Automobile--Sales

             This series of definitions is not meant to be comprehensive but rather an aid to help fiction writers make their characters’ dialog sound “authentic.” Some are occupational slang. Recording studio musicians for example hate “clams” sour notes). Others are basic terms. To a sailor a hold is where cargo is stowed aboard a ship. To a gambler a hold is the bet percentage held back by a casino.

            The colorful lingo of car dealers, whether selling new or “pre-owned,” reflects an occupation where one has to be nimble of mind and not afraid to hustle. So after grinding the grape to buy that looptey with the brains blown out (getting you a good spiff) you better hammer the check.         

                                                                                                          Michael McKeever 

AUTOMOBILE-SALES:

be back:          customer who visits sales lot, leaves, then returns to buy.

bird dog:          person who steers possible customers to the sales lot.

brains blown out: auto sunroof.

bump:              nudging sales price up.

closer:              salesperson who takes over from “liner” who sets up the sale.

curb stoning:    selling used car away from lot as if being sold from private owner.

dimples:           dents in a car’s body.

full pop:           car’s list price.

grape:              customer willing to pay more than necessary.

green pea:        new salesperson.

grinding:          wearing down a customer’s sales resistance.

hammer a check: immediately cashing a customer’s check.

high ball:          inflating down payment so customer can “negotiate” price down to what

                       salesperson wanted in the first place.

home run:        selling car for full list price.

in bed:            getting customer off sales floor into closing booth.

kiss off sheet:  final sales document.

liner:                sales person in a take-over house who sets up customer for closer.

looptey:           used car that needs repairs.

low ball:          offering low trade-in so customer can “negotiate” amount up to what

                       salesperson was willing to pay in the first place.

lump:               car in poor condition accepted as a trade-in.

mope:              person who hangs around sales lot when they can’t afford to buy.

pack:               total price markups.

rag top:            convertible.

roach:              customer with poor credit.              

sent out on a ball: exaggerating possible deal to encourage be-back customer to return.

slam dunk:       selling a car for more than a customer really had to pay.

sneakers:         tires.

spiff:                bonus sales commission on hard-to-sell car.