NE1 work for a BMW dealer (m) - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

H8Rain · 19th August 2007, 00:58

I have become very close with my local dealer, specifically the owners son. They are a great dealership and have been top notch on all levels. On numerous occasions the owners son has told me to come work for them, selling cars. Lately I have really been giving it some consideration.

I currently have a typical corporate Mon-Fri job. I work some nights late, but some days get home early. I have alot of flexibility and pay is good but things are getting old. I love cars and especially BMW's and would love to spend my days talking cars. The owners son has told me I could easily make a 3-figure income ($130K - $150).

I would take the offer in a heartbeat, but there is one thing I am struggling with. The schedule of a car salesman. Currently I have off on weekends, extended holidays, long vacations. If I worked for a dealership selling cars I would need to work Saturdays and around holidays.

I now it ultimately comes down to personal choice and I will need to do what is best for me and my family, but I thought I would see what you guys thought. I don't hate my current job, but I think it's time for a change. They say you should do what you love, and I love cars. But a car salesman.....? Is that the answer?

What do you guys think.

Thanks

jclyman · 19th August 2007, 02:00

You didn't mention what you do now.

I was with a dealer back in the 1990s. Sales first, but became their first Customer Service Manager. Sales were so so ... Customer Service was an unqualified success for me ... CSI went from 55 % to 93 % very quickly.

My feelings were the same as yours.

However, you need to talk to more salesmen/saleswomen ... Many don't know a lot about BMWs, some know a fair amount. Unfortunately, there are some shady characters selling cars (yes, even high line cars like BMWs and Porsches) ... won't go into that unless you PM me. Typically, we worked 6 days a week (no problem for me as I was just divorced), got home after 10 PM, and there was a lot of idle time ... and, a lot of BS to go through.

The attitude and success of the MANAGERS is more important than what your buddy says ... he is the boss's Son, I suspect they cut him a lot of slack.

My Dad's closest longtime friend was a car salesman, and a good one, too, but it was an uphill fight for him all the time. I had been offered a job as a mechanic at a Porsche dealership, that I thought long and hard about ... but, in the end decided to stay in Accounting.

However, your family is a major consideration ... did I say major? YES. You should consider it very carefully and go in with your eyes wide open. And, be ready for some lean times, and be very good at managing your money.

Laidback · 19th August 2007, 05:52

Nice offer...atleast you got one piece of the puzzle down which is you like cars and BMW's in particular...the only thing that you need to get more info is how can you make any person on the street buy BMW's/ cars? imho that's were you will have to really work/focus on (sales/ marketing strategy)...being able to sell anything on hand...IMO i would give it a try like on a part time basis...goodluck

ard · 19th August 2007, 18:44

I'd look past the next 4 years. What is the path you want to take with your life?

Will being a BMW salesman be the first step in that path, or is it perhaps a walk out onto a branch that will lead to a limited future?

If you are working for someone else, they are making the big money- I always suggest a path that will lead to your being the 'boss' in some capacity. (And 'boss' doesn't mean owning a corporation or dealership...it could be owning a consulting company for automobile customer service software, or whatever- but eventually having some freedom.)

My 2 cents

A

zarnd · 19th August 2007, 21:48

i have been in the motortrade since i left university, and i love it. Admittedly i am not in sales and probably never will be! I started as a site manager for a used Audi, BMW and Mercedes dealer and am now currently working for VW as a Service Advisor. I am doing 8am to 6pm monday to friday and every other saturday morning, a long week but i do enjoy it!!!

sales guys int the UK work six day weeks, Saturday and Sunday and a day off in the week. Yes the money can be good. Basic wage in the UK for a salesman is about £12k pa then your commission. The hours are long and arduous, and it requires a lot of work to be put in for the results.

Try it, you may enjoy it. I was offered it, but didn't want to run the risk of not selling enough to earn more than what i was earning as the site manager, so turned it down due to the basic salary!

cheers and good luck with whatever you decide!

jclyman · 20th August 2007, 02:52

Regarding your upcoming decision ... read the following post:

Tried to Trade the M5 for a Mini Cooper S... very long story, sorry...

It is very true (at some places) and enlightening (from some of the guys who now work for dealerships) ...

Good luck ...

MCarRacr07 · 20th August 2007, 06:34

Hey Mark,
Think long and hard Bud ....Sales=Commissions...your livelihood is not fixed.....is there someway that you can use the field you are in now in conjunction w/a new career in the Auto industry???...something where your salary is not dependant on commissions???
Good Luck
S

BmwNut · 20th August 2007, 11:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by H8Rain

I currently have a typical corporate Mon-Fri job. I work some nights late, but some days get home early. I have alot of flexibility and pay is good but things are getting old. I love cars and especially BMW's and would love to spend my days talking cars. The owners son has told me I could easily make a 3-figure income ($130K - $150).

I would take the offer in a heartbeat, but there is one thing I am struggling with. The schedule of a car salesman. Currently I have off on weekends, extended holidays, long vacations. If I worked for a dealership selling cars I would need to work Saturdays and around holidays.

I now it ultimately comes down to personal choice and I will need to do what is best for me and my family, but I thought I would see what you guys thought. I don't hate my current job, but I think it's time for a change. They say you should do what you love, and I love cars. But a car salesman.....? Is that the answer?

What do you guys think.

Thanks

I've been in the car business for almost two years now, and I should be leaving soon. Here is my take on it:

Working the floor just plain sucks! Hours vary from store to store, but be prepared to be scheduled for 40-45 hours a week, and working 60-70 hours a week. Most of the top producers have a lot showing on the board since they spend a lot of time at the dealer, working late night deals, and come in on their days off. When I first started selling cars, I was on the floor for at least 60 hours a week, and the worst part is that there is a ton of downtime. Maybe only 25 of those hours are work, but it's still time away from home/friends/family.

Income: Sure, there are those with a 6 figure income. Figure a lot of taxes, irregular commissions, changing bonuses, and varying traffic. Your income can swing from $10k a month to minimum wage per month. I've had a $9k month followed by a $2k month. Makes keeping a budget difficult.

Finally, most people who are good at this job find a niche, or are the typical

salesman. I'm lucky in that I do internet sales, so I'm paid 10 ways from Sunday, plus I post and help out in a VW website that is 100X larger than M5 board. I'm able to pull a nice income through volume off of local guys, but I earn it. I go to most of the local get togethers, sell cars at a discount to get my name out there, and hook people up on my free time with parts (fight service for goodwill). If you arent a manager, or have a niche, you probably wont make the income you want, unless you are there all the time.

In the end, I got into the car business as a way to pay off the huge student loans I have. Anyone who has posted here from 2002 or so on knows I used to troll this board all the time when I was in college, and learning to be a commercial pilot. This job allowed me to pick up an E39 (not an M5, but close enough), live in a nice place, pay off my sizeable loans, and get on with life. I'm one of the lucky stories, and for every person like me, there are 100 people who haven't made it. Prepare to bet the bank on making it, and then not.

IMO, don't do it. It's a tough way to make a living, and unless all of your surplus is going to debt, you'll end up beating your brains out unless you are a manager. Heck, I'm 24, I have a 6 digit income selling VW's, and I'm ready to run away from this industry as fast as I can.

Cousinvin11 · 20th August 2007, 14:23

Like sergio says, Your salary will depend on commision. Your friend will of course tell you the nice #'s (130k-150k) but thats working 7 days a week. I do work for two dealers (nissan) and the stories the salesman tell me and the stuff i see that goes on behind close doors just to get the #'s up is sickening. Most salesman start out as a person helping the consumer, but when there are slow months and the commision isn't coming in, things get tight and the consumer gets the sh*t end of the stick. Don't become one of those salesman please!

(i am not saying all salesmen are bad but its instinct, when moneys tight the mind does some crazy sh*t)

Beemer Guy · 20th August 2007, 14:27

You don't say what it is that you do, how marketable you are, your family situation (wife/husband, kids) your current salary, financial needs or your age.

The more information you provide, the better the advice is going to be.

My advice: do what you love. Love what you do. If you can't, then make a shitload of money so that the time away from work is more pleasant.

Lots of hours for a car salesman.

Michael

H8Rain · 20th August 2007, 14:39

So far you have all touch on what I had already suspected. I guess I just needed validation that I wasn't kiding myself. I currenty work as an account manager for a commercial furniture company (Steelcase). Basically my company sells office furniture. We are a corporate supplier, not like a Staples, much higher quality. In the NY/CT area there are alot of opportunites. Some of my accounts are Fuji, Dannon, Mastercard, Yale. These companies spend hunderds of thousands on office furniture. Yale alone has a $9 million dollar furniture budget.

Not quite sure how I got into this industry (having a Mech Engin. Deg). But I've been doing it for some time now (15 years) and it's getting old. The pay is good, which is 80% fixed salary and 20% commision. I also have a flexible schedule which is really nice. I have a 1 hour commute (that in NY/CT can often times become 2 hours +) and after 7 years that is also becoming old. I guess I have reached a point in my career where I'm iching for a change. I love cars, so naturaly it would be nice to work in the auto industry in some form. That's why the dealership thing was up for consideration.

Thanks for your honest comments. I think I'll pass on the dealership opportunity and see what else life presents for me.

jclyman · 20th August 2007, 17:10

Good choice, I think.

However, it is SAD that there isn't some place for guys like you and I, who love cars and have a stong preference for BMWs. In addition, I read everything I can get my hands on (re: cars), so I know quite a bit about high end autos. I was also a mechanic in my 20s. My demographics said ... car sales.

I can only suggest a position with BMW NA (not the prefect choice, maybe), or a volunteer position with BMW CCA ... Then there are volunteer positions with race organizations ...

Steelcase is an outstanding organization ... When my ex-wife and I were in business together, it was the only brand I would consider for the office ... I am even sitting at a Steelcase desk (at home) right now!

(One last hint. Ask to see a copy of your friend's 2006 W2 for verification of earnings.)

Good luck.