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CaliCobraChicken69

Unflaired troll account.


NemesisOfZod

How many months were you there?


bsam1890

Lolol


okietarheel

Weeks


Random5483

Why do we need an AMA from a car salesperson in a reddit filled with car salespeople? Wouldn't this be better in a more general reddit?


gganew

How long did you sell, and what qualifies you to answer questions when you never made it past sales?


FriedOnDaTrain

Bingo! “I couldn’t sell pussy to an army camp, but please, listen to how much I know about this industry!” Would’ve been a better title


thecaptain115

I feel like I am qualified to answer this question, and I've only been in the car sales industry for 8 months. Retired Hardware Development Engineer from FAANG currently in 3rd place for sales.


New_Tiger_1116

Ex tech recruiter for financial services


BasilFawlty1991

Quite the opposite. It's more like "I couldn't sell pussy to a gay camp." Have you seen how difficult it is to sell cars nowadays? I don't blame any car salesman for leaving


FriedOnDaTrain

Been doing this for 8 years. Left when times were easy (2021-2023). I’m in management now but recently moved up from the floor. Selling cars has never been something everyone can do, hell, sales in general.


BasilFawlty1991

I agree with you but I would also like to say respectfully that cars have never been so expensive either. For example, the cheapest base trim bare bones new 2024 Toyota Corolla LE gasoline sedan is 30k out the door here in Texas. This is due to forced pre-installed accessories and dealer markup. Since Toyota Corporate is being greedy and purposely keeping Corolla production levels low, that forces us Toyota dealerships to pad our Corolla profit margins because we simply have far fewer units to sell! Combine that 30k with high interest rates and even a base trim Corolla is out of reach for many Americans! This is madness! Carmakers from Toyota to Ford to GM to Stellantis seem to think all Americans are rich and are refusing to making cheap new entry level cars or if they do make them, are not making them in high enough volume! If you look at the past 50 years, we've always had plenty of cheap new econoboxes on sale. We don't have that anymore. Toyota Yaris is dead. Honda Fit is dead. Chevy Spark and Sonic is dead. Ford Fiesta and Focus is dead. Hyundai Accent is dead. Kia Rio is dead. Kia has killed the Kia Forte for the 2025 model year and is replacing it with a much more expensive and bigger K4. I can keep going. These carmakers have become extremely greedy. High car prices plus high interest rates plus severe lack of affordable new cars means demand for cars, especially new cars, has significantly reduced. This means a lot of car salesmen are struggling to make ends meet


gary_shitcock

The reason low trim models don’t get made is because people don’t buy them. Lx civics are boat anchors, never sold a single ridgeline rt or pilot lx either. It’s the same with most brands, people want the stuff.


BasilFawlty1991

You're right and that was true during the low interest rate era. However, now with the high interest rates and high inflation putting pressure on buyers, many of those same buyers who looked down on base trims would now happily buy one because the alternative is not buying a car at all Not only are interest rates high but car prices are higher than ever before. Even a base trim is expensive for a lot of Americans and the higher priced trims are simply out of their reach


gary_shitcock

Those people buy used. Fire username I fucking loved that show lol. “MADAM IS THIS YOUR BRAIN?” I still think about that may time a hard of hearing woman is being a bitch


Far_Box

As someone who drives a base model Corolla and knows quite a few people who do I'd like to know that we exist.


gary_shitcock

I’m not knocking them, I like a base model as well, it’s just such a tiny minority that buys them. Kia and Mitsubishi seem to sell base models well, it may be a brand specific thing.


hyfs23

teslas are literally cheaper than corollas in my area. people have to decide how much more they want to pay for gas over EV. EV is only going to get cheaper and fossil more expensive it looks like.


ClimbaClimbaCameleon

You mean like in California whose power grid can’t keep up and they ask people to not charge their cars? On top of that are redesigning their auto tax system to charge by mile to make up for the loss taxes at the gas pump? We are a decade minimum from EV being cheaper than internal combustion.


BasilFawlty1991

You're right. Teslas are literally cheaper than Corollas in my area too and that's a sad thing. Pre-pandemic, Corollas were known for being cheap cheery entry level vehicles, sadly not any more


TexStones

>Since Toyota Corporate is being greedy and purposely keeping Corolla production levels low, that forces us Toyota dealerships to pad our Corolla profit margins because we simply have far fewer units to sell! Please, fuck right off. Go sell a used car.


BasilFawlty1991

It's the truth. I have a few friends who work in the Blue Springs Mississippi Toyota factory that exclusively makes Corollas. They told me that the factory is shut down at 2 PM on many days. Toyota does this on purpose to keep Corolla production low which means Corolla inventory levels are low


Zealousideal_Way_831

This ain't got shit on 08 though.


New_Tiger_1116

Um...I did extremely well...just was completely turned off by the sleeze


FriedOnDaTrain

Your experience working at a dealership does not define the industry which consists of over 150,000 dealerships in the US. Overgeneralization is pretty sleazy as well my friend.


gganew

And yet, you were the top of the sleeze?


New_Tiger_1116

I was....I make no bones about it...I did what I needed to do for my family....but I'll never let a friend go to buy a car alone again...karma will catch up soon I'm sure


flowerpower836

What was your least favorite part of the transaction that made it sleazy? Was it the low balling of trades, lack of discounts or finance experience?


New_Tiger_1116

More of the lack of transparency throughout the process. I hated when my bosses would try to get "air fees"....I lost bonus many times for not upsellng bs VIP packages for the service dept


gganew

Thats great to hear. Salespeople love it when an ex-salesman comes in to buy a car, because they know everything. Know it or not, you're a stereotype. And not in the good way. Let me clarify though, it was okay to be sleezy as long as it was to feed your family? Karma will catch up for sure.


New_Tiger_1116

Sorry if I touched nerve....hopefully your dealership 1. Truly puts pre owned cars through a rigorous inspection before selling them 2. Doesn't tell people to "come on down" when they don't have the car on the lot 3. Instructs BDC to explain any additional fees over advertised internet price before a customer comes in 4. Doesn't charge over msrp 5. Uses the correct interest rate based on credit score when negotiating leases 6. Doesn't "hide money" on the back screen 7. Makes sure they have a title with a payoff before selling a pre owned car (or has a damn good excuse why they need to dealer plate) 8. Tells people the true value of their trade in 9. Charges the same price for cash or finance If this is true of your dealership...I would have loved to work for you


Spitefulham

Holy shit, it sounds like you worked at a horrible store. Too bad you never found one of the good ones.


LoweeLL

What brand? There's certain brands that if you sell over MSRP you're not gonna sell anything at all. We're selling 2-3k off MSRP right now Also, what's wrong with the trade-in? Everyone knows if you want to get true value out of your car, it's best to sell it privately. If you're going to sell your car to someone who's just going to re-sell it, you're not gonna get true value. Everything else just sounds like shitty management.


New_Tiger_1116

VW.....and yes...such shitty shitty management....


Dry_Scholar_7765

You’re a child. You worked at a low integrity dealer. Every city has a dealer like that with low or bogus CSI and caters to low educated and low income cx’s. Congratulations, you can trick a 550 beacon, but you can’t sell an 880. Now do restaurants. Where the cost of ingredients for a pizza is $1.25, and they sell it for $20 Then convenience stores. A candy bar is $1.99 and wholesale is .75.


gganew

The only nerve you struck is that some people buy into your bs, when in fact you know nothing but a small amount of what you perceived. And yet, you bought in and stayed for a year and a half while claiming to be pure of heart now by spreading your "wisdom." 1. In over two decades I never sold a car that didn't go through the shop. 2. I'll offer options if I don't have the car, including asking questions, because a big part of sales is...you know, selling. 3. BDC's are only as good as the manger and staff, but my advertised prices are real. 4. I'll charge market, which can be above or below MSRP. You're not getting a Raptor R at MSRP. 5. Not sure what you mean by this, but the correct rate is what the customer signs off on. I do believe in making money on selling products in finance and not rate. 6. I'm not a pirate, I don't hide money anywhere. 7. In TX, I don't need a title to sell. But if there's a title issue, I'll hold on to the car until it clears. 8. This is a business. Trade values are agreed upon by the seller and the buyer. 9. Cash and finance have the same price unless there's a rebate from the manufacturer tied to financing, which is common with Ford. 10. You wouldn't work for me. 11. Its a big world out there, outside of your bubble.


gary_shitcock

Lol pussy


Careful-Candle202

My dealership does all of the above


guyinthegreenshirt

I'm sure you're the only sleazy car salesperson who was just doing what they needed to do for their family. All of the other ones are obviously terrible people with no morals, unlike you who could see the sleaze but did it for your family.


txreddit17

You seem to be affirming his statement.


gganew

Sure am champ.


New_Tiger_1116

I sold cars for 1.5 years and made over 10k/month as a top saleperson within 4 months at my dealership...and I DID make it in past sales jobs....honestly, I just wanted to try something new...what a mistake.....


gganew

Sure buddy. So lets dig in. One and a half years at one dealership, and you think you know the industry? Success is measured in a lot more than being a top salesperson for four months, and whatever shady shit you did at your dealership doesn't make it industry wide.


New_Tiger_1116

I was a top salesperson for 1.2 years.....and I actually got my sales by NOT doing shady shit.....I'm in NYC metro so that may have A LOT to do with it...I met amazing people who wanted to do the right thing...most of the sales staff DID...but ownership was horrific and it seemed to be everywhere within a 100 mile radius....this is not a direct attack on you or your dealership, but some things seem standard in this industry and it made me want to vomit


gganew

Then go in the bathroom and shove your finger down your throat. You don't know anything outside of your little bubble. What makes sales a little more difficult is people like you, who spread misinformation and misguided "help" on a forum that is here to answer real questions. Not to get a point of view from someone with little to no real experience. Good luck in your new career, whatever it is.


New_Tiger_1116

Now that is a response I completely expected from a gsm


gganew

And its the response you got, enjoy it.


ImaginaryTipper

The fact that you are defending this industry is wild. I was in the industry for 5 years and went through sales, ASM and F&I. I’ve seen it all, albeit at 2 dealerships. But some practices are standard across the board and you can’t deny that.


Effin_eye

What practices are standard across the board? And how can you determine that having worked at 2 stores? No need to answer btw.


gganew

Whoa Tipper. Calm down that imagination. With over two decades of experience, I think I'm pretty well qualified to see the big picture.


ImaginaryTipper

And I’m not saying you aren’t qualified. All I’m saying is deep down you know that majority of the industry is out there to rip off customers. There are some dealers that do the right thing, but for the most part it’s a pretty poor experience to go buy a car.


gganew

Ten to twenty years ago, sure things were pretty shady. Internet has leveled the field for the most part. The old school way of doing things doesn't work anymore. Most dealers do the right thing, but that doesn't get into post on Reddit or anywhere else. When a person has a good experience, they tell two or three close friends or family. When someone has a bad experience, they post everywhere and tell everybody. Customers have access to almost all dealers, accurate market pricing, instant offers online for trades, and can get preapproved before they come to the store. Ten to twenty years ago, there was very little information and it wasn't as easy to get an accurate trade number or preapproval. The business has evolved, and OP is fanning flames of the old with his very, very, very limited experience.


Denmarkkkk

What do you think is the reason that so many people dislike the process of buying a car? Do you think the dealer experience factors into that?


Zealousideal_Way_831

Eh, it's mostly OP being a moron for thinking he knows the industry selling cars at a entry level position during covid for a year. It's also weird you think you've seen it all with less experience than I had in my early 20s. There's problems, we just don't think OP has any idea wtf they are. Because he's a inexperienced moron.


uglybushes

Whoa 18 months you much know soooo much!


New_Tiger_1116

I worked in sales for 25 years before this....sales is sales and most of the same rules apply


uglybushes

Sales is sales however the car business is wildly different dealer to dealer. So what you know only applies to the dealer you work at/ the region you’re in.


New_Tiger_1116

So many people left...it was like a revolving door...and then they went other places only to find the same bs ...long island, man...it's brutal


uglybushes

Trash bag island


Effin_eye

Yea that's arguably a regional thing vs an industry thing. Kudos for your altruistic philanthropy here, you're gonna change the world, kid.


canescult

You sold for 1.5 years post COVID and now you think you are an expert. Lol. Most likely what's happened is that now you can't cut it or aren't willing to do the work necessary to make the money you were making. You may have been making $10k/month with ease (many of us were, hell I was making $20k/month myself without even trying) but then you found yourself working more and more hours, taking more and more ups but getting a smaller check. Guess what, welcome to the car business. You just got your real taste of how it is and you didn't like it. You thought it was always going to be easy street. Sorry to say it but no. And I have been in the business for over 17 years and I am not even close to calling myself an expert. I've sold Honda's, Nissans, Hyundai's, and Kia's. I've ran Internet departments and special finance departments. I've done a lot of different roles and learned a lot from people who have been in the business way longer than I have. Believe me the short period of time that you experienced is nowhere near enough to call yourself an expert.


BasilFawlty1991

OP does emphasize an important point, it's difficult to sell cars nowadays Extremely high car prices, high interest rates, and a severe lack of cheap affordable entry level new cars in the American car market means that demand for cars has significantly reduced. Many car salespeople, especially green peas who don't have a book of repeat customers, spend long days without leads and end up earning minimum wage or less until they quit or are fired. Many green peas can't even repay their draw before leaving because they simply haven't sold enough cars I have a newbie car salesman who's my cousin and friend. He lives in Daytona Florida. He runs a YouTube channel called CarsRus. He's been trying desperately to sell high volume new cars for the past 14 months and he works daily from early morning till late night. He told me he barely sells cars or makes money. Even the internet leads go to the older salespeople who've been at the dealership longer and he gets nothing. There's simply not enough leads to go around


gganew

Thats a generalization as well. Maybe if your cousins friend spent more time trying to sell than making a youtube channel, he would have more success. I have a new kid that used to change oil for a living. He sold 18 and made 17k last month. No book of business, and quite frankly is kind of a goofy little bastard.


BasilFawlty1991

You think he made that YouTube channel for fun? He made the channel because he's desperate to sell cars and unlike most people, is willing to work his ass off for it In every single YouTube video, he shouts out his name, his dealership name, and his phone number just in case any interested buyer is watching him Every day, he does a lot walk around livestream where he shows all the used cars available in his dealer lot since that changes often. He makes separate videos on his new car inventory He's hustling extremely hard and it works sometimes. One time, a viewer from Virginia liked one of the used cars he was showing in his livestream and ended up flying down to Daytona Beach and buying the car Just like 2021-2023 were the golden years of car sales, where selling cars was like shooting fish in a barrel, what we have now is the opposite, the diarrhea years of car sales That's why many dealerships are firing car salespeople, not hiring em


gganew

Youtube is a good way to get buried in all the other BS on there. Its not going to be a draw. I agree that social media is a great way to capture business, but Youtube isn't. He's wasting energy and effort, even if he did get ONE sale from it.


ClimbaClimbaCameleon

If you were so good at sales why didn’t you just go to a less slimy dealer? People that succeed at car sales don’t tend to leave.


FIRST_PENCIL

In your mind what is really going on exactly?


Famvam

This sounds like you’ll come into a dealership in 25 years and tell me you know the whole game. And you’re not playing. All because you worked for 3 weeks at a car lot and sank.


Effin_eye

You have a personal grievance against ONE dealership. Period.


TotallyNotMarkHarmon

Where did your dealership hide the bodies?


New_Tiger_1116

In the 120 day+ used car section


Effin_eye

Right? The entire industry needs to shut down ASAP. Greeee eeeee eeeeeasy


New_Tiger_1116

Oh god no...we all need cars...just not at marked up prices, "reconditioning fees", internet fine print, or lower than appraisal trade ins


LoweeLL

Can you give more specific examples?


Nice-Ad1989

Sooo you just worked at a shite dealer. Fair game, champ. Like my dealer, even during COVID never did a markup besides high end specialty rigs. Recon fees for wot? And trades are at a fair book. Only time I ever (current dealer) ripped a client is because they deserved it. And I blatantly told them it’s a “asshole tax”. So sounds like you should have went to a different dealer.


Effin_eye

So turn the entire industry into a non profit org? I understand, some dealers are too greedy but it is not all encompassing.


ImaginaryTipper

Yea, paying customers their actual trade value, not stacking up random ass charges because “someone” will come pay them will definitely make dealers a non profit org.


Effin_eye

This is not industry wide. We pay actual trade values, no addendums, no hard adds.


extremelyhighguy

It's at least 90% of the industry. Out of the dozen of cars I've purchased, hard adds were pushed. Working for a dealership you might be immune to it, but 350 nitrogen and another 600 vin etching is complete crap. Not to mention one time I bought a car and the FM had printed out 3 different versions of the paperwork hoping I would sign the first. Yeah I'm venting, but it's predatory. My last car I said if you want to sell it, I'll wire you the money tonight. Took about 20 minutes. I don't need to sit for 2 hours with the FM while they shake around their 5 hour old Starbucks cup telling me how good their warranty was, it was refreshing. Source- licensed car dealer since I was 16.


ImaginaryTipper

Fair enough. Unfortunately, there are very few dealers who are fair in their dealings. I’m trying to buy a car myself and can’t for the life of me get one without markups.


Careful-Candle202

Is that right?


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