Car Dealers Lingo - Sales Talk
Be-back: A customer who leaves the car lot promising to return
later, saying, "I'll be back," or some variation of that statement.
Bumping: Raising the customer's offer for a car.
Closer: An experienced salesman who is brought in to "close" the
customer by making them agree to a deal.
Demo: The test-drive.
F&I: This stands for the Finance and Insurance office where the
documents are signed. The F&I salesperson usually will push products
such as extended warranties, fabric protection and alarms.
First pencil: This is the opening offer from the sales manager,
usually written onto the worksheet in pencil.
Four-square: As negotiations begin, the salesman pulls out a
worksheet divided into four squares which represent the four elements of
a car deal: selling price, trade-in value, monthly payment and down
payment.
Full pop lease: This is when a vehicle is leased at 110 percent
of the sticker price — the highest amount allowed by most banks.
GM: The general manager. The GM is the head honcho at the
dealership. He runs the business from day to day.
Home run: This applies when a salesman has taken advantage of
every element of the deal: trade-in, sale price and financing.
Lay down: A customer who takes whatever deal the salesperson
offers.
Mini Deal: The commission on a deal where the car was sold at
close to invoice price.
Mooch: A customer who wants to buy a car at invoice.
Packing payments: Adding extra profit to the cost of a car.
Rip their heads off: This describes taking a customer to the
cleaners.
Spiff: A tip, kickback or payment of any kind, usually cash which
is handed between salespeople.
Strong: This has a special meaning on the car lot. It means
holding firm on your price and being a tough negotiator.
Tower: The office where the sales managers work. This is usually
a raised platform allowing the managers to see over the roofs of the
cars so they can watch customers and their salespeople.
Turn over: Also known as "turning," this is the practice of
passing a customer from one salesman to another. It is thought that this
will prevent customers from leaving the car lot. The theory is that the
customer might just have bad chemistry with the first salesman and he
might like the next salesman.
Up: A customer who walks onto the car lot. The term probably
comes from the order in which customers are taken, as in: "Who's up
next?"
Weak: This describes being a weak negotiator or coming down too
quickly on price.
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