How to recognize the "professional salesperson" and why you need to seek them out
About this episode
Lenny Lawson shares his journey from a nervous rookie car salesperson to a seasoned professional, highlighting the importance of recognizing genuine, ethical salespeople versus those who exploit customers. He recounts lessons learned from a legendary salesman, Jackie Cooper, and stresses the need for buyers to be informed and cautious to avoid costly mistakes. The episode offers practical advice on handling car deals, spotting dishonest tactics, and emphasizes the value of trust and sincerity in sales. Lenny also promotes his free My Car Guru guidebook to help consumers navigate the car-buying process wisely.
Email Lennie at [email protected]
Chevrolet Impala
"When I sold my first car in 1977, Chevrolet Impala, kind of a medium green with a beige interior, to Mr. and Mrs. Lamb, never forget them."
The Chevrolet Impala is a big car made by Chevrolet that was popular in the 1970s. The 1977 version was one of the last of its kind with a classic look and strong engines.
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size car produced by Chevrolet, known for its popularity in the American market especially in the 1960s and 1970s. The 1977 model represents the later years of the third generation Impala, featuring classic styling and a range of V8 engine options.
Holden Caprice
"... there on the lot trying to tell them about this Caprice and this guy, he was tough. He was not cutting m..."
The Holden Caprice is a big, comfortable car made in Australia that many people liked because it was strong and fancy inside. It was often used by important people, so it’s seen as a special car. People might talk about it because it’s known to be tough and reliable.
The Holden Caprice is a full-size luxury sedan produced by the Australian manufacturer Holden. Known for its spacious interior and powerful V8 engines, it was often used by executives and government officials, making it a symbol of prestige in Australia. It might be discussed for its robust build and status as a tough, reliable luxury car in the local market.
Chevrolet Caprice
""trying to tell them about this Caprice and this guy, he was tough.""
The Chevrolet Caprice is a big car made by Chevrolet. It was often used by police and families because it is roomy and strong.
The Chevrolet Caprice is a full-size car produced by Chevrolet, known for its use as a family car and police vehicle in various generations.
MSRP
""Mrs. Lam, this is the MSRP on the car. This is the discount. This is what we're going to pay you for the trade.""
MSRP is the price the car maker thinks the car should sell for. It's like the sticker price on a new car before any deals or discounts.
MSRP stands for Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price, which is the price recommended by the car manufacturer for the vehicle before any discounts or dealer markups.
trade
""This is what we're going to pay you for the trade. And when I said this is what we're going to pay you for your trade...""
When you trade a car, you give your old car to the dealer to help pay for a new one. The dealer decides how much your old car is worth.
A trade refers to the vehicle that a buyer offers to the dealer as part of the payment towards a new car purchase. The dealer will appraise the trade-in vehicle and offer a value that is deducted from the price of the new car.
My Car Guru guidebook
""...if you don't learn the concepts that I teach through the My Car Guru guidebook, then you're just going to fall into their trap.""
This guidebook helps people learn how to buy cars without paying too much or getting tricked.
The My Car Guru guidebook is a resource that teaches car buyers how to avoid overpaying and understand the car buying process better.
lease
""No, it was a lease. It was a 60-month lease. You never lease a car for more than 36 months.""
Leasing means you rent a car for some years and pay monthly, but you don’t own it after. It’s like borrowing the car for a while.
A lease is a contract where you pay to use a car for a set period, usually with lower monthly payments than buying, but you don't own the car at the end unless you buy it out.
salesperson
""And the salesperson is trained to build that up, to build your enthusiasm for doing it right now.""
A car salesperson works at a dealership and tries to help you buy a car, sometimes encouraging you to decide quickly.
A salesperson in a car dealership is trained to encourage customers to make a purchase decision quickly, often building enthusiasm to buy on the spot.
buying pressure
""And the salesperson is trained to build that up, to build your enthusiasm for doing it right now. ... you want to try to get the customer to buy today while they're there.""
Buying pressure is when someone tries to get you to buy something right away, so you don't have time to think it over.
Buying pressure refers to tactics used by salespeople to encourage customers to make a purchase immediately, often to close the sale while the customer is present.
dealer fees
"...because there are some dealers in this market that will add four or $5,000 in ads in the disclaimer."
Dealer fees are extra costs a car dealer adds when you buy a car. They make the total price higher than the sticker price you see.
Dealer fees are additional charges added by car dealerships on top of the vehicle's price. These can include documentation fees, advertising fees, and other miscellaneous costs that increase the final purchase price.
transparent pricing
"You know, they'll show $13, $14,000 discount on a vehicle, but then you go down the bottom and they're adding $5,000 back to it."
Transparent pricing means the dealer tells you exactly how much the car will cost, including all extra fees, so there are no surprises when you buy.
Transparent pricing refers to the practice of clearly showing all costs and fees involved in a car purchase upfront, so buyers understand the true out-the-door price without hidden charges.
Request an Explanation
Heard something you'd like explained? We'll add it to this episode.
Sign in to request explanations for terms you heard.
Want to learn more?
Browse our glossary for plain-English explanations of automotive terms, jargon, and concepts.
Help improve this episode
See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark. Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.