Confessions of a car salesman

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

by mrkurt • 17 years ago

86 13 17 years ago

edmunds.com

timcederman• 17 years ago

This bit was great.

"You've never sold cars before. Is that right?"

"Right."

"Why do you want to work here?"

My first inclination was to say, hey, I'm a car freak. Always have been. I could explain cars, how they work, get people excited about the performance and the different features. But then I remembered my editor's advice.

I smiled at Dave, trying to convey the feeling that the answer was obvious.

"I want to make a lot of money," I said.

The effect on Dave was amazing. He smiled and relaxed, as if I had said the password to enter an exclusive club. If this had been a cartoon, dollar signs would have appeared in his eyes accompanied by a loud "Cha-ching!"

asorbus• 17 years ago

Agreed, I thought that imagery was very funny. I'm on part 7 now, so far it's a good and interesting read.

mrkurt• 17 years ago

This article is really long, but if you can only read one portion of it, read this part about the 4 square worksheet:

http://www.edmunds.com/advice/buying/articles/42962/page003....

It's a really interesting insight into how one experienced side in a negotiation can frame things to their advantage.

amalcon• 17 years ago

The last page also has some excellent advice on it. My favorite: If you don't like anything about the deal, even if it's just the salesman rubbing the wrong way, just walk away.

The salesman wants you to treat walking away like a nuclear option, but it's the biggest lever you have.

desu• 17 years ago

They try their best to make you feel like a real asshole for walking away, though, especially if they took you for a test drive and everything. I think a lot of people just don't have the "jerk DNA" to do that. They prey on people's basic politeness.

While, like the author, I can feel some sympathy for the individual salespeople, the industry as a whole is just awful and I can't wait to see it die. It's coasting on pure momentum now but the minute people can reliably buy a car elsewhere, like they would buy any other major item, sayonara dealers.

I just wish I could go to the Car Shop and buy a car the same way I go to a department store and buy a TV. I can look at all the models from all the different brands. They all have a sticker on them with the best price. I choose one, pay for it, and leave. That's all I want! The dealer system adds no value for me at all - in fact it makes the whole experience worse, and then rips you off in the bargain. I just can't stand them.

andrewl• 17 years ago

I read this a few years ago. It's excellent, but it made my blood boil. I hate manipulation and pressure.

imp• 17 years ago

The only pressure here is in the tires.

rms• 17 years ago

A HN classic: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=263727

FYI: repeats over a year are fine. Often shorter is ok, but don't push it.

mcdtracy• 17 years ago

Like most businesses the Internet will change the model of car sales. In a few years there will be fewer dealers and the prolonged negotiations and manipulations will from another era.

Costco is already moving into this space cooperating with local dealers to manage inventory and service. The number of dealers will collapse to the organizations that create an internet buzz around fixed and fair pricing and solid service.

Expect Amazon to move towards this highly leveraged model to connect buyers with inventory.

MatthewR2• 17 years ago

I was in a dealership a few months back to see what options there were. I told the sales man basically I want to fund out what you can offer me. My price range is highly variable I want to make a value/price decision. the salesman immediately tried to find out what my price point was. I tried to explain my price point was dependent on the car. I wanted to know what I could get for how much. the conversation was going nowhere. After word I wondered why they couldn't sale to me. A real-estate agent shows knows different features have different values to different people. these guys couldn't figure this out. what was the problem. I figured that they sale by figuring out what the maximum a person will spend then work their "negotiations" from there. so I doubt this will change anytime soon. And on the issue manufactures can hurt by sales reps poor reputation. have a list to this podcast(or read the highlights) on franchising and the auto industry

http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2009/06/munger_on_franc.htm...

or this one with a sales manager and a professor of economics after the prof had a bad experience buying a new car

http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2008/06/cole_on_the_mar.htm...

pbhjpbhj• 17 years ago

So effectively you were asking "Which car will get you the lowest return or allow me to negotiate you below the expected sale price?" and you wonder why he didn't bite??

You don't sound like you wanted to buy a car as much as purchase an investment ... estate agents sell both homes and investments (and home-investments), that's why they tailor deals in different ways.

yason• 17 years ago

I read this a few years ago already, but it's still as excellent an article as it was. It's both interesting and reveals a lot of human nature.

Confessions of a car salesman

Related Stories