Ask a car salesman anything...anything at all (Vol. 2).

[BrabusMog]

HTP99 said:

Yep it's to see points and convictions as the paper part, which had all that info on, is no longer a thing.

[Fast Bug]

Blakewater said:

With factories working at reduced capacity, will there be longer lead times and more difficulty in getting factory orders for customers and for new stock?

I was looking at factory order Sprinters for someone today, we might see them in September if we're lucky.

[HTP99]

Fast Bug said:

Blakewater said:

With factories working at reduced capacity, will there be longer lead times and more difficulty in getting factory orders for customers and for new stock?

I was looking at factory order Sprinters for someone today, we might see them in September if we're lucky.

It'll be interesting when I'm back on Monday to see the levels of physical UK stock, what's coming through and the lead times.

I should imagine its going to be pretty hard to get new cars for many months, thus I don't think we'll be seeing the silly deals that people will be expecting.

[Sheepshanks]

HTP99 said:

It'll be interesting when I'm back on Monday to see the levels of physical UK stock, what's coming through and the lead times.

I should imagine its going to be pretty hard to get new cars for many months, thus I don't think we'll be seeing the silly deals that people will be expecting.

Can you see everything for your brand that’s in the UK, or is it already allocated to specific dealers?

I’ve always found it odd that dealers don’t seem to try to sell what’s available, instead being happy to factory order cars.

[Butter Face]

Sheepshanks said:

HTP99 said:

It'll be interesting when I'm back on Monday to see the levels of physical UK stock, what's coming through and the lead times.

I should imagine its going to be pretty hard to get new cars for many months, thus I don't think we'll be seeing the silly deals that people will be expecting.

Can you see everything for your brand that’s in the UK, or is it already allocated to specific dealers?

I’ve always found it odd that dealers don’t seem to try to sell what’s available, instead being happy to factory order cars.

Pretty much have full visibility of all the stock in the UK and as a general rule we always try to sell from stock (our own, then UK, then what’s left the factory) all before factory ordering a car (unless a specific colour/spec that isn’t there.

Sometimes we have to transfer a car from another dealer but you have to pay transport which can kill a deal.

[HTP99]

Sheepshanks said:

HTP99 said:

It'll be interesting when I'm back on Monday to see the levels of physical UK stock, what's coming through and the lead times.

I should imagine its going to be pretty hard to get new cars for many months, thus I don't think we'll be seeing the silly deals that people will be expecting.

Can you see everything for your brand that’s in the UK, or is it already allocated to specific dealers?

I’ve always found it odd that dealers don’t seem to try to sell what’s available, instead being happy to factory order cars.

Yep we can see everything that is freely available and if it isn't already at a dealer, we can grab it.

[stevemcs]

Are manufacturers still going to have the summer shut down or do you think they will skip it this year

[Fast Bug]

stevemcs said:

Are manufacturers still going to have the summer shut down or do you think they will skip it this year

I thi I most will have a reduced shut down. August is when they make changes for the next model year and do routine maintenance on the lines

[Deerfoot]

HTP99 said:

I should imagine its going to be pretty hard to get new cars for many months, thus I don't think we'll be seeing the silly deals that people will be expecting.

Given the inevitable financial uncertainty for the next couple of years do you really expect a large demand for new cars?

[Si1295]

Butter Face said:

Sometimes we have to transfer a car from another dealer but you have to pay transport which can kill a deal.

Are the margins tight on new cars? I always assumed they were in the 30-40% range

[Butter Face]

Si1295 said:

Butter Face said:

Sometimes we have to transfer a car from another dealer but you have to pay transport which can kill a deal.

Are the margins tight on new cars? I always assumed they were in the 30-40% range

Mostly single digit % for the dealer.

[Fast Bug]

Si1295 said:

Are the margins tight on new cars? I always assumed they were in the 30-40% range

I think we all wished they were

Big fleet customers can get that, and more, but usually they make the dealers less money. At least front end profit.

[HTP99]

Butter Face said:

Si1295 said:

Butter Face said:

Sometimes we have to transfer a car from another dealer but you have to pay transport which can kill a deal.

Are the margins tight on new cars? I always assumed they were in the 30-40% range

Mostly single digit % for the dealer.

Yep and then someone chucks a CarWow quote at you which is losing money!

[HTP99]

Deerfoot said:

HTP99 said:

I should imagine its going to be pretty hard to get new cars for many months, thus I don't think we'll be seeing the silly deals that people will be expecting.

Given the inevitable financial uncertainty for the next couple of years do you really expect a large demand for new cars?

Where did I say that was I was expecting a large demand for new cars?

There will still be a demand, I just think supply could be tight for the time being.

[Blakewater]

Do factories build cars on spec with no end customer or is every one initially ordered by a dealer, even if a different dealer grabs it when a customer asks for that spec?

[Butter Face]

Blakewater said:

Do factories build cars on spec with no end customer or is every one initially ordered by a dealer, even if a different dealer grabs it when a customer asks for that spec?

Factories just build cars, no end user, no sale. They just build different specs/engines/colours etc and then the cars get picked up by dealers when sold.

[Sheepshanks]

Si1295 said:

Are the margins tight on new cars? I always assumed they were in the 30-40% range

They're more that that at the manufacturer level, but a lot it of gets lost on the way to the customer.

[stevemcs]

Fast Bug said:

I thi I most will have a reduced shut down. August is when they make changes for the next model year and do routine maintenance on the lines

We were never allowed holiday from early July to late August because of the maintenance, a lot of our work was for Ford and Land Rover mainly on crankshaft lines, it always seemed slightly more than routine maintenance though and very long days.

[bristolracer]

Have you ever been rude to a customer about their part exchange?

There's a salesman/ex salesman on the Shed of the week thread being very rude about a trade in X type, calling it a turd of a car.
I cant imagine he said that to the customer but have you ever maybe been a bit blunt or rude?

[Si1295]

Butter Face said:

Mostly single digit % for the dealer.

Seems like a lot of effort, jumping when the manufacturer asks etc.. for not much return. I'm guessing after sales accounts for a large part of income