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How One Chevrolet Dealer Is Selling 25 Volts a Month

Forbes -- All it takes to sell Chevrolet Volts to the American public is a dealership that is dedicated to the task from the top down, focused training of salespeople in how to showcase the car, a handful of Volts in inventory, and a homegrown Excel spreadsheet with some data comparing the cost of ownership of several Chevrolet models.

And one other thing — it helps to have windmills on the property, providing electricity to your dealership. They attract Volt aficionados like a homing beacon.

Those are several of the elements used by Serra Chevrolet in Southfield, Mich., to sell a phenomenal 25 volts per month these days. That may not seem like a lot to outsiders, but consider that the average U.S. auto dealer sold only a total of 653 cars for all of 2010, according to NADA data.

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Submitted May 02, 2012 By: eromitlab

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honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,632 Points:1,610,495 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: May 5, 2012 5:11:06 PM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse good for the seller. I still won't buy one. Gonna keep my current car another 5 or 6 years. By then the market will look at lot different again.
sparky808 Champion Author Honolulu Posts:3,003 Points:598,710 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:31:55 PM Ignore sparky808 Report Abuse Bad news. One dealer is selling half the units(25x12=300).
DanMtz Champion Author Oakland Posts:3,355 Points:1,243,325 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:04:07 AM Ignore DanMtz Report Abuse Get the herd moving in one direction and you've got it made.
GAS1251 Champion Author Texas Posts:5,153 Points:1,627,205 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 8:50:00 AM Ignore GAS1251 Report Abuse Upscale neighborhood in an area where everything's close together. Nowhere in Texas fits their target.
TIGERPAW46 Champion Author Florida Posts:7,131 Points:1,356,655 Joined:Mar 2004	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:36:30 AM Ignore TIGERPAW46 Report Abuse Neccessity is the mother of invention!
jim27106 All-Star Author North Carolina Posts:770 Points:782,785 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:33:25 AM Ignore jim27106 Report Abuse Chuck, I bet the commission on a volt is like $300. Figure you work 180 days a year. I think $54,000 is an okay living. I assume the dealership is selling other cars too, so if you need that $100,000 income you can do it.
KrsnaDragon Champion Author Montreal Posts:2,412 Points:531,525 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:25:20 AM Ignore KrsnaDragon Report Abuse No lease rate is generous enough to entice me.
hubcapLA Champion Author Louisiana Posts:3,905 Points:940,435 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:20:34 AM Ignore hubcapLA Report Abuse Good for them but let's see if they get anything in repeat business. I'm guessing the only repeats will be people in need of service, especially on the batteries. They couldn't ever sell me on one.
LuthierKS Champion Author Wichita Posts:3,747 Points:729,930 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:18:29 AM Ignore LuthierKS Report Abuse How one Chevrolet Dealer is conning [at least] 25 customers a Month.
JSX515 Champion Author St. Louis Posts:3,714 Points:801,595 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:16:17 AM Ignore JSX515 Report Abuse Repeat.
tessnlu Champion Author Missouri Posts:24,264 Points:1,107,240 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:14:59 AM Ignore tessnlu Report Abuse smart business acumen
neemund Champion Author Seattle Posts:6,551 Points:1,546,270 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:14:26 AM Ignore neemund Report Abuse The way to sell a product that is undesirable to a large majority of consumers is very focused targeting of the population that would potentially be interested in your product. Good for this dealership at finding the niche market for these and effectively targeting it. I make money doing the same thing as a side job, only with much less expensive items.
thirstyauto Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:14,718 Points:1,619,770 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:10:04 AM Ignore thirstyauto Report Abuse I still don't want one!!!
Bald1usa Veteran Author District of Columbia Posts:383 Points:848,090 Joined:Mar 2004	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:09:39 AM Ignore Bald1usa Report Abuse LOL - Gigharborhound...right on the mark!
Ron77095 Champion Author Houston Posts:3,065 Points:603,650 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:09:17 AM Ignore Ron77095 Report Abuse Really?
REVLAW Champion Author San Antonio Posts:10,435 Points:2,007,245 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:09:14 AM Ignore REVLAW Report Abuse Whatever pays the bills and "moves" the cars. Let's take our lance and go joust with some windmills. Good sport. Dragons beware.
GigHarborHound Champion Author Tacoma Posts:2,537 Points:488,490 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:07:31 AM Ignore GigHarborHound Report Abuse P.T. Barnum had a saying.........
Tundralimited2009 Champion Author Dallas Posts:38,812 Points:1,447,425 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:07:08 AM Ignore Tundralimited2009 Report Abuse Salesmanship
Bill100 Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:41,490 Points:1,162,845 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:05:46 AM Ignore Bill100 Report Abuse Just salemanship. I hate salesmanship. I prefer that the product sell itself.
gus8441 Champion Author Baltimore Posts:2,119 Points:443,800 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:05:38 AM Ignore gus8441 Report Abuse good for them
MN1 Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:3,364 Points:651,565 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:04:03 AM Ignore MN1 Report Abuse Impressive, and in a cold climate.
BobD2009 Champion Author Long Island Posts:6,994 Points:1,240,760 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:03:50 AM Ignore BobD2009 Report Abuse If it was any good it would sell itself without tricks.
Colts13 Champion Author Indiana Posts:1,576 Points:549,085 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:02:57 AM Ignore Colts13 Report Abuse Ok.
gch42 Champion Author Georgia Posts:11,829 Points:2,075,520 Joined:Feb 2006	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:02:32 AM Ignore gch42 Report Abuse well, if I was to buy any of the current electric/petrol hybrids, it would be the Volt. One: it's a Chevy (yes, that's one of my many quirks) and two: I believe its power plant is a better designed one than any of the others...
nomad228 Champion Author Columbus Posts:3,117 Points:575,140 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:01:31 AM Ignore nomad228 Report Abuse still does nothing for people who need a 4x4 truck in the winter.
danreino Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:8,353 Points:1,540,730 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:00:09 AM Ignore danreino Report Abuse And Derek Jeter is batting .405 right now too.....
miser709 Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:1,268 Points:1,070,800 Joined:Mar 2004	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:54:52 AM Ignore miser709 Report Abuse I'm with briank299 on this one. "As a taxpayer, YOU are invested in GM and Chrysler... so why would you want to see them fail? That's money out of your own pocket... not to mention the thousands of jobs that would be lost directly, and the millions of indirect job losses".
bobdec Champion Author Miami Posts:8,969 Points:1,770,795 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:54:03 AM Ignore bobdec Report Abuse Won't last for long
ShadowACE Champion Author Boston Posts:9,023 Points:2,150,550 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:49:18 AM Ignore ShadowACE Report Abuse Let me guess - they're giving you a free Corvette with every Volt that you buy?
Rooster922 Champion Author Wilmington Posts:3,793 Points:657,045 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:48:18 AM Ignore Rooster922 Report Abuse By bogus number
kgbellman Champion Author Ann Arbor Posts:2,718 Points:732,815 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:48:01 AM Ignore kgbellman Report Abuse They figured out how to sell - inventory and knowledgable sales staff
granitestater Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:8,829 Points:1,431,725 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:46:50 AM Ignore granitestater Report Abuse This demand will soon level off. Once the Early Adopters get their fill.
briank299 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:16,279 Points:3,058,870 Joined:Aug 2003	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:44:06 AM Ignore briank299 Report Abuse As a taxpayer, YOU are invested in GM and Chrysler... so why would you want to see them fail? That's money out of your own pocket... not to mention the thousands of jobs that would be lost directly, and the millions of indirect job losses. WAKE UP!
SteelPenny Champion Author Dallas Posts:30,969 Points:2,607,715 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:43:03 AM Ignore SteelPenny Report Abuse ditto HotRod_Brother. Aviator_Rob - It costs a lot more than $1 to charge the battery.
pastorpaulcg Champion Author Virginia Posts:3,615 Points:775,785 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:42:31 AM Ignore pastorpaulcg Report Abuse Shocking
judgemobile Champion Author Ohio Posts:7,570 Points:2,445,135 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:40:35 AM Ignore judgemobile Report Abuse I did not know car dealers were licensed to sell electricity.
abacus44 Champion Author Toms River Posts:3,485 Points:748,715 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:35:55 AM Ignore abacus44 Report Abuse NO THANK YOU!!!
BWJM Champion Author KW Posts:1,113 Points:303,780 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:34:39 AM Ignore BWJM Report Abuse ok
hotrod_brother Champion Author Tampa Posts:12,606 Points:2,232,195 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:29:41 AM Ignore hotrod_brother Report Abuse I won't be buying any Government Motors vehicle, let alone, the Volt.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,800 Points:414,090 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:29:06 AM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse Electric power comes from the electric company, mgune9, and it only costs $1 to charge the Volt's battery. That's a lot cheaper than $4.00/gal gas.
joel27nc Champion Author Raleigh Posts:10,537 Points:1,858,370 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:28:22 AM Ignore joel27nc Report Abuse Not a EV fan!
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,800 Points:414,090 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:26:39 AM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse Toppers, if you're waiting for below $3.00/gal gas you'll be waiting for a very long time. Big oil is actually exporting oil and gasoline out of this country because there's more demand for it overseas. The prices won't be coming down like before. $3.00/gal is the new floor and the sky's the limit.
Rageagainsttm Champion Author Tampa Posts:8,308 Points:1,903,955 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:26:09 AM Ignore Rageagainsttm Report Abuse whatever
rawdog1313 Champion Author Lexington Posts:3,304 Points:1,643,780 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:24:26 AM Ignore rawdog1313 Report Abuse Just make them affordable.......and they will sell.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,800 Points:414,090 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:23:49 AM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse How about an electric ZR-1, Lerxst17?
gmcgas Champion Author Atlanta Posts:5,953 Points:1,714,170 Joined:Mar 2004	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:22:58 AM Ignore gmcgas Report Abuse nope.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,800 Points:414,090 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:21:50 AM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse Ummm regout, I suggest you read the posts. The Volt has a gas engine so there's no need to wait for a recharge.
FuelOilOH Champion Author Cleveland Posts:2,837 Points:1,180,220 Joined:Oct 2007	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:20:31 AM Ignore FuelOilOH Report Abuse If I'm going to spend $40,000 on a car I want a car that will not turn into a rust bucket after 7 years because if I spend that much then that car will be a keeper. It also must have proven technology that works reliably and can be serviced at an independent garage and not break the bank. They can keep their Excel spreadsheets, anybody with a passion to do so can make numbers say whatever they want.
Lerxst17 Champion Author Dallas Posts:1,030 Points:397,900 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:20:08 AM Ignore Lerxst17 Report Abuse You couldn't get me to buy a volt unless it came with a Corvette ZR-1 thrown in for free.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,800 Points:414,090 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 12:19:18 AM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse jkpsr, complaining about $40,000 for a small car is like complaining about the $75,000 price for a Corvette because it only has two seats. And for the record, the Volt has the same interior room as a Chevy Malibu.