Another Car Sales Person Let Go

johnf2020

Well I got the door last Thursday/Friday
Boss called me in---Are you bored---bored,,,of course not. I flat out busy selling to all the people that are not coming in the door..Highly motivated!!!not.
Well your not doing the numbers--your head is somewhere else!!!!
My head is wondering where all the customers are gone!!!!
Your Numbers do not justify your salary..!!
Your business is going down the tubes so sack me and use the numbers line so you wont have to pay me redundancy!!!!!
I'll expect your answer by Friday.
I'm staying as of Friday.

Your out.

zero19

Harsh

Lord Nikon

Is everyone else meeting their quota? Ask him your going anyway.

If everyone elses figures are dropping is he going to sack his whole sales staff.

Anyways, looks like BMW's sales aregoing to be booming over the next few months, get in their door quick.

-Chris-

Really sorry to hear that John, it's a bad time for everyone in the motor industry at the moment.

I'm sure you'll find something pretty quickly and wish you the best of luck.

johnf2020

You know I've been selling cars since 2002 and my head is now melted.
Its a great business to be in when things are going great, but when its bad,,etc etc.
Think it may be time for a career change.

Turnover of staff has been 15 in 15 months---think that says enough about the type of guy he was

---

WA****.

Maybe getting let go was the kick up the backside that I needed to get out of there anyway. One girl only lasted 2 days.

Beta Ray Bill

neuromancer wrote: »

Is everyone else meeting their quota? Ask him your going anyway.

If everyone elses figures are dropping is he going to sack his whole sales staff.

Anyways, looks like BMW's sales are going to be booming over the next few months, get in their door quick.

So BMW are saying... but don't forget even though the price of BMW's will drop with the new tax and VRT system they will still be relatively expensive to buy and expensive run (IE Tyres, Service etc) and if anything goes wrong with them like all high end cars they are mega bucks to fix

Also the economy isn't what its was 2 years ago I really cant see people running to spend €30k+ on an eco car. and also bare in mind even though you are buying a BMW... its an eco BMW with a small engine. that wouldn't pull the knickers off a brazzer. and as soon as you start going up in power the saving will disappear.

I am worried about the car industry in general. Alot of people stand to lose a fortune as it is. everywhere you look garages are full. when I investigated trading in last Dec i was offered €3.5-4.5k for my 02 Mondeo with 38k miles.

Crazy! Dealers don't want trade in's

Whats going to happen all these cars like?

(CH3)2CHOH

grahambo wrote: »

So BMW are saying... but don't forget even though the price of BMW's will drop with the new tax and VRT system they will still be relatively expensive to buy and expensive run (IE Tyres, Service etc) and if anything goes wrong with them like all high end cars they are mega bucks to fix

Also the economy isn't what its was 2 years ago I really cant see people running to spend €30k+ on an eco car. and also bare in mind even though you are buying a BMW... its an eco BMW with a small engine. that wouldn't pull the knickers off a brazzer. and as soon as you start going up in power the saving will disappear.

I am worried about the car industry in general. Alot of people stand to lose a fortune as it is. everywhere you look garages are full. when I investigated trading in last Dec i was offered €3.5-4.5k for my 02 Mondeo with 38k miles.

Crazy! Dealers don't want trade in's

Whats going to happen all these cars like?

Maybe people will just keep the car they have and not bother trading up just for a newer number plate.

johnf2020

Most of the cars that are in garages are trade-ins from January,which are standing big money with the worst margin as dealers go balls out in January to get deals and nobody saw what was coming.

Might be time to get something in Parts/Aftersales as that end of things ususlly picks up when sales goes quiet---thats where I started.

richie_rvf

Sorry to read that OP

Lot's of pressure out there - best of luck with the career change!

grahambo wrote: »

So BMW are saying... but don't forget even though the price of BMW's will drop with the new tax and VRT system they will still be relatively expensive to buy and expensive run (IE Tyres, Service etc) and if anything goes wrong with them like all high end cars they are mega bucks to fix

Also the economy isn't what its was 2 years ago I really cant see people running to spend €30k+ on an eco car. and also bare in mind even though you are buying a BMW... its an eco BMW with a small engine. that wouldn't pull the knickers off a brazzer. and as soon as you start going up in power the saving will disappear.

Eh, how are tyres more expensive on a BMW? Servicing is not that much more per hour than any other main dealer and the service intervals on new BMW's are larger than other manufactures so on balance there is not much in it.

If anything was to go wrong it would be covered by warranty.

eco BMW with a small engine??? the 2.0 litre 520d has 177bhp, the 2.0 litre Audi A6 diesel has 140bhp.

You obviously have not driven the new 'eco' BMW's.

I drive an M5 and have just bought a 520d - it is one impressive car and less expensive that a lot of other 'high end' cars out there.

Sorry about that - rant off

GoneShootin

Why don't car sellers just drop the prices of the car to a level where sales inrease.

Supply and demand anyone?

johnf2020

Its actually not about price....Its about peoples reluctance to spend money,whether they have it or not.
Just before I left we dropped the price of cars to Cost price levels,,,added road tax and finance contributions,,,,and the only people that came in were people who would not get finance for a box of matches

E92

johnf2020 wrote: »

Well I got the door last Thursday/Friday

Boss called me in---Are you bored---bored,,,of course not. I flat out busy selling to all the people that are not coming in the door..Highly motivated!!!not.

Well your not doing the numbers--your head is somewhere else!!!!

My head is wondering where all the customers are gone!!!!

Your Numbers do not justify your salary..!!

Your business is going down the tubes so sack me and use the numbers line so you wont have to pay me redundancy!!!!!

I'll expect your answer by Friday.

I'm staying as of Friday.



Your out.

Sorry to hear about your troubles OP. I wouldn't wish to be in the motor trade at this moment in time. Sales in February, March and April are down around 20% compared to the same periods last year. This month will probably be even worse in terms of sales declines, and next month will be a December 6 moths earlier than usual.

July should be a good month, especially for anyone who is trying to sell cars that do well under the new VRT scheme.

It was a serious mistake by the Government to delay the new system until July.

If they had any brains they would have announced this last July and brought in the new system to start at the start of this year.

All the problems about sales and getting rid of bad stock would have been nullified and instead of people buying cars that dealers are so desperately trying to flog, we could have started this year without any of these problems and people would be able to buy the more CO2 friendly cars since the start of the year too, further reducing our carbon footprint.

grahambo wrote: »

So BMW are saying... but don't forget even though the price of BMW's will drop with the new tax and VRT system they will still be relatively expensive to buy and expensive run (IE Tyres, Service etc) and if anything goes wrong with them like all high end cars they are mega bucks to fix

Also the economy isn't what its was 2 years ago I really cant see people running to spend €30k+ on an eco car. and also bare in mind even though you are buying a BMW... its an eco BMW with a small engine. that wouldn't pull the knickers off a brazzer. and as soon as you start going up in power the saving will disappear.

And the least powerful 3 series has 143 bhp(as the 316i is no more). The least powerful A4 has 120, and the least powerful C-class has 122.

BMW parts are not cheap but I don't think Audi/Merc etc are cheap for parts either.

There are plenty of BMW specialists out there that i'm sure will do a good job on servicing BMWs for only a fraction of the price of a main BMW garage.

There WILL be a lot more BMWs out there after July...€46k for a new 520d? What a bargain of a car, you get 177 bhp, 0-100 in 8.3, top speed of 230 km/h, average fuel of 55.4 mpg, €150 road tax a year and things like auto dimming rear view mirror, parking sensors, rain sensing wipers and part electric front seats all as standard!

My old man who is normally a devout Toyota buyer and was planning to change his Toyota for yet another Toyota at the end of the year was so impressed by the new found value of BMW that he's after buying a new 520d in July too!

If you think there are a lot of 520ds out there at the moment you ain't seen nothing yet folks!

And the 3 series will also represent a huge increase in value for money...€36.4k for a base petrol 3 series, €26,540 for a base petrol Avensis and you're getting 143 rather than 110 bhp, alloys, rear electric windows, fog lights, lower road tax(€290 rather than €600) 10 mpg better fuel consumption officially etc etc. At the moment the comparable cars are €25,440 for the Toyota and €40,650 for the BMW, and the Toyota is €428 on road tax and the BMW is €590 on road tax. And not just BMW. Audi's A3 and A4 will be a significantly better prospect to buy after July as well, because they are as good as BMW for the tax and emissions thing.

Thus far BMW have sold about 1000 cars less than over the same period last year. Once July comes you can be sure that BMW will regain all those sales lost, and possibly may sell more cars than last year.

Stevie Dakota

For the love of God E92, you know your stuff but please stop banging on about BMW's at every opportunity, this thread is about a chap who is loosing his job...

peasant

oh noes ..not another thread to worship at the altar of "Bayerische Motorenwerke", pleeese

Phaetonman

E92 wrote: »

And the least powerful 3 series has 143 bhp(as the 316i is no more). The least powerful A4 has 120, and the least powerful C-class has 122.

BMW parts are not cheap but I don't think Audi/Merc etc are cheap for parts either.

There are plenty of BMW specialists out there that i'm sure will do a good job on servicing BMWs for only a fraction of the price of a main BMW garage.

There WILL be a lot more BMWs out there after July...€46k for a new 520d? What a bargain of a car, you get 177 bhp, 0-100 in 8.3, top speed of 230 km/h, average fuel of 55.4 mpg, €150 road tax a year and things like auto dimming rear view mirror, parking sensors, rain sensing wipers and part electric front seats all as standard!

My old man who is normally a devout Toyota buyer and was planning to change his Toyota for yet another Toyota at the end of the year was so impressed by the new found value of BMW that he's after buying a new 520d in July too!

Was this meant for another thread. Reading teh OP and this and it just makes no sense. Do you have a template BMW rimjob that you just post up every now and then?

johnf2020

Thanks Stevie Dakota

johnf2020

The girl in the FAS office told me that I was the 3rd car sales person in to het this week:eek:

Phaetonman

Heres a suggestion John,

Play the import game from the UK for the next 6 months, see if that can tide you over. One man operation and all that.

Things might pick up in a year and you could have a shot at a job then.

And make sure to pressure your boss and argue for redundancy.

tw0nk

Sorry to hear about jobloss OP, but I wonder, do many experienced sales staff like yourself, who would have built up contacts in business over the years, ever think of going out by themselves in the car trade? I only ask as there seems to be well over a hundred one man operations selling cars in Ireland these days.

OP would this be a viable option for you? or just sick of car trade now and want a change?

johnf2020

To be honest If I never saw another car again i'd be happy,,,and I certainly want nothing to do with that bucker again.I left a job where I was very happy for 4 years and due for promotion,, because I was promised the S,M & S .
At least the DP whom I got on well with has promised me whatever was due to me,,which I can collect tomorrow.

tw0nk

phaetonman, great minds...

johnf2020

Guys--you Forgot 1 Important Thing That Landed Me In This Mess


*******nobody Is Buying Cars*******

Phaetonman

johnf2020 wrote: »

Guys--you Forgot 1 Important Thing That Landed Me In This Mess


*******nobody Is Buying Cars*******

Not for all eternity though. If you want to change career then go for it but there is still life in the car industry in Ireland, just right now.

E92

Ladies, I was only responding to grahambo who made claims about BMW that are best described as highly inaccurate.

Sorry that 3 letters get you all uppety, this is a car forum after all.

How come nobody questioned what richie rvf said in defence of BMW? Or is it because I have a user name that refers to a BMW product that you all see that as an easy opportunity to have a go at me?

I can play that game too if you like.

On a personal note I forgot to say in my previous post which has now been edited that I'm sorry for those people who are losing their jobs, so I do apologise for ignoring this. I stand by everything else I said though, and I will not be changing anything else I said.

I don't blame them, I blame the government for only announcing the VRT changes in December and putting them in place only from July. If the Government had brains they would have announced the new system last July and imiplemented it from January of this year.

If you re-read my post you will see that I said the following, which i'll quote(again) as evidently there are people here that like me need to wear glasses:

E92 wrote:

I wouldn't wish to be in the motor trade at this moment in time. Sales in February, March and April are down around 20% compared to the same periods last year. This month will probably be even worse in terms of sales declines, and next month will be a December 6 moths earlier than usual.

July should be a good month, especially for anyone who is trying to sell cars that do well under the new VRT scheme.

It was a serious mistake by the Government to delay the new system until July.

If they had any brains they would have announced this last July and brought in the new system to start at the start of this year.

All the problems about sales and getting rid of bad stock would have been nullified and instead of people buying cars that dealers are so desperately trying to flog, we could have started this year without any of these problems and people would be able to buy the more CO2 friendly cars since the start of the year too, further reducing our carbon footprint.

Phaetonman

Ladies, I was only responding to grahambo who made claims about BMW that are best described as highly inaccurate.

No, you were doing your usual BMW obsesive routine. I'm guessing you obsess about the facts and figures for new BMWs so much due to the fact that yours is from 2 decades ago.

peasant

E92 wrote: »

Ladies.....
....I can play that game too if you like....

...If you re-read my post you will see that I said the following...

No need to get snooty and you only stuck in the last bit of your post just now, don't try and sell us for fools.

Just calm down now, stick to topic and let the others get on with it.

Consider yourself warned

vectra

E92 wrote: »

There WILL be a lot more BMWs out there after July...€46k for a new 520d? What a bargain of a car, you get 177 bhp, 0-100 in 8.3, top speed of 230 km/h, average fuel of 55.4 mpg, €150 road tax a year and things like auto dimming rear view mirror, parking sensors, rain sensing wipers and part electric front seats all as standard!

My old man who is normally a devout Toyota buyer and was planning to change his Toyota for yet another Toyota at the end of the year was so impressed by the new found value of BMW that he's after buying a new 520d in July too!

If you think there are a lot of 520ds out there at the moment you ain't seen nothing yet folks!

Now you suddenly like diesels because you old man is buying a 520D.. :rolleyes:

Tut Tut..
You should be ashamed of yourself.:D

E92

Phaetonman wrote: »

Not for all eternity though. If you want to change career then go for it but there is still life in the car industry in Ireland, just right now.

The car industry is in serious trouble. Sales for new cars are on the floor, used cars aren't shifting, some cars have been on dealers' forecourts since the start of the year.

All the people importing from the UK isn't helping matters, as it makes Irish cars worth even less and even harder for dealers to flog.

There will be a lot more salesmen losing their jobs if things don't improve after July I'm afraid, and worst of all it's not their fault at all. They're the fall guys for others....

E92

vectra wrote: »

Now you suddenly like diesels because you old man is buying a 520D.. :rolleyes:

Tut Tut..
You should be ashamed of yourself.:D

No, i still don't like them, diesel is diesel no matter who makes it;)!

alpina

First off sorry to OP, hope all works out!!

"I don't blame them, I blame the government for only announcing the VRT changes in December and putting them in place only from July. If the Government had brains they would have announced the new system last July and imiplemented it from January of this year."

Sorry E92 borrowed your post here:o

Did the car co's not request the 6 month lead in?

E92

alpina wrote: »

Did the car co's not request the 6 month lead in?

they did, but AFAIK they wanted any changes announced far enough out so that it would come into place at the start of the year, not halfway through!

And if they just said 6 months, then the SIMI is also to blame, but of course the salesman is the easiest "fall guy".

i would suggest that instead of firing salesmen that they might make a better effort to improve the sales experience and not charge such extortionate amounts for servicing and repairs, and then people might, and it's a big might just go back and use main dealer servicing more often.

bazzachazza

Sorry to hear that OP.

But it sounds a lot like whats happening to the building developers they have been racking in the money hand over fist for the last number of years and now that the chickens are coming home to roost there looking for the easy way out i.e. blaming the salesman for not making the customers walk through the door and spend a fortune they don't have.

Your ex-boss sounds like a see you next Tuesday.

Can't wait to hear the sob stories from the dealer owners of how they have to down grade there huge cars or sell up there massive properties to make ends meet. It has been yours and my money they have been living it up large on for the last number of years during the Celtic tiger years.

Now the rules have changed somewhat in favour of the consumer I'm all for it.

MarkN

The bit I can't get is - like the stamp duty issue, why was it all planned so badly?

WHY oh WHY didn't they allow the emissions changes to start in Jan and prevent this dead 6 months in the motor industry and put so many jobs at risk??

Sorry to hear about the situation OP - there's plenty of jobs still out there.

E92

For salesmen's and everyone's sakes, I really hope there is a boost in car sales once July is here. There is only 5 weeks and 1 day to go to d-day now.

Unfortunately we're only getting July prices now, we only got July prices for VW, Alfa and Lexus in the past few days, all the rest still haven't told us bar a certain Germany car maker:D), and usually it's a 3 month period between ordering and delivering, so it's nearly a case of too little too late.

I'd say car sales won't pick up till July at the earliest, and car makers would want to hurry up with their July prices if they are going to have any hope. I really don't see things improving till January next year unfortunately.

There's not a lot salesmen can do without proper pricing.

Would you commit to provisional prices?

Cyrus

Phaetonman wrote: »

No, you were doing your usual BMW obsesive routine. I'm guessing you obsess about the facts and figures for new BMWs so much due to the fact that yours is from 2 decades ago.

and what has that got to do with anything?

the guy has given more useful and helpful advice on here than you have

Hellrazer

johnf2020 wrote: »

Well I got the door last Thursday/Friday
Boss called me in---Are you bored---bored,,,of course not. I flat out busy selling to all the people that are not coming in the door..Highly motivated!!!not.
Well your not doing the numbers--your head is somewhere else!!!!
My head is wondering where all the customers are gone!!!!
Your Numbers do not justify your salary..!!
Your business is going down the tubes so sack me and use the numbers line so you wont have to pay me redundancy!!!!!
I'll expect your answer by Friday.
I'm staying as of Friday.

Your out.

Sorry to hear this John2020.The motor trade is rightly fooked up at the minute.Thankfully Im in after sales and thats doing alright(well according to the powers its never alright)

Then again if your place is anyway like mine theres meetings about meetings about meetings with big plans to get the figures up.
The directors etc havent a clue that the problem is like you say "No one is buying cars this year" and the next few months are going to get even worse.
Thats it--if only they could get that into their thick heads.

In the last couple of months Ive heard of places just closing down,dropping franchises because theyre quieter than others and just letting staff go all over the place yet the media havent done any stories on that whereas if youre in the building trade its all over the place about the downturn.

I blame the Greens-them and their hippie policies--theyve killed the motor trade and I can see something similar in the next budget to kill next years sales--they want us all on bicycles.

Roll on the next general election when they`ll be the next PDs

Cyrus

but the damage is done now, none of this will ever be reversed

and the PDs highlighted the danger of the greens, but look what happened them

E92

Hellrazer wrote: »

I blame the Greens-them and their hippie policies--theyve killed the motor trade and I can see something similar in the next budget to kill next years sales--they want us all on bicycles.

Roll on the next general election when they`ll be the next PDs

Blame FF too. FF changed VRT, the Greens changed motor tax. FF can pick and choose who they want. The Greeens are their current fall guy, like the PDs were before the last election. the only way to change this is to replace them with a Government led by someone else.

Either way I'm a believer in collective responsibility. All the Ministers have to agree on something at cabinet, so they're all equally guilty by association.

Silent Partner

I've been working in the motor trade for about 18 months or so now. I'm not quite a junior still but I'm not a senior either. Anyway, I left a large multi-dealership company last September to work in a smaller family run independent. It was probably naivety on my part but I was commuting a long way to the bigger job and I thought it might have been a good career move and I'd get a bit more "wheelin' & dealin'" experience.

Boy was I wrong.

Since this downturn in January, it has been very quiet. Unfortunately I don't have the experience to pull sales out of a hat and the sharpened axe is getting closer to my neck day by day. I don't expect to make it until July.

If I do leave or get let go, I will be getting out of motor sales.

ART6

Hellrazer wrote: »

I blame the Greens-them and their hippie policies--theyve killed the motor trade and I can see something similar in the next budget to kill next years sales--they want us all on bicycles.

Roll on the next general election when they`ll be the next PDs

Not sure how this helps the OP, but I agree entirely. Personally I am sick of hearing the ranting fanaticism of the Greens with their apparent ambition to return us all to the b****y caves. I wish someone could get it into the head of Gorgeous Gormley and his rope sandled mates that we can't all go about on foot or on bikes, and many of us don't choose to either.

Some years ago now when running a motor outfit in the UK I had a guy who, in his spare time, bought used cars for reselling. I remarked to him one day that it sounded interesting, but I wouldn't want to be bothered with all the frigging about fixing them up. He pointed out to me that when we sold used cars we didn't do that, and neither did he. He simply gave them a good valeting and sprayed them inside with the professional aerosol that gives them a new car smell, and then he flogged 'em for 500 more than he paid. So I'd go with twOnk and turn your experience to that for a while. There will be a lot of used cars on the market at very low prices, and you might even try talking to a few dealers and offering to take on selling their used stock on sale or return?

Lord Nikon

If the BMW sales is anything it's hyped up to be, or any other manutacturer for that matter, then flogging used BM's will net you a few bob. Dealers will love you for all the spaer parts they will sell you. Infact you should have went for a parts job position if one came up.

PS, im using BMW as an example because i think they are the best value for money with the new offers they have.