Comments on: Before You Sell that Used Car, SELL that Used Car!

By: Charles Gallaer

Charles Gallaer — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:23:24 +0000

Great points made thus far…tools like vAuto are excellent and will get you in the game in regards to internet pricing and wholesale vehicle acquisition(we’ve used vAuto where I work for over a year). However, at the end of the day the same things that have moved cars for 60+ years apply today: clean/mechanically sound vehicles that elicit praise and not apologies, pertinent and informative marketing (multiple photos and great descriptions on websites like Autotrader and Cars.com) and an product-educated and engaged staff that can give a great walkaround. If your store is weak on the basics, utilization of tools like vAuto are the least of your worries.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:43:18 +0000

Many of our 100 plus day units come with a $500 commission regardless of loss of profit, so we’re excited about aged units. We don’t ever have many though. The customers get a great priced car and the salesperson makes 5X that of a flat for new. I love used cars.

By: David Schapira

David Schapira — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:30:52 +0000

Great topic! Another avenue to unburden yourself from aged units is to use online marketplaces to sell them to another dealer, who may have more success. DealerGenius.com is a good one (its the one we use), but I am sure there are others. It never hurts to have constant feelers out there in case you can unload one of your aged vehicles. We also sometimes offer a bonus to the sales professional each month who sells the oldest unit.

By: Before You Sell that Used Car, SELL that Used Car! | Best of DealerRefresh.com

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 15:14:29 +0000

[...] 7 COMMENTS on this article can me read here. [...]

By: Used Car Dealers

Used Car Dealers — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:49:17 +0000

A car dealership or vehicle local distribution is a business that sells new cars/ old cars at the retail level based on a dealership contract with an automaker. It may also provide maintenance services for cars. It will not cost much if you purchase an old car instead of new if you are getting good deal. Used Car Dealers

By: Stephen Douglass

Stephen Douglass — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 19:14:24 +0000

I don’t this as a problem of clean cars, or pricing, I see it as a issue revovling around the sales staff working the system. I believe that if you can get your sales staff to focus on what’s important the unit will sell…Commission.
Get your sales staff to focus on creating their own commission based on unit age. In the example above the BMW would be paying an additional $93 in commission. Plain and simple if you offer a $1 per day for inventory you’ll notice sales people showing the oldest units first. That 93 day old unit looks a lot better when there’s a $$ sign base on the age. I really don’t believe you have to lower the price to a break even point to get the customer interested. I believe that’s the sales persons job.

It’s time to get creative. Don’t let your sales staff be the tail that wags the dog. Get them selling instead of working the desk for their commission. I’ve done this and it works.

By: Andrew Difeo

Andrew Difeo — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 03:17:14 +0000

If you haven’t read Velocity by Dale Pollak yet, I highly suggest you buy it off Amazon. It will change the way you think about your used (and new) car inventory.

I second Jeff’s comment about what if everybody used Vauto. It is only a piece of technology suggesting you to buy a certain unit, price it a certain way, appraise a vehicle at a certain value, etc. There are still way too many people in this industry that will ignore what a silly computer is telling someone with years and years of experience what to do. To those experienced “know it all ” people, I say, thank you…keep thinking that way!

I just dropped AAX and signed on with Vauto on Friday. Installation should be complete by next week…looking forward to it!

By: Gerald

Gerald — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:42:32 +0000

Great topic Jeff- One thing salesmen also fall into the trap of is “It’s an old age unit” thinking it should qualify for a greater discount. Problem is, it is NEW(er) to the prospective customer. Furthermore, assuming it is an Internet customer, they have specifically chosen THAT vehicle for some reason- found out why.

One thing does need to be said though, that 03 Jag X type has dropped in book value more than a little in the last 4 months since it was entered into inventory!

By: Joe Pistell

Joe Pistell — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:40:47 +0000

Speaking of vAuto, I wrote a piece on this subject that will HELP sell aged units.

——Do You Know Your DSD?——

DSD = Days Since Detailing

Clean cars sell for more and I have proof. First, let’s explore the study by Manheim and their findings, then, let’s make MORE money together.

http://www.dalepollak.com/2008/09/29/do-you-know-your-dsd/

Its a cycle:

Cleaner Inventory = More Turns
More Turns = Cleaner Inventory.

one pushes the other, over and over again.

Results?
Cleaner Inventory = More Gross.

Joe

By: Jeff Kershner

Jeff Kershner — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:31:09 +0000

@alex – you touched on “Another side note: If you have a days in stock issue, well then you have a whole ‘nother issue.”

I always wonder what would happen once every dealer was using the same “technology”. Thought knowing most dealers they would have the “technology” but not use it right.

Either way, with all the technology in the world..we still need to be sure our sales team are on board and are educated and informed on their inventory.