Couldn't take it anymore. After 11 years as everything from a Salesperson to a General Sales Manager, I've had enough. Someone please tell me how some of these monkies become owners. Wait, that's an unfair insult. I could literally train a monkey to run a place better. After the few good privately owned dealerships, you're left with the Evil Empire (VT) and Auto Nation. VT doesn't give a rat's ass about their employees, and Auto Nation is the biggest joke ever. ...lol....sorry for the venting guys, frustration has just set in.
Many years ago, I came this close to opening a BMW/Triumph motorcycle dealership. I didn't for many reasons. But one of them came from an existing dealer who said, "Getting into the bidness is a great way of ruining a good hobby." Dale
Sorry to hear John. Take some time off, get your mind on your favorite hobby or past-time (fishing maybe?), travel, & then get back into something new after a few months. Trust me, once you take some time off, it'll clear your mind and make getting back into the working career much more pleasurable. My dad closed his restaurant recently because he just got tired of the long hours & running around. He was always telling me that he never ever had more than $100 in his pocket b/c he constantly had to dump money into restaurant materials last minute all the time.
The BMW store in Kansas City was purchased by Group One several months ago, everyone is leaving and the new GM (ex-Ford guy) is thinking about putting in a Tower to desk deals, a complete joke.
I worked for VT and I would rather carve my eyes out with spoons than ever go back. I will do any job before VT ever sees me again. This business is not rocket science though, do it yourself it is a lot more rewarding. I had to walk away from my lot in Phoenix but I plan to do it again here. Best of luck to you. Take some time and relax.
I worked it for 23 years and encountered a lot of owners who were like you say. I also had the great fortune to work with some privately owned dealerships who were great. The BMW store I managed in Odessa, Texas sold to a group and it has plunged into the abyss like you say. It was great while privately owned and ran a very respectable way. Now it is a joke. Moritz BMW, where I worked from 1996 until moving to Ferrari of Dallas in 2000 was also very good while Dave Moritz officed on property and oversaw the daily operations. He moved off property in 1999 and let his son take over the everyday operations. Bad move.....things changed.... Ferrari of Dallas...Giuseppe Risi was great to work for. He was very closed about his dealings, which was perfectly fine with me. We need to protect the business dealings of our customers. Baillargeon Audi (DFW Audi now). Joke. Former Ford dealer who thought he knew everything about the car business. Ran a great Ford store but Audi is a world apart from Ford. Has to be run more professionally and to a much higher level of accountability. It was not and is not....too bad... I worked there one year and had to leave before I went bankrupt. Now I am in management for a major supermarket chain. It is very repetitive and much more restricting in movement but can be very rewarding in a feeling of accomplishment. I did this for 17 years before getting into the car business and said I would never come back to it. Never, absolutely never, say you will never do anything again.....Look where I am.
