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

[Mexman]

Any questions, honestly answered...
Fire away

[Mexman]

Lol
Yes, but they are a pain to try and drive in, particularly small cars.
Next.

[Mexman]

There shiny, cos there cheap, no point buying expensive to wreck them with oil and tear them on a door edge etc..

[Mexman]

berlintaxi said:

Why are you everybody's best friend when making the sale, then disappear off the face of the after delivery?

Because dealing with after sales dosnt make me money.
Have a separate department for that...its called after sales.

[Mexman]

sidekickdmr said:

The questions will depend, do you work for a huge national chain, backstreet old banger shed, or somewhere between?

An independent, but part of a main dealer franchise, so used cars only, no new for me.

[Mexman]

SonicShadow said:

>implying a salesperson goes anywhere near the oily bits!

I quite often have to polish a car, or jetwash a car , ready for handover, and also show customers how the oily bits work on handover.
You would be amazed how dirty you get, moving cars around all day.

[Mexman]

Alex said:

Why do you never respond to emails? I don't have time for a phone call.

I do try to answer all emails asap, but sometimes with people in and out all day, phones ringing, cars and paperwork to get ready for handover, problems with cars in workshop to sort, emails are sometimes way down on the priority list.

[Mexman]

skilly1 said:

If you sell a new car for £40k with average options how much money does the dealership make and how much commission do you make ?

I sell used only.
I'm sure one of the new car sales guys will be along shortly to answer...
Thanks

[Mexman]

johnwilliams77 said:

Why do you think car salesman have such an awful reputation? i.e. equivalent to traffic wardens.

Stereotyping I suppose.
We do our best, but cars are very complicated machines and they will go wrong.. New as well as used.

[Mexman]

KTF said:

Do balloons sell cars?

Good question.
Yes!!
Balloons and flags do seem to generate footfall.
Weird, I know, but it works!!

[Mexman]

JuniorD said:

Has a customer ever been so impressed with you or any of your colleagues suave demeanor/slick patter/ general charm/ faux leather shoes (unlikely I know) that they offered themselves for a bit of how's your father?

Back in the day, when I was a younger chap, without grey hair, yes, I dated a few lady customers who had purchased cars.

[Mexman]

KTF said:

Mexman said:

Good question.
Yes!!
Balloons and flags do seem to generate footfall.
Weird, I know, but it works!!

What about straight lines?

Also whats the best 'gold' you have found in a part-ex?

Hah!
Spent 8 hours solid on Tuesday, moving the pitch around, lining everything up, washing stuff, vacumming cars, its one part of the job I hate....musical cars.!
Have found Garmins under seats, the odd few quid here and there, even 2x£20 pound notes under the seat.
Gold necklaces, watches, all manner of stuff really, but nothing worth mega money.
Its more stuff you don't want to find, bottles of lube, Viagra pills, dildo's, and strange stains usually.

[Mexman]

Ninja59 said:

Are you lot really hated by after sales that much? (I know a few that work on the after sales side and they always seem to have a grumble with sales being clowns more or less).

How many cheap aftershaves do you own?

Its an ongoing war, sales v service.
They want us to pay full retail for stuff that we don't want to pay for.
Funnily enough, I don't wear aftershave, can't stand the stuff...

[Mexman]

Toyoda said:

Do you know anything abut cars or have any interest in them whatsoever?

I know what I need to know about cars, but my interest in mainstream stuff has wained over the years.
I know for example what to look out for on certain makes/models, problems, common faults etc.

[Mexman]

Ej74 said:

Are the suits flammable and is there a fire extinguisher on hand permanently

I'm quite lucky, not expected to wear suit, shirt and trousers. Job done

[Mexman]

Never you mind said:

I got this in an email from a sales man.

"Please keep me updated with what your plans are and if your passing drop by for a coffee any time."

Will he get annoyed if I keep going in for free coffee?

Lol.
Err, eventually yes, if you don't buy anything...

[Mexman]

darker grapefruit said:

How do you celebrate closing a sale, e.g. bang a gong/ colleague, do a John Cleese silly walk ? I need an answer by the end of today please.

Definitely the Cleese silly walk...

[Mexman]

Ron99 said:

How often do scary test drives occur? How do you deal with those situations?

Good question.
You really do risk your life with some people.
I would say, one in five test drives, you have a WTF moment one in ten will be an actual brown trouser moment.
A salesman I used to work with back in around 2000, was killed by a girl on test drive.
She veered across the nearside lane from the outside lane on a dual carriageway, up the embankment and rolled the car 5 times.
Peugeot 206 from memory.
She walked away, without a scratch, salesman dead, massive head injury from the 'b' pillar.
That was a bad conversation with his wife, when she arrived at the dealership to collect his personal belongings.
RIP Paul...

[Mexman]

KTF said:

Do you find that you have to 'sell' or are more people coming in and saying I want X in Y colour with these options now its easier to do the research beforehand?

I think people have already done the research they need, the internet has a lot to answer for.
Most people know what the want, although you do still have to lead some people by the hand and babysit them

[Mexman]

WestyCarl said:

OK, serious question; how many cars per week do you sell (and whats the average value)?

Probably on average, I will sell around 5 to 8 per week.
Average value on used, around £4k.