Car Salesman

Car Salesman

CaliCarSalesman

Los Angeles, CA

Male, 33

I sold luxury cars in Los Angeles, quickly learning all tricks of the trade … which I’m happy to share with you. Between the staff and the clientele, one can only imagine the range of personalities I encountered.

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26 Questions

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Last Answer on May 17, 2012

Best Rated

What's the training like?

Asked by indaband almost 13 years ago

No training whatsoever. That's the beauty of car sales – it’s sink or swim. They handed me the same product brochure that customers can take for free and set me loose on the sales floor.

Do car salesman usually buy new or used? I've read a million articles saying anyone who buys new is an idiot given the immediate depreciation that occurs as soon as you drive it off the lot.

Asked by allfiredup almost 13 years ago

Actually, I always lease for a couple reasons. I prefer to have a new car every few years to keep up with model changes and stay within manufacturer free service programs. Also, because there is so much depreciation as soon as you drive it off the lot, I'd rather invest the rest of my money in assets that grow. Also, I lease vehicles that maintain high residual values to take advantage of lower depreciation. Besides, you'd be a damn good negotiator if you plan to buy a used car, since there's much more profit potential in it for the dealer. Unless you have access to a wholesaler dealer who will charge you less.

What's the difference between "sticker price" and invoice?

Asked by sitnow2 almost 13 years ago

"Sticker price" means the manufacturer's suggested retail price, which is always higher than the invoice. The invoice is the price that the dealer pays to the manufacturer. So the dealer's profit is the difference between sticker and invoice. The profit can be up to a few thousand dollars for luxury vehicles.

What’s a common car salesman trick-of-the-trade?

Asked by lerry almost 13 years ago

A salesperson will ask how you plan to pay for the vehicle. If you plan to finance through them, they have more ways to potentially make money, including marking up the interest rate more than the rate at your local bank or credit union.

Assuming I know what make and model I want, what information should I have before walking into a dealership?

Asked by corky almost 13 years ago

Definitely find out the invoice price of the vehicle, including options, on edmunds.com. Also, make sure you've called at least ten dealers in your area for prices to make sure that the dealership you actually set foot in has the lowest price.

What can a top-tier salesman expect to earn annually?

Asked by mindysmith almost 13 years ago

A good salesperson selling luxury brands make six figures annually, including commissions and bonuses.

Do car salesmen work completely on commission, or do they have base salaries as well?

Asked by slipnsled1 almost 13 years ago

Straight commission is very typical.