A few questions for car salesmen

[dennis in se pa]

I am considering getting into the car business as a salesman. What is the accepted compensation for this business? Or is it a mixed bag? Here is some of what I am being presented:
1. I will be able to sell new, used and trucks.
2. Paid training of $500/week + $100 per car sold during the first 90 days.
3. Straight commission after that. (Thought there would be a draw off of the commission)
4. Only 1 week vacation after 1year, 2 after 2 and 3 after 10. I am sure this has to be negotiable if you are good.
5. Health Insurance, although they have not shared the specifics with me on this.
6. This is a Ford Dealership east of Reading PA (Southeast PA).

What do I need to know before I take this jump?
They tell me tthings have slowed some, but cars are still moving.

[masraum]

Wow, from what I've heard, being a used car salesman (or any car salesman) pretty much sucks and is REALLY hard.

[masraum]

Read this article

"Confessions of a Car Salesman"

It was an undercover piece written for Edmunds.com.

http://www.edmunds.com/advice/buying/articles/42962/article.html

[widgeon13]

Their moving, they just aren't selling!

I would look for something else. My guess is they will hire new people because the old timers are leaving, it's so bad!

I applaud your courage but isn't there anything better than the car business at this time?

[masraum]

I think this is a pretty interesting thread too if it's the one that I'm thinking of.

My conversation with a car salesman...

[masraum]

What I remember is that the salesmen have a very, very hard time making money. When the price get's negotiated down, that primarily eats into the salesman's money. The dealer still gets theirs.

What I've heard and read about the job, it doesn't sound like a very good/easy way to make a living.

[M.D. Holloway]

Sales is a good living if your selling the right product - cars are not the right product. If you want to get into sales, PM me.

[Christien]

Most assuredly things are different south of the border than here, but I can tell you from the finance and sales end of things, cars are still selling. Ontario has been hammered over the last few years economically, but people are still buying cars. Our numbers have actually gone up over the last year. I can't really comment on sales since the financial crisis broke, though, because we tapped ourselves out throughout September and October - we're a small finance company with limited resources, and sometimes we just simply run out of capital. So we haven't been accepting new deals for about a month now. Nice position to be in, in some ways.

[pwd72s]

Maybe you should look into selling real estate on the side.

[Zeke]

I sold cars for a short time. In CA (and I suspect in all states), minimum wage has to be paid for the hours you are on the lot. I can tell you that more than a few are there only for the MW. I got a min of 75 for a new car. Used cars are way more profitable for the dealer and the sales person. My best commission was 350 on a Chevy Trail Blazer.

I left after 2 months. The sales manager for my "team" was berating us, cussing us and comparing us to the school yard children down the street at the local elementary. Within 5 minutes I walked off the lot, called the GM and told him that I wouldn't be back.

The 2 week training was worth the hassle. I left leading the board in sales. I'd never do it again.

[Rick Lee]

I was offered a job by the BMW CPO dealer in Arlington, VA a few years ago. Their comp. plan sounded way, way better than what you describe. It was 100% commission and your commission was 50% of whatever they made on a car. For CPO cars, this was much better than new. So if they took a car in for $15k, spent $1000 fixing and cleaning it and sold it for $19k, they made $3k and you got half that.

[Rick Lee]

BTW, there's a guy on Rennlist who did sort of a Larry David thing, walked into a Porsche dealership and got hired and is making very good money in Dallas. I can find his email and PM you if you want.

[hex9145]

I was a car salesman at two ford dealerships. At the first one we were treated like dogs getting yelled at all day especially at the start of the shift. You had to stand out in the lot in 120 degree weather and work 16 hour days 6 days a week . I was even afraid to pick up my pay check because you would get yelled at and had to sign a paper that next month you'd sell more. $100 for new cars plus $20 for extras like alarms and extended warranty. the money is in the used cars the most i made from one was $1200.

[Rick V]

The guys at my dealership are going very hungry right now. I would look elsewhere. I thought about dropping the wrenches and going into sales, I wouldn't take the pay cut. We are talking Porsches here, the domestic market is hurting even worse in my area. Cars are not a good biz right now for the mainstream. Find something else to do. JMO.

[the]

Looking at those numbers, I'd rather work at McDonalds.

[Porsche_monkey]

Didn't Trader220 just 'retire' from his 'main job' to try and sell cars?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Just buy cars, fix them up, drive for a while, then sell them. Works for me.