How much does a good Lambo Salesman earn?

[10speeduk]

Hi Guys/gals,

As above, just wondered how much basic/bonus/commission an exotic cars salesman earns in todays climate/money??

Would prefer to hear from people in the industry, rather than what a mate down the pubs says...!

Thanks all!

[Big Tav]

I have worked for BMW for several years and have friends who work for Porsche and Ferrari. You've got to remember that that is a very hard market to crack and takes years. It doesn't matter how good you are. What you need to remember is that the large majority of Lambo, Ferrari, Porsche buyers are existing clients. They will already be on the database and would have bought from them before. So as a salesman (especially if you are new) you will only really get to work the walk-ins. 9 times out of 10 they will have been spoken to by another salesperson in the past and they will try and claim them anyway. As long as a salesman has logged them they are their customer and most high end buyer have been in there before.

As I said, very tricky but not impossible...

[Tiggsy]

If you're a good salesman you'll make more selling something else!

[jamoor]

I doubt these cars need much selling do they?

I assume the Corsa 1.2 brigade need to be talked into buying that piece of crap.

[Martial Arts Man]

jamoor said:

I doubt these cars need much selling do they?

Indded.

I'd be surprised if they earn significantly more than a BMW sales exec.

Driving the cars/hob-nobbing with owners would be worth more than a few ££ to many many folks.

[Big Tav]

I bet they earn less than a good BMW salesman and don't last in the job anywhere near as long. You would also get bored selling that low volume too. Selling 10-15 cars with BMW is much better. Don't forget that Lambo buyers are rich and would be harder to deal with. The discounts they would expect would be massive...a lot of tossers too.

[fido]

jamoor said:

I assume the Corsa 1.2 brigade need to be talked into buying that piece of crap.

I would have though the low-end stuff is the easiest to shift, and the clients (on average) aren't the sharpest tools in the box anyway?

[TVR1]

It isn't so much about selling as customer service. Yes these customers do ask for discounts but a gentle 'that's not possible Sir' generally does the trick.

If you are specifically talking about a new franchised Lamborghini salesman (but he will be selling the used stuff too), then there is only 1 UK concessionaire. Basic is approximately £20k with the rest made up of finance/insurance/profit commission. Figure on around £75k but in a good year it can be more.Company car will be (for that particular franchise) a Golf but with the opportunity to smoke something nice regularly.

If you are talking specialist used, well the sky is the limit.

Although do have in mind that the higher end of the market is massively profit driven (it has to be) and doesn't carry non performers at all. One well know Porsche dealer group has perhaps one of the highest staff turnover rates of any of the prestige manufacturers.

HTH

[TVR1]

fido said:

jamoor said:

I assume the Corsa 1.2 brigade need to be talked into buying that piece of crap.

I would have though the low-end stuff is the easiest to shift, and the clients (on average) aren't the sharpest tools in the box anyway?

You would think so wouldn't you? Often the mainstream/budget buyer is more difficult to deal with though. He/she is spending far more (relative to income) than the higher end of the market. Spending, say £15k, when your annual income is £30k is far more of a commitment than spending £100k if your income is £500k plus.

[Big Tav]

I don't know about "sky's the limit". Before I started at our dealership (BMW) there were a couple of guys who had been there a long time (12-15 years) and were making serious money. What that does eventually is makes management think that no one should be making that much money and they decide to cut costs. They "restructured" the commission structure and the guys were making 2/3 of what they were. Both of them left. They did this to the business manager too.

They couldn't stomach salesmen making $200,000+AUD. I know that doesn't make business sense as they lost their best guys and if they are making that much money the business must be making more but that is what happened.

[anonymous-user]

A friend of mine sells Bentleys, he seems to do OK plus he's always flitting around on paid holidays for exhibitions and such

works for these guys

http://www.hampshire.bentleymotors.com/

[TVR1]

Big Tav said:

I don't know about "sky's the limit". Before I started at our dealership (BMW) there were a couple of guys who had been there a long time (12-15 years) and were making serious money. What that does eventually is makes management think that no one should be making that much money and they decide to cut costs. They "restructured" the commission structure and the guys were making 2/3 of what they were. Both of them left. They did this to the business manager too.

They couldn't stomach salesmen making $200,000+AUD. I know that doesn't make business sense as they lost their best guys and if they are making that much money the business must be making more but that is what happened.

Hi Big Tav. A similar thing happened in the UK when it all went wrong in 2008.
What annoys me more than anything is that it is ultimately the customer who suffers as many dealerships are now employing anyone, for low pay and very average commission. I always took the view (and my bosses too) that if I was earning well, then so must the company. But it is driven from the top, as always. Sometimes DP's and general managers simply don't like their staff earning more than them. I guess you are at Rushcutters?

The big difference over there, I think, is that there simply isn't the number of salespeople available with the required experience of the prestige market. Over here, pretty much anyone could walk into a BMW/Mercedes and with just a little experience in the motor trade, secure a job.

What is interesting though is that a few Australian BMW dealers (I keep my eyes on things there, for various reasons) have been advertising employment opportunities recently-unheard of a couple of years ago? The positions where always filled internally etc. maybe it is going the same way there?

[Engineer1]

TVR1 said:

fido said:

jamoor said:

I assume the Corsa 1.2 brigade need to be talked into buying that piece of crap.

I would have though the low-end stuff is the easiest to shift, and the clients (on average) aren't the sharpest tools in the box anyway?

You would think so wouldn't you? Often the mainstream/budget buyer is more difficult to deal with though. He/she is spending far more (relative to income) than the higher end of the market. Spending, say £15k, when your annual income is £30k is far more of a commitment than spending £100k if your income is £500k plus.

Also mainstream is wider market, you can choose from and buy a large range of vehicles in the same category, the Fiesta competes with the Fabia, the Polo/ Fox and people will buy on budget. However a person wanting a Ferrari wants a Ferrari, they are less likely to walk away or settle for an alternative.

[10speeduk]

Cheers all, some great advice and knowledge. I am currently in medical devices and have decent moolah, with good prospects, just thought it might be nice to sell something I am genuinely passionate about! Seems like a real grind just to start off at the bottom rung, then 2-3 years to get to the equivalent of where I am now! Oh well, glad I asked though. Cheers

[Big Tav]

10speeduk said:

Cheers all, some great advice and knowledge. I am currently in medical devices and have decent moolah, with good prospects, just thought it might be nice to sell something I am genuinely passionate about! Seems like a real grind just to start off at the bottom rung, then 2-3 years to get to the equivalent of where I am now! Oh well, glad I asked though. Cheers

I thought about getting into medical sales in Sydney but it is near impossible to get into unless you have a existing experience or degree. Wasn't worth it to me. What did you have to do to get into it mate?

As for cars, you can make good money pretty quickly if you are good. I was making the same as the long termers in my first year. I also won the Dixi Club award so it can be done if you are keen! The one mistake people make is thinking its all about the cars. There is a lot of menial tasks that can take the shine off it too. It all balances out though. I really liked it. Don't rule it out!

[Big Tav]

TVR1 said:

Big Tav said:

I don't know about "sky's the limit". Before I started at our dealership (BMW) there were a couple of guys who had been there a long time (12-15 years) and were making serious money. What that does eventually is makes management think that no one should be making that much money and they decide to cut costs. They "restructured" the commission structure and the guys were making 2/3 of what they were. Both of them left. They did this to the business manager too.

They couldn't stomach salesmen making $200,000+AUD. I know that doesn't make business sense as they lost their best guys and if they are making that much money the business must be making more but that is what happened.

Hi Big Tav. A similar thing happened in the UK when it all went wrong in 2008.
What annoys me more than anything is that it is ultimately the customer who suffers as many dealerships are now employing anyone, for low pay and very average commission. I always took the view (and my bosses too) that if I was earning well, then so must the company. But it is driven from the top, as always. Sometimes DP's and general managers simply don't like their staff earning more than them. I guess you are at Rushcutters?

The big difference over there, I think, is that there simply isn't the number of salespeople available with the required experience of the prestige market. Over here, pretty much anyone could walk into a BMW/Mercedes and with just a little experience in the motor trade, secure a job.

What is interesting though is that a few Australian BMW dealers (I keep my eyes on things there, for various reasons) have been advertising employment opportunities recently-unheard of a couple of years ago? The positions where always filled internally etc. maybe it is going the same way there?

How did you guess Rushcutters? Are you Aussie too? You are right about the advertising though. They are finding it harder to promote from within. I first started with BMW at Crawfords by just going in there and they liked me and hired me even though there wasn't really a job going and I was new to the industry.

I know what you mean about management don't like salesmen earning more than them. It is more common than people realise. I am also of the belief that if I am good enough to make the most of the job and max out the commission structure than the dealership should be over the moon. Unfortunately they see it as a way to save some money. Better in their pocket than yours. The good guys then leave, useless people get hired, less sales are made, lower grosses and then they wish the old sales guys were back...

I can't believe it is that easy to get a job in BMW/Merc if they are hiring anyone. That is a real mistake by the dealership. Maybe I should go back into it and I will do well pretty easily if that's the case!

[Animal]

10speeduk said:

Cheers all, some great advice and knowledge. I am currently in medical devices and have decent moolah, with good prospects, just thought it might be nice to sell something I am genuinely passionate about! Seems like a real grind just to start off at the bottom rung, then 2-3 years to get to the equivalent of where I am now! Oh well, glad I asked though. Cheers

If you love doing it isn't it worth the money? Would you rather drag your arse to work every day for the next 30 yrs or so or run there?

I'm not sure how places like Gregor Fisken or Dumcan Hamilton etc would stack up against main dealers in terms of remuneration/working conditions, but if you worked for someone like Fisken you'd see some truly extraordinary metal.

[okgo]

Even somewhere like Porshe will want someone with years of background selling BMW/Merc, and those brands in themsevles will want someone with years background selling other stuff first, too.

Apparently its not all its cracked up to be in the main, I was speaking to a chap I dealt with that worked at romans, he drove a golf and said he had rarley been allowed to drive the good stuff. Also a lot of these places seem to be family owned, thus a tight net

[TVR1]

okgo said:

Even somewhere like Porshe will want someone with years of background selling BMW/Merc, and those brands in themsevles will want someone with years background selling other stuff first, too.

Apparently its not all its cracked up to be in the main, I was speaking to a chap I dealt with that worked at romans, he drove a golf and said he had rarley been allowed to drive the good stuff. Also a lot of these places seem to be family owned, thus a tight net

True, it can be the luck of the draw. Company car policies are very random, from drive what you like but don't take the piss to almost having a directors Spanish inquistion if you are seen to be driving a car 'above' your position. That all changed about 18 months ago though, when the BIK rules changed and everyone suddenly wanted a Mini one diesel. Not much fun being hit for an additional £400 odd per month on the car I was driving at the time!

[TVR1]

Big Tav said:

TVR1 said:

Big Tav said:

I don't know about "sky's the limit". Before I started at our dealership (BMW) there were a couple of guys who had been there a long time (12-15 years) and were making serious money. What that does eventually is makes management think that no one should be making that much money and they decide to cut costs. They "restructured" the commission structure and the guys were making 2/3 of what they were. Both of them left. They did this to the business manager too.

They couldn't stomach salesmen making $200,000+AUD. I know that doesn't make business sense as they lost their best guys and if they are making that much money the business must be making more but that is what happened.

Hi Big Tav. A similar thing happened in the UK when it all went wrong in 2008.
What annoys me more than anything is that it is ultimately the customer who suffers as many dealerships are now employing anyone, for low pay and very average commission. I always took the view (and my bosses too) that if I was earning well, then so must the company. But it is driven from the top, as always. Sometimes DP's and general managers simply don't like their staff earning more than them. I guess you are at Rushcutters?

The big difference over there, I think, is that there simply isn't the number of salespeople available with the required experience of the prestige market. Over here, pretty much anyone could walk into a BMW/Mercedes and with just a little experience in the motor trade, secure a job.

What is interesting though is that a few Australian BMW dealers (I keep my eyes on things there, for various reasons) have been advertising employment opportunities recently-unheard of a couple of years ago? The positions where always filled internally etc. maybe it is going the same way there?

How did you guess Rushcutters? Are you Aussie too? You are right about the advertising though. They are finding it harder to promote from within. I first started with BMW at Crawfords by just going in there and they liked me and hired me even though there wasn't really a job going and I was new to the industry.

I know what you mean about management don't like salesmen earning more than them. It is more common than people realise. I am also of the belief that if I am good enough to make the most of the job and max out the commission structure than the dealership should be over the moon. Unfortunately they see it as a way to save some money. Better in their pocket than yours. The good guys then leave, useless people get hired, less sales are made, lower grosses and then they wish the old sales guys were back...

I can't believe it is that easy to get a job in BMW/Merc if they are hiring anyone. That is a real mistake by the dealership. Maybe I should go back into it and I will do well pretty easily if that's the case!

No, a Pom through and through. I lived in SA for a few years a while back and have just been granted permanent residence. I'm in the middle of planning things and have already been in touch with a few people at various dealerships-it's always sods law about these things as stuff is happening here too that could be quite exciting. To stay or go? That is the question.

You may know Barry, one of the Master Techies, at your old place? He went out on a sponsored visa to Rushcutters from my old dealership.

Although, looking at the woefull exchange rates at the moment, earning Aus Dollars and sending back here as Pounds does make a lot of sense.