--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most car dealers make the majority of…" description: "\"“Most car dealers make the majority of their profits from servicing cars. They treat vehicles like a subscription service, expecting people to visit th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/ashlee-vance-4672_car-dealer_most-car-dealers-make-the-majority-of-th_1056901.jpg" --- # Most car dealers make the majority of their profits from… ![“Most car dealers make the majority of their profits from servicing cars. They treat vehicles like a subscription service, expecting people to visit their service centers multiple times a year for many years. This is the main reason dealerships have fought to block Tesla from selling its cars…” quote by Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/ashlee-vance-4672_car-dealer_most-car-dealers-make-the-majority-of-th_1056901.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/ashlee-vance-4672_car-dealer_most-car-dealers-make-the-majority-of-th_1056901.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/ashlee-vance-4672_car-dealer_most-car-dealers-make-the-majority-of-th_1056901.jpg) > ““Most car dealers make the majority of their profits from servicing cars. They treat vehicles like a subscription service, expecting people to visit their service centers multiple times a year for many years. This is the main reason dealerships have fought to block Tesla from selling its cars directly to consumers.”” [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dealerships profit from recurring service fees, so they resist direct sales models that could reduce those revenues. **In simple terms:** Car dealers earn money from service, not just sales. Key Takeaway Consider the impact of service revenue on sales models. Themes business strategy market competition consumer choice Mood analytical critical Type business informative When to use this quote - car buying - auto service negotiations - policy advocacy - consumer education Key Concepts economics industry regulation disruption Questions to Reflect On - What are the consumer benefits of direct sales? - How can service quality be maintained without dealerships? A Different Perspective Dealerships may argue service ensures quality and safety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Car dealer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/car-dealer/) [Car Dealers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/car-dealers-665516/) [Cars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cars/) [Dealers Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dealers-make-2161896/) [Dealerships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dealerships-2076718/) [Reason Dealerships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-dealerships-2559501/) [Tesla Selling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tesla-selling-2559500/) ## Related quotes > [I learnt the game as a kid hustling car dealers for cash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-learnt-the-game-as-a-kid-hustling-car-dealers-for-cash/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [The problem with car dealerships is you've already decided what you want to buy before you even go there, and you're really just going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/the-problem-with-car-dealerships-is-you-ve-already-decided-what-you/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [Every business decision I ever made I learned from my grandfather Papa Sam. He moved here from Russia when he was a boy. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobbi-brown/every-business-decision-i-ever-made-i-learned-from-my-grandfather/) [Bobbi Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobbi-brown/) > [The New Dealers have all left Washington to make way for the car dealers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-new-dealers-have-all-left-washington-to-make-way-for-the-car/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If drug dealers make so much money, why do they still live with their mothers?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-drug-dealers-make-so-much-money-why-do-they-still-live-with-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My commitment to stand behind Datsun gained the trust of dealers and sold cars. My motto was: Dealers make money first, and then we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yutaka-katayama/my-commitment-to-stand-behind-datsun-gained-the-trust-of-dealers-and/) [Yutaka Katayama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yutaka-katayama/) > [Most people think that when it's time to buy a car, they should immediately go to the dealerships to find what they want. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-kane/most-people-think-that-when-it-s-time-to-buy-a-car-they-should/) [Donna Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-kane/) > [I remember when I was in Chicago and data started coming out that when black folks walk into an auto dealership, and women, too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-remember-when-i-was-in-chicago-and-data-started-coming-out-that/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I'm a dealer. That's exactly right. I'm a used car dealer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-ecclestone/i-m-a-dealer-that-s-exactly-right-i-m-a-used-car-dealer/) [Bernie Ecclestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-ecclestone/) > [With my team, we at the car dealer. Smoking big green, I'm talking Godzilla.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/with-my-team-we-at-the-car-dealer-smoking-big-green-i-m-talking/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [“I have this recurring nightmare in which I have to move back in with my old college roommates. I'll admit, that's what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/i-have-this-recurring-nightmare-in-which-i-have-to-move-back-in-with/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) > [very quietly, I heard a voice in my ear.It said, in a weird, cheesy, right-out-of-one-of-my-mother’s-novels way, “Ah. Wemeet again.” I turned my head, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/very-quietly-i-heard-a-voice-in-my-ear-it-said-in-a-weird-cheesy/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“To pitch here is to live. People pitch their kids into good schools, pitch offers on houses they can’t afford, and when they’re caught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/to-pitch-here-is-to-live-people-pitch-their-kids-into-good-schools/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [You see the most miserable people at a car dealership's service center. Everybody just sitting around waiting to get ripped off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-see-the-most-miserable-people-at-a-car-dealership-s-service/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [At a car dealership, the person who sells the car is the hero, and also gets the commission. But if the mechanics don't service…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-staubach/at-a-car-dealership-the-person-who-sells-the-car-is-the-hero-and-also/) [Roger Staubach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-staubach/) ## More by Ashlee Vance > [“Thought Leadership “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future” Book by Ashlee Vance “Take risks now and do something bold.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/thought-leadership-elon-musk-tesla-spacex-and-the-quest-for-a/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“He points out that one of the really tough things is figuring out what questions to ask,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/he-points-out-that-one-of-the-really-tough-things-is-figuring-out/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Musk sits somewhere on the autism spectrum and that he has trouble considering other people’s emotions and caring about their well-being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-sits-somewhere-on-the-autism-spectrum-and-that-he-has-trouble/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“He’s less a CEO chasing riches than a general marshaling troops to secure victory. Where Mark Zuckerberg wants to help you share baby photos,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/he-s-less-a-ceo-chasing-riches-than-a-general-marshaling-troops-to/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“sometimes at the Sheraton hotel in Palo Alto.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/sometimes-at-the-sheraton-hotel-in-palo-alto/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Throughout these early years, the engineers credited Eberhard with making quick, crisp decisions. Rarely did Tesla get hung up overanalyzing a situation. The company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/throughout-these-early-years-the-engineers-credited-eberhard-with/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“When Musk is present, the chats tend toward the absurd and fantastic”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/when-musk-is-present-the-chats-tend-toward-the-absurd-and-fantastic/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Whereas if they change a rule and something good happens, they don’t even get a reward. So, it’s very asymmetric. It’s then very easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/whereas-if-they-change-a-rule-and-something-good-happens-they-don-t/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“I might have fixed that thing but now I’ve made the person unproductive. It just wasn’t a good way to go about things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/i-might-have-fixed-that-thing-but-now-i-ve-made-the-person/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Like Steve Jobs before him, Musk is able to think up things that consumers did not even know they wanted—the door handles, the giant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/like-steve-jobs-before-him-musk-is-able-to-think-up-things-that/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Musk pulled Justine close while they danced, and informed her, “I am the alpha in this relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-pulled-justine-close-while-they-danced-and-informed-her-i-am-the/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“for Musk, the distinction between stumbling into something and having intent is important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/for-musk-the-distinction-between-stumbling-into-something-and-having/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Well, we will decide we’re going into production and then a miracle is going to happen,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/well-we-will-decide-we-re-going-into-production-and-then-a-miracle-is/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“You don’t tell Elon you can’t do something. That will get you kicked out of the room”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/you-don-t-tell-elon-you-can-t-do-something-that-will-get-you-kicked/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“Founded in June 2002, Space Exploration Technologies came to life in humble settings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/founded-in-june-2002-space-exploration-technologies-came-to-life-in/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) [Explore all 91 Ashlee Vance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) ## More Car dealer quotes > [At a car dealership, the person who sells the car is the hero, and also gets the commission. But if the mechanics don't service…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-staubach/at-a-car-dealership-the-person-who-sells-the-car-is-the-hero-and-also/) [Roger Staubach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-staubach/) > [You see the most miserable people at a car dealership's service center. Everybody just sitting around waiting to get ripped off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-see-the-most-miserable-people-at-a-car-dealership-s-service/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“To pitch here is to live. People pitch their kids into good schools, pitch offers on houses they can’t afford, and when they’re caught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/to-pitch-here-is-to-live-people-pitch-their-kids-into-good-schools/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [Every business decision I ever made I learned from my grandfather Papa Sam. He moved here from Russia when he was a boy. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobbi-brown/every-business-decision-i-ever-made-i-learned-from-my-grandfather/) [Bobbi Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobbi-brown/) > [very quietly, I heard a voice in my ear.It said, in a weird, cheesy, right-out-of-one-of-my-mother’s-novels way, “Ah. Wemeet again.” I turned my head, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/very-quietly-i-heard-a-voice-in-my-ear-it-said-in-a-weird-cheesy/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“I have this recurring nightmare in which I have to move back in with my old college roommates. I'll admit, that's what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/i-have-this-recurring-nightmare-in-which-i-have-to-move-back-in-with/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) > [With my team, we at the car dealer. Smoking big green, I'm talking Godzilla.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/with-my-team-we-at-the-car-dealer-smoking-big-green-i-m-talking/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [I'm a dealer. That's exactly right. I'm a used car dealer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-ecclestone/i-m-a-dealer-that-s-exactly-right-i-m-a-used-car-dealer/) [Bernie Ecclestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-ecclestone/) > [A lot of coaches get involved in a lot of different things - car dealerships and restaurants and all kinds of things. I've never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-boeheim/a-lot-of-coaches-get-involved-in-a-lot-of-different-things-car/) [Jim Boeheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-boeheim/) > [When people are deprived of a sense, their other senses get heightened. If you're culturally devoid of something - of weather, of artistry, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-burton/when-people-are-deprived-of-a-sense-their-other-senses-get-heightened/) [Tim Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-burton/) > [See," he began, leaning back into the booth, "I was at this car dealership today, and I saw this girl. It was an across-a-crowded-room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/see-he-began-leaning-back-into-the-booth-i-was-at-this-car-dealership/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“We would have won, but the other guys gave the deal away.” “The customer selected us technically and thinks we are the better company,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/we-would-have-won-but-the-other-guys-gave-the-deal-away-the-customer/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [I was the best man at my younger brother's wedding and at the time part of my roast to him was I appreciated that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-plouffe/i-was-the-best-man-at-my-younger-brother-s-wedding-and-at-the-time/) [David Plouffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-plouffe/) > [Community. A friend started a real estate brokerage a few years ago. By the time she'd added her second employee, she was a pillar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/community-a-friend-started-a-real-estate-brokerage-a-few-years-ago-by/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [My grandfather was the minister at the Lutheran church. My dad owned a car dealership in town. My mom was the consummate volunteer and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/my-grandfather-was-the-minister-at-the-lutheran-church-my-dad-owned-a/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) [Browse all 38 Car dealer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/car-dealer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Most car dealers make the majority of their profits from servicing cars. They treat vehicles like a subscription service, expecting people to visit their service centers multiple times a year for many years. This is the main reason dealerships have fought to block Tesla from selling its cars directly to consumers.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ashlee Vance" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/most-car-dealers-make-the-majority-of-their-profits-from-servicing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Car dealer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/most-car-dealers-make-the-majority-of-their-profits-from-servicing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/ashlee-vance-4672_car-dealer_most-car-dealers-make-the-majority-of-th_1056901.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/ashlee-vance-4672_car-dealer_most-car-dealers-make-the-majority-of-th_1056901.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/ashlee-vance-4672_car-dealer_most-car-dealers-make-the-majority-of-th_1056901.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Most car dealers make the majority of their profits from servicing cars. They treat vehicles like a…” — Ashlee Vance", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ashlee Vance", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Most car dealers make the majority...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/most-car-dealers-make-the-majority-of-their-profits-from-servicing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/most-car-dealers-make-the-majority-of-their-profits-from-servicing/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```