Slang Words
and Slang Phrases

The Car Salesman Dictionary

Knowing the following car salesman slang words and slang phrases may not save you thousands of dollars when buying your next vehicle, but you'd probably shock the car salesman if you were to tell him/her:

I'm not going to get grossed up, because I'm no lay down. Please don't waste my time with any atomic pencils and I expect the ACV of my old sled to be about $xxx.xx. By the way, before I go in the box I want to FedEx my new vehicle.

OK maybe you won't say that, but at least after reading this page you'll know what the heck I just said...

ACV

Actual Cash Value. Refers to the real value of a trade in.

As Is

No warranty. If the vehicle breaks in half you own both halves.

Atomic Pencil

Outrageously high first set of numbers given to customer to get their thinking up.

Brick, Golden or Gold Balls

These slang words refer to customers with very solid credit and high credit scores.

a "Bump"

To bump a customers max monthly payment. A customer wants a $300 payment and the car salesman bumps the customer to accept a $350 payment.

Buried/Flipped/Negative Equity/Upside Down/Tanked

Slang words that refer to lots of negative equity in a trade in.

Buyers Are Liars

An old saying, used by car salesman.

Be Back Bus

An imaginary bus that customers who say "I'll be back," get on and ride out of town, never to be seen again.

Back Of Book

How much a car dealership owns a vehicle back of the wholesale book value.

a "Be Back"

A returning customer.

Blue Hair/Silver Hair

Slang words to describe seniors.

Broom/Sweep -

Said to a car salesman that does a lot of meet and greets, but never gets any farther. "Good job, you sure broomed them off the lot quick." "Want a broom to help sweep these customers off the lot, too?"

Blew Out

Refers to a customer who maybe sees the first figures and blows out of the dealership.

Blow Them Out

Sometimes a dealership will intentionally blow a customer out, because they are making ridiculously low offers and they don't want to waste their time with them.

Bird Dog

A fee paid to someone for referring a new customer to the dealership.

Back End

Refers to the finance profit on the deal.

a "Credit Criminal"

A customer with such bad credit that they obviously get credit with no intention of ever repaying any debt.

Call Until They Buy or Die...Or Call A Lawyer

An old saying from management to salesmen.

Car Salesman Mantra

Todays the day, your the guy, this is the place.

Comin' In

A car salesmans decree to claim a customer driving on to the lot.

Crack/Gross Up/Home Run/Laid Away/Tear Someones Head Off

These slang words all refer to making huge profits from a car sale.

the "Desk" or the "Tower"

These slang words refer to the sales managers desk, where sales people get negotiating figures and guidance.

You'll typically find the tower in the center of the showroom.

De-Horse

To deliver a car and take someone out of their old vehicle (their trade in) without a bank approval. Keeps the customer from shopping while the dealership works on the approval.

Down Stroke

Refers to down payment.

a "Dime"

$1000.

DTI

Debt to Income ratio.  A finance calculation using a customers gross monthly income.

DOC Fee

Short for documentary fee.  Most dealerships charge customers some sort of doc fee.

Dealer Tattoo or UG

These slang words refer to a car dealership Unconditionally Guarantees your loan to the lender.

You go bad on the loan and the dealership is responsible for repayment in full to the lender.

Equity

When a customer owes less than what their vehicle is worth, they have equity.

Eyeball

How much eye appeal a vehicle has.

FedEx 'em

To put a customer in a car overnight with hopes of them falling in love with it and also to level of commitment to buy from the customer.

First Pencil/First Pass

These slang words refer to the first set of figures a salesman shows to customer when negotiating. Usually pretty big numbers.

Four Square

Form used by many car dealerships for negotiating.

a "Fish"

A sucker. Also used to refer to new sales people.

Front End

The gross profit made from the sale of the vehicle, only.

Front Line Ready

This is how one dealer might explain a cars condition to another dealer interested in buying it. It means the car will require very limited or no service work. In addition, the car is clean, detailed and ready to be placed on the front line for sale to the public.

Green Pea

New sales person.

Gross

Refers to the gross profit of a car sale. If the profit is really big, then the customer got grossed up.

a "Get Me Done"

A customer with bad credit that is more concerned with get financed than the vehicle they buy.

High Penny

To quote a customer, let's say, 72 months at $300 a month and the actual payment is $300.99. This equals additional profit of $70 for the dealership.

Import/Imported Tire Kicker

This slang phrase referred to Canadians when their dollar was worth less and they never bought vehicles in the states.

a "Laydown"

A customer that simply agrees to the first set of numbers they see, without negotiating.

Liner and Closer

A selling system where the liner represents the person assisting with vehicle selection and test driving, while the closer is the one to negotiate with the customer.

Lowball

Refers to a very low offer to buy a vehicle or as a trade in value.

Leg

Refers to fluff in a quoted payment, so that finance stands a better chance of making more money from a customer. If a customers real payment is $300 and the salesman has quoted $320, then there is $20 in leg.

Looking For A Good Bye

A sales managers slang phrase to customers making ridiculously low offers. "It sounds to me like you are looking for a good buy, well, good bye!"

Lot Drop

If a sales person were to go to speak to a customer and was told "I'm just looking," then didn't try to move the sale forward and simply walked away. This is called a lot drop and another salesman could go speak to the customer and not have to split the deal if one was made.

a "Nickel"

$500.

On The Hood

Factory money available to customers, like rebates, on a specific vehicle.

Out of the Wrapper

Refers to a used vehicle that is in excellent shape.

Over Allow

When a dealership shows a customer, let's say $13,500 for a trade in, when it's ACV is only $11,000, they have over allowed $2,500.

One Legger

Usually refers to a husband without his wife.

Packed Payment

Same as Leg. When a payment is quoted higher than what it should really be.

PTI

Payment to income ratio. A finance calculation using a customers gross monthly income.

Pack

A non commission-able amount of money a car dealership assigns to every car in addition to the actual cost.

Put Someone Together

To make a big profit through slick negotiating.

a "Pounder"

A pound refers to $1,000 profit. If the dealership made $4,000 profit, this would be referred to as a 4 pounder.

Quarterback/Third Base

These slang words refer to a third party, related to or friends with the buyer, that either negotiates the deal for the buyer, or throws a wrench in the salesman negotiating.

a "Roach" or "Rat"

These slang words refer to customers with really bad credit.

Ripped It/Stole It

Bought a car, or took a trade in really cheap.

Reserve

Finance profit from marking up a customers finance rate.

Sled/Turd

A junk car.

Spot It

To contract and deliver a vehicle to a customer without a bank approval.

Slicks

Bald tires.

Slam Dunk

Refers to a big profit deal, or a sure "thing" deal.

Spiff

A car dealership incentive to a car salesman for reaching a set goal.

a "Stroke"

A customer that has no intention of buying now, or in the near future, and essentially wastes a salesmans time.

Straw Purchase

When someone finances a vehicle in their name, but the vehicle is for someone else.

Strong

When a salesman closes a tough customer, or bumps a customer, the salesman was "strong."

Switch

To switch a customer from a vehicle they want, to a vehicle that they can get approved for, or has some kind of spiff in it for the salesman.

T.O.

When a salesman is getting nowhere with they customer, they Turn Over the customer to either another salesman, or a manager.

Tire Kicker

Essentially a window shopper with no intention of buying.

Too Much Car

A customer is wanting to buy a vehicle that is way over their head either financially, or for what they can get approved for.

an "Up"

A fresh customer on the lot.

Under Allow

When a vehicle has an ACV of $8,000 and the dealership only shows $7,500 to the customer to increase profit.

UFO

PG13 version: U Frickin' Own it! Said to customers that want to return a vehicle.

Walking Numbers

A lowball set of numbers that a car dealership will give to customer that did not buy before they leave.

These slang words and slang phrases were brought to you courtesy of some of the funniest and craziest people I've ever met...Car Salesmen.

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