Confessions of a Car Salesman

edmunds.com ^ | Published: 01/18/2001 Updated: 05/04/2009 | Chandler Phillips

[rawhide]

Introduction What really goes on in the back rooms of car dealerships across America?

What does the car salesman do when he leaves you sitting in a sales office and goes to talk with his boss?

What are the tricks salespeople use to increase their profit and how can consumers protect themselves from overpaying?

These were the questions we, the editors at Edmunds.com, wanted to answer for our readers. But how could they really know that our information was accurate and up-to-date? Finally, we came up with the idea of hiring an investigative reporter to work in the industry and experience, firsthand, the life of a car salesman.

We hired Chandler Phillips, a veteran journalist, to go undercover by working at two new car dealerships in the Los Angeles area. First, he would work at a high-volume, high-pressure dealership selling Japanese cars. Then, he'd change over to a smaller car lot that sold domestic cars at "no haggle" prices.

We invite you to read the following account of Phillips' day-to-day experience on the car lots. Doing so will broaden your understanding of the dealership sales process. It will also cast a new light on the role of the car salesman. And, finally, it will help you get a better deal — and avoid hidden charges — the next time you go to buy or lease a new car.

Read, learn and enjoy.

— The editors at Edmunds.com

[rawhide]

Interesting read.

[freekitty]

Didn’t read; but I do know they listen to what you are saying if you have another person with you.

[riverrunner]

My personal policy is to get up and walk out when the salesman tells me he has to talk to the manager.

If he can not make the deal I do not need to talk to him.

I set the price I decide what I want to pay and If they don't like it to bad. There are millions of cars for sale.

[rawhide]

I come up with a set-in-stone price and tell the dealer to make the numbers add up to that price and then we have a deal. This set price is to include all their stupid fees, taxes, delivery charges, and such. If not, I shop around till I find someone who will deal. I do my homework on the internet and newspaper ads, and I know what I offer is fair.

[Hatteras]

Had a former brother-in-law that was a car salesman. He actually personally profitted $200 off of a car he sold to his own mother. That’s all I need to know about car salesmen.

[Krankor]

Interesting

[ClearCase_guy]

I tried to click through and read the article, but as far as I can see the article is about how the writer got a job at a magazine, and how the magazine wanted him to get a job someplace else, and how the receptionist at the someplace else treated him, and ...

I was looking for an article about selling cars.

[shadeaud]

This scam has been going on for decades. We purchased a Lexus from the dealer in San Antonio( there is only one dealership) The 330 was new and had less than a thousand miles on it. Original owner claimed it made an odd noise. Dealership showed me all the paperwork from the service department and told us we were basically getting a new car. His offer would have been fair if we didn't know the depreciation value of a new car once it's taken off the lot. We made a counter offer and of course he got up to grab a smoke......... ahh I mean talk to his manager. He was told that if he leaves his cubical without us, he'll just have to sell his ‘’find’’ to someone else cause we're off to the Mercedes dealership.
Bottom line..............money talks and B.S. walks...... You figure out which foreign car we are tooling around in

[CIB-173RDABN]

That is the way I bought our last new car. I knew exactly how much I was willing to spend. I made it clear that the total price could not exceed that price so all the misc. charges had to be included. I was paying cash so no finance charges.

They don’t like this, but the bottom line is, they need to sell those cars and a little profit is better than no profit.

[LowOiL]

I rather enjoyed the read too. Thanks...

[Vision]

bm

[Kharis13]

Very interesting article. Whenever buying a car, new or used, I do my due diligence. Compare, learn, read, whatever it takes to go into the deal having knowledge about what I’m buying.

On a side note (and not to take the thread off-topic), there is a wonderful low-budget Christian movie called FLYWHEEL that deals with a used-car salesman and his attempts to right some wrongs he inflicted on customers. It was made for $20,000 and featured volunteers, but the story is strong (and inspiring).

Kharis13

[UB355]

I hear you but question you as to why you feel car sales people don’t deserve to earn a living ?

[UB355]

For the last vehicle we obtained we did the initial pricing using the manufacturers quote request forms. Saved all the haggling. We sent out five quote requests and purchased from the dealer quoting us the lowest price for the car we wanted. Easy as pie, so to speak.

[Hatteras]

Haha... they do deserve to earn a living... But not off their own mother. Heartless and not trustworthy.

[Auntie Mame]

bump

[tlb]

Interesting article. I’m now playing with the True Market price application the site offers. Wish I’d had that the last time I bought a new car.

[catnipman]

Fun read. Loved this quote:

“He said he checked prices on the Internet. He then called the fleet manager and made the deal over the phone.”

The few times I’ve bought a new car, that’s EXACTLY what I’ve done. Any other way is foolish. BTW, I’m a white guy, just like the article would think.

[dfwgator]

What I do is I have a piece of paper with the model I want, with the price I’m prepared to pay with my phone number.

I tell them to call me if they will accept my offer, and walk out.

[COBOL2Java]

He should have worked undercover for Romney’s campaign. That would have taught him all you need to know about how to sell the sizzle without the steak.