Lucille Said:

Can someone in car sales answer this for me please?

We Answered:

Ok Damn It! Quit asking this question. Here is the scoop:

"We start the average sales consultant at $4000 per month":
That is what he would make to start, BUT that's now what he will make eventually. That has some sort of training pay involved. Most probationary/training positions are 90 days to see what you can do...and that is what they are guaranteeing...4000 x 3 (or 90 days) = 12000.
Don't count on making 50K your first year. It just doesn't happen. After the 90 days, he will be on straight commission. He WILL NOT make that. 99.9% of new salespeople DO NOT make that AT FIRST...after years of sales, maybe, but not after that first 90 days.

"with rapidly escalating bonus levels for those who achieve more (last month, we had 15% of our sales force earn over $12,000)":
15% of ten salespeople (if that is what they have there) is 1.5 of them! If they have 20, it's 3. What happened is you got "sold" by his ad. They are selling you the job...and you fell for it. Even if they have 30 salespeople...which is a HUGE dealership, only 4.5 made that kind of money...PLUS, I don't believe the guy who put the ad in the paper. He's full of sh!t!

"this new job would be less than 10 min away":
Ok, but hours I'm sure are probably from 8:30 to 8:00 AT LEAST a couple days per week. He still will not get home until 8:10 IF he doesn't have to stay late. I've been at dealerships until 10:30 at night.

My advice is to keep his current job. It's more stable than selling cars.

Any other questions, feel free to message me.

From your friendly Nissan Salesperson :-)

Edit:
I was WAY off with the hours! They are worse than I thought...AND open Sundays:
Sales
Mon - Sat: 8:30 AM - 9:00 PM
Sun: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Danielle Said:

Can someone in car sales answer this for me please?

We Answered:

I've been selling cars for about a year and enjoy it, but it is not easy. Donald White made some excellent comments that are dead on correct. Let me add a few more from my limited experience.

* There is no consistent pay. Some months he will sell like crazy, and the next month sell almost nothing. IF your hubby needs a consistent paycheck, forget commission sales.

* The hours are crazy long. You basically work at the whim of the customer. Working days off is common and being at the store open to close is at least a few days per week. I put in 200-240 hours per month, every month.

* There is no such thing as a weekend off; any car salesman that takes Saturdays off is crazy. Car sales is about promotion and marketing, so any reason a dealer can promote a sale, they'll do it. Your hubby will work every holiday weekend imaginable if there is a promotion going on.

* Traditional dealer car sales is high pressure. Does that match his personality? I've spent most of my sales career in consultative sales, where its about advising and partnering. That sales style does not translate well to retail car sales where you have to close the deal TODAY.

* Donald is 100% right about people buying you more than the car. You have to be able to develop rapport within a couple of minutes with almost anyone. Is he extroverted enough?

* 8 cars per month at my store = about $1600-2000 gross income. Does that work for your family?

* Car sales is a lot more difficult and complex than most people think. I have not worked this hard in years to make $2000 per month. There are 1000 ways a deal can fall apart, and I think I have experienced them all. You got to have a thick skin and a strong backbone to handle the disappointment of this job.

There is a lot more I can say but I think you get the idea. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Gail Said:

How do you Feng Shui an apt with the door entrance facing the South?

We Answered:

Log on to Fung Shui Consultant - www.lilian-too.com