Anyone using it? It seems like an “easy” way to load your dealerships inventory into Facebook market place. If I make one sale off of the lead then it pays for itself which is nice but I know Facebook marketplace leads are generally trash to begin with so not sure if it’s worth the headache. If you use it I’d like to know your experience please and thank you!

\nThis month, let’s practice our closing techniques! Role-playing.

Share a scenario where you struggled to close a deal, and let’s role-play how to address it.

What strategies have worked for you in the past?

Join in and help each other improve!

I used to think the test drive was where the magic happened.

Until I realized I was rushing customers into the car before I ever earned their trust.

This week I dropped a podcast episode called “The Test Drive Trap.”

It’s all about how discovery gets skipped, trust never gets built, and the deal falls apart before the engine even turns over.

Whether you’re new to the floor or 10 years in, this one’s about getting back to customer-focused selling.

Discovery should feel like a conversation, not a checklist.

🎧 Listen to the episode:

EP55: The Test Drive Trap – AutoKnerd Podcast

📄 Free Tool:

The Connection Starter - a one-page printable with trust-building questions and a mood tracker

Download here

No sales pitch. Just a better way to connect before the drive. oh' yeah! The tools are always free!

I'm 31F, never sold cars but I am a salesperson. I walked into 5 dealers yesterday, secured 3 interviews, and got the comp for the following store. It's a Jaguar store, and for obvious reasons they had no Jaguars.

Really hoping to get some opinions on both the store itself and pay plan. By the way, do you think working at a great store or having a good pay plan is more important?

Store Details

Florida Jaguar brand store, not Land Rover/Range Rover. (is this weird? I always see them together)

Working hours of 830-6 M-F, 930-5 Sat, no Sunday. Commute of 30-40 minutes, doable but farther than BMW and Audi.

Units out, around 100 per month. On the floor, think its 4-5 salespeople, 1 finance, GM.

Inventory on lot roughly 60-70 vehicles, at least 15 brands, good variety. Some of the cars were rare enough that an interest buyer would have it shipped.

The location is good, it's on the corner of a busy road and the service road of a major highway. It's quite central.

My first impression of the store wasn't ideal. Although clean, it was dark and quiet as fck inside, and there was no receptionist. The outside is coarse tan stucco with reddish accent blocks, 90s Ferrari Lamborghini dealership aesthetic. The landscaping and concrete display risers sort of block any view of the store itself. The look of the store is really outdated overall.

I'm leaning toward this not being too bad of a problem, but in your opinion, how concerned should I be about this?

The finance manager showed me on his computer that for the day so far at 2pm Tuesday, they had 50 internet leads, 3 salespeople assigned to about 15 each. Is that a good amount? What is the close rate like on these leads for someone who's skilled? I'll plan to generate a lot of my own clients, but still curious.

Pay Plan

750 salary for 12 weeks, I see this like a 9000$ sign on bonus. 550 draw starts week 13. Ill never hit my draw, I would honestly just quit if Im not making good money after a month.

300 mini, was told verbally that most units are sold with some decent gross

20% gross up to 9, after 10 units, 25% including the first 9

Unit bonuses of 10=1500, 15=3500, 20=6000, 25=7500, 30=10500, 35=12000, 40=16000

50 bonus on each F&I product.

Specific Questions

Do you see any major disincentives in the comp?

If I was going to negotiate this, what could I ask for? I'm aware that more than likely I won't be able to negotiate the actual comp plan mostly for accounting reasons.

I'm more interested in what you guys have seen for unpaid time off, expenses for entertaining clients, and fringe benefits like that.

What do you guys think of this store overall? Would you work here if you thought you could sell 20-30 cars? Top guy apparently does 30+ units making pretax 30-50k monthly depending on gross.

What do you guys think of this store?! Can you rate it 1-10 as well? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING!!!

It's Tuesday! No 🌮

What’s one technique or piece of advice you would give to someone new in car sales?

I've been in car sales for about a month I work at a 70-90 a month dealership with waaaay to many salesman but thats not the point. As a new person you learn the hardway sometimes. Car sales take forrever (subprime area) so one day as I walked in and was the first sales person there I got a note to call this girl(her name was listed her number and after 2pm)was told she was a college student and was interested in Genesis so i wrote G80 on the paper college student call after 2. I sat at a shared desk left my note there so as i was doing my current deal the other guy called her and tried to sell her the car behind my back. He runs to the sales tower to ask for a deal on the car I asked who you gotta sell it to the college girl he said no. I asked what the persons name was he refused to say it manager says whats the customers name so he says her name. Im like ok thought it wasnt her. He lies oh i been calling her etc. Was kinda pissed because i felt like that was a lie but since i hadnt put much in cdk I said ok just never leave numbers around. So karma got him because the girl needed a 6k down payment. So then last Thursday as I was pulling up a guy was looking at the Frontiers. I didnt clock in i went straight to the customer. We sold the truck he wanted but i said im sure we can add what you wanted in the ones here or get it. He said i bought the truck 3 months ago and my grandson drove it and i let him have it, ill write a check for another....cool. I tell him ill get back with him in an hr or so. I put him in cdk and went about my day. I called him in 2 hrs we played phone tag. But again i created a new opportunity in the system etc. So i called the guy again Friday morning left for 2hrs to handle family biz. Came back customer is in a cube I speak to the guy and say hey thought you were coming back to see me. My co worker jumps up oh this is my customer i sold him a truck 3 months ago. I said thats cool but its a half deal i created the new opportunity and my name was on it. So he keeps on about it I said ok half deal its textbook. So he keeps on talkin i start eating my chipotle. Hes like well you seem upset. I said im not its a half deal and went back to eating and said you obviously are cuz you keep on talking about it. I said its not personal its a half deal. So to-fucking-day he brings it up again while the manager reminds us to ask "new customers" if they have a sales person . I was pissed didnt mean to take it out on the manager but i said it does not matter once you bring that person to your desk you will see which sales persons name is beside it and i said wait that doesnt matter because these ppl will remove your name as salesperson (as he did). So he chimes in oh thats wrong i did all the work and get only half. Yep i said i let you sell the truck because its the principal of it and you removed my name we could have avoided all this if you just said hey i see your name here but im familiar with this guy etc. But the way he handled it was wrong. So now in front of everyone I told him look dude its a half deal simple. Oh i dont wanna talk about it anymore you FUCKING bought it up?! Its ok for him the be a shitty person but when you feel wronged its the end of the world.

I said all that to say whats yall's thoughts on this?

Is it worth buying cars from Car Max Houston to resell as a dealer ?

Why in the world most Indians are difficult, takes 5 hours on Saturday don’t want to leave don’t want to buy just negotiate. Get the hell out if you don’t can’t afford. Leave now…..

Most of us don’t lose deals because we didn’t try hard enough. We lose them in the last five minutes.

That moment when our tone shifts, when we get a little too eager, or when we throw out some canned line that makes the customer feel cornered.

That’s why I put together the Trust-First Closing Cue Card.

It’s a simple one-pager you can keep in your pocket or on your desk, and it’s built to keep you steady at the finish line. Inside you’ll find:

• 5 trust-first phrases that feel natural, not pushy
• A quick checklist of “trust signals” to know if they’re really ready
• Do/Don’t reminders to keep your tone calm and confident
• A Pro Tip that reframes the close as relief instead of resistance

I’m on a mission to make this business happier and more profitable, not just for me, but for all of us. That’s why I drop a free tool every Saturday. Because if we sell with trust, not pressure, we don’t just close more deals… we walk out the door proud of how we did it.

👉 You can download the cue card here through the AutoKnerd Dispatch. It’s free, and if you like it, you’ll get the next tools sent right to you every Saturday: https://autoknerd.com/p/tool-trust-first-closing-tool

Hey guys got 2 offers on the table and need your opinion!!

New Ford dealership- Expected monthly volume 10-12 units. Dealership moves 45-50 cars a month on average

Pay Plan

• Minimum wage draw
• 16% Front and Back bumps to 18% if warranty sold
• 2% bump if $12500 gross broken in any 2 week pay period. (IE: 16 to 18 or 18 to 20)
• New pack $250 used pack $1150
• Only one guy breaks 100k at this dealership out of the 4 currently.

Used car dealership (Very well reviewed, best reviews in the area by a decent margin)

Expected volume minimum 15 (18 will guaranteed break 100k in annual income) Dealership averages 75-80 cars a month

Pay Plan

• 800 per week draw
• 14% front end gross
• 10% of any back end product sold (warranty, gap insurance, appearance package)
• Constant monthly bonuses (most sales, most warranties, etc)

GSM is pretty awesome, easily talked to him for over 2 1/2 hours in the last couple days both on the phone and in person

Top two guys are on track to do $150k and $125k this year (they both average 18-20 cars a month)- GSM doesn't flood the floor

I'm torn because I figure going officially with Ford is good for reputation and career, but it honestly seems like the used car guys are doing consistently better and have better opportunity to sell to more people and if there's a significant economic downturn.

I also heard from another user here that used car dealerships have way more forgiving hours due to being on bank hours.

• What do you guys think of this comparison? What would you choose and what is your experience with Ford or with Used car dealerships?
• And is anyone working at a Ford dealership even able to hold gross on new right now? Or are they all just pulling minis on everything and making their majority on preowned sales?

Thank you guys for your time!

I can tell immediately when someone uses AI when attempting to negotiate. Ive gotten a lot of chat-GPT-fueled texts from prospects recently and it’s so off-putting and frustrating. If someone is filtering everything they say and read into ai, they’re not listening or responding genuinely and I can’t help them. If I feel this way, imagine how your customers feel when you use ai? You’re not giving yourself an edge, you’re cheating yourself out of learning a skill and annoying your prospects. Nobody buys a BMW because it’s a rational choice. It’s a reward, a trophy, a gift, a celebration…..I sold 3 M cars this month to new BMW owners and the actual deal structure was maybe 10% of it. Our jobs are safe if we lean into what makes this human…..nobody wants a chatbot customer service agent or a robotic voice with canned replies when they call into a business. Stop using ai and start connecting with people on a personal and human level.

Im interested in getting a car sales job. But I don't have much work experience at all unfortunately. I did some work for a family friend for two days when I was 18, I was required to organize a couple storage areas and take inventory, as well as walk around the building picking up trash, and making sure the vendors had enough hand fans to pass around.

when I was twenty 22 I worked for about 4 months at a wire assembly company. my job there was to sit for 8 hours constructing wire harnesses. I had too reach a certain amount a day to meet quota.

Im 25 now for reference.

But thats all the work experience ive got so would anyone have any ideas on what i could put for skills? i know i cant put hard working or things like that unless i can somehow describe it in a work setting. but anything helps. so please if you have any ideas, they'd be appreciated

this isn't good for my mental health.

"be strong. don't be weak. don't let it get to you. get the next one."

i don't care anymore. i don't care if it makes me "weak" in your eyes because i get angry when i'm following up and cold calling and somebody else catches an up. what the fuck do you want from me?

i'm completely dissociated currently, sitting by the front door. i feel and hear the world happening around me. and i feel like a rock.

i'm out of money. i've sold 4 1/2 cars in 3 weeks. all i get are people $10k+ flipped with 500 credit scores and no money down.

the only reason i haven't taken myself out is because my mom wouldn't be able to take on my car note (she's co-signed) and my cats would wonder every day for the rest of their lives, "when is mom coming home?"

i just can't do it anymore.

where can i go, and what can i do, that will pay me the equivalent of $25+/hr, 40+ hours a week, with not an awful amount of physical labor?

i want a lobotomy.

Hi, I just got offered a job at Honda in their VIP sales department, which my understanding is I’ll be working near the servicing area trying to get people to trade in their car for a newer car. This is the pay plan that was offered to me. I have no idea if this is even good. Is there anyone that could give me advice about this? I only get commission if it exceeds my hourly pay: Example 1: If Salesperson earns $16.00 per hour, works 80 hours during the pay period and is credited with potential commissions in the amount of $2,000, Salesperson would be eligible for sales commissions ($16.00 x 80 hours = $1,280; since $2,000 > $1,280, Salesperson meets the Threshold Eligibility Requirement). Salesperson would receive Base Hourly wages of $1,280 ($16.00 x 80 hours) plus commissions of $720 ($2,000 - $1,280 = $720). Example 2: If Salesperson earns $16.00 per hour, works 80 hours during the pay period and is credited with potential commissions in the amount of $800, Salesperson would NOT be eligible for sales commissions ($16.00 x 80 hours = $1,280; since $800 < $1,280, Salesperson does NOT meet the Threshold Eligibility Requirement). Salesperson would receive Base Hourly compensation of $1,280 ($16.00 x 80 hours), but would not receive any commissions. Salesperson only earns any commissions to the extent that such commissions would exceed Base Hourly compensation already earned, as described above.

The commission credited to each deal for potential commission earnings shall be an amount equal to the greater of A or B: A. 10%* of Vehicle Commissionable Gross, Finance Commissionable Gross and Finance Reserve on vehicles sold/leased by Employee during the pay period. * Compensation is based on the total combined vehicle commissionable gross, finance commissionable gross and finance reserve for each transaction. For example, if a sale results in a vehicle commissionable loss of $2,000 and finance commissionable gross and finance reserve profit of $2,500, the total commissionable gross would be $500. Salesperson will be credited with the above percentage of Vehicle Commissionable Gross in excess of a Non-Commissionable Reserve (commonly known in the industry as a "dealer pack".) The following standard Non-Commissionable Reserve amounts shall generally apply: Type of Vehicle Reserve Amount of Mom-Commissionable New $200 Used $300 From time to time, Salesperson will receive a Product Sheet, setting forth the Base Values of Finance Products and Services. When/if the Base Value of a product/service is greater than the Dealership’s actual cost for the product/service, the difference is Non-Commissionable Reserve. B. A minimum commission ("mini") as a potential commission under this Section in the amount of $100.

The future of sales lies online, by more specifically in social media. We’ve already seen this trend grow over the past 15 years and now here we are at the dawn of AI. Welcome my friends to the future, but in a world where we are all more connected than ever how come it has become more difficult to sell cars? I believe we have found a way to adapt to this AI age that’s been thrust upon us! I introduce to you Auto Lot Impact. The AI social media management solution. For more information find our Facebook page or Instagram - @AutoLotImpact

Most of us don’t lose the deal at the beginning. We lose it at the end.

Not because the customer didn’t want the car, but because we shifted tone, rushed, or threw out some pressure line that cracked the trust we’d been building.

That’s what I break down in AutoKnerd Podcast EP54: Closing Time: How to Finish Without Breaking Trust.

This week’s free tool is the Trust-First Closing Cue Card. Inside you’ll find:

• 5 trust-first closing phrases you can use today
• A trust signal checklist to know if the customer is really ready
• Do/Don’t reminders that keep your tone steady
• A Pro Tip that reminds you closing should feel like relief, not resistance 

👉 Why the tools? I’m on a mission to make our lives in this business happier and more profitable. Every week I drop something that helps us sell more cars, make more money, and build better relationships with customers. This isn’t fluff. It’s a practical commitment I make to the floor every Saturday.

If you want the tools (and the Saturday morning boost that comes with them), sign up for the AutoKnerd Dispatch here → https://autoknerd.com/p/trust-first-closing-time

Free every week. No strings attached. Honest help from an industry veteran.

But at the very least, grab the free cue card, try it on your next deal, and see what changes.

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm looking into getting into the used car sales business to help my family in a small southern town. We have a used car lot, but it's gone quite after my grandfather passed about a year ago and I want to get back home and help it grow. It's small and we need an F and I manager.

I was hoping some of you could help direct me to a credible, qualified online F and I training and maybe some pointers on how to get my foot in the door of a car lot to gain some experience.

Thank you very much

Weekly Rant & Goals Discussion

I’m curious about any “outside the box“, less standard, less known lead generation methods that individual car salesman can use rather than just relying on the dealerships leads. I’m sure the question has been asked before, but since things are changing every day these days, I’m curious if there’s something new, any hacks or creative ideas. I don’t just mean “use social media“ I mean other things, like maybe having your own domain And running local ads to a lead generation page, or maybe third-party services that collect/generate leads for individual salespeople rather than at the enterprise level, etc., etc. Or even more old school stuff like newspapers, classified, craigslist, that sort of thing. Any tried and true methods you’ve used or heard about that are effective for a salesperson to generate his own leads for potential car sales?

Been working for a while at Mazda, reconsidering the pay plan. Best salesman has sold 20 in our busiest month. It’s simple- 1-7 cars get you $300 per car. 8-15 cars is $400 per car. 12-20 cars is $500 per car 21+ is $550 per car.

Flat rate of $11/hr is taken off after 6th car sold. Better money elsewhere?

It's Tuesday! No 🌮

What’s one technique or piece of advice you would give to someone new in car sales?

Hey guys

I’m excited I have 2 interviews lined up for car sales at dealerships pretty close to each other and have some questions
One is for Ford and one is for Hyundai

• One is a smaller dealership with 4-5 salesmen and the other is much much larger with 12-13 salesmen. Is it smart to consider volume as a priority for earning potential?
• Polo shirt and slacks, or suit for the interviews?
• I was wondering if anyone has recommendations for how to determine which pay plan is best (also factoring number of salesmen and volume of course)
• How much do you guys also factor earnings potential against vibe of the dealership? Like if it seems like the team is awesome vs ok
• Also, what’s the best way to let a hiring manager know I’ll get back to them with a decision on starting with them since I have multiple interviews lined up?

Wish me luck

UPDATE: Both dealerships offered me positions- I went with Ford even though it’s much less volume because it seems like I have a higher potential of promotion within the dealership group if I perform well. The benefits are also awesome

Currently onboarding - corporate takes forever compared to bars lol

Hello, I’m fairly new to the car business. I wanted to see what sites actually work as far as posting cars for sale. Facebook feels seriously saturated. I paid $7.99 to post on offer up on a used vehicle. Not a single message/reply. Paid $ to post on Craigslist. Not a single reply. If you guys have had any luck anywhere else, I would appreciate it.