Decisions suck

[zoom-zoomhatch]

To start this has nothing to do with cars really, just looking for opinions. I have a recently offered opportunity to work at a car dealership as a salesman. I would love to do it but the delima is I've worked at McDonalds for going on 7 years, sadly making only a whopping 8.30 and hour as a manager(coming to a whopping 25k a year almost). And I have a baby due next month and an overly expensive car payment I have to make. I know if you let things pass you up and wait to long you'll be sorry, but anyone who has been a salesperson, is the pay that inconsistent? Just wondering what ya'll think.

 

[UTEGANNOGMI]

Depends where you work and which dealer you're working for. I live in toronto where there are a tonne of asian people here. Mazda salesmen pretty much just write up the car for the buyers and dont really need to 'sell' the car. They pretty much sell themselves here and therefore, get paid pretty well. People here dont even try to talk down the price which is weird as asian people always haggle. However for cars, they believe that the higher you pay the better the car...weird.

Anyhow, I suggest that you ask if theres a base salary and if there's commission on top of what you would be getting. Depending on the dealer, you might get one, or the other, or hopefully both.

I think that it's time for you to move on with your life and leave McD's. I know of 16 yr olds that are managers at McD's. Time for an upgrade? Your choice though just my $0.02.

Good luck with your job and your baby!

 

[zoom-zoomhatch]

It's a saturn dealership, although they aren't the most popular cars, it would be better I think for the fact there would be less people out just to joyride in one of your cars. And thanks.

 

[nate0123]

To start this has nothing to do with cars really, just looking for opinions. I have a recently offered opportunity to work at a car dealership as a salesman. I would love to do it but the delima is I've worked at McDonalds for going on 7 years, sadly making only a whopping 8.30 and hour as a manager(coming to a whopping 25k a year almost). And I have a baby due next month and an overly expensive car payment I have to make. I know if you let things pass you up and wait to long you'll be sorry, but anyone who has been a salesperson, is the pay that inconsistent? Just wondering what ya'll think.

if you're making almost $25k at 8.30/hour you must be putting in a lot of overtime!

 

[zoom-zoomhatch]

if you're making almost $25k at 8.30/hour you must be putting in a lot of overtime!

My point exactly, killing myself to make even a semi-decent income.

 

[snookwheel]

Go For It!! How many Happy, content and successful 'non owner' MacDonald's Managers do you know?? Take what you have learned and move forward! Do it and don't look back. Good Luck!!

 

[07speed3]

ya man i mean for what your makin there after all that time i would have to say move on! I mean no offence im sure you work your ass off but i mean there are alot of other jobs you can make that and more just starting out...either way sounds like its time for a career change whether the car sales thing works out or not...just my 2 cents

 

[RODSCALIP5]

I say go for it as long as you know the product.

 

[Adammazda06]

if you are even a halfway decent salesperson, you should make more than 25k. i work for mazda so i cant vouch for saturn, but pay can be inconsistent. you have to manage your money for the bad month you will have once or twice a year. my first full year in the car business i made 45k. im expecting much more than that this year. new car money sucks. used money is great. but alot of manufacturers have bonus programs where they pay you also. mazda payed me around 3k last year, and 2k this year so far, with a bonus of at least 5k coming next summer with this new program they started in april. so i say go for it.

just be aware that people will now look down there noses at you for being a car salesman. it does not offend me as much anymore, but it takes time to get used to it. you just have to be patient with the people. DO NOT BS THEM!!!

 

[AeroSquid]

dude $8.30 an hour @40 hours a week comes out to $17264.00 BEFORE taxes.

 

[Maxxpwr]

dude $8.30 an hour @40 hours a week comes out to $17264.00 BEFORE taxes.

werd! serious overtime. so why is this a question?
stealership salesman > mcdonalds...

 

[I vtec do you?]

Holy fucka duck man.. DO IT. Even if the job sucks nuts, you aren't losing anything at all.

At mcdonalds, you're a manager, have to deal with stress, disgruntled employees and customers.. for 8.30. I do practically nothing at Target (nothing falls on my shoulders to deal with.. I just go in and work, then leave) and I make 8.41 an hour.

Pay will not be consistent, but I have two buddies that are car salesman right now, straight out of highschool, and their 'projected' incomes are around 35-40k this year.. and that's because they don't know what they're doing yet.

Think of the baby.. 25k a year is not much to live on, and baby's aren't cheap.

 

[Falconx84]

the key in sales is being a self-motivator

I've been in sales for several years now and sometimes its so easy and the money is so good i feel like I'm doing something illegal(five-0)

just be honest, show some integrity, and DON'T PUT DOWN THE COMPEITION!! If you can't sell your product on its merits, then you can't sell it at all.

My sales mentality it that I never SELL a product, I educate the consumer and they BUY a product from me. so what if I'm "slightly" biased

Required reading - "how to master the art of selling" by Tom something-or-other

Its the only job I know where I can get $50k+ just for running my mouth (drinks)

 

[RODSCALIP5]

the key in sales is being a self-motivator

I've been in sales for several years now and sometimes its so easy and the money is so good i feel like I'm doing something illegal(five-0)

just be honest, show some integrity, and DON'T PUT DOWN THE COMPEITION!! If you can't sell your product on its merits, then you can't sell it at all.

My sales mentality it that I never SELL a product, I educate the consumer and they BUY a product from me. so what if I'm "slightly" biased

Required reading - "how to master the art of selling" by Tom something-or-other

Its the only job I know where I can get $50k+ just for running my mouth (drinks)

LOL! 50K for running your mouth, I like that...........

 

[UTEGANNOGMI]

One thing I know. If you dont own the McDs, it's not worth it to work there.

And yes, I agree with "babies arent cheap". My sister just had one this march and man, those diapers go by quick. Not to scare you; but as I see it there's NOTHING to loose. =]

 

[zoom-zoomhatch]

dude $8.30 an hour @40 hours a week comes out to $17264.00 BEFORE taxes.

Between an a$$load of overtime and quarterly boneses it comes to about
25k, if we do well enough to get the bonuses. If you've been at the arches long enough you can pull off a decent income but in my eyes I think it's taken a little to long and shown no profit as of yet. It sucks leaving somewhere I've been for so long but it is time for a change, just an inconvenient time for a change.

 

[aaronc7]

I would jump on the car salesman job in your shoes, I guess you just need to decide if that's something you would enjoy doing.

 

[importgirl212]

hey i live in PA and i am a Car sales girls for MAZDA. i have been selling mazdas now for about 1 year. its a tough business to get into. if you want to do car sales either do mazda because you know your product and you'll learn more, or go for toyota or honda. You have to find a dealership with LOTS of traffic (ie-customers) otherwise you'll be bored and under paid. Also find out what the pay plan is like how your commission works whether it be percent or percent of the gross profit and what your base salary is. Like for me i get paid 230/week, plus 20% of the gross profit of the car that is invioce to MSRP, and also 20% on other products like GAP, Warraties, Simoniz etc. IT can be a well paying job...you'll put in at least 50 hours a week, to make money you'll have to work those kinds of hours. But honestly if you don't sell cars, you'll go hungry. you definetly need to keep yourself motivated. Make sure the dealership will allow you to sell pre-owned vehicles as well.....Thats where you make your money.

 

[companyman]

Also before you leave McDonalds go to your boss and ask for some type of raise. See if there is positions that you can move into. I have no idea about the org structure of mcdonalds but it can't hurt to try. If they won't budge, then go for the car dealer job...just make sure you have it secured before you do your thing at Mcdonalds.

 

[meha11]

Get yourself a trade and you’ll never look back, i wouldn’t do the salesman thing because it is too inconsistent with regards to pay, think of your future and your family, the world will always need service companies and new construction, people dont necessarily need new cars. The only thing certain in sales is “s*** paper”, regardless of economics people will always be going to the bathroom.

Know nothing helpers in houston make +$10/hr, its not as pretty as collage station but you can make a living here and if you are hard working the sky is the limit, that’s the best thing about Texas, the working man has a chance to make a good living if he is prepared to work (you obviously do looking at your basic pay v’s total income).

A trade is the way to go, Just my $.02, take it for what its worth- almost nothing...