Car Salesman
 

Has anyone here ever sold cars for a living? If so, what make did you sell and when?

I began working in the auto business at age 18 for a small used car dealer that typically stocked 10 to 15 cars, in price ranges of $2k to $15k. I sold cars, attended dealer auctions, prepared paperwork, made trips to the DMV, cleaned cars, and anything else that was required. It was an excellent experience to get a good feel for the business, even though the money wasn't great. I continued working for the same dealer, on and off, over the course of about three years.

During one period (in which I had left the above job) I worked for a new Mazda/VW dealer as a salesman. It was also a good experience, but the job wasn't as enjoyable due to the pressure and lack of handling different aspects of the business (ie: going to auto auctions was no longer part of the deal). As a new car salesman I feel I was able to develop some valuable "sales skills" through the guidance of a pretty sharp (or maybe just "slick") sales manager. The experience proved to be beneficial at my next job, in which I sold consumer electronics at a retail store (commission based) for the subsequent remainder of my college career, and a nearly one year following graduation.

For the last two years I've been out of consumer sales, and moved into finance. About a year ago, I was promoted into the marketing department (back to where I started, sort of), and am now working for a business devleopment rep. Suprisingly, some of the same underlying "sales" concepts present themself, whether its peddling tape decks to housewives, pushing used cars to husbands who think they know it all, or trying to lend a corporation $100 million. If I were to make a career change tomorrow (and had some cash to invest) I still would like to go back into the car business, perhaps opening a small lot somewhere.

I also worked in a toyota dealership last june. It was a fun job. If we were bored all we did was get the keys and drive any cars on the lot. There was lot's of driving involved. It's basically a numbers game with the sales. I would say 80 percent of people in the car business are corrupt. One downside to the job was you would spend hours working with a customer and youd think you got a sale then find out later they would walk out on the deal and you justed wasted your whole time. Customers who came in on a rainy day were good potential cause they tended to be more serious looking for a car on a gloomy day. one thing is for sure none of the toyotas felt as solid as my 300e.

So Momentum what were some other tell tale signs you guys would look for to see if a prospective buyer was serious aside from coming in on a rainy day?
Last summer our housekeeper wanted to buy a new car and the salesman didn't want to help her I guess because she was hispanic and looked not so rich, so he passed her off to another salesman. She bought a $21,000 car--cash in less than an hour!!!!!! But she said its pretty normal for salesmen to treat minorities that way, is that true?
80% corrupt? Thats high! Corrupt as in liar or do you mean fraud?

I was a part-time car salesman. Selling my own cars that is ... :)

100% sales record so far. Never had to trade-in or sell to a 2nd hand car dealer.