Car sales men in Florida aren't looking to sell cars

[Etschell]

Ford and subaru by me are terrible. No one seems to want to sell a car.

[mailman]

Originally Posted by Investr

LMFAO huh? A whole decade of small biz experience, and you still have the time to make 10k posts, wow! I like you, youre a funny little guy!

That's just not nice

[Fleetlord]

Originally Posted by superdog

Again, this is not about egos.

It's quite simply a discussion about the evolution of the sales process in the automotive industry.

True. Some of these threads are essentially about "I didn't get my azz kissed enough, so I need to tell everybody about it"...but not in this case, or was my pontification directed towards you..

[Carrera911]

I really wasn't looking to get my ass kissed. Just to obtain some information and test drive the car. Nothing more nothing less.

[bayerische]

Originally Posted by Carrera911

I mentioned I was wearing a Rolex not because I feel I am better. I said that because I was actually wearing it and because it can show that I'm not there to waste the agent's time, as I know some people would just visit the dealership for a test ride with no intention on buying, which was not my case.

Doubt they noticed your Rolex.

[bayerische]

When I walk into a dealership there's the "I know what I'm looking for" or the situation where I'm "just browsing", but I don't go browsing into a random car dealer.

The most expensive car I have bought was in the second situation, I was just browsing the local car dealership where I've bought most of my cars. Suddenly my X5M appears in front of me. Initially thought "it's too expensive", but after some figures we had a rough deal. Test drive didn't happen until the next day. Even though I'm a regular, I estimate I've bought about 10 cars from them, and my extended family another 20 or so they did not pull out the red carpet to make sure I get a test drive right now. No we scheduled it for the next day or was it the day after that...

Not knowing what you want may be a peculiar situation for the car salesman, as where to start? I don't know your age, OP, but can it be a factor here? Cause I do think there can be a bit of a stigma of "two young guys looking to test drive a muscle car" from the car salesman.

[superdog]

Originally Posted by Investr

LMFAO huh? A whole decade of small biz experience, and you still have the time to make 10k posts, wow! I like you, youre a funny little guy!

Now I'm laughing even harder.

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by superdog

Now I'm laughing even harder.

Don't mind him Seth, he probably won't be here for long.

[superdog]

Originally Posted by MonBK

Don't mind him Seth, he probably won't be here for long.

Appreciate that Mon. But I genuinely do find it funny.

That's the beautiful thing about a place like this one. You can form nice relationships with people, and simply not care about others.

Besides, I really don't think he was trying to insult me. If he were, I'm certain he could have said far worse. And I'm still not sure I would care. One gift I've got, I know myself, pros and cons both, quite well. Not much anyone can say to me that I'm not already aware of, and at peace with.

And in conclusion , I actually like the guy based on some of his posts. But it's a discussion board, and sometimes discussions turn south.

[68camaro]

I posted here before about a good friend who had similar story as OP when looking to get a BMW, although he owns his own very successful business salespeople wouldn't give him time of day, he thought it was because of his too casual dress style......he went next store to Mercedes dealer and drove off with new car.

[bayerische]

Originally Posted by 68camaro

I posted here before about a good friend who had similar story as OP when looking to get a BMW, although he owns his own very successful business salespeople wouldn't give him time of day, he thought it was because of his too casual dress style......he went next store to Mercedes dealer and drove off with new car.

I call BS, because no one thinking of a BMW would ever buy a Mercedes.

[jhilly8982]

Originally Posted by superdog

Appreciate that Mon. But I genuinely do find it funny.

That's the beautiful thing about a place like this one. You can form nice relationships with people, and simply not care about others.

Besides, I really don't think he was trying to insult me. If he were, I'm certain he could have said far worse. And I'm still not sure I would care. One gift I've got, I know myself, pros and cons both, quite well. Not much anyone can say to me that I'm not already aware of, and at peace with.

And in conclusion , I actually like the guy based on some of his posts. But it's a discussion board, and sometimes discussions turn south.

I think Neil Young said it best, "Doesn't mean that much to me
To mean that much to you."

[Gaijin]

I personally never ever want to have a car ever again. Never mind the car payment, insurance, Parking issues. I'm done.

[texex91]

Originally Posted by Gaijin

I personally never ever want to have a car ever again. Never mind the car payment, insurance, Parking issues. I'm done.

In Japan that probably is not a hard thing to decide (assuming you still live there).

[Gaijin]

Originally Posted by texex91

In Japan that probably is not a hard thing to decide (assuming you still live there).

[bayerische]

Originally Posted by Gaijin

I personally never ever want to have a car ever again. Never mind the car payment, insurance, Parking issues. I'm done.

Wouldn't mind that lifestyle, but then I would do anything but walk/cycle all day.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Gaijin

I personally never ever want to have a car ever again. Never mind the car payment, insurance, Parking issues. I'm done.

I live vicariously through You

[Desibaba]

Moving forward I can almost guarantee most people will not get the typical luxury car experience that they got previously when they purchased most high end cars simply because dealers have drastically cut the amount of money they make per car and what they are paying salespeople so what you find are typically sales clerks (similar to kids who work at Best Buy, Target or Walmart) just there for doing test drives or making copies of your license and insurance. Even as a finance manager I can see an ipad eventually taking over my job and what I can do and there is no need to pay the Ipad $125k+ a year with benefits. As a consumer yes you will get better pricing but at the same time you will find your customer service experience will be typical to what you get when you go to McDonalds or Burger King (but then again you dont expect much from their employees either).

[Dcdfinance]

Originally Posted by Desibaba

Moving forward I can almost guarantee most people will not get the typical luxury car experience that they got previously when they purchased most high end cars simply because dealers have drastically cut the amount of money they make per car and what they are paying salespeople so what you find are typically sales clerks (similar to kids who work at Best Buy, Target or Walmart) just there for doing test drives or making copies of your license and insurance. Even as a finance manager I can see an ipad eventually taking over my job and what I can do and there is no need to pay the Ipad $125k+ a year with benefits. As a consumer yes you will get better pricing but at the same time you will find your customer service experience will be typical to what you get when you go to McDonalds or Burger King (but then again you dont expect much from their employees either).

I heard the average profit on a new car is actually a couple hundred bucks at best and that the real money comes in when selling the gap, life/disability, extended warranty etc not to mention marking the rate up a few points. Seems more money is made on the back end than the front end and only the FI manager profits on the back end not the sales agent.

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[swils8610]

Originally Posted by Dcdfinance

I heard the average profit on a new car is actually a couple hundred bucks at best and that the real money comes in when selling the gap, life/disability, extended warranty etc not to mention marking the rate up a few points. Seems more money is made on the back end than the front end and only the FI manager profits on the back end not the sales agent.

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I assure you new car profit is more than a couple hundred bucks per unit. For a dealership to be truly successful all departments need to run at peak efficiency/capacity. The challenge of the dealer/GM is running essentially 5 separate business's under one roof. New vehicles, used vehicles, parts, service and f and I. Toss a collision shop in the mix and it's even more of a challenge.


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[swils8610]

Originally Posted by Desibaba

Moving forward I can almost guarantee most people will not get the typical luxury car experience that they got previously when they purchased most high end cars simply because dealers have drastically cut the amount of money they make per car and what they are paying salespeople so what you find are typically sales clerks (similar to kids who work at Best Buy, Target or Walmart) just there for doing test drives or making copies of your license and insurance. Even as a finance manager I can see an ipad eventually taking over my job and what I can do and there is no need to pay the Ipad $125k+ a year with benefits. As a consumer yes you will get better pricing but at the same time you will find your customer service experience will be typical to what you get when you go to McDonalds or Burger King (but then again you dont expect much from their employees either).

Interesting perspective. We actually went to an iPad menu sale for F and I in our VW store for a short time. PVR suffered by 75%. I still believe people need a true feature/benefit presentation from an F and I manager and to answer any questions. CSI also suffered during that same time period. People spending 10k to 200k on a vehicle expect a high level of customer service and treatment. An iPad may be used as a tool but does not replace human interaction/salesmanship.


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[Carrera997]

Originally Posted by Desibaba

I am currently a Finance Manager for a major Luxury car dealership in south florida and did car sales for many, many years. The problem I am seeing with this industry is that because of the internet and so many dealers in small areas that are so close to each other that have killed the profit on new cars (which is what the salesman's commission is based on). Most people find it shocking when they realize that their Salesman made only $100 after they purchased a $70k+ car after getting their local dealer to price match some out of state dealer they found online and the salesman spent days test driving, showing them different vehicles and all the back n forth that he did with them over the phone and email. Its getting harder and harder for dealerships to retain talented salesmen if they arent making decent money after working 70-80 hours a week and often coming in on their days off. That in turn is making dealerships to keep salesmen who are paid horribly who probably have no business selling cars and consumers like you are experiencing bad customer service because most salesmen feel if you arent ready to buy right now then its pointless to even talk to you. Bottom line is dealers need to have better pay plans for their employees if they want to retain quality salesmen and managers and provide excellent customer service.

This is spot on!

F&I guy, you're not with Champion or Prestige are you?

Now to the OP. I am sorry that happened to you and I am not making excuses but my statements below might shed some light on to why customer service is so bad at some dealers. This is what the normal car salesman is up against. In no way are my comments directed at you. I am speaking about the general pubic in the year 2017 and why you may have had a bad experience.

No wonder car dealers have to hire people who don't know what they are doing. No one else will work for $2000 a month working 60 hours a week. Dealerships are profitable because of Service and Parts, not sales.

I have been selling cars for 36 years and the above post is spot on. Consumers want great customer service but have no conception on what a fair profit is (and really don't care) on a vehicle. Do you really think it's too much to ask for 3% profit on a $50,000 car so I can make a living and continue to give you that great customer service that you so desperately seek? Thank God my customers who buy from me understand this and I make a fair and good living. How would the normal person feel if a salesman spent 3 hours with someone test driving and demonstrating a car and selling them on that car just to have the person buy it across town from a salesman that spent 2 minutes with them but were $300 cheaper on a $50K car? It happens! Every day! Not to me, but it happens.
You think dealers play games? It pales in to comparison to what consumers do. How would you like to go on a bunch of demo rides and waste 4 hours of your day because Six Flags is closed and people want something to do for fun.

My advice to you all is simple. Just find a car you like from a salesman that you know will take care of you and work out what both of you feel will be a fair price. If you can't find a salesman that will take you serious go to the reception desk and ask for the GM, GSM or Sales Manager, in that order. They will get you to the right person to help you purchase, Good luck and God Bless.

[Carrera997]

Originally Posted by Dcdfinance

I heard the average profit on a new car is actually a couple hundred bucks at best and that the real money comes in when selling the gap, life/disability, extended warranty etc not to mention marking the rate up a few points. Seems more money is made on the back end than the front end and only the FI manager profits on the back end not the sales agent.

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Yes we make money in F&I, it's a business. You're local bank buys money from the FED at 1.25% and sells it to you at 3.5% so dealers do the same. Most banks cap dealer rate markup a maximum 1% over buy rate. Some allow 2% but that's rare. Life and Disability insurance isn't sold at most dealerships now. As far as Gap and Extended Warranty what is not important for one client may be important for another so it must be offered to all. Most dealers use a Menu now so it's like ordering off a menu and you don't have to take anything if you don't want. Finance rules are VERY strict now.

[swils8610]

Dealership employees stand united together!! I started washing cars nearly 24 years ago. Ive worked up from the bottom. Lot manager, detailer, service, sales, f and I used manager to GM. I've seen all sorts of things in the car biz come and go. All were going to revolutionize the car biz. Software, hardware, the internet etc. Its true the internet has made the consumer much more informed. But in the end it's sales. It's people selling cars and building relationships. Taking care of customers. Treating them right. Giving them the best experience you can. Does it happened every time that way? Nope. But we try. We strive to be the best. Having the best honest and ethical people and the best process gains market share. People sell people cars. Not the internet. The internet gives people info to make the purchase. Sorry for the rant...


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[Tonyfsu21]

Originally Posted by Desibaba

I am currently a Finance Manager for a major Luxury car dealership in south florida and did car sales for many, many years. The problem I am seeing with this industry is that because of the internet and so many dealers in small areas that are so close to each other that have killed the profit on new cars (which is what the salesman's commission is based on). Most people find it shocking when they realize that their Salesman made only $100 after they purchased a $70k+ car after getting their local dealer to price match some out of state dealer they found online and the salesman spent days test driving, showing them different vehicles and all the back n forth that he did with them over the phone and email. Its getting harder and harder for dealerships to retain talented salesmen if they arent making decent money after working 70-80 hours a week and often coming in on their days off. That in turn is making dealerships to keep salesmen who are paid horribly who probably have no business selling cars and consumers like you are experiencing bad customer service because most salesmen feel if you arent ready to buy right now then its pointless to even talk to you. Bottom line is dealers need to have better pay plans for their employees if they want to retain quality salesmen and managers and provide excellent customer service.

I hope the dealer you work at is not Vista BMW! Please say it ain't so. That place is so horrible it's no wonder people take to the internet and don't deal w/ the floor salesmen. I feel dirty every time I leave that place. Three words: predatory sales tactics.

[swils8610]

Originally Posted by Tonyfsu21

I hope the dealer you work at is not Vista BMW! Please say it ain't so. That place is so horrible it's no wonder people take to the internet and don't deal w/ the floor salesmen. I feel dirty every time I leave that place. Three words: predatory sales tactics.

Sounds about right from a person with 12 posts...


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[GB-man]

Originally Posted by swils8610

Sounds about right from a person with 12 posts...


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Was in your service shop just last month for a 15k service. It's very nice. Better than Porsche and BMW

[swils8610]

I'm glad you had a good experience! Let me know if you ever need anything.


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[GB-man]

Originally Posted by swils8610

I'm glad you had a good experience! Let me know if you ever need anything.


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Will do

[michaelodonnell123]

Just like restaurants...some dealerships are better than others. I just bought a Subaru Crosstrek (excellent vehicle by the way) from Town Subaru in Englewood NJ. The entire experience was top notch. The salesman Rolf was extremely knowledgeable and not pushy at all to make the sale. The dealership was extremely well maintained and it gave off a "I am happy you are here vibe". If you are serious about buying a car then buy it from a dealership that cares about its customers. You no longer have to buy car in the town where you live, shipping a car is around $500 bucks and they will even pay for it in some cases. In the last couple of years I bought cars from Florida and Virginia and had them both shipped to NJ. Expand your radius of where you shop is my suggestion. Oh and leave the Rolex home next time...it won't score points with any salesman.