Getting into Car/Motorbike Sales?

[Velox56]

Hello,

This is my second thread, first one was about me speeding, the advice was really good so and has helped me a lot, so I thought I would try you guys out on this other thing that has been on my mind .

Anyway, I currently work in Car Leasing, been here 2 years so far, started as admin and have recently moved into a more sales type role. I have only been really selling properly for a couple weeks, (I started doing introducer stuff) and I am enjoying it a lot.

I have been asking my bosses if I can move from admin to sales for ages, asking for sales training etc and they are finally letting me have a go. As I am in leasing it is all over the phone/emails but I enjoy advising people into what cars I think suit their needs etc. In my first 2 weeks of Sales I have done 8 Deals (no idea if this is good or not) various cars, Tesla model 3's, Mercedes CLA's, Corsa's etc.

I have always wanted to get into main dealer face to face proper car sales. My life ambition is to get into supercar sales and maybe even start my own Supercar dealership with my dad. Cars and motorcycles have always been a passion of mine and I do enjoy the selling part of it. My salary at my current job is rubbish, I earn less then my mate who works in a supermarket and someone who works at McDonald's (not hating on McDonald's employee's, just stating how low I feel my salary is compared to my work). As I have only just started selling I don't get any commission on my sales either, which is starting to annoy me.

I need money to be able to move out, see my OH, get a track car, enjoy my life etc.

So my questions are these. (I know there are salesmen threads but they are from ages ago)/

Do salesmen earn a decent basic (average)?

any major difference between bike and car sales ?

what's a good amount of deals a month ?


Any other advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[thatdude]

If you're going into this job, you really need to be very clued up on the details of every thing you're selling. I was told by a car salesman that the 2016 honda civic I was intersted in had a CVT transmission (it did not, it had the 5 speed torque converter auto). I was also once informed by a Ford salesman that the cambelt change interval on a fiesta was 20,000 miles (it's much longer than that).

So be clued up, because other wise you come across as not interested, not clever, and at worst your giving incorrect advice on things.

Knowing how many cup holders a car has is not really sufficient in-depth knowledge.

[RobM77]

thatdude said:

If you're going into this job, you really need to be very clued up on the details of every thing you're selling. I was told by a car salesman that the 2016 honda civic I was intersted in had a CVT transmission (it did not, it had the 5 speed torque converter auto). I was also once informed by a Ford salesman that the cambelt change interval on a fiesta was 20,000 miles (it's much longer than that).

Surely that's proof you don't need to be clued up to get the job? Those guys clearly managed ok. I've been told all sorts of crazy st by car salesmen over the years; most haven't got a clue about the products they're selling. What they're good at it selling things.

[KTF]

thatdude said:

So be clued up, because other wise you come across as not interested, not clever, and at worst your giving incorrect advice on things.

I suspect the only thing they need to be clued up on is the finance aspect.

If they work at one of the places that sell ex-fleet stuff then they can't possibly know everything about every car they sell.

[Nickp82]

You really don’t need to be clued up on cars to work in sales, though it does help avoid customer issues if you are able to answer questions correctly be it from your own knowledge or knowing who to ask.

[Jayho]

If you go into car sales you'll soon find yourself with the money and no time to spend with your other half and even less time for a track day toy. Generally 6 day weeks and long hours (which in order to meet targets you need to put in.). Not always the most sociable if hours either. The ones with money to buy cars are usually working 9-5 and only available to you in unsocial hours.

[Velox56]

At the moment I am working a lot on my product knowledge, after my dad bought his mustang he went into the dealership and he said some of the guys in there didn't seem interested at all, he said that ( as I was trying to pressure him into buying a Mazerati gran Turismo that we test drove instead), that if I put the enthusiasm that I used on him into an actual car sales job he thinks id be one of the best sales people in there. I love the idea of working in a place with all these real cars around you, I like knowing all those little details about every little thing. Much like Matt @ Car wow, how on his reviews he seems to find all the little things that actually make a big difference and I love his reviews for that.

Edited by Velox56 on Monday 12th August 10:53

[Velox56]

Jayho said:

If you go into car sales you'll soon find yourself with the money and no time to spend with your other half and even less time for a track day toy. Generally 6 day weeks and long hours (which in order to meet targets you need to put in.). Not always the most sociable if hours either. The ones with money to buy cars are usually working 9-5 and only available to you in unsocial hours.

Yeah that's one of my main worries, my OH lives quite far away and I need my weekends to see her, for now until we move in together, but I need money to do that !

[sparks_190e]

I've not been a salesman but when I was a service advisor at a main dealer I worked closely with them. Most of them knew enough but they often referred to us or the mechanics for information.

If I recall correctly the basic salary for a salesman where I worked was relatively generous compared to other places at £17k, and they considered a take home of less than £2k a bad month. March and September even the lesser performing salesmen would clear around £3k, but in a normal month the money was in used vehicles.

My job was stressful, but the sales guys had it on another level. It's not for everyone, and I don't think I'd do it.

Something to ponder- are physical dealerships and salesmen/saleswomen still going to be commonplace in 10/15 years? Dealerships aren't exactly popping up all over the place, and many are struggling as quite simply it's often cheaper and easier to go elsewhere (online)

[Truckosaurus]

sparks_190e said:

...Something to ponder- are physical dealerships and salesmen/saleswomen still going to be commonplace in 10/15 years? ...

Indeed. Although when I've leased through a broker the order has gone through a traditional dealer anyway, so they'll still exist to some extent (plus servicing etc.)

At least it sounds like the OP has his foot in the door and will be able to show a track history of selling when he starts applying for jobs at dealerships.

[Velox56]

sparks_190e said:

I've not been a salesman but when I was a service advisor at a main dealer I worked closely with them. Most of them knew enough but they often referred to us or the mechanics for information.

If I recall correctly the basic salary for a salesman where I worked was relatively generous compared to other places at £17k, and they considered a take home of less than £2k a bad month. March and September even the lesser performing salesmen would clear around £3k, but in a normal month the money was in used vehicles.

My job was stressful, but the sales guys had it on another level. It's not for everyone, and I don't think I'd do it.

Something to ponder- are physical dealerships and salesmen/saleswomen still going to be commonplace in 10/15 years? Dealerships aren't exactly popping up all over the place, and many are struggling as quite simply it's often cheaper and easier to go elsewhere (online)

The place I work now is all online, which to me I find quite strange. IMO before I buy a car I need to see it, and drive it. Its quite a large financial decision to make so Im sure people will continue test driving them to see how they are.

[Velox56]

Truckosaurus said:

sparks_190e said:

...Something to ponder- are physical dealerships and salesmen/saleswomen still going to be commonplace in 10/15 years? ...

Indeed. Although when I've leased through a broker the order has gone through a traditional dealer anyway, so they'll still exist to some extent (plus servicing etc.)

At least it sounds like the OP has his foot in the door and will be able to show a track history of selling when he starts applying for jobs at dealerships.

Yeah not many leasing brokers actually hold the vehicles on site, we just get the vehicles from the dealers and they transport them to the customer for us. I just don't know if I want to try and stay here and keep getting the figures to try and get a raise/commission based as I still get the weekends free and less stress. Or if I want to take the plunge into main dealer selling for the extra cash. I just need someone with some dealer experience to advise me with what its like etc.

[Byker28i]

I know someone works for a car supermarket. £15k basic plus £30 each car sold. He sells around 30-35 cars a month.
Some are easy sales, cars booked online already etc.
They are constantly pushed to sell finance...
he also works long hours a week

On the bright side he gets to drive all sorts of cars, not just one manufacturers

[Velox56]

It seems the thread has been moved to a different section, sorry mods !

[alorotom]

Byker28i said:

I know someone works for a car supermarket. £15k basic plus £30 each car sold. He sells around 30-35 cars a month.
Some are easy sales, cars booked online already etc.
They are constantly pushed to sell finance...
he also works long hours a week

On the bright side he gets to drive all sorts of cars, not just one manufacturers

So less than £28k for rubbish hours and having to deal with the great unwashed public - just not worth it really is it.

[Velox56]

alorotom said:

Byker28i said:

I know someone works for a car supermarket. £15k basic plus £30 each car sold. He sells around 30-35 cars a month.
Some are easy sales, cars booked online already etc.
They are constantly pushed to sell finance...
he also works long hours a week

On the bright side he gets to drive all sorts of cars, not just one manufacturers

So less than £28k for rubbish hours and having to deal with the great unwashed public - just not worth it really is it.

I have seen lots of different figure's all over the place, at the moment I am just trying to see if its for me, I don't know if anyone here has someone they know who is currently in car sales (Mercedes,VW) etc. Lots of places are saying that good sales people earn up to £40K a year, I don't know if there is any truth to this, and what the hours are actually like.

[sparks_190e]

alorotom said:

Byker28i said:

I know someone works for a car supermarket. £15k basic plus £30 each car sold. He sells around 30-35 cars a month.
Some are easy sales, cars booked online already etc.
They are constantly pushed to sell finance...
he also works long hours a week

On the bright side he gets to drive all sorts of cars, not just one manufacturers

So less than £28k for rubbish hours and having to deal with the great unwashed public - just not worth it really is it.

I'd agree, £30 a car isn't great is it, when two or three used cars at a dealer could net you the same commission.

[PistonBroker]

I'm connected with a chap on Linkedin who's started franchising his leasing business. He posted up an email from a new franchisee the other day thanking him for giving him back family time etc etc.

Looking at the franchisee's Linkedin profile, he'd moved away from a BMW main dealer into the leasing.

Personally, if your current role leaves you you weekends free and you're not having to deal with people face-to-face, I'd stick with it. Strikes me that more and more cars will be leased going forward.

After all, the leasing chap's Linkedin activity is chock-full of pictures of Gen Z kids having an A-Class/A3/BMW/Evoque dropped off outside their new-build house. It may not be very PH, but it certainly seems like the future.

[Velox56]

what nets more commission, used or new ?

[sparks_190e]

Velox56 said:

alorotom said:

Byker28i said:

I know someone works for a car supermarket. £15k basic plus £30 each car sold. He sells around 30-35 cars a month.
Some are easy sales, cars booked online already etc.
They are constantly pushed to sell finance...
he also works long hours a week

On the bright side he gets to drive all sorts of cars, not just one manufacturers

So less than £28k for rubbish hours and having to deal with the great unwashed public - just not worth it really is it.

I have seen lots of different figure's all over the place, at the moment I am just trying to see if its for me, I don't know if anyone here has someone they know who is currently in car sales (Mercedes,VW) etc. Lots of places are saying that good sales people earn up to £40K a year, I don't know if there is any truth to this, and what the hours are actually like.

See my above post- I was at a VAG dealership. Yes £40k is achievable but that's top end. Usually mid thirties is about right. Our guys worked 50-55 hours a week and that included one in four Saturdays where a weekday was swapped as a day off.