Confessions of an Ex-Car Salesman: Exposing the Dirty Secrets of the Second-Hand Car Industry
I (33M) used to work as a car salesman some time back, and my experience left me disillusioned by the dirty practices rampant in this industry. For anyone considering buying a second-hand car or even entering the car sales business, I feel obligated to share my experience.
When I began my career in the industry, I started as a junior salesperson, working directly under the guidance of a senior car broker. My primary responsibilities included managing a fleet of vehicles and ensuring they were properly listed on various online platforms. My daily tasks involved cleaning the car interiors & exteriors, taking high-quality photos, and posting the listings on websites like SGCarMart and Carousell or other social media platforms. While I focused on these tasks, the senior brokers were often be having their coffee & smoking while chatting away. Our goal was simple: to help the brokers promote and sell off their vehicles as soon as possible.
There is no salary in this industry. You are paid purely commission, hence more sales, more money. If the brokers make a loss in their overall profit/loss of a car, the salesman’s commission will be affected too.
Dirty Practices:
Within my first week of employment, I witnessed the practice of readjusting the original mileage of vehicles. The goal was to deceive buyers into believing that the second-hand cars had low and genuine mileage. This unethical practice was common, and it was all about making the cars appear in better condition than they actually were.
On one occasion, I was explicitly instructed by the broker to sell an accidented continental car to a customer. I was told to hide the fact that the car had been in a major accident, blatantly lying to the customer. Fortunately, the customer was sharp to realize that there was something unusual about the car and did not proceed with the sale. This level of deceit is unfortunately not an isolated incident but a part of the daily operations.
Another tactic we used was to list attractive (or rather dubious) car prices on platforms like SGCarMart. These prices were simply bait to lure customers into the showroom. Once there, they would quickly realize they had been deceived, and the sales team would aggressively push them toward different, often more expensive, vehicles. Additionally, if a customer ever requested to have a car sent for inspection, the report would usually come back “clean”—thanks to the dealership’s connections within the inspection teams—even if the car had significant issues.
It was disheartening to see that this industry was filled with so many people just looking to make a quick buck, regardless of the consequences for the customer.
Workplace Culture:
The workplace culture was far from professional. Frequent drinking sessions were held to boost team morale, which did little to hide the frustration and lack of motivation. Most of my colleagues were individuals with little formal education, struggling to speak proper English. During my time there, I often found myself idling because business was slow, with very few customers visiting the showroom daily. The other salesmen would sit around, chain-smoking & chatting the entire day, a reflection of the stagnant and unmotivated atmosphere.
Career progression within this field was limited and unappealing: starting as a salesman with a pure commission scheme, you might eventually move up to senior roles, but even the brokers often suffered losses if their cars stayed in the showroom for too long. Working conditions were also poor. We worked six days a week, including public holidays and weekends, with no CPF contributions or medical benefits.
Unlike sales careers in insurance or real estate, which require certain qualifications to ensure a level of professionalism, car sales seemed to attract anyone willing to bend the truth to close a deal. It’s appalling to see how little regard there was for the long-term impact on customers buying these big-ticket items.
Tip: For those considering buying a second-hand car from dealerships, I urge you to take the vehicle to its original workshop for inspection—(For e.g. taking a Honda to the Honda Service Centre) Request to retrieve previous servicing records and do a thorough check on the car. Paying a bit more for a service centre inspection is worth it to ensure the vehicle that you have purchased is genuinely in good condition.
My experience in this industry has left me with a bitter taste. The toxic culture, lack of ethics, and absence of any long-term career prospects make it a place that I would never recommend to anyone with higher ambitions or a moral compass. I have since left the industry and found a more stable and promising career. If you are considering buying a car from a dealership, please be vigilant and do your research. This industry needs a wake-up call, and it’s time customers demand more transparency and honesty from those selling them vehicles.