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Has anyone here ever worked at a car dealership?

slugg

slugg

Diamond Member
I have a question for someone who has worked at a car dealership. This information will help me with a school project.

My questions are... When new cars arrive at the dealership, is there some type of identification number that corresponds to each vehicle, besides the vehicle's VIN number? For example, maybe some type of inventory number the specifies the vehicle's year, model, color, options, etc? More or less, how is a new vehicle entered into the inventory system?

My assignment is to develop a mock-inventory system for a car dealership. This info would really help me out. Thanks in advance!
 
Why would a number other than the VIN be used when it already has a unique identifier and federal regulation requires tracking of VIN's?
 
I have been to a car dealership, if that helps.

There are usually numbers on the windshield that correspond with the price that they are asking for the vehicle.

Generally, this price is above what they actually paid out for the vehicle. The difference between this and the green sticker on the front windshield next to the "Drives like new" car-chalk is called "profit".

A savy buyer will be able to convince the salesman to get the car below that fancy sticker.




(You may use this material in your paper if you like, just site Ocguy)
 
Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Why would a number other than the VIN be used when it already has a unique identifier and federal regulation requires tracking of VIN's?
Click to expand...

Because a VIN doesn't tell you the specifics about the car. It tells you where it was made, who made it, what type of vehicle it is (like passenger, cargo, etc), and a serial number. Some internal hash or something may specify the color, trim, options, etc, of the vehicle. I was wondering if dealerships used this type of system, with an internal "key" for each vehicle just for their inventory system, OR if they just manually input each option that every vehicle has into their system.
 
OK, the system we used at our dealership was interesting...

it also sort of sucked

When a vehicle comes in, someone checks it in, you check the vin number, against the delivery sheet... make sure they are all there and match.
once that is done, the paper is signed off and the delivery dude leaves.
You then take that paper, and the vehicle keys, make sure you write down which key goes where...
Go inside, hand the keys and the paper to the receptionist...
The receptionist would then take the vin, and enter it into the computer
After entering a vin into the computer, it would give her a stock number, aka R1234 (most dealerships own multiple locations so while they use the same system, they must designate different letters for each store)
At this point, the receptionist would take a stock tag, pre-printed typically, and then a key tag, and write the stock number down on it
After this, someone would go put the stock number in the windshield, and the tag on the keys... making sure they all match and work.
then the vehicle is put in a holding area until the PDI is done... aka remove all seat coverings, etc... put on whatever is needed
then the receptionist would print off the Invoice from say gmdealerworld.com
at this point, the receptionist would then pull up the vehicle, and have to enter in the option codes and their corresponding description into the computer.
however, if that description had been entered in before, it will automagically pop up... the program also included a vin decoder so it knew the make/model/etc of the vehicle.

we used this program at work... http://www.reyrey.com/solutions/era/index.asp it is non graphical heavy, not outrageously intuitive...
 
I think Steve (the incomparable compuwiz1) used to move iron, pm him.

Also, there are various codes that have been used by different manufacturers over the years -- sometimes on the door jamb, sometimes located under the hood -- that signify things like when by date, when by order in the production run, which plant, and which engine option, color scheme etc. a car was built with.

Also, many of the consitituent parts themselves are stamped with ID numbers which yield date of manufacture, etc. That's what's meant when you restore say, a muscle car and it's touted as having "matching numbers", ie, it's original and correct engine block, for instance.

Edit: WHOOSH, ahhhh, totally misunderstood the OP's question, so solly.
 
Originally posted by: slugg
Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Why would a number other than the VIN be used when it already has a unique identifier and federal regulation requires tracking of VIN's?
Click to expand...

Because a VIN doesn't tell you the specifics about the car. It tells you where it was made, who made it, what type of vehicle it is (like passenger, cargo, etc), and a serial number. Some internal hash or something may specify the color, trim, options, etc, of the vehicle. I was wondering if dealerships used this type of system, with an internal "key" for each vehicle just for their inventory system, OR if they just manually input each option that every vehicle has into their system.
Click to expand...

You misunderstood what I was saying. Why wouldn't the car dealership use the VIN as the unique identifier in their DB since, they are required to track it anyway? The purpose of a DB is to track the specifics of the car. Why try to encode the info in the identifier itself?
 
Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Originally posted by: slugg
Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Why would a number other than the VIN be used when it already has a unique identifier and federal regulation requires tracking of VIN's?
Click to expand...

Because a VIN doesn't tell you the specifics about the car. It tells you where it was made, who made it, what type of vehicle it is (like passenger, cargo, etc), and a serial number. Some internal hash or something may specify the color, trim, options, etc, of the vehicle. I was wondering if dealerships used this type of system, with an internal "key" for each vehicle just for their inventory system, OR if they just manually input each option that every vehicle has into their system.
Click to expand...

You misunderstood what I was saying. Why wouldn't the car dealership use the VIN as the unique identifier in their DB since, they are required to track it anyway? The purpose of a DB is to track the specifics of the car. Why try to encode the info in the identifier itself?
Click to expand...

because when you work at a dealership, it is MUCH easier to type the following in
R1234
than
1X3Y458T1289435 every time you want to pull that car up to view the MSRP, etc.
 
Yes, most of them do use some sort of internal code. But that's about as far as logic applies at a car dealership. The company I work for develops training for various automotive manufacturers - they give us a lot to work with. 😛
 
Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE
OK, the system we used at our dealership was interesting...

it also sort of sucked

When a vehicle comes in, someone checks it in, you check the vin number, against the delivery sheet... make sure they are all there and match.
once that is done, the paper is signed off and the delivery dude leaves.
You then take that paper, and the vehicle keys, make sure you write down which key goes where...
Go inside, hand the keys and the paper to the receptionist...
The receptionist would then take the vin, and enter it into the computer
After entering a vin into the computer, it would give her a stock number, aka R1234 (most dealerships own multiple locations so while they use the same system, they must designate different letters for each store)
At this point, the receptionist would take a stock tag, pre-printed typically, and then a key tag, and write the stock number down on it
After this, someone would go put the stock number in the windshield, and the tag on the keys... making sure they all match and work.
then the vehicle is put in a holding area until the PDI is done... aka remove all seat coverings, etc... put on whatever is needed
then the receptionist would print off the Invoice from say gmdealerworld.com
at this point, the receptionist would then pull up the vehicle, and have to enter in the option codes and their corresponding description into the computer.
however, if that description had been entered in before, it will automagically pop up... the program also included a vin decoder so it knew the make/model/etc of the vehicle.

we used this program at work... http://www.reyrey.com/solutions/era/index.asp it is non graphical heavy, not outrageously intuitive...
Click to expand...

my family has owned a few small car dealerships (grandfather started it. then me and my father continued it) and this is kind what we did.


makes paperwork easyer and talking about what car is easyer. also the buyer has no idea what car you talking about at times (wich can be a plus).



 
Yea um, can someone who has worked at a dealership tell me exactly how much the cars cost and the lowest price they could sell them at is?
 
Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE
Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Originally posted by: slugg
Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Why would a number other than the VIN be used when it already has a unique identifier and federal regulation requires tracking of VIN's?
Click to expand...

Because a VIN doesn't tell you the specifics about the car. It tells you where it was made, who made it, what type of vehicle it is (like passenger, cargo, etc), and a serial number. Some internal hash or something may specify the color, trim, options, etc, of the vehicle. I was wondering if dealerships used this type of system, with an internal "key" for each vehicle just for their inventory system, OR if they just manually input each option that every vehicle has into their system.
Click to expand...

You misunderstood what I was saying. Why wouldn't the car dealership use the VIN as the unique identifier in their DB since, they are required to track it anyway? The purpose of a DB is to track the specifics of the car. Why try to encode the info in the identifier itself?
Click to expand...

because when you work at a dealership, it is MUCH easier to type the following in
R1234
than
1X3Y458T1289435 every time you want to pull that car up to view the MSRP, etc.
Click to expand...

That's not how you use a DB. If you want the info on a particular model, color or, trim package that's what you search for. The DB then lists all vehicles that clear that filter. Even if you want a info on a specific car, it is STILL easier to filter by model and color etc. than type in "R1234."
 
Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE
Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Originally posted by: slugg
Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Why would a number other than the VIN be used when it already has a unique identifier and federal regulation requires tracking of VIN's?
Click to expand...

Because a VIN doesn't tell you the specifics about the car. It tells you where it was made, who made it, what type of vehicle it is (like passenger, cargo, etc), and a serial number. Some internal hash or something may specify the color, trim, options, etc, of the vehicle. I was wondering if dealerships used this type of system, with an internal "key" for each vehicle just for their inventory system, OR if they just manually input each option that every vehicle has into their system.
Click to expand...

You misunderstood what I was saying. Why wouldn't the car dealership use the VIN as the unique identifier in their DB since, they are required to track it anyway? The purpose of a DB is to track the specifics of the car. Why try to encode the info in the identifier itself?
Click to expand...

because when you work at a dealership, it is MUCH easier to type the following in
R1234
than
1X3Y458T1289435 every time you want to pull that car up to view the MSRP, etc.
Click to expand...

That's not how you use a DB. If you want the info on a particular model, color or, trim package that's what you search for. The DB then lists all vehicles that clear that filter. Even if you want a info on a specific car, it is STILL easier to filter by model and color etc. than type in "R1234."
Click to expand...

/facepalm

Reading comprehension ftl
 
Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE
Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Originally posted by: slugg
Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Why would a number other than the VIN be used when it already has a unique identifier and federal regulation requires tracking of VIN's?
Click to expand...

Because a VIN doesn't tell you the specifics about the car. It tells you where it was made, who made it, what type of vehicle it is (like passenger, cargo, etc), and a serial number. Some internal hash or something may specify the color, trim, options, etc, of the vehicle. I was wondering if dealerships used this type of system, with an internal "key" for each vehicle just for their inventory system, OR if they just manually input each option that every vehicle has into their system.
Click to expand...

You misunderstood what I was saying. Why wouldn't the car dealership use the VIN as the unique identifier in their DB since, they are required to track it anyway? The purpose of a DB is to track the specifics of the car. Why try to encode the info in the identifier itself?
Click to expand...

because when you work at a dealership, it is MUCH easier to type the following in
R1234
than
1X3Y458T1289435 every time you want to pull that car up to view the MSRP, etc.
Click to expand...

That's not how you use a DB. If you want the info on a particular model, color or, trim package that's what you search for. The DB then lists all vehicles that clear that filter. Even if you want a info on a specific car, it is STILL easier to filter by model and color etc. than type in "R1234."
Click to expand...

/facepalm

Reading comprehension ftl
Click to expand...

Since the dealership still has to enter the info in it's own DB REGARDLESS of what identifier is used, why add another category to the DB aside from the rather dubious advantage of talking about a model in front of a customer? The computer doesn't care what the identifier is as long as it's unique. As for practicality, the keys and paperwork could just as easily be tracked by VIN. I understand that many businesses are in the practice of creating their own ID's for merchandise but, in the case of vehicles, I fail to see any advantage.
 
because, when you type in R1234, which is FIVE key strokes, it pulls up THAT EXACT CAR... displaying your VIN, COLOR, ETC...

if you cant see why this is advantageous, then leave...
 
Originally posted by: slugg
I have a question for someone who has worked at a car dealership. This information will help me with a school project.

My questions are... When new cars arrive at the dealership, is there some type of identification number that corresponds to each vehicle, besides the vehicle's VIN number? For example, maybe some type of inventory number the specifies the vehicle's year, model, color, options, etc? More or less, how is a new vehicle entered into the inventory system?

My assignment is to develop a mock-inventory system for a car dealership. This info would really help me out. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Encoding all of that information into a number isn't really practical. The car manufacturer already has all of the information about each car, including the VIN, in its own DB. It makes more sense for the manufacturer to allow dealers to retrieve that information from the manufacturer's DB by VIN rather than try to encode it all into a single number.

I believe dealers do have their own internal stock numbers that they use, probably partially for the reason that MIKEMIKE pointed out. I think I recall seeing that number on the key tag when I've test driven cars before.
 
The dealership will have a unique inventory code in addition to the VIN number. That;s pretty much universal across all retail operations, It would be possible to rely solely on a UPC for a product, but every retailer will use their own system of SKU numbers too.
 
Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE
because, when you type in R1234, which is FIVE key strokes, it pulls up THAT EXACT CAR... displaying your VIN, COLOR, ETC...

if you cant see why this is advantageous, then leave...
Click to expand...

Because I can select corvette, red, black interior in three.
 
I worked as a mechanic for a mercedes dealer and the company used a 4 digit repair order number for each vehicle, but that changed everytime the vehicle came in. The only permanent number used to identify the vehicle other then typing in the full vin number was the last 8 digits of the vin.
 
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