S_W222

I’ve been at a MBenz dealer a few days ago. A gentleman picked up his new Benz and I noticed he gave a tip to the salesman (or at least I think he did, almost certain). Salesman took it just fine.

Never seen that in the industry and never done it (at least in my area). So, that makes me wonder; how common is that? Is’t a regional thing, cause am traveling now.

JohnLane

If I make a “Twenty dollar deal” (refers to just how good I did with wrangling a near or below cost deal) I may hand the sales guy a token of my appreciation as sales guys are always commission based. Thing is the sales manager isn’t going to let a car go for that without quite a struggle.

Jud Chapin

First I've heard of tipping a car salesman.

Quenthel

Whenever I visit the dealership, I give them a bunch of Toblerones. Not tipping, not really, but gives them a smile (and they tolerate my endless questions).

hyperion667

I bought the salesman a model MB from the boutique once. He kept it on his desk for the rest of the time he worked there too. He was a really nice guy. I don't see anything wrong with tipping when you feel pleased with one's services.

Newbyloub

Buy him a lunch;? Sure.

Tip him? No.

Would you tip your tailor when you buy a new bespoke suit? No.

hyperion667

I've never bought a suit.....but if I was happy with the tailoring I'd tip.

Newbyloub

Probably a generational difference. 😀

SW20S

No lol. That’s absurd.

wildta

I tipped the sales associate at Home Depot yesterday. 😅
Jokes aside, they are always extremely helpful and would deserve a tip but we don't tip any of them.

Tom in Austin

Interesting question. I've actually worked with some pretty good car salesman who I would consider tipping in some way.

What would really be worth a tip is if I could just hand over the check, sign the docs and get the hell out instead of listening through pitches for paint sealant, wheel locks and all that other nonsense. Of course, that's not the salesman you make the deal with, it's some other bozo who tries to keep you in his office for an hour or so selling that stuff.

If I ever truly became wealthy it would be a joy to have a business manager who could go complete the transaction in my place and I just enjoy getting my new car when he brings it to the house!

as.thompson

Or perhaps a bottle of their favorite adult beverage...?

vinflouen

No, you dont tip the saleman.
He should tip me 50% of the money he saved me on the car.
Or send me a bottle of Chateau Simard.

NbyNW

No, never have. No for mechanics too. I try and deal with the sales manager or maybe the GM. With Covid and remote buying I haven’t met anyone recently when buying. Weird times.

hyperion667

A lot of these replies simply come off (to me) as chintzy, unappreciative consumers lol.
A service is being provided....ya tip! I don't however tip my doctor, dentist, bank teller, grocery store check out kid....those kids of things.
but hey, to each their own
And yes, someone(Tom is Austin) made the point of not tipping the worker trying to squeeze you for more money at the signing of the final paperwork at the end of a new car transaction: tire insurance, pre paid maintenace etc.

Newbyloub

To say, “to each his own” and then opine someone’s feelings, decisions, actions that differ from yours as “chintzy, unappreciative consumers,“ is the height of chutzpah to me.

I strongly reject and resent this false, illogical, and contradictory concept.

ygmn

Never had a salesman do anything worthy of a tip....

No service adviser, maybe; they have to be special and tell me the truth and not try to blow smoke up my butt on how I need crap I don't.
The porter who washes the car and brings it around front; sure - they remember you and your car and well they care for my car like I would then.

Kid at Home Depot who helps me load my truck with whatever will hurt my back - sure.
Hotel porter and/or maid - sure specifically those maids who fold the towels into littl animals and leave them on the bed - Love them elephant ones.

lots of time it is my mood or the time of year - tip more around xmas then say valentines day.

But I would and hate when TIpping is required because then it is not a tip but a fee.

ChrisHimself

Not in sales but if anybody were to do you a solid, it'd be your service advisor, service manager, the porter, the parts department, etc. Theres a lot of layers to the operations besides the guy who wears fancy clothes and closes deals on things people came in to buy.

I get tips gifts pretty often at the personal business as the co-owner/service manager, I accept pocket knives, whisky, and dinners with their family. I always double what I receive, gotta be the difference you want to see in the world. My first customer I've been working for for 2 years took me to a $300 dinner for helping them PPI their daughters car on our dime. I ended up doing their service B/trans service, parts-only.

When I was a service advisor formerly for the brand, guests would try to tip me but I always insist that the tip goes to the porter whos usually a kid who has his entire life ahead of him, passionate about the brand, and wants to work his way up. Even more impressive if they weren't a kid and they were an adult seeing the merit of a little invested hard work to land a great job with great benefits. A little help in that persons finances really affirms their belief in the system. They wash and clean the car, don't mess with your seat settings, store and retrieve your car, often for minimum wage because it's essentially a paid internship for you to climb the ladder. It's how it's always worked and the number one reason I pay the same amount of respect to every single person at a business from the bottom to the top.

I'm not going to need an extra $100 for doing my job, I didn't do discounts because I wasn't going to pay for someone's repairs out of my check, people are spending their hard earned money with the brand because they trusted us and we took them in like family and bent over backwards to make sure we could sleep at night with the job we've done. I attended countless meetings, trainings, and worked under the risk of being written up for anything less than stellar. At the end of the day the fact that they come in the service drive with their only source of transportation, waited on us, paid the bill, and were grateful for the job we do is so much more than me buying a nice dinner.

hyperion667

I see what you mean. Some of the replies seem to have some 'horror of the idea even being suggested', maybe I'm reading into that incorrectly though. And while I strongly admire your use of the word chutzpah, I know it wasn't a compliment

vinflouen

I am a business man, and I am a saleman, a professional…
NEVER have i gotten a TIP.
i send to clients but i never get a tip, maybe the take me to dinner or a ball game or some event, if thats considered a tip then so be it.
i make money off the deal….im good, but i dont sell anything, i just advise

Newbyloub

Look - why do we tip in a restaurant? Because we know the servers are underpaid, and we are making an effort to provide additional income.
If the service is very good or they have gone out of their way to provide some special aspect for our meal, we’ll tip extra - I go to 25% then.

But why should I assume a car salesman or my tailor or ? is underpaid, thus feel I should supplement his wages?

If I were an enormously highly paid entertainer or athlete with a huge number of $100 bills falling out of my sycophantic aide’s pockets, wanting to make a PR statement, that’s one thing, but I’m not.

I’m quite comfortable with my thinking.

hyperion667

I'm not trying to change your mind mate. And you make great points. I agree about the waitrons in restaurants. Also, in that light if the service is crap/horrible, I'll even under tip or in the rare occasion, not tip at all!

MBNUT1

I tipped my SA when he got me an out of warranty repair on my Audi A4.

SW20S

I've been in commissioned sales all my life, it would never occur to me to expect a tip, and if I were offered a tip it would make me uncomfortable and quite frankly it would be kind of belittling.

Tips are designed for service people who work jobs with low wages with the expectation that they would make tips to bolster their pay. Servers at bars and restaurants, people who help me with luggage, clean my house, clean my cars, cut my hair, etc. We have gotten a little out of sorts in the US with tipping, where people in strange places are expecting tips and it confuses people as to who should tip and for what. I noticed last week that at the dry cleaners they have a tip jar out...I mean if they're going to take my dry cleaning out to my car I would tip them, but not just putting my shirts in a bag and getting the clean ones from the conveyor and handing them to me...thats their job. I tip a jar at Starbucks because making those drinks takes work. You don't tip at McDonalds...

So no, I don't "tip" salespeople who sell me things or service advisors who sell me service (thats also commissioned sales BTW), or mechanics who work on my car. I wouldn't tip an HVAC tech who fixes my AC, nor do I tip my contractor etc. Don't tip my accountant, doctor, dentist etc. What I do is give people who help me on an ongoing basis something for the holidays, a gift card for $50 or a bottle of wine (have to be careful about that nowadays), that is an appreciation of the role they play in my life not a tip...

If you want to do something nice for a professional who gave you good service...refer them more business and come back next time you need to buy. I have referred the salespeople who sold me cars many times, and I have bought multiple cars from the same people. That recognizes them as a professional and doesn't talk down to them like a silly tip.

ColeBlooded

I've heard of people tipping the truck driver who delivered their brand new car.