Ask a car salesman anything...anything at all.

[Mexman]

mike74 said:

swagmeister said:

Thats a strange one, I always find it takes 10 minutes to type what can be said in 5 minutes. Maybe you are a slow speaker.

I don't think it's strange at all, I also much prefer to enquire via email as I don't have access to phone during usual 9-5 working hours, so only get chance to make my enquiries early morning or late evening.

Also email ensures I can get all my queries in (in concise bullet points) without forgetting any. This gives the dealer the opportunity to give me an equally brief, concise and accurate reply. If they don't then I know they're being deliberately shifty and evasive and it's not worth pursuing things any further

Most dealers I've visited never seem to be so run off their feet that they don't even have time to type out a quick email.
I suspect the reason most dealers don't respond to emails is...

a. It doesn't give them the same opportunity to use their silver tongued sales spiel on you.
b. They don't want to put anything in writing.




One question I'd like to ask is how/why do so many used dealers these days seem to have very little need or desire to actually sell cars and turnover stock? They all seem to be quite happy having overpriced cars sat unsold on their forecourts for months or even years.

See my previous answer regarding emails.
I am certainly run off my feet for most of every day, half the time, grabbing a bite to eat in peace and quite is a mission.
A dealer who dosnt need to sell stock, is not a viable business.
No one wants over age stock sitting around depreciating.

[Mexman]

TheLordJohn said:

Hats off for starting this topic.
Some interesting questions and responses.

Fingers crossed it remains reasonably civil!

It will remain civil.
Just honest answers will be given.
If any other sales guys want to join in and help, then feel free.

[Mexman]

TurboHatchback said:

Do you ever negotiate on price or is it totally fixed, also related to that what is the typical margin on a £4k car? I ask because I've found traders never seem to haggle and will let you walk out the door rather than drop even £100 whereas with private sales it's pretty much expected for the price to include some decent wiggle room.

You would hope to start out with around £1300 gross margin on a 4k car.
Minus recoditioning cost..., servicing, MOT, valeting, tyres etc...then deduct VAT margin, and warranty costs.
Average profit per unit runs at £415 where I work, sometimes more, sometimes a LOT less, even a loss occasionally.

[Mexman]

sc0tt said:

How many times do you call someone before you get the hint they are not interested?

I hate prospecting with a passion
Trust me, I don't want to keep ringing you either!

[Mexman]

twing said:

cheesesliceking said:

Why did you think this was a good idea?

I was thinking exactly this! Why on earth would you put yourself through this?

Reagrds,
Another salesman

Bit of fun and banter hopefully.
No dealer bashing!!

[Mexman]

Rebew said:

Mexman said:

TurboHatchback said:

Do you ever negotiate on price or is it totally fixed, also related to that what is the typical margin on a £4k car? I ask because I've found traders never seem to haggle and will let you walk out the door rather than drop even £100 whereas with private sales it's pretty much expected for the price to include some decent wiggle room.

You would hope to start out with around £1300 gross margin on a 4k car.
Minus recoditioning cost..., servicing, MOT, valeting, tyres etc...then deduct VAT margin, and warranty costs.
Average profit per unit runs at £415 where I work, sometimes more, sometimes a LOT less, even a loss occasionally.

What is the benefit of selling at a loss for a used car dealer? A loss leader makes sense for a supermarket but surely you aren't selling at a loss just to bring in more trade? Is it just to clear old stock as if it wont sell then its just taking up space?

There is no benefit, for example, sold a used car recently, after service, MOT, cambelt kit that the customer insisted on having done, rear bumper and quarter panel painted, ended up with a profit of about 30 quid.
Sometimes recon costs just run away with you, but once you are in for a penny, you are in for a pound, and you've just gotta carry on with it.

[Mexman]

R4PID said:

Why has this thread not been set-up as an audio conference then? No time for e-mails but responding to Q's on PH is fine or is today your day off? :-)

My one and only day off today, so it may go quite when I'm back at work for another 6 days straight as of tomorrow

[Mexman]

Jimmy No Hands said:

Watching sheepishly from the sidelines.

Yours truly,

Also a used prestige salesman. (I don't own pointy shoes either)

Chicken!!
Join in

[Mexman]

wack said:

How do you dispose of unsold stock , auction or trade swaps to keep the forecourt looking fresh , how long do you keep a car before getting rid of it

We run with everything, no matter how long it takes to sell
Problem is, once you have spent £500 or more on recon costs, getting out of the car by trading it or auctioning it is now gonna be difficult.
Most dealers will operate a 30,60,90 stocking policy.
After 30 days, you need to ask yourself why it has not sold.
Is it price?, then adjust, or is it condition?, then re valet it, sort out that scuffed bumper corner.
60 days?.....same again.
90 days?, need to get rid, reduce it down to what it owes you on paper forgoing any profit and move it on.

[Mexman]

sidekickdmr said:

Why have you turned your PM/email off, I want to send you a message!

Sorry, didn't realise it was off.
I'm not brilliant with computers!
Think I have switched in on now though!

[Mexman]

johnwilliams77 said:

Are you doing your dream job or would you prefer to have more free time?

I enjoy the job, and earn a very decent wage for the area where I live, but yes, the hours do hurt sometimes.
Trying to take any annual leave is a nightmare, as you always have a bank of cars you have sold that need your attention before handover, and then of course the handover itself.
Can't remember the last time is used anywhere near my full quota of holiday....

[Mexman]

HumanDoing said:

What is the supposed sales benefit to 'having to go off and ask the boss' about five times during a negotiation? Is it supposed to make the customer think they've got such a good deal that the salesman had to 'ask permission' to do it?

It comes across like an incontinent four year old asking daddy for permission to jump on the potty before he voids his Huggies©

That's a new car sales question, but I have worked in new cars before.
The reason is in some dealers, the salesman cannot see the stand in value of the car, he has no idea what the car owes the company or how much has been spent on it,
That info is confidential to the sales manager, therefore the sales manager has to stack the deal how he sees fit, hence the back and forth, the salesman doing this dosnt want to do it, but that is what is happening,
I don't agree with it, but some companies want to keep there stock pricing confidential, even to the sales staff!!!

[Mexman]

Ayahuasca said:

If you don't sell any cars, how long will it take you to get fired?

Never really happens, even a complete moron will still manage to blunder his way to 10 per month.
If I was to do 10 a month for the next 3 months, questions would be asked and I would probably have a severe talking to.
I need to sell at least 25 per month to keep my boss off my back, although I could probably get away with 20 for a month or two.
Its generally new sales people who will come in and think its all easy and can do 25 a month without trying.
One in three new sales people who are fresh to the motor trade wiil last 3 months at best if they are not selling before they either leave of there own accord or are pushed.

[Mexman]

lucido grigio said:

Do you know what a Fiat Barchetta is ?

Err, yeah.
Thanks for that.

[Mexman]

MellowshipSlinky said:

Why do you have to wear a suit?

Every Lotus dealer I've been to don't, and most Porsche emporium employees seem to wear branded polo shirts at the weekend, with a comfy pair of slacks.

Far more relaxed.

I don't, trousers and shirt for me.
Management and the individual manufacturers standards will dictate what can and can't be worn.

[Mexman]

Sorry if I have missed any question, i m trying to keep up as quickly as possible, my typing finger is hurting!

[Mexman]

talksthetorque said:

What colour car will you not stock?

How do you feel about other used car salesmen describing themselves as "prestige" used car salesmen?

Anything goes and everything sells...(eventually)!

[Mexman]

LuS1fer said:

Why do some dealers not prep their stock first? it's all very well saying "All this will be done when it's sold" but I went to see a nice XJ6 to find green moss growing round the rear badges and window trims, in the main showroom and it had been there a while so no excuse.

Secondly, how do you view buyers like me, who might walk in looking for a Fiesta but might well be distracted by an XJ6, a 2CV or something entirely different to what I went in for? Call me flexible in taste and always looking for a really nice car rather than a particular car.

We do try and prep everything as soon as possible, but sometimes it is just not feasible.
We advertise everything the minute it arrives, do the jobcards for prep, paint, valeting, dents etc, but sometimes it can take weeks for all of that to be completed.
Try organising all of that on one car, then multiply that by 20 or 30 cars particularly at this time of year with the plate change.
Hundreds of part exchanges turning up, but only so many hours in the day for technicians, body shops, Dent men, valeters etc.
That's why some stock when you turn up to view may not have yet been prepped.

[Mexman]

Mexman said:

We do try and prep everything as soon as possible, but sometimes it is just not feasible.
We advertise everything the minute it arrives, do the jobcards for prep, paint, valeting, dents etc, but sometimes it can take weeks for all of that to be completed.
Try organising all of that on one car, then multiply that by 20 or 30 cars particularly at this time of year with the plate change.
Hundreds of part exchanges turning up, but only so many hours in the day for technicians, body shops, Dent men, valeters etc.
That's why some stock when you turn up to view may not have yet been prepped.

Its called qualification, asking questions regarding your desires, wants, needs or just chatting crap with you.
Whenever a sales guy is just talking to you about anything really, even the weather, there us a reason, he is trying to get you to subconsciously tell him what it is you want.

[Mexman]

S11Steve said:

I know you said you are in used sales, but is that for an indy or a franchised dealer?

How much rivalry is there between retail and fleet sales? I know of one fleet sales guy who boasts he can sell more in a week than most can retail in a year. His attitude, I can imagine, doesn't make him very popular...

I work for an independent used car outlet, but we are owned by a dealer franchise network.
Never been involved in fleet personally to be honest, but it wouldn't surprise me that a fleet salesman will do well.
Used to work in a Citroen dealer and the fleet guy could win an order for 20 Berlingo vans or similar in one day.
Do that 3 or 4 times a month, and a retail sales person is never gonna get close.