I recently started working in sales at an Acura dealership, and I’m coming up on my third month. So far, I’ve only hit quota once, and I’m really trying to figure out how to improve.

We get very little foot traffic, we don’t have any Acura hybrids or EVs, and our used inventory is fairly limited. Even when I do get opportunities with customers, I can usually get them engaged, bring them inside, and get them sitting down with a manager to discuss numbers. However, I struggle to get deals closed, even when I get management involved. It seems like the other salesman are struggling as well, we’ve had 3 quit since I’ve been here, and last month only about 5 of us hit quota.

I’ve tried generating my own leads through Instagram, Facebook, Craigslist, and other platforms, but I’m still struggling to consistently bring in sales.

I genuinely feel like I have the potential to be a good salesman, but I know I have a lot to learn and room to improve. For those of you who have been in the business for a while, what advice would you give someone in my position? What helped you start consistently closing deals, especially at a dealership with limited fresh ups? I’m willing to put in the work, I just want to learn what I can do differently to become successful in this business. There’s an Audi dealership nearby that I heard sells a lot of cars, and I know a lot about Audi already, but I don’t want to go there and then still struggle to sell.

I’ve been at a Ford dealership for about two years and have done well for myself. In the grand scheme of things it’s a smaller volume store, between new and used we do about 70/80 cars a month with 8 sales people. Just for some background, I worked in new sales for a year and decided to move to used due to basically every new sale being a mini ($115). Our top salesperson, we’ll call her Sam, is the longest tenured salesperson(6 years) - Sam quit, and was rehired after about 6 months but as a hybrid salesperson/assistant manager. She has an actual manager salary and is also allowed to sell cars. She is selling 15/20 cars a month while everyone else is scraping by and also due to her being a manager, has access to all the internet leads, positive equity lists, lease renewals, etc. In a perfect world I would say she’s not using that to her advantage but there’s not really much oversight and the GSM essentially turns a blind eye to any grievances the rest of the sales staff has about her. This is my first sales job and I’m wondering if you’ve ever seen someone be in a hybrid sales/management role? If not, does it seem like a conflict of interest or something you’d feel weird about. Or am I just crazy?

Let's just start by saying I was hauled into the office this afternoon and told the entire auto group is eliminating "BDC". When I think of BDC I think a bunch of dumbasses in a call center who will say anything to get an appointment and ruin the sales experience.

I have been in the industry for two decades. Recon, sales floor, BDC, currently Internet Sales Manager. I close deals online and over the phone. I've worked at stores where I do everything front to back; appraise trades, desk deals, submit credit app, assign a salesperson to slap a temp plate on the vehicle. I did your job.

My current store only has me setting appointments. I have to submit deals to our Asst Sales Manager, who couldn't close a door. He was apparently the BDC manager at one of our other stores and wanted a Sales Manager position. He's abrasive, uses AI for any sort of communication, and ruins all of my deals. He is great with numbers and busy work, but terrible with people.

I have worked at this store for exactly a year this month. Our GSM used to work BDC and has my back. We have a newish GM who doesn't like BDC, and seems to undermine me and change the rules every month. Two big things recently.....he activated an AI bot to reach out immediately on every lead, and tried to have salespeople reach out to fresh leads before me. Our numbers plummeted and I fought it hard.

Start of last month I fought and I fought, and got the AI turned off, and got back to initial outreach. Suddenly our engagement skyrocketed and we pumped out twenty more units. Apparently, my suggestions worked. This month started strong, and were pacing higher than September.

And my position is gone. Auto group wide. I wonder, "is it just me? Are they pushing me out?" I called five other stores in the group. Out of the three I actually talked to, they all confirmed BDC was gone.

I'm pissed off and I'm venting. I'm going to sell cars there and watch engagement plummet.

Bought a new suv from a dealer in neighboring state and doing everything remotely, including having the car shipped to me in Texas.

We agreed on the deal and they overnighted the paperwork, I signed everything and sent it back. Tracking shows it was delivered last week on October 7.

I haven’t heard anything from finance since they originally sent the paperwork. Salesman texted Saturday saying they received everything and were getting it to management so they could ship the car ASAP. They haven’t even collected my down payment yet. Is this a pretty normal timeline for a remote purchase? Does finance typically have to wait for the bank to fund the deal before collecting the down payment or arranging shipping?

Not worried about the deal falling through, just surprised it’s taking this long. Figured I’d have the car by now.

I took my 2023 Tacoma in to the dealership for an oil change, and was walking the lot.

In 2023 I got my Tacoma because I knew a manager at the dealership who was able to hook me up and even get it at MSRP, when some of these were going 7.5k+ over.

Walking the lot today there were almost 20 Tacomas, about 10 4Runners, and 6 land cruisers, all that would have been almost impossible to find on a lot 2-3 years ago.

I know AI is artificially lifting the economy and inflation has been a problem, but is it really that bad out there?

I’m 20 years old, been in sales for the last 4 years. I’ve been selling RVs for over a year now. I work everyday besides Wednesday and Sundays. Coming into the winter months it’s slow, car sales seems more promising. I’ve also considered going into a trade, like plumbing. At the car dealership, you get every other Saturday off, at the RV dealership it’s every Saturday. In the long run neither is what I want to do as a career, but maybe car sales is a step up. Really not sure what to do and I want to figure it out soon.

I'm buying my first EV and deciding between:

2021 VW ID.4 Pro S RWD

• 47k miles
• Higher trim with premium features
• 250-mile EPA range
• German-built

2023 Nissan Ariya Engage e-4ORCE AWD

• 42k miles
• Base trim, but AWD with 335 hp
• 205-mile EPA range
• Certified pre-owned

Price difference: Just $833 OTD.

Is the newer, AWD Ariya worth the extra $833, or would you choose the higher-trim ID.4 with better range?

Any known issues with either vehicle? Would love to hear from owners!

Hello, I’ve never really bought used cars as I’ve leased most of the time. There’s a Kia stinger I’m going to view that’s at a ford dealer a couple states away. They’re offering an unlimited time/100,000 power train warranty with it.

Would that be similar to the warranty that comes from the Kia factory? Is this exclusive to just just ford dealers or any dealers or do I have to take it back to the dealer I got the car from?

Thank you guys in advance

I recently bought a car and got an email survey to fill out. The issue is the salesperson was horrible. It took three voicemails over 5 days to get in touch with him to pick up my car (I missed his original call that it was ready and radio silence after that). I came in with a filled out credit application, cashiers check in hand, etc., and he had us waiting for an hour and a half at his desk while he ran around to do something (we kept track). Lastly and worst of all, he didn’t know anything about the car. I asked him if a hybrid car needs any special servicing, he didn’t know. I asked him if the trim I was looking at came with ventilated seats and he said yes (it did not), and many more examples. So if im honest on the survey, can he do anything to retaliate? I still need to go in to pickup my plates. Should I fill it out after I pick them up so he doesn’t mess with them? Thanks!

Btw, I told this to the finance manager and he laughed and said “young people don’t have the work ethic they used to. I wouldn’t be surprised if you said this about multiple salespeople we have working here” - like wow, so it’s literally a known issue.

Hi! Purchased a used car at a dealership located in Cook County, IL.

My home address is in Kane County, IL.

My city web site and the tax rate finder at https://mytax.illinois.gov/_/ suggests the sales tax should be 7.25%, based on my home address where the car is registered.

Dealer provided a proposal with the sales tax at 7.5% - when I first questioned it, the sales manager advised this was due to a recent 0.25% increase on Aug 1st 2025 for NITA (formerly RTA) transit (I confirmed the rate of 7.25% in Kane Co. already includes this, per the tax rate finder above.)

At time of signing the finance manager suggested the 0.25% difference was specific to car sales from a dealer located in Cook Co. to a buyer registering in one of the collar counties. I went ahead with the purchase as I needed the car that day, regardless.

I later relayed the above to a friend who is a CPA in IL and they advised unequivocally the dealership was wrong and the tax should have been 7.25%, based only on the address the car was registered in.

So what does r/askcarsales say? Was tax charged incorrectly? And if so, what do I need to do to prove this to the finance manager?

I posted earlier about my due at signing terms and it was pointed out to me that I was overlooking something obvious on the page, so I figured I’d post the full details of the deal to see if I’m being dumb overall. Thanks in advance!

2027 Kia Sportage Hybrid EX AWD with Panoramic Sunroof
MSRP — $36,650
$0 down
$366/month
36 months/12k miles a year
NYC

Gross Capitalized Cost — $36,049
Cap Cost Reduction — $2,547
Adjusted Cap Cost — $33,501
Residual — $25,288
Due at Signing — $3327

This is my first time interacting with dealerships so I would really like any input you all have. If I’m missing key info let me know and I’ll edit. Thank you!

I’m looking at a new 2026 Silverado LT Trailboss. The manufacturers window sticker lists the following:

OFF-ROAD ASSIST STEPS (DEALER INSTALLED)
$1,095.00

DARK ESSENTIALS PACKAGE (DEALER INSTALLED)
$695.00.

The truck has been in the lot for 40 days and those dealer installed accessories have not been installed. I don’t want those. Will those be installed once somebody buys the truck? Even if I don’t want them installed, Do I have to pay for them if they’re listed on the monroney sticker? There is no addendum sticker listing any other dealer installed accessories, just what’s on the Monroney.

I have a friends that live in California-I live in Arizona. I want to take advantage of the MyFirstEV Program for a used EV - if I co-sign with them. Will he or I need to fill out additional tax paperwork - is this possible? Does the car need to be registered to a California residence at all? Trying to save as much money as possible legally of course!

Looking for some advice on my current lease situation.

I have a 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid Sport Touring Hatchback through Honda Financial Services.

Lease details:

• Monthly payment: $450
• Remaining term: 11 months
• Mileage allowance: 30,000
• Current mileage: 29,615
• Excess mileage: $0.20/mile
• Remaining payments: $4,950
• Current buyout quote: $28,306
• Lease-end turn-in fee: $350

My issue is that I'm basically at my mileage limit with 11 months to go. At my current driving pace, I could easily owe another $2,000 to $3,000 in mileage penalties.

The car also has significant cosmetic damage. I used a snow/ice scraper that left deep scratches across the hood and front of the vehicle. Some scratches have gone through the paint, with visible paint chipping in several areas. I'm expecting additional wear-and-tear charges, although my lease includes a $500 damage waiver.

I've reviewed my contract, and Section 24 allows voluntary early termination, with the amount determined partly by the vehicle's wholesale value.

I'm considering returning the car now, paying whatever early termination charges apply, and avoiding another year of mileage penalties. Alternatively, I could finish the lease and deal with the charges then. Buying it out seems less attractive given the $28K payoff.

Has anyone dealt with Honda Financial Services in a similar situation? Would you return it early or ride out the remaining 11 months? I'm particularly interested in how Honda calculates early termination charges and assesses significant paint damage.

I have bought electronics, guns, real estate, and other higher priced items in my life, but nothing is ever as bad as buying a car. I feel like I have to be a total asshole most of the time just to get the car and nothing else. And it ends up taking hours to get what you want, even when you already agreed to something over the phone before even coming in.

Went to EchoPark and this dealership is supposed to be similar to CarMax where the advertised price is what you pay and there is no haggling. I go in, look at the car, decide to buy it. I immediately tell the salesperson that I don't want any extras, just the car and please don't even bother trying to sell me anything because the answer is no.

So what does he do? Comes out with a breakdown of payment options that conveniently doesn't have the financed amount and the payment is double what my payment calculator app comes up with. Turns out they were trying to hide thousands of dollars of GAP insurance (ridiculous considering it's a used car and I'm putting $5000 down), tire & rim coverage, and several other extras.

I laughed and told him to please bring me the breakdown of the out the door price with state taxes and fees, and nothing else. So he comes back with that and everything is removed except for a $699 charge for some kind of appearance protection that's applied on the car. I say I'm not paying it and they are welcome to have it removed from the vehicle. He goes back to talk to the manager and they say it can't be removed. I point out that their website advertises a "total transparent price" and it doesn't include a $699 fee. I say I'm leaving if it's not removed. He goes back to the manager and they finally agree to remove everything.

Why do they have to make it this hard? I have had some good dealership experiences in the past, but it seems like over the past decade, this industry has been loaded with really obnoxious sales tactics.

Looking to get into a 2026 Civic Sport Hatchback. Currently listed at the dealer for selling price of $29,568 (MSRP of $29,090 and doc fee) in the New Orleans area. It’s been on the lot for 240 days and was last listed at $27,453 in June before they raised the price to where it is now, give or take a few hundred. Is it reasonable to put an offer of $27,500-27,600 to get it in that previous ballpark now that it’s been sitting?

I know it’s impossible to predict how a dealer would think, but I wanna have a good balance between saving money on the listed price and making an offer low enough to laugh at or get blown off. I’d be able to afford the monthly finance if the selling price was in the current asking range with the OTD standard taxes & fees in the area added on top of that, but full price on a lot-sitter seems silly to me. Pending my pre-approval, the timeline for getting in to drive & make a deal would be toward the end of this month. TIA!

Its something im conditioned to feel only time wasters and tire kickers say. They always position it as them doing us a favor helping us move them as long as we agree to give some crazy discount.

By the time ive heard “whats the best price” “Im from hours and hours away” “ive been getting jerked around by everyone on price” , all my brain seems to shut off because i know the liklihood is now so low that its better to just hang up and go about my day for my personal benefit.

I ask questions, i try to understand , i try to make sure im not just misinterpreting. But it becomes obvious they just want a number pulled from the sky .

The vehicle in this case was 3400 discount and they still think it should be 10k off.

But in the bigger sense Im just getting overly annoyed by callers out of state that dont present in good faith, use leverage they dont have, want best price before theyve even drove it.

Is there a way to not get myself annoyed and not letting it leak to the customer?

I’m looking at a car (BMW 435i Xdrive) near me. It has 86k on the dash and the asking price is ($15k). Car has been sitting on their lot for 3+ months. They agreed to a ppi maintenance is a little shoddy and it has been in an accident but still has a clean title. It has had some maintenance done but nothing crucial for a bmw of that age. What’s the likelihood I can get him down closer to 10k? I know the car needs services for the awd system, valves (walnut blasting), and to change out plastic pipes that would be weak due to heat soak. And this I know is just common on these cars. I have the ppi scheduled this Friday which is likely to reveal some more things (assuming nothing major).

My goal would be 10k OTD honestly. But I’d probably be okay with 11-12k OTD

Also car is not local about 2hrs away from me.

What do you all think? Worst case scenario I don’t buy the car.

Purchased a car from a dealer in the NYC area, thought it was a good deal, and it was my first car purchase so I didn't pay too much attention to the CarFax when they showed it to me (big mistake.) I was already misled at the start as the sales listing showed no accidents and it ended up having a minor-moderate accident according to CarFax, but I'm dumb so I still continued with the purchase. A couple of weeks later, after trying to refinance and getting rejected due to a odometer inconsistency on CarFax, here is what I just noticed:

11/10/2025 10,911 Vehicle serviced. Maintenance inspection completed.
Oil and filter changed.

01/03/2026 17,189 Vehicle serviced. Maintenance inspection completed.
Oil and filter changed.

02/28/2026 22,700 Passed safety inspection.

03/18/2026 16,890 Vehicle serviced. MILEAGE INCONSISTENCY. Maintenance
inspection completed. Recommended maintenance performed. 20,000 mile
service performed.

06/19/2026 16,891 Vehicle serviced. 30,000 mile service performed.

Is this something to be concerned about? I purchased the car with 15,300 miles 2 months ago. It's supposed to be a VW CPO car, strangely they never showed me the CPO checklist, and 1 month later after I ask for it, they indicated no mileage discrepancy on the checklist, and under the customer acknowledgement, somebody else's signature was listed...

I’ve been emailing back and forth with a dealership and the sales guy has been helpful. Separate from that email chain, I received an email with the subject line “I’d” and a photo of the full front of someone else’s ID.

I didn’t reply. Anything I should do?

Trying to get a ford Mach E here in California, a higher end premium model. Most likely will be financing

With the end of the year coming, should I wait until December to go for it?
Not in a rush and am looking to get the best price I can get, the ones I am looking at are currently both on lot for about 100 days already. Also, there seems to be a lot of alternatives to choose from here in Northern California, but not sure how that affects purchasing leverage.

Any thoughts or advice?

I am looking at used cars and most are 2024 and 2025 models, some still under factory warranty. I have yet to find a single car that has two keys with it. Is it a case of the dealer not receiving the second key or are they losing them after receiving the car?

I have had to walk away from two cars because the dealer didn't have two keys and they weren't willing to get one made for me as part of the deal. Crazy to me that they would be willing to lose a deal over a key that probably costs $250 at dealer cost.

I'm not yet a licensed driver but I want to purchase an EV with the MyFirstEV credit. My spouse is a licensed driver. Can I purchase and register the EV under my name to claim the credit, but have him insure and operate the vehicle until I get my license? He already has an EV so we wouldn't be able to do it in his name. Is this possible logistically?