CAR SALES

[Broda]

How much do they earn on average? What's the commission scheme like? Do you get dealership car discounts?

Pros and Cons?

[PositronicRay]

All different, typically company car 10-15k basic + commission, the US has some commission only heavy hitters. Sometimes they have an opportunity to buy @ trade and some main dealers have supported lease schemes.

Most salesmen earn £30k to £60k (for a more established specialist/prestige kind of guy)

If you're earning less than £30 you're living on borrowed time

[Driver101]

I've noticed in the past that some advert advertise the salary and what appears to be under minimum wage.

Can they do that on the basis that commission will take you above the minimum wage?

[Rtype]

I have two friends who work in car sales.

Different companies but both Japanese manufacturers . The basic after tax is approx. £800-900. Per used car they typically make £150 & they can't offer their commission as makeway.

They make money typically on the add-ons, Autoglyn, finance, gap etc, you don't tend to make much on the vehicle as the margins are so small. They would love to give you the vehicle cheaper but the dealership will have set minimum values, especially on second hand vehicles.

They are expected to sell approx. 1 car a day. 6 day weeks.

[Butter Face]

PositronicRay said:

All different, typically company car 10-15k basic + commission, the US has some commission only heavy hitters. Sometimes they have an opportunity to buy @ trade and some main dealers have supported lease schemes.

Most salesmen earn £30k to £60k (for a more established specialist/prestige kind of guy)

If you're earning less than £30 you're living on borrowed time

Pretty much this.

Pros: Great fun when you're doing well, registration months can be great pay packets. Not particuarly stressful when you're doing well and it's not like you're out in the rain digging up roads

Cons: When it's quiet (i.e Now) it feels like hard work, days are long and you're wondering where the next deal is coming from, but the flipside is that you can spend a lot longer with the customers you do see.

I enjoy it. Can't see myself changing for anything else at the moment, I enjoy it, the pay is reasonable and although I work every weekend, I get 2 days off in the week and I take them.




Don't think for a second you'll have 4 weeks holiday a year though

[Sheepshanks]

There was a Merc salesman from Manchester jailed recently for nicking customer deposits and it was reported that he was earning £70K/yr., and that's got to be the easiest job in the world.

[markmullen]

PositronicRay said:

All different, typically company car 10-15k basic + commission, the US has some commission only heavy hitters. Sometimes they have an opportunity to buy @ trade and some main dealers have supported lease schemes.

Most salesmen earn £30k to £60k (for a more established specialist/prestige kind of guy)

If you're earning less than £30 you're living on borrowed time

This.

[Broda]

I'm just worried that it won't be enough money and that once you start there's nothing higher to progress towards,

[markmullen]

Broda said:

I'm just worried that it won't be enough money and that once you start there's nothing higher to progress towards,

You set your own earnings, essentially with no other background other than an aptitude for it you can earn £40-80k if you work at it. Not many jobs like that.

Beyond that Sales Manager, Business Manager, General Manager, all roles which tend to be filled from the ranks of salesmen.

[PositronicRay]

If you're a really really good salesman, you'll have to be prepared to take a pay cut if you want a promotion.

[Sheepshanks]

Butter Face said:

Cons: When it's quiet (i.e Now) it feels like hard work, days are long and you're wondering where the next deal is coming from, but the flipside is that you can spend a lot longer with the customers you do see.

Are you a VW salesman?

I guess that's another con; you can be blind-sided by things totally out of your control.

[Broda]

Promotions lead to a higher basic but lower commission I assume, it sounds great as long as you are either with a high volume or high mark up dealership

[Broda]

What's usually the structure, 6 day weeks? Holiday? Do you get money of cars for yourself from the brand you work with?

[Butter Face]

Broda said:

What's usually the structure, 6 day weeks? Holiday? Do you get money of cars for yourself from the brand you work with?

I do 5 days on and 2 days off, work every Saturday and Sunday

I get allocated 28 days a year holiday but only took 14 this year. If you don't work you don't earn commission. This may change soon with EU rulings about commission and holidays.

You normally get a company car offered (but it will cost you) and staff schemes etc, some brands are better than others. You can buy cars at cost or cost + a little bit.

I bought my wife's car as a trade in where I work for trade price, and my own car came from a trade contact.

It all depends on the dealer/group you work for. Some are ace, some are horrible.

[Butter Face]

Sheepshanks said:

Butter Face said:

Cons: When it's quiet (i.e Now) it feels like hard work, days are long and you're wondering where the next deal is coming from, but the flipside is that you can spend a lot longer with the customers you do see.

Are you a VW salesman?

I guess that's another con; you can be blind-sided by things totally out of your control.

Not VW no, but it's just getting quiet this time of year, normally by 4pm it's very quiet. My colleagues take time off and I work, it means that any customers that do come in are mine

[PositronicRay]

Broda said:

Promotions lead to a higher basic but lower commission I assume, it sounds great as long as you are either with a high volume or high mark up dealership

A decent salesman doesn't really need managing, try to over manage one and you'll loose them. A salesman gets paid by his results, a manager gets paid by the teams results.

Good salesmen are highly regarded, and noticed right up the management chain, often promoted beyond their capabilities (ever heard of "The Peter Principle"?). Junior managers are regarded as cannon fodder, pressure from all sides.

[Broda]

What do you think will give greater commission...

1.) High Markup Low Volume
2.) High Vulume Low Markup?

Also how does commission work? Profit based on the deal, car, additional packages (GAP etc)?

[Broda]

Bump

[Butter Face]

I work in high(ish) volume with low margins and I do ok. I am on track to do 250+ cars this year which is one of my best ever.

I would imagine that low volume with high markups pays pretty well, just in a different way!

[PositronicRay]

Broda said:

What do you think will give greater commission...

1.) High Markup Low Volume
2.) High Vulume Low Markup?

Also how does commission work? Profit based on the deal, car, additional packages (GAP etc)?

The trick is to get into car sales 1st. Learn you're skill, get a good reputation, and then you can sell yourself to the employer of you're choice. A very incestuous business, word gets around.

If I were doing it again for my 1st job I'd prefer volume. You won't be prospecting for days on end before a fresh lead/injection of adrenalin.

Try to keep it simple so you can concentrate on selling and people as much as the product. The prestige German stuff is awfully confusing, (range/specs/trim etc) availability and long lead times are be a bh.

An up and coming brand with an expanding customer base (like Hyundai for instance) would make a great 1st position to learn your skill. Straightforward product, manufactures support, popular, and going places. If you stick it out you'll naturally get caught up in the growth.

More important than all this though, do you like and trust your prospective employer?

Unless your very gifted/lucky the 1st year or two won't be great earnings wise. Thick skin is an advantage, it'll be an emotional rollercoaster.

Edited by PositronicRay on Monday 2nd November 08:19