If you are like most people, spending time talking to a car salesman is not your idea of a good time. In fact, an hour at the car dealership may rank right up there with a root canal. So when you see car dealership shops pop up in your inbox, your first inclination may be to pass up on that oh-so-enticing offer to sit in a car dealership for an afternoon. But it may actually be worth your time to give those shops a second glance.
It’s Not Personal! When you go to a car dealership to purchase your own car, there are a lot of emotions at play. You may have found your dream car and can’t wait to take it home. But that pesky salesperson won’t give you the deal you want and frustrations build. Or perhaps on your last trip to the car dealership, you walked away with that great car, but feel you got robbed in the process. You may still be carrying around some of those sore feelings.
The good news about a shop at a car dealership is that you absolutely won’t be making a purchase – not even fuzzy dice or a key chain. You’re not seriously considering buying a car, so all of the emotional aspects of a normal visit to the car dealership won’t be there. You can enjoy an afternoon of tire-kicking and test-driving, and in the process you may actually have a good time. Check out the latest models, and test drive cars you wouldn’t normally even consider driving – like that fancy new sports car sitting on the lot. If you’re up for a little revenge from your last visit to the car dealership, you can even give the salesperson a run for his money by testing out his product knowledge with a “fun” game of twenty questions! Who says you can’t have fun at a car dealership?
Time Well Spent. If you get right down to business with your car dealership shop (and avoid the impulse to see how knowledgeable your salesperson really is), you can make some decent cash in a rather short amount of time. These shops typically pay significantly higher than retail or restaurant shops. Considering the major requirements of a car dealership shop can be completed within about twenty to thirty minutes of on-site work, you really aren’t spending any more time at the car dealership than you would at a retail store, and likely less time than you would with a restaurant shop. Of course, if you take your time and test drive a couple of different cars while you are there, it may take a bit longer.
While the paperwork on these car dealership shops may ask different questions than what you are used to, they take approximately the same amount of time to complete as any other shop. So the bottom line with a car dealership shop is that you can make more money in the same amount of time as any other typical shop.
While a car dealership shop may sound like one of the worst ways to make an extra buck, if you give this type of shop a try, you’ll find that they not only are profitable but you can also have a little fun in the process!
Thanks for this article. It came at just the right time, as I have one of these shops coming up, and was considering cancelling it, now that I’m not in the market for a new car any longer. I will go ahead and pick up that cash, just for the fun of it. God Bless.
I LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN AND I HAVE SHOPPED CAR DEALERSHIPS BUT THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO REMEMBER ME FOR SOME REASON OR ANOTHER. I DO OIL CHANGES AT THE SAME DEALERSHIPS AND WHILE I WAIT FOR THE CAR SOME OF THE SALES PEOPLE EVEN COME UP TO ME AND SAY HELLO AND WANT TO KNOW IF I GOT A NEW CAR YET. I HAVE A HARD TIME CHOOSING A DIFFERENT SALES PERSON TO SHOP. BESIDES THAT SALES PERSON KEEPS SENDING ME CARDS AND CALLING TO MAKE THE SALE AND THAT GETS OLD REALLY FAST.
Color your hair or grow a beard.
I only do them if the pay is good. Like a last minute shop.
I have done them and not been paid because the requirements were for me not to ask for a test ride. The sales manager asked me if I wanted a test ride and I told the salesman that I would take the managers offer up and take a test ride. OOOPS. That is constituted as asking for a test ride. NO PAY. Follow the guidelines to the T or else get beat.
I’ve done several dealerships and I agree, without the emotional ties it’s an easy shop. When I am in the market for a new car I will have the benefit of all this information I’ve gotten while doing the shop.
Having recently bought a new car, and also one of the worst weekends I’ve ever spent, I will never step foot on a car lot for any reason other than the necessity of buying a car. The last car dealership shop I saw listed offered $10.00. $10.00 ??? I don’t think I would do it for $1,000.00 (well, maybe I would). Just not for me… but glad some of you find it of value.
I have done them and really don’t like to do them because I truly feel guilty about the time the salesperson spends with me, and then up two levels to the final 24 hour written price guarantee. To follow that up with the “I decided not to purchase at this time.” is really difficult. OK, I know this is for the benefit of the sales personnel also, but it just doesn’t feel that way to me.
I might do some more, but am reluctant at this time to do so. Maybe the feeling will fade and I can do another. I encourage people to do them, keep yourself fresh, but personally this is an ugh! shop.
I have done a couple of these and don’t find them hard at all. I can’t imagine being able to get them done in 20 minutes though. Even without the test drive, you have to give the person the opportunity to do a good job with you (if you are being fair). The shops where you can do two at the same time (oil change and sales person) are worth the time! And I cannot imagine going back to the same car dealership within a year. you have to give them your real name and chances are you will be remembered anyways. I actually bought a truck from the salesperson at my last shop (after the shop)! Good thing I was sort of in the market for one!
I have done several car shops and I do not feel that they are worth the money. I usually spend over an hour in order to complete the entire shop. The ones that I completed required a test drive and getting to that point often takes a long time. The most I have received for payment is $19.00 and for an hour and a half to two hours I would rather do a less complicated shop. I have tried and unless the amount significantly increases I do not think I will do them in the future. In addition I still receive notices from the dealerships.
You are right on~time with this piece!!! I am at the library, as we speak, researching a vehicle! I have my first car dealership shop scheduled this afternoon! After reading your blog, I feel much more comfortable with my pursuit. Thank you.
My first assignment when I started msing 2 yrs ago was for visits to 4 luxury car dealerships,lexus,cadillac,infiniti, mercedes. I was paid $140 and the reports were easy. I would love to do one like that again!!! It was great test driving 4 luxury SUVs I would never buy anyway.
I would be very interested in doing car dealership shops. I have a lot of experience in this field, having been a new car salesman and a Used Car Dealer. In both of these positions I have shopped competetors to see how they operated and how to improve myself.
Thanks,
John
Remember: If you make an error, you do not get paid. But as an aside, do you think they submit the shops and get paid. You bet your booty they do. Shoppers are treated like a——s because we allow it.
I have purchested many cars and would like to do your shop if the price is right. Gas cost for shop is a factor.
I have done these shops and think they’re not bad, but they take longer than 20 minutes, I’d say at least 45 without the test drive. You do have to provide your real name because they need a copy of your license for you to do the test drive. I got tired of shopping the same dealership fairly often but just played that my finances were never quite up to what I felt comfortable with, I’ve encountered enough people that march to different drummers that I fine the weirdest outrageous behaviour within the realm of reality.
i would like to shop cardealerships
I am interested in doing these types of shops. Please send me more info.
Thanks,
Carl Holman
Car shops are great, you get to talk about cars and the new features that are out…. The most unsettling part though is negotiating… you do get the impression that you are not getting the real worth of the car.
I would be interested in mystery shopping the car dealers in Brownwood tx send me some thanks