Now Ye're Talking - to a Car Salesman

Boards.ie: Niamh

Our next guest is a car salesman working for a premium dealer. He has worked for a range of dealerships over the past 10 years and is happy to answer any questions about the car sales business.

demanufactured

Will you do me a good deal on a mondeo estate

the sheriff is HERE

hi carsalesman
what is the best marquee you've sold?
how can i get a few euros off the price of a car?
most cars you've sold in a day?
what's a typical day from start to finish for a car salesman?
any perks of the job?

corkgsxr

If you told the truth about a car would you suddenly explode

Tzardine

How much commission does a sales person make on the typical deal ? Do you get extra if they use in house finance ?

Sabre0001

What's the worst (and/or most memorable) test drive you've ever experienced?

Ever see anyone purchase a shiny new car only to ding it as soon as they're driving it off the lot?

What are must-ask questions for car buyers, do you think?

M5

Im looking at a car, its a off brand trade in that has been sent to a third party dealer. Is this unusual or something that should be setting off alarm bells?

Also have you come across much clocking? Are certain makes more resistant?

Gloomtastic!

What are you driving yourself these days?

When negotiating a trade-in, how often have you been duped into buying a pup?How does that affect your commission?

How does your sales patter differ when selling to men v women? Which are you better at selling to?

If you weren't selling cars, what would be your ideal job?

carsfan2

What sort of margin do you aim for when selling on a trade in of the brand you deal in?

frash

How many cars have you clocked this week?

Harika

What do I have to do to get the best deal?

Fann Linn

Any chance ye'll be able to match UK prices + vrt + exchange difference, considering +100,000 cars are expected to be imported this year?

funkey_monkey

Have you any advice for someone purchasing either a new or second hand car in relation to how they should negotiate a good deal?

funkey_monkey

What if anything car be done to remove the perception of car salesmen being rogues?
Does this perception (highlighted in some of the previous questions) annoy you?

carsfan2

Why do manufacturers care about market share and being number one etc?
Surely selling more cars at no margin is a waste.
Also do importers give dealers big bonuses based on number of units sold meaning that you will sometimes sell a car at no profit to get a manufacturer bonus?
Is the majority of income for a car sales person commission based ?

I'm a Car Salesman, AMA

Boards.ie: Niamh wrote: »

Our next guest is a car salesman working for a premium dealer. He has worked for a range of dealerships over the past 10 years and is happy to answer any questions about the car sales business.

Thanks Niamh, I will respond to all questions as quickly as I can. This is our busy time of year so during the day tends to be a very busy.

I will answer as many questions as I can, I will not go in to exact specifics but will give as much info as I can

cute geoge

How much of a discount could i expect on a good s/h hand car if i was buying straight i.e. i bought a year old octavia with 16km for advertised price of 20k off main dealer ,sales man would not budge when the o/h was smitten by car .If i had walked out would he probably have ran out the door after me to accept €500 lower!!!

Psychobabble

Do dealers prefer cash sales for 2nd hand cars or finance arrangements?
Is having a trade-n an advantage or disadvantage for a buyer?
Cheers.

GavRedKing

VRT is clearly a sore subject for anyone looking for a car in this country.

Do you think that because of it, people are more inclined to shop outside of the state, either up north or across the water for a car that they can make a decent saving on when compared to the Irish equivalent?

Eric Cartman

why are many salespeople so unhelpful when you want to order a car with some options on it. While looking for a new car two years ago, I visited 6 dealers for three different brands, fully prepared to drop close to 80k on a new 4x4 , every single time I asked for a build to be priced up for me and an official quote done, fully loaded with all the options , I was either told they were not interested, options list unavailable or 'ill give you a call next week'

Alun

I have two questions ...

1) Why is it that I usually know more about the car I'm looking for in terms of spec, options, performance etc. than the salesman does, after spending only a few hours researching it on the internet? I realise it can get pretty complex, but it is your job to know your own product after all.

2) This might be an Irish thing, as most other new cars I've bought in Germany and Netherlands, but why is it considered such a crazy thing to want to order a car with exactly the options I want rather than be pressured into buying one that they've already imported and have sitting in a disused airfield somewhere?

Tell me how

Who gains most from PCP finance plans?

Do you think it's exorbitant, the amount cars depreciate?

I'm a Car Salesman, AMA

demanufactured wrote: »

Will you do me a good deal on a mondeo estate

I don’t want the use this thread to sell cars I want to use it to answer some of the common questions people have about the job but I can certainly give advice

the sheriff is HERE wrote: »

hi carsalesman
what is the best marquee you've sold?
how can i get a few euros off the price of a car?
most cars you've sold in a day?
what's a typical day from start to finish for a car salesman?
any perks of the job?

1, I have not sold any super cars but a number of the prestigious brands
2, best advice would be honest and most sales people will work with you to try get a deal everyone is happy with. Contrary to the stereo type sales people are not out to rob you.
3, 6 cars in a day
4, There really is not a typical day and that’s what I like most about it, every day is different and you never know what you are going to be doing or who you will meet
5, perks of the job for me doing something I enjoy, driving nice cars and ability to make good money

corkgsxr wrote: »

If you told the truth about a car would you suddenly explode

No, I think this is why this thread will be good to help eliminate this type of stereotypes

Tzardine wrote: »

How much commission does a sales person make on the typical deal ? Do you get extra if they use in house finance ?

Most car sales are targeted as a % of the profit earned so every deal could be different. Yes the dealership receives a commission for selling finance on behalf of the finance company which in turn the sales person gets a % of

Sabre0001 wrote: »

What's the worst (and/or most memorable) test drive you've ever experienced?

Ever see anyone purchase a shiny new car only to ding it as soon as they're driving it off the lot?

What are must-ask questions for car buyers, do you think?

1, I think the worst tend to be people wanting to show off and pretend they are testing the speed and handling of a car when there is no need to

2, yes I saw a customer once driving out of the dealership take the turn too tight a scratch the side of their new car off a bollard out the front

3, I think confirming what you are getting is the most important, there is so much info on the internet not all of which is true so it can be easy to think you are getting something you are not

I'm a Car Salesman, AMA

M5 wrote: »

Im looking at a car, its a off brand trade in that has been sent to a third party dealer. Is this unusual or something that should be setting off alarm bells?

Also have you come across much clocking? Are certain makes more resistant?

No this is quiet a common thing in the industry. Quiet often a third party dealer can pay more for a non brand trade in because they have smaller over heads than a main dealer. To ask the same price the main dealer may have to give less money for a trade in

No I have never personally come across it, I have heard stories but never first hand. I think it is nearly a thing of the past because there are too many ways to check mileage, mainly through computerised service records. Saying that like anything if someone really wants to do it they will find a way

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

What are you driving yourself these days?

When negotiating a trade-in, how often have you been duped into buying a pup?How does that affect your commission?

How does your sales patter differ when selling to men v women? Which are you better at selling to?

If you weren't selling cars, what would be your ideal job?

1, I have the “perk” of driving cars from the dealership so it could change daily
2, yes the biggest thing for me starting out was realising most people are changing there car for a reason and a lot of the time because there is something wrong with their car. People are reluctant to tell you this because they want to get more for their car. As most car sales people work on a % of profit if they get a pup then yes this will affect commission
3, personally mine does not change from men to women, each person you meet is different. I don’t believe a man or woman should be differently because of their gender
4, that is a tough question because I enjoy what I do and I enjoy dealing with people so don’t know what else I would / could pick

carsfan2 wrote: »

What sort of margin do you aim for when selling on a trade in of the brand you deal in?

Generally €1,500

frash wrote: »

How many cars have you clocked this week?

None this week or any week

Harika wrote: »

What do I have to do to get the best deal?

Be honest with the person you are dealing with and also keep them honest by checking what they are telling you is correct

Widdensushi

What do you think of PCP and what incentives are you getting to sell it?

I'm a Car Salesman, AMA

Fann Linn wrote: »

Any chance ye'll be able to match UK prices + vrt + exchange difference, considering +100,000 cars are expected to be imported this year?

Probably not mainly because we are in business to make money. Yes we can buy these cars to and sell them but we will have overheads and want to make money

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Have you any advice for someone purchasing either a new or second hand car in relation to how they should negotiate a good deal?

Research what they are looking for. Check offers from similar brands if a new car and check the competitors and market value if a used car

funkey_monkey wrote: »

What if anything car be done to remove the perception of car salesmen being rogues?
Does this perception (highlighted in some of the previous questions) annoy you?

I think it is naturally evolving and I am hoping this thread may help. Yes this perception does annoy me because I take pride in what I do and my profession and so do my colleagues. I think the days of “rogues” are numbered because you can no check and verify everything you are told from various sources such as the internet

carsfan2 wrote: »

Why do manufacturers care about market share and being number one etc?
Surely selling more cars at no margin is a waste.
Also do importers give dealers big bonuses based on number of units sold meaning that you will sometimes sell a car at no profit to get a manufacturer bonus?
Is the majority of income for a car sales person commission based ?

It’s all manufacturers really care about and some will do anything to get there, all you have to do is look at the amount of cars some manufacturers register the end of each month.

Yes a large amount of a dealerships sales bonus will come from an end of year bonus importers/manufacturers pay for hitting certain numbers. This means yes sometimes it makes sense to sell cars at a very small margin or even a loss.

Yes the majority is driven around commission meaning income can be seasonable

bucketybuck

Have you ever apologised to the lads in service that regularly have to deal with the fallout caused by salesmen making bull**** claims at the time of sale?

Max Prophet

Whata your basic salary and your sales bonus ?

I'm a Car Salesman, AMA

cute geoge wrote: »

How much of a discount could i expect on a good s/h hand car if i was buying straight i.e. i bought a year old octavia with 16km for advertised price of 20k off main dealer ,sales man would not budge when the o/h was smitten by car .If i had walked out would he probably have ran out the door after me to accept €500 lower!!!

Depends on the car and also how it is priced relative to its condition and the competition. Some dealers will prepare to the highest standards and give nor more than €500 off. On average I would say €1,000 off

Psychobabble wrote: »

Do dealers prefer cash sales for 2nd hand cars or finance arrangements?
Is having a trade-n an advantage or disadvantage for a buyer?
Cheers.

Depends on the dealer in question, some smaller dealers will prefer cash deals as it will help with their cash flow. Some larger dealers will prefer finance because they receive commission for it.

Again depends on trade in, if a dealer can make money ie is a very sought after car it can be advantage for a buyer

GavRedKing wrote: »

VRT is clearly a sore subject for anyone looking for a car in this country.

Do you think that because of it, people are more inclined to shop outside of the state, either up north or across the water for a car that they can make a decent saving on when compared to the Irish equivalent?

Yes if you look at the amount of VRT and VAT contained in the price of some cars it makes it cheaper to look else where which is not good for anyone

Eric Cartman wrote: »

why are many salespeople so unhelpful when you want to order a car with some options on it. While looking for a new car two years ago, I visited 6 dealers for three different brands, fully prepared to drop close to 80k on a new 4x4 , every single time I asked for a build to be priced up for me and an official quote done, fully loaded with all the options , I was either told they were not interested, options list unavailable or 'ill give you a call next week'

There is no simple answer to this, unfortunately there are sales people who only want the easy sales and don’t want to put the effort in required for things like this

Alun wrote: »

I have two questions ...

1) Why is it that I usually know more about the car I'm looking for in terms of spec, options, performance etc. than the salesman does, after spending only a few hours researching it on the internet? I realise it can get pretty complex, but it is your job to know your own product after all.

2) This might be an Irish thing, as most other new cars I've bought in Germany and Netherlands, but why is it considered such a crazy thing to want to order a car with exactly the options I want rather than be pressured into buying one that they've already imported and have sitting in a disused airfield somewhere?

1, It can be hard to keep up with all of the changes as technology is constantly changing and some times manufacturers don’t even tell you so we have to research like you to find out. Yes you are right it is our job to know this

2, Two things really here, 1, it is easier to sell from what is in “stock”. 2, as sales people work on commission they want the sale now rather than waiting for the order and sale to go through

Not saying either of these reasons are excuses but probably why you encounter it. It’s not the way i work

Tell me how wrote: »

Who gains most from PCP finance plans?

Do you think it's exorbitant, the amount cars depreciate?

If done properly the buyer, seller and dealership

Yes the more expensive the car the more it depreciates, as a business idea it’s not a good idea to buy an expensive car yet a lot of us do

Harika

I'm a Car Salesman, AMA wrote: »

Yes the more expensive the car the more it depreciates, as a business idea it’s not a good idea to buy an expensive car yet a lot of us do

Cars depreciate, where is the sweet spot when you get most bang for your money nowadays?
Like 2013 I was told that a five year old car would be best as depreciation already took most of the value but not much repair work will be expected.

redbel05

Probably showing how little I know about car sales... Have you ever had a customer come in and get you to order in "the works"/ the most expensive customised model and then not be contactable afterwards or decide to buy elsewhere?

Is it very competitive in your dealership as to which salesman gets the most sales? Is there much of a turnover of salesman there due to people not being able to cut it?

What's the longest that you've gone without selling a car?

carsfan2

What would you say are the lowest depreciating car models and what are the worst on the market?
Is there a ”sweet spot” of age to buy and sell at ?i.e. buy at 3 years old sell at 5?

the sheriff is HERE

What are your favourite everyday cars?
Have you ever refused to sell a car?

SCOOP 64

Have you ever sold a car that you knew had a reputation for having problems and felt you should warn the customer but didn't, or should the customer do their own homework to look into the car they are buying.

wyf437gn6btzue

Do you think pcp finance should be more regulated than it currently is?

ba_barabus

I drive a 131 Avensis I bought last year. I purchased it with 75k kms from a reputable main dealer and by July I'll be well on the road to doubling this. I've had it serviced every 15k at the main dealer and had no issues.

Given the mileage I'm doing should I upgrade again in order to get a decent trade in value or would the value lie in holding it.

It's bland as hell but comfortable, dependable and has a big boot. I don't want anything from VAG as they've always been unreliable and expensive to repair which somewhat limits my choice.

madmaggie

Do you have a different attitude to female customers? I have been patronised, ignorned and talked down to in garages in the not too distant past. I won't be bothering with them again. One place the salesman talked all the time to my male relative, even though I made it clear I was the one doing the buying.

Cookie_Monster

carsfan2 wrote: »

Why do manufacturers care about market share and being number one etc?
Surely selling more cars at no margin is a waste.

because the cars get produced either way. so it's sell them or have them sit in a receiving yard in whatever country until they do finally sell them.

FanadMan

Have you ever met or worked with an Arthur Daley type salesman? You know the type - great spiel, smokes cigars and is a real conman?

Manic Moran

Apologies if not applicable to my situation in the US, but we get 'sales pushes' every few months here. Winter event. President's Day Sale, etc. For those of us looking for a certified used car, I assume a bunch of trade-ins happen in these sales, and the cars get inspected, fixed up, and put on the used car market. Since I would like the largest selection to choose from, how long does it take between a car getting traded in, and its being back on the lot as a 'Certified Pre-Owned'?

I'm a Car Salesman, AMA

Widdensushi wrote: »

What do you think of PCP and what incentives are you getting to sell it?

Personally I am a fan of PCP and if buying a car myself I would buy it using PCP. It makes buying a new car more affordable for some people.

It also depends how long you are going to keep your car, if you are someone who keeps it for example 1 years then PCP may not be suitable

The majority of people change their car once they have bought a new one more frequently.

With PCP if you can afford to pay more per month then do and put in less of a deposit up front. Also make sure the final value / payment is not too high. PCP fails where you end up owing more than its worth at the end, this will also discourage people from doing it.

Yes a dealership does receive commission for organising the PCP finance but not as much as you would for organising regular hire purchase finance

bucketybuck wrote: »

Have you ever apologised to the lads in service that regularly have to deal with the fallout caused by salesmen making bull**** claims at the time of sale?

Personally I have never had to however I have seen it happen. Two things tend to happen first is yes the sales person over promised at the start and also some customers will try and claim they were offered and given certain things as part of the deal

Max Prophet wrote: »

Whata your basic salary and your sales bonus ?

I don't want give exact figures, on a good year though you could 3.5 - 4 times your basic salary in commission

Harika wrote: »

Cars depreciate, where is the sweet spot when you get most bang for your money nowadays?
Like 2013 I was told that a five year old car would be best as depreciation already took most of the value but not much repair work will be expected.

It depends on the brand but I would say 3 years personally as the dealership will want your trade in to sell again and make money from. Once a car hits 5 years some dealerships will not sell the car on themselves and simply sell on to a third party dealer

DrPhilG

What are your thoughts on Electric Vehicles? I'm not sure if you work for one of the common EV sellers, (mainly Nissan, Renault and Hyundai) but the common theme for those interested in buying electric is that (a)the dealers are shockingly badly informed and (b)they simply don't want to sell electrics because they won't make as much money long term as they are more reliable and cheaper to service.

PS I don't mean the "shockingly badly informed" bit as an attack. It's more an issue with the dealership than the individual salesmen.

Tom Mann Centuria

When you go to ask your boss is there anything else you can do to improve the deal, what do you talk about really?

ba_barabus

A couple of more questions:

Have you ever had a very negative customer experience which was outside of your control?

Have you ever had a strange customer request?

How do you deal with tyre kickers?

Why do some sales people be at pains to stress they are making no money/loosing money on a deal? It's a big turn off for me when someone says it and has caused me to walk away.

GavRedKing

More of a personal one,

Money no object, what would be your ideal daily and weekend 2 car garage?

Tell me how

What has been the weirdest item which ye have found in a trade in?

What has been the largest sum of money also found in a trade in?

Have you ever seen a car which has been traded and bought multiple times through the same garage?

Veloce

Generally - how many people purchases their cars by way of finance versus buying outright with cash?

Obviously you can't determine if cash buyers sourced their money from a credit union or whatever but just generally speaking.

SEPT 23 1989

Is selling a car really like making love to a beautiful woman?

I'm a Car Salesman, AMA

redbel05 wrote: »

Probably showing how little I know about car sales... Have you ever had a customer come in and get you to order in "the works"/ the most expensive customised model and then not be contactable afterwards or decide to buy elsewhere?

Is it very competitive in your dealership as to which salesman gets the most sales? Is there much of a turnover of salesman there due to people not being able to cut it?

What's the longest that you've gone without selling a car?

1, It someone is looking to order a very specific car generally we will look for a minimum 10% deposit up front to cover ourselves. It has not happened to me thank god but I have heard of cars being ordered and then the customer deciding they don't want it or want something else

2, Yes all sales I believe are very competitive but my dealership would be very competitive for two reason first to sell more than everyone else and the more you sell then the more you earn. It depends on the dealership but surprisingly some of the bigger dealers have a very high turn over

3, Probably 5 weeks without selling something which really is a long time as it plays on your mind every day. You can come across as desperate because it is playing on your mind so much

carsfan2 wrote: »

What would you say are the lowest depreciating car models and what are the worst on the market?
Is there a ”sweet spot” of age to buy and sell at ?i.e. buy at 3 years old sell at 5?

The lowest depreciating cars tend to me the most popular models and any new model. If something is scarce or new to the market it will tend to hold its value very well over the next 3 - 4 years.
If you look at some of the favourites such as the VW Golf and Nissan Qashqai they hold their value very well
Yes if buying second hand buying a 3 year old car and changing after 2 years can work out very well if you get the right car

the sheriff is HERE wrote: »

What are your favourite everyday cars?
Have you ever refused to sell a car?

I supposed everyone's version of an every day car is different but I drove the Peugeot 5008 recently and was very impressed with it both the level of extras it came with and the drive of its petrol engine

No I have never refused to sell a car but I have tried to discourage someone from buying a car if I didn't feel it was right for them or was suspicious about them

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

Have you ever sold a car that you knew had a reputation for having problems and felt you should warn the customer but didn't, or should the customer do their own homework to look into the car they are buying.

Personally I would prefer to be up front and honest about a car and give people my opinion on it so if I felt they were going to have problems with a car. For example if someone was doing extremely small mileage I would advise them about the build up of carbon in a diesel and tell them to be wary if buying one.

I would always recommend a customer doing their own research because as a sales man there is only so much of their wants and needs I can gain an understanding of

Gunnar Tight Clipboard wrote: »

Do you think pcp finance should be more regulated than it currently is?

I don't think more regulation is needed but I think more information needs to be given both to the people selling it and to the people buying it

ba_barabus wrote: »

I drive a 131 Avensis I bought last year. I purchased it with 75k kms from a reputable main dealer and by July I'll be well on the road to doubling this. I've had it serviced every 15k at the main dealer and had no issues.

Given the mileage I'm doing should I upgrade again in order to get a decent trade in value or would the value lie in holding it.

It's bland as hell but comfortable, dependable and has a big boot. I don't want anything from VAG as they've always been unreliable and expensive to repair which somewhat limits my choice.

I would definitely price up trading it in and see what it is going to cost you so you can weigh up the options. However the 100,000 kms mark in this country can be a big stumbling block in this country as everyone wants a "low" mileage car so the only way it will sell if it is much cheaper than anything else which in turn will affect your trade in price

chancer007

Hi,
Why is there is so many 1.6 passats for sale in Ireland?
There used to be mostly 2L..I know VW claim the 1.6 passat has enough power, but still its a big car.
Thinking of changing the 1.6 Golf to a passat. I just think all the 1.6 passat's got dumped in Ireland while most of the 2L are in the uk.
Thanks

jimmycrackcorm

madmaggie wrote:

Do you have a different attitude to female customers? I have been patronised, ignorned and talked down to in garages in the not too distant past. I won't be bothering with them again. One place the salesman talked all the time to my male relative, even though I made it clear I was the one doing the buying.

I was also wondering this after a female friend of mine was told by the salesman that he wouldn't warranty the clutch on the car she was interested in because she was a woman.