I’m not much of a golfer. I’ve only played a few times. (But, I do have a hole in one, nah, nah, nah.) Just never had the time or patience to take the game up. I think one of the intriguing things about golf is you never get it right. There are so many elements to the swing that it’s almost impossible to perfect it. I’ve heard it said that what’s going on between the ears plays a big part in that game. I have way too much other stuff going on between my ears to ever give it the effort that would make me a good player.

Driving the golf ball reminds me of a new car dealer who loves the glory of selling new cars. It’s a great show. You may not score well but you get some great oohs and aahs. Some dealers just love the whole idea of being the top dog in new car sales regardless whether it’s really making them money or not. They love the pats on the back given by the hot shots from the factory. They love being able to say they are number one, blah, blah, blah.

I know it sometimes sounds like I’m against the new car business and nothing could be further from the truth. Being a new car dealer is who you are. It’s what made you great. It’s what overall has made you money. Without new car sales you don’t have the trades you need. Without new car sales you don’t have much of a parts and service business. So, I really do “get it.”

But what I don’t get is the lack of attention and focus on the used car department. Many talk the talk, but few walk the walk. I think dealers sometimes forget that it’s the used car department that has the potential not only to drive the rest of the dealership, but to be a consistent money maker.

If your used car department is rocking you are going to sell more new cars because of your ability to step up to the trades. 60 to 65% of every deal you work at the door has a trade in involved in the process. The more new cars you put into the street the more customers you will have coming back into your service department for parts and service sales.

Selling lots of used cars can also really drive the parts and service business. The average hours per repair order on a customer pay ticket is 1.7. The average hours per repair order on a used car ticket is 4.0. The more used car tickets, the more money you make, plain and simple.

So, selling new cars is the driving for “show” part of the golf game. Selling used cars is like putting for dough.   You can’t spend "show,” you can sure spend the “dough.” That’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs