patrick.net

Got hired by a big new and used dealership. I only applied with the intention of learning how to get deals on cars and learn how they fuck you so I don't get ripped off.

So far 3 days of training. Total hours in the training: 24 hours.

Here is what I learned:

The job of the salesman is to avoid talking about price and not bring it up. The salesman is supposed to go over all the features you are getting on the car with the different packages.

The salesman should sneakily get the customer do a test drive without mentioning it directly... They are supposed to lure the customer into a test drive indirectly.

During a trade-in, you must mention to the customer all the flaws on their car if they fuss or disagree with the figure you will pay them.

"Cmon, with that scratch, dent on the rear bumper, cigarette buds, balding tires and that unpopular color, do you honestly think your vehicles is worth what you just said it is?"

If they mention Kelly blue books, Edmunds or any other reputable appraiser - you are supposed to say this "Would Kelly blue books buy your vehicle for that much or anyone else? If so, than please sell it for that figure and than come back to the dealership with that money for your new purchase. But if you are unable to sell it for that figure, than you can always come back with our offer. I am confident you will be back as we are the biggest dealership and we didn't get that way by short-changing our customers."

When you are doing either a trade-in or financing.... NEVER is the salesman to ask the customer how much they can put down and their monthly payment. Nor is the salesman EVER supposed to ask the customer how much they are looking to get for their car.

You are supposed to start with for example a $10,000 down payment on $20K car and with around you can say a $300/month payment. You are supposed to tell the customer these are the numbers you were able to work up with the sales manager.

Around 10-20% of people will accept these numbers and close a deal with them. If they (the 90-80%), fuss about it....

This is what you are supposed to say... "I'm sorry. Let me apologize to you. This is a financing program I do for my regular customers because it is better for most of my customers. You start with more equity from day 1 with the car, your financing term is much shorter, your payments are lower, your interest is very little and you are exposed much less to leverage. It is simply better for you. But the goods news is that it's not a requirement nor is it for everybody."

"What are you able to put down?...9k? 8K? 7K? What are you able to go up to?"

Customer offers...

"That's the best you can do? Because you may have to offer $6500... you just may have too"

The truth is the dealership will take no money down if really pressed by a customer.

But they much rather just have you give them a large down payment because they make more that way through the financing lenders they work with and they also would prefer to have their money faster.

No money down terms are just more riskier of default and the financing lenders do not offer as high of a backend kickback to the dealership.

Another thing: When a customer asks to talk numbers... You are supposed to say... "Well before I get to the numbers let me just check to see if the car is still available..."

That's a lie to instill scarcity. And than once back... "Goods news... the car you want is in stock and I also brought the numbers you asked for..."

During test drives, you are supposed to shut the fuck up and let the car drive do the selling.

Once done with the test drive, you say...

"So that V6 was very smooth and powerful, wasn't it?"
"That leather was very comfortable, wasn't it?"
"That sports package gave the car extreme handling, didn't it?"

Than you go inside and say...

"So you will do it with the leather, right?
"You will do it with the V6... right?"
"You will do it with the sports package... right?"

And than finally you have to say... Would like any coffee or anything cold to drink while I get the papers to wrap this up?

If they object to closing the deal... They make you divert them from the price and talk about the features... "Building value..."

You are not supposed to focus on the price for negotiation. But rather on the "value"... But that is a fallacy in my opinion because "value" is completely dependent on the price. It's basically just being devious, clever and putting high pressure on the customer.

Consumer advocate salesman make around $70,000 a year. While profit-driven salesman regardless of the consumer satisfaction, makes $200,000 a year with the same number of sales.

Regarding the total price... You are never supposed to go down more than $2500-$3000. The sticker price or MSRP is supposed to be called the "market value" by salesman.... Selling price the discounted price.

The warranties are dog shit. Do not buy them.

If you are doing financing, get your own financing! Tell them you are paying cash and than once the papers are signed show them your financing. Do not ever tell them the timeframe you will buy!

Tell them you will only buy if the price is right... and be aggressive!

Aggressive customers in my dealership are eventually cut the slack on all the games and given the numbers and more easily and quickly negotiated on the price.

In my dealership, a credit card is necessary to secure a commitment to buying the car. They do not run the credit card they say to the customer but they ask for it to prove to them that you are serious in the deal.

They tell you, we can only do the deal with current numbers if you are able to commit now with your credit card because we can't offer these kind of deals all the time. If they refuse, tell them I can maybe add-in an extra option - the sports package if you let me talk to my sales manager...

in most cases, they add some of it's features partially.

Some other things:

-Never tell a customer they are upside down on their current trade-in car's financing term. Even though they are and it makes no sense to trade-it-in for a newer car with another financing deal. In other words, don't mention what is good for the customer or because they might get very offended.
-Never ask about credit score or reports
-Talk to the wife and the kids... Get the man pressured by the wife and kids.

My dealership is all about hard selling...