSHIT! if ppl been fucked its not the salesman fult, its thier stupidity! to let them!
====================HERE IS THE STEPS!===================
Dont fight it write it...what ever the buyers tell you just write it and show it to youre manager and ask what you should tell them...youre are the last pce of puzle in the industry, its alot to do, the liers are suck, the real sellers are who built value in the sale procces!

the procces its 5 steps, take youre time, if they planned to buy the car in 10 mins, take control over them and put them in the procces and show them that buying a car takes half a day, if you tought it takes 10 min, go back to where you bought youre last pce of crap!

1st (the 1st 5 sec its the sale!, ask anyone, the 1st 5 sec ur energie and smile would do it, only if they LIKE YOU they will buy from you) be natural and be loud and proud(not 2much of everything i have to say,shake hands warmly and look into their eyes) how may i help you?" cstumr:JUST LOOKING
U:GREAT! WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? and go from there step by step!
custmer:"im looking for bla bla bla...listen with care and responde! NO BS what so ever, thats old school, BS and bad image, stupidity!

2nd "sell the house" (talk about JGTC development) anything based on facts, many good things that every company has) on the dealership, youre coffe there, the service dept, ppl etc...

3rd "car in stock" "walk the lot every moring" you gotta know the lot, you gotta know the deals and steals, the packages on different chasies! colors, leather, no leather, etc! how ever, you gotta know the product! all of them, know all hondas, thier safty rates, suspension, design, benefits in those options, benefits in colors!, dont put 2much of 1 thing, mix a nice mix and built value! explain that the V6 has more lowend trq so the gears are longer, therefor you get more mpg on the hwy and "decent in the city" and the 4cyl its good in city and bad on hwy because the lack of trq and short gearing bla bla bla...be real, its ShowTime! you can say anything, depend HOW YOU SAY IT!

4th "DEMO" this is the test drive time after doing the 3 stepst 1 by 1, DO THEM RIGHT!, some ppl wont go for it, cause they know they will buy it if they do test drive it, i swar, my family owns 13 dealerships, we have ppl making from $1500 a month lol i was one of them) to $300K a year.

when you showing the car, pull it out, make a starting point for youre self, like the hood, start from under the hood, keep going all around till you get to the driver seat and interior, show them how nice it feels to sit inside with them drive it out, take them for a ride, make a route!, on the way stop and switch with the interested buyer, make sure he goes around the car to look at it!, show them "the beauty of Aero look" now you are in a normal place where there is not many hondas, so the car stands out now, make sure they see that indivdual look!.....

5th "write up" when you get back, all you gotta say its "follow me!"(if ou did all the stepts 1 by 1, RIGHT, they will follow you)
take them inside, COFFEE? TEA? WATER? OIL? what ever shows you care, and try to work it out, 1st its about making money but you should aim for shooting units out! dont worry about the loser deals sometimes 2much, just try to shoot as many out....


follow the procces, take youre time , U MUST TAKE CONTROL(like Gf`s, not pushy control, soft control where they follow you, cause they like you and trust you!) vey very important!

hope it helps, i mean thats all you have to do to make $3000 to $7000 amonth, depends how you do it...


remember many G.M`s and managers are out of the car business and selling houses or cold calling, you know why? cause if you can sell a car you can sell ANYTHING! thats watsup! i know ppl making $50K amonth in realestate, cause they been in car business for like 5 years, GO AHEAD AND DO IT WITH THE BEST YOU CAN AND LOVE WHAT YOU DO, BE PROUD, the experince would help you to act like a pofasional, walk like a pofasional, dress like a pofasional and be 1 in future!

take it seriously, flip the jackoffs! like this dude up there!, and remember the rules "buyers are liers" you must know the product, all hondas, know the tuning tips, deals on coil overs and other tuning shit, the lsd type, there new tranny design, so no one can BS you, like this smartass up there, i was in subaru and mitsubishi, i would make ppl pee in thier pants with STI`s! loved it, all the STI test drives from 18 sale reps would come to me! lol, any way there was no one ever could come and tell me Bs or make me say "EM EM EM idont know" cause i knew everything from rally to drag, drift grip, Japan time attacks, fastest cars, tuning deals, japanese models, USDM models, why this why that, we had ppl coming from japan once a century, i would squez the heck out of them, its all about INFO INFO IFNO! lol

GL!


lmk if you have any Q`s!

[max2damax]

umm. some one needs a
http://www.thejump.net/wild-hogs/1-wild-hog-picture-4/big-florida-hog.jpg edit: "big hug" for slow people.

[240SX714]

I've been a used car salesman before. Honda to be exact. The job isn't so bad because I just used to sit around and bullshit all day with a couple of guys. Generally speaking, at my dealership, the co-workers were pretty cool. Except for like 2 people out of 15 that usually tries to steal your customers. There's always these types of people. If you enjoy interacting with people and closing deals, then it might be for you. On the other hand, if you're not into interacting with people, then maybe it isn't right. The hardest part about the job was management's pressure on you to grind the customers and get the most possible profit from it. At my old dealership, the minimum commission for every car is 75$, even if they take a lost on it. There are times when I made close to 1G in 1.5 hrs. And there were times when I didn't sell anything for 3-4 days. I quit that job because it's pretty difficult to move up. You have got to outsell everybody for 12+ months consisitently to be considered for floor manager (Manage about 5-7 sales rep under you). Then enventually you get to Finance Manager (coolest/easiest job), then Desk Manager. I still have some friends at the dealership I used to work at. Some guy was selling 30 cars/month. A friend of mine made 16G in 1 month, that was his high record. My other friend made 12G, then 8....then 4 or 3. If you really do the work, you'll make 3G+. Remember, the top sales guy also receives bonus, usually 1500-2500 depending. But the job will teach you a lot though.

*P/S. Why do people hate car salesman? They're just doing their job to support their family. You want to hate on somebody, hate the system, the dealerships, because it's setup that way.

[BPMKA24DE]

*P/S. Why do people hate car salesman? They're just doing their job to support their family. You want to hate on somebody, hate the system, the dealerships, because it's setup that way.[/quote]

yea!, you know why? cause they got problems! seriously there is 1 reson when you hate on some one for no reson...

1 cause youre a loser and you dont know where to take it out, seriously, take the biggest hater = loser, give him a nice car that makes him smile, a nice ass with no btchy behavier and $10K amonth, you see that person become the coolest mada fucker ever, cause hes happy, losers hate for no reson, because they losers, O i know, last time i bought a car i was a total clown so i lost money for no reson,mm cause im stupid, so im gonna blame it on the sale reps...DO NOT UNDER PAY AND DO NOT OVER PAY! simple as that...

when you walk in the dealership this is how it goes, on a japanese car i would offer the invoice plust $700 on top of it, take it or leave it no bs, and cash i would hand the sales man(if he was cool over all, leave that to me) $300 for him self for runing around and doing the job:bigok:

this is called fair, on sales floor i have sein so many cases, if your not dry ice you could cry i swar, the pressure as he said its the worst, the sales desk would be the hardest part to deal with, ppl are happy to buy their new car, all you gotta show them its what they paying for and why.

i have lot of respect for sales guys, they really moving the industry of cars, the scetch ist the 1st step and the last its the sales guys!

some of these guys are nothing but bunch of superstars after all:naughty: ...

[jfc3po]

go to carmax...im pretty sure its like $200-$250 commission each car. A friend of mine used to work there.

[Saltman]

Thanks alot guys. I gave out as much rep points as I could and I'll come back and give more later.
After researching a little more and after all the input, I've decided that this just isn't the profession for me. I got an email from T-Mobile, and I could see myself selling phones instead of cars - alot easier and higher demand. I'm just not really the outgoing type and that's what's needed in the car sales position. But thanks anyway!

[89dc240]

Hey, you won't have to search far.

www.h-d.com then go to dealers, and dealer locator, type in your zipcode. done and done.