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Old 07-06-2009, 11:09 AM
  #31  
Trader220
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Originally Posted by Rob in WA
What percentage of the inventory you sell do you make on a 3 month average than?

Lees than 1%? Serious question.


Pogue: I had a huge party at my place on Friday and left early. As of 3pm we hadn't been informed of what PCNA was doing for July, I checked before I left.

MJones hasn't informed us as to how he gets his info....

Rob, thats a good question for which I dont have an exact answer, in May I delvered 19 cars but in June my rolling average took a hit and I only delivered 9. I have only been in this business since Sept and I sort of told myself I would try it for a year and see how I liked it. Naturally the first handful of months were not big months as I learned about car sales.
Old 07-06-2009, 11:11 AM
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Originally Posted by jderrico
While I didn't end up buying from Trader (circumstances outside his control) - it was good working with him and now that our company will be moving closer to him next year, he will definitely be top of the list for our next P-car.

Thanks for the kind words!
Old 07-06-2009, 12:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Trader220

Pogue it would appear as if your opinion is all sales people are scum and they and the dealer are not allowed to make even a nickle profit on anything.
A guy as smart as you is probably clever enough to figure out that appearances can be deceptive..... but since you bring it up "dishonest" sales people don't deserve much respect.. do they?
Old 07-06-2009, 12:41 PM
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allegretto
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oh Jeeeezussss

another dealer or two crying about how tough it is.

how's this. FIND ANOTHER PROFESSION.

for God's sake what is going on here? sorry fellas, no dealer i ever dealt with has called me back to excuse themselves for making too much profit or to offer to refund me some money.

i know what it takes to survive in business. i know one has to roll with the punches in economies.

man up dudes!
Old 07-06-2009, 01:31 PM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by allegretto
oh Jeeeezussss

another dealer or two crying about how tough it is.

how's this. FIND ANOTHER PROFESSION.

for God's sake what is going on here? sorry fellas, no dealer i ever dealt with has called me back to excuse themselves for making too much profit or to offer to refund me some money.

i know what it takes to survive in business. i know one has to roll with the punches in economies.

man up dudes!
I am not complaining about how tuff anything is. I took this gig in Sept just because I wanted to see how the business was. Any day I want I can walk back into my old firm and have my office back, or I can go take my own seat on the COMEX or NYMEX and step back on the trading floor.
Old 07-06-2009, 01:33 PM
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Originally Posted by PogueMoHone
A guy as smart as you is probably clever enough to figure out that appearances can be deceptive..... but since you bring it up "dishonest" sales people don't deserve much respect.. do they?

where did I bring up dishonest sales people?

Personally I dont need to waste time trying to read between the lines on a web forum. You've been very clear in the way you treat and react to sales people. I am not selling you a car now or in the future so there is no reason for me to play your game of trying to figure out what your personality deception is.
Old 07-06-2009, 01:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Trader220
I am not complaining about how tuff anything is. I took this gig in Sept just because I wanted to see how the business was. Any day I want I can walk back into my old firm and have my office back, or I can go take my own seat on the COMEX or NYMEX and step back on the trading floor.
so you quit being a floor trader to sell Porsches?

well, the same thing that is happening to trading will be happening to vehicle sales. electronic transactions with little human interface. just the wave of the future...
Old 07-06-2009, 02:06 PM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by Bob Rouleau
I think the idea of buying direct would suit Porsche just fine. The price would be fixed and there would be NO discounts. Personally I'd rather have a dealer, thanks.

New cars are a low margin item. I guess it goes back to horses but why is it we don't expect a discount from Sears when we buy appliances, or from Home Depot on Power Tools, yet we do expect to get serious discounts on cars? I saw that Porsche gives a 10 percent margin if sold at retail. Getting ten percent off, is what percentage of the gross margin given away? Wow.

For any of us who are in business, we expect to and indeed must operate at a profit. Why are car dealers exempt from this I wonder?

I read the other thread and I understand the OP's feelings. Is it reasonable to expect someone to quote their best price so we can take it elsewhere? Why bother to respond when it is 99 percent certain that whatever number given, in writing yet, will be used to negotiate an even better price elsewhere? Puts the sales guy in a tough spot doesn't it?

So, sorry for injecting these random thoughts - carry on, but please leave a couple of dealers in business so I can continue to buy these cars I love.

Best,

I do expect a discount from other retailers. Go in with cash, show them the cash, and never pay retail for anything ... TVs, Ovens, etc.

Never pay list ...

JKH
Old 07-06-2009, 02:38 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by Trader220
where did I bring up dishonest sales people?

Personally I dont need to waste time trying to read between the lines on a web forum. You've been very clear in the way you treat and react to sales people. I am not selling you a car now or in the future so there is no reason for me to play your game of trying to figure out what your personality deception is.
Then, thank you for backing off your original assumptions about me.

If you think about it a little further, you might discover that, especially on this forum, most Porsches are "bought" and not "sold". So you are correct you won't be "selling" me a car. Incidentally I am very happy to do business through local dealers when and where there is respect for the customer. A mutual meeting of the minds so to speak!

And, if you don't need to waste time reading between the lines on a web forum... what might that indicate about your opinion of web forums and their users?

In my world, a "good trader" will pick up the "nuances" where ever they are to be found.
Old 07-06-2009, 03:22 PM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by dD/dt
Not really....

Following Dave Ramsey's advice, I've started paying for just about everything with cash, and asking for a discount, even at places like Lowe's and the lawnmower dealership. To my great surprise, it actually works.
i used to pay cash. lately i find i get much BIGGER discount when leasing or financing. there's always back end for the dealer. a large dealer act like loan brokers, they have a cut in it. they WANT u to finance. they know i pay off after one pmt so they get their cut from the bank, not from me.
Old 07-06-2009, 03:44 PM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by PogueMoHone
Then, thank you for backing off your original assumptions about me.

If you think about it a little further, you might discover that, especially on this forum, most Porsches are "bought" and not "sold". So you are correct you won't be "selling" me a car. Incidentally I am very happy to do business through local dealers when and where there is respect for the customer. A mutual meeting of the minds so to speak!

And, if you don't need to waste time reading between the lines on a web forum... what might that indicate about your opinion of web forums and their users?

In my world, a "good trader" will pick up the "nuances" where ever they are to be found.
The neuances dont mean a hill of beans to me on an internet forum and you're reading way too deep into anything I post here. "If I think about... discover" I guess our difference of opinion is that I believe this is an excellent forum and I have met a lot of nice people who share the same passion I do about these cars here.... The kicker its not a place I would bother having to read anything more than face value about. I dont care one single iota if I pick up a sale from this board, I am NOT soliciting sales from this board. I have said from the get go, if I can help someone out with a question on a program or pricing thats great I would be happy to do so. If they wanna run a deal they're looking at by me or ask me for a price, no problem, but I am not pounding the board for sales.

Let me ammend my earlier post... Respectfully...I will not be doing any business with you, its my opinion you and I would not see eye to eye on anything.
Old 07-06-2009, 03:54 PM
  #42  
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Originally Posted by allegretto
so you quit being a floor trader to sell Porsches?

well, the same thing that is happening to trading will be happening to vehicle sales. electronic transactions with little human interface. just the wave of the future...

I left the floor in 2004, and I ran a hedge fund under the Goldman Sachs umbrella until April of 2008 when I sold out to my partners. After taking a little over 6 months off and hanging out with my then 2 year old son, under my wife's insistence I walked into the local dealer and discussed my passion and knowledge about the product, and if they would be interested in having me come in a few days a week and sell cars. I have bought and sold a huge number of Porsches prior to doing this and it’s been a win win for both sides. I gave them a year’s time frame where we would both evaluate our objective, so come Sept I'll have a decision to make.


Most of the options floors are electronic these days all over the globe. Places that have single listed products like the comex and nymex and some CME / CBOT products still have very active pits but I would say their time is finite too. I left the door open when I stepped down from my firm and I could go back to that but I am trying to avoid the 60 hour work week. I have always been a car guy and it’s probably a good time to consider an equity stake in a dealer but without a front man who has the experience Porsche would not qualify me for a franchise.
Old 07-06-2009, 05:03 PM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by Trader220
I left the floor in 2004, and I ran a hedge fund under the Goldman Sachs umbrella until April of 2008 when I sold out to my partners. After taking a little over 6 months off and hanging out with my then 2 year old son, under my wife's insistence I walked into the local dealer and discussed my passion and knowledge about the product, and if they would be interested in having me come in a few days a week and sell cars. I have bought and sold a huge number of Porsches prior to doing this and it’s been a win win for both sides. I gave them a year’s time frame where we would both evaluate our objective, so come Sept I'll have a decision to make.


Most of the options floors are electronic these days all over the globe. Places that have single listed products like the comex and nymex and some CME / CBOT products still have very active pits but I would say their time is finite too. I left the door open when I stepped down from my firm and I could go back to that but I am trying to avoid the 60 hour work week. I have always been a car guy and it’s probably a good time to consider an equity stake in a dealer but without a front man who has the experience Porsche would not qualify me for a franchise.
I love that you were able to pursue your dream of selling such amazing automobiles like Porsche and gave yourself a one year evaluation objective. It takes a passionate person to sell these cars, and then have the know how on how to encourage your customers to come back and purchase again.

Some dealers have the right magic. Honest and up front. Had I not found a great dealer, I might have goen back to BMW, but in the end owning a Porsche has been a dream come true. And I bet selling them can be just as satisfying.
Old 07-06-2009, 05:18 PM
  #44  
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jk, I do really enjoy it, and for the most part my clients appreciate the efforts. It helps a lot that I can look them in the eye and honestly tell them I am not making any commission on the cars, and there is no reason for me to hold back any more gross then management leaves out there.

I have one client who had a 911 in the 1970's and worked his *** off as a coach and Prof at a local U. Now that all of his kids were through school and his wife declined the offer to buy small vacation property for them he was able to come in a realize the dream he kept alive for all those years. One of the nicest people I have met at this position and it was a pleasure to work with him and help him realize his dream.

Like any other business there are good people and bad people, I would not run the business in the exact same way these people do but they must be doing something right since our sales are up year over year and we're now the 11th largest dealer by volume.
Old 07-06-2009, 05:55 PM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by Trader220
I left the floor in 2004, and I ran a hedge fund under the Goldman Sachs umbrella until April of 2008 when I sold out to my partners. After taking a little over 6 months off and hanging out with my then 2 year old son, under my wife's insistence I walked into the local dealer and discussed my passion and knowledge about the product, and if they would be interested in having me come in a few days a week and sell cars. I have bought and sold a huge number of Porsches prior to doing this and it’s been a win win for both sides. I gave them a year’s time frame where we would both evaluate our objective, so come Sept I'll have a decision to make.


Most of the options floors are electronic these days all over the globe. Places that have single listed products like the comex and nymex and some CME / CBOT products still have very active pits but I would say their time is finite too. I left the door open when I stepped down from my firm and I could go back to that but I am trying to avoid the 60 hour work week. I have always been a car guy and it’s probably a good time to consider an equity stake in a dealer but without a front man who has the experience Porsche would not qualify me for a franchise.

Funny, very similar story here. I started in September too. I'm part owner of a biotech Ag company and the sole owner of a catering business. Things were slow last year and I was in the process of buying my Touareg. That's when I decided to give it a shot.


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