automotive mechanic

automotive technician

finance manager

sales associate

sales manager

Sonic Automotive

I worked at a Sonic dealership for almost a year. Over the course of this time, the amount of turn over was ridiculous. Every person, regardless of position is overworked and the average work week is 6 days and 10+ hours per day. 

Corporate had all the dealerships under a microscope and dealer management kept introducing new polices every week for dress code, paperwork, warranties, invoicing, sales procedures, etc. The training was never ending and I had to spend 2-3 hours per month away from my desk and stuck in a Zoom meeting about secret shoppers, team building exercises, and other meaningless dribble. Not to mention the mandatory quarterly training that had to be completed on MY time outside of work.

Everyone one had to show up before 7 am and be ready to accept customers immediately after opening. The schedule was always packed and there was only a 30 minute buffer between each appointment. If someone showed up late or called in sick, all those appointment were dumped on other employees with booked schedules. 

Service, parts, sales, and the shop were always in conflict with each other. A customer with a relatively new car would show up and immediately the glass installer was looking over it for rock chips and cracks. The sales wanted to talk to customers about selling or trading in their car due to a lack of new inventory. Then the customer wanted their car worked on immediately because they had an appointment to X time.

The priority of ordering cars for service was always a mess. Waiting customer had priority over drop offs, even if the waiting customer showed up 2 hours later and the drop off hadn't been touched yet. The technicians were always hampered by extensive recalls and "VIP" returns. The garage just wasn't designed to handle THAT many customers and cars at one time. There was always a plan for expanding the service department, but nothing ever happened. I had to buy equipment for for the valets because the service manager didn't want to spend the time or money repairing or replacing cheap tools necessary on the service drive. 

Parking for employees was non-existant - I always had to park on the curb or at a business across the street and my car would be totally boxed in during my lunch break. I got an hour for lunch everyday (except Saturday), but I could never eat in peace; always getting phone calls about the status of a car or a random person showed up looking for me. I had to PLAN when to leave for lunch and I almost never was able to go on time, usually over an hour afterwards.

The amount of phone calls were NEVER ENDING. Instead of being able to focus on MY job, the managers were constantly poking and yelling at us to pick up the phone. It was always a random person asking about service and parts pricing or how the change the battery in a key fob. Things I couldn't or shouldn't have had to answer. Half the calls were transferred from reception or Sales because they just didn't want to answer the questions. Management enacted an AI answering system but customers always complained about it and the number of called INCREASED because customers would hang up and call back wanting to speak with a live person. 

The potential to make money is pretty good, but I was on a commission based salary only. There's a sales minimum needed to be maintained which I was not made aware of until my last two weeks there. Management was always pressuring to upsell and add lines to repair orders, even though MOST customers had pre-paid maintenance plans and were always upset that tire rotations, wipers, and other small services were not included (thank you SALES).

The good things were minor - other employees had a good sense of humor, but were mostly out for themselves. Occasionally management would provide lunch and throw little parties midday with catered food and desserts. 

Massey Cadillac (North) owned by Sonic Automotive is the work place to work for any of the job positions. Reason for that being said, is because this company takes pride in showing favoritism especially if you have family members already working there. More than likely, only close grouped family will get at least offered a new position before a person that is willing to work and takes pride in what they do.

Management is horrible at this job. This dealership has been through so many General Managers and regular managers, it's almost a disgrace to even bother talking about. They can't seem to keep a manager at this dealership for more than a year. First of all, there is NO structure at this job. Communication is absolutely terrible. If you were to ask for something whether is safety related or work related, you have to wait days to get a response from management. This work place is so bad to work at, I can't believe the amount of times that I have witnessed the "Managers", smoking around flammable materials in the various shops. You don't necessarily have to take my word on that, but the proof is on the shop floors. I'm very surprised that OSHA doesn't read some to these reviews. At least once safety personnel are on the premises, everyone is instructed to wear proper PPE then. Wow!

The hardest part of this job is actually, going to work everyday. The pay is terrible and the managers can careless about you or whatever situation that is making your work experience so bad. No worries, because Sonic Automotive sends a representative around once a year to do surveys on managers and employees. Only problem with that is that after the surveys come back (let's say in a negative way), they attempt to fix the problem, but when you explain other problems like your pay, Why are my benefits so high or I've been here for X amount of months or years and no talks of any kind of raise? No one can answer that question for you........at all.

During our meetings, we can see how much the company has made per quarter, year, etc. but that money isn't being invested into the people that are making it even possible to have a work environment. This company doesn't take the time to figure out the real issues of the dealership by asking the people that work for them to express their true feeling about working here. They may ask in the survey, but they will not act on them. Even if the company can't afford to do something nice for their employees, at least do something to build up the spirits and the morale of it's employees. We are the ones that are sharing blood, sweat and tears to try to survive at this place.

I'm pretty sure that this whole overview is pointless to some because all they see is a nice clean Cadillac dealership - in the front, but if only they knew how the people are treated behind doors to see that your vehicle is repaired or cleaned properly, you would probably think otherwise before bring your vehicle at this location.

This company has the potential to change, but for whatever reason, they won't. No one takes the guy that works in the back with the dirty uniform from working the hardest that they possibly can seriously, over the guy that works in the front with the suit and tie walking around the dealership that only worries about his income and NOT is employees.

Honestly I can say the best thing about this job, was leaving it everday!!!

Massey Cadillac (North) owned by Sonic Automotive is the work place to work for any of the job positions. Reason for that being said, is because this company takes pride in showing favoritism especially if you have family members already working there. More than likely, only close grouped family will get at least offered a new position before a person that is willing to work and takes pride in what they do. 

Management is horrible at this job. This dealership has been through so many General Managers and regular managers, it's almost a disgrace to even bother talking about. They can't seem to keep a manager at this dealership for more than a year. First of all, there is NO structure at this job. Communication is absolutely terrible. If you were to ask for something whether is safety related or work related, you have to wait days to get a response from management. This work place is so bad to work at, I can't believe the amount of times that I have witnessed the "Managers", smoking around flammable materials in the various shops. You don't necessarily have to take my word on that, but the proof is on the shop floors. I'm very surprised that OSHA doesn't read some to these reviews. At least once safety personnel are on the premises, everyone is instructed to wear proper PPE then. Wow! 

The hardest part of this job is actually, going to work everyday. The pay is terrible and the managers can careless about you or whatever situation that is making your work experience so bad. No worries, because Sonic Automotive sends a representative around once a year to do surveys on managers and employees. Only problem with that is that after the surveys come back (let's say in a negative way), they attempt to fix the problem, but when you explain other problems like your pay, Why are my benefits so high or I've been here for X amount of months or years and no talks of any kind of raise? No one can answer that question for you........at all. 

During our meetings, we can see how much the company has made per quarter, year, etc. but that money isn't being invested into the people that are making it even possible to have a work environment. This company doesn't take the time to figure out the real issues of the dealership by asking the people that work for them to express their true feeling about working here. They may ask in the survey, but they will not act on them. Even if the company can't afford to do something nice for their employees, at least do something to build up the spirits and the morale of it's employees. We are the ones that are sharing blood, sweat and tears to try to survive at this place. 

I'm pretty sure that this whole overview is pointless to some because all they see is a nice clean Cadillac dealership -  in the front, but if only they knew how the people are treated behind doors to see that your vehicle is repaired or cleaned properly, you would probably think otherwise before bring your vehicle at this location. 

This company has the potential to change, but for whatever reason, they won't. No one takes the guy that works in the back with the dirty uniform from working the hardest that they possibly can seriously, over the guy that works in the front with the suit and tie walking around the dealership that only worries about his income and NOT is employees.

Honestly I can say the best thing about this job, was leaving it everday!!!

Upon starting at Philpott Hyundai the optimistic atmosphere and promises of support and encouragement I found fall short at just words. The management has a way of isolating new hires in a corner and forgetting about them. Apart from the initial training that comes from Sonic corporate and the trainers from the heart of the company that do seem to care about their employees the local environment turned out to be extremely hostile as my progress was purposefully supressed after just a few short weeks into my training. I felt like an outsider because of political turmoil that for all intents and purposes I should not have been grouped into at all causing me to be targeted just for associating with certian coworkers from the start and it reflected in the way I was treated from early on. I made the switch from making great money at my previous job into a unavoidable situation that felt like I was robbed of my opportunity from the very beginning. Of course my other coworkers told me that they need me because the last guy apparently went through a similar sort of situation. From what I have experienced this is a position where you absolutely have to overlook your superior's unacceptable behavior or else you absolutely are not going to be able to rely on your own skills. The ones in charge will make sure your sales are divided and any work you do put in will be buried, downplayed, and even sabotaged. My sales skills are exceptional and it was a huge disappointment to get brought into an unfair situation where I know others have succeeded who I have sold twice as much as them in the past. I felt like because of my religious preferences and my Christian faith I was targeted to the point where hosility towards me increased where I didnt even wish to show up. They came at me with everything they possibly could once they grouped me into a category that I didnt deserve to be placed into and it's just disappointing this would go on inside a company without being addressed. It became detrimental to my circumstances and I truly hope whoever else comes through does not have to experience all that I had to go through. You don't go from setting sales records making well over 10k at your previous job and averaging 8k a month to making 1 sale when you get put on the floor I mean that doesn't even add up. That right there should tell you they will do anything to push away anyone that doesn't go along with their hostile agenda. Even though I did everything I could to get along with them I was eventually bullied off the job regardless and I ended up walking away after they made it obvious they would perfer me to leave with no regard for what they were putting me through when I was nothing but kind to them. That's just a portion of the reasons why I would give them the opportunity to correct this environment they are placing new people into who are depending on a stable career for their family and wellbeing. Because from what I've seen and suffered through its obvious they don't care about the troubles of others at all. 

This company used to be a good employer.  It was always a typical corporate-owned large dealership group, with all the impersonality and lack of caring that comes with that, but the pay and benefits were slightly above-average.  Things have changed in the past few years, however.  There has been a noticeable shift on the corporate level toward excessive cost-cutting measures and an extreme lack of investment in the individual stores.  

Corporate management has many ideas, but minimal follow-through.  Communication from corporate leadership is nearly non-existent, except for the annual Carpe Diem meetings.  These meetings are basically a feel-good propaganda event designed to allow the empty suits to f*llate themselves and put a happy face on most of the unpopular changes that have occurred over the past year.  Last year we had to watch an extensive presentation about the management team that changed some drywall in a hurricane victim's home.  I can only assume they spent as much time and money on the presentation of this film as they did on the actual remodeling work.  Also, while they were touting their commitment to employees and promoting "Sonic Pride", they were laying people off.  The irony of all this, while watching the video presentation about how much management cares, was not lost on me at all.  Sometimes all you can do is laugh at the absurdity.

At the dealership level, it varies wildly, depending on who is running your dealership on any given week.  My dealership has undergone more than one entire management change since I have been working there, meaning there is not one single solitary manager currently employed in any department there who was working there when I started.  Sonic loves to hire managers from the outside rather than promote from within.  This does make sense from a financial standpoint, however.  The churn in management is so high that you don't want to promote experienced people into positions that they will be gone from in a matter of weeks or months.  I honestly can't remember the names of all the managers who have been head of my department, but they have averaged about 5 months on the job each, before quitting or being fired.  They have all exhibited varying levels of mediocrity.

A major consequence of all this managerial chaos is that there are absolutely no repercussions to being useless as an employee.  We have at least 2 employees in my department who produce nothing whatsoever.  The past 3 managers have made plans to change personnel, but none have survived long enough to make changes, and so the useless employees keep muddling along.  If nothing else, its an okay play to screw around for 8 hours a day and collect a paycheck.  For all of Sonic's other faults, at least those checks have yet to bounce.

I have worked over at Lexus of Serramonte for two and a half years and it is with great pleasure to say that I have enjoyed being a part-time employee. A typical day at work would usually include working with about 30-50 customers via telephone or in person. The customers I typically come in contact with are either looking to have their car serviced or looking for an available sales associate to speak with in regards to purchasing or inquiring information about a vehicle. Directing and logging phone calls, booking appointments, helping customers check-out, and filing paperwork compose a large part of my day.

From previous part-time jobs, I have always been stressed that customer service and making customers satisfied is the most important part of my job. Working at Lexus of Serramonte was no different as customer satisfaction was at the utmost importance.

Management was sub-par. I do not approve that at times some employees would be constantly picked on by management. For example, new employees would be suspects of incidents that occur at work. In addition, certain employees would be highly favorited by management. To illustrate, managers would give more vacation time and days off to employees who have lower seniority than to those who have a higher seniority. Also, a lot of employees complain about not being informed as to why they have been acknowledged of a pay raise even though they have been working there for an extended period of time. A lot of employees are either indifferent or unhappy with management. It is sad to say that the hardest part of the job is dealing with management. A usual call to the office makes for a grim look on the faces of many employees. It is very rare to be called into a managers office to be recognized/commended for good work.

The most enjoyable part of my job was that I worked with a team that was very helpful. My co-workers and I worked together very well and I feel that the team Lexus of Serramonte put together has developed great chemistry. We are always getting the job done, work and communicate well with customers. In addition, the tasks for the day are split up evenly to make for an effective workplace.

1. A typical day of work:
As a GM, each day is a balance of strategic oversight and hands-on leadership. I review performance metrics, meet with department heads, address any customer satisfaction concerns, and ensure that the store is operating efficiently. A large part of the day is spent coaching the team, resolving operational issues, and focusing on sales and service performance.
2. What you believe you have learned:
I've gained deeper insight into Sonic’s operational model and how data-driven performance management can elevate a store. I've also learned the importance of aligning team culture with corporate expectations while maintaining the flexibility to adapt to the specific dynamics of the local market.
3. Management:
Sonic’s leadership supports accountability, transparency, and growth. There is a strong framework from corporate, but also room to lead independently. The expectations are high, but the support is there when you’re committed to results.
4. Workplace culture:
The culture is fast-paced, performance-driven, and focused on results — but it also values integrity and teamwork. At my store, we’ve worked hard to create an environment where people want to win, but also want to support each other. Culture starts from the top, and I take that responsibility seriously.
5. The hardest part of the job:
Balancing short-term performance targets with long-term strategic growth. It takes discipline to not just chase monthly numbers, but to develop people, process, and culture that create sustainable success. That, and navigating today’s unpredictable inventory and customer behavior trends.
6. The most enjoyable part of the job:
Watching the team grow — seeing a manager or salesperson hit new milestones, watching a department click into high gear, and knowing the store is delivering results for both the customer and the company. There’s no better feeling than building a winning team.


After being pitched the stars, the reality set in on day 1 that the work days would be long and stressful and the working conditions would be downright dangerous. I was told that being such a large organization there was a great support structure, and corporate culture that would be there to encourage efficient work and be available to help where needed. The reality was the farthest from that. Basic IT needs went unmet the entire time I was there, HR was overworked and/or under staffed, or just apathetic. The majority of the staff was untrained and unaware of the most basic procedures and were allowed to work on the most advanced concerns, often leading to complete dissatisfaction from owners. This was well known by management, although very little effort was made to turn that around.    

My facility was a dungeon (dark, dirty, and dangerous), there was no capital investment in infrastructure, and nothing on the horizon. The only shop tools that were maintained were the MOC flush machines. The days started early (0700) and although scheduled until 1600 would often be volun-told to cover for someone as the unscheduled oil changes would stream in between 1700-1830. 

There is no emphasis on ethics or honest business practices. The were all but encouraged to bend, stretch, and manipulate the truth to get the sale. 

This store turned me off from working for a national chain and gives all professional technicians a bad image.

Pros: -The money *can* be good. -There are several different areas of experience that are nice to learn (Sales, customer service, conflict, communication, leadership). 

Cons: -Pay was cut once during my tenure for salespeople and service advisors, someone who's been here much longer said its been cut multiple times now. It'll make more sense as you keep reading, they DONT CARE about low level people and they dont hide it. 

-Management mostly only cares about the bottom line and that blinds them in other areas like customer service, and team management (techs are untouchable, do what they want, some service advisors cherry pick old cars and let new cars with maintenance plans sit and wait to be seen. Advisors and techs regularly overcharge and there are no controls in place). 

-If you take vacation time our service director only lets you have 1 regular day off for your vacation week and all other days are deducted from vacation time, effectively robbing you of 1 regular day off each week you take days off. I'm sure HR wouldn't agree with that policy but nobody wants to rock the boat. 

-New car maintenance plans and coupons galore can really hamper your earnings ability. 

-Customers can and will slam the experience survey and significantly affect your income over stuff you have 0 control over. 

-Every time something goes wrong it falls on YOU. Thick skin required at all times. You'll work for every dollar.

Overall, I will take the experience and jump ship the second I get a more attractive opportunity.


There is a true camaraderie working at Sonic.  They are focused on promoting from within and they have programs in place to develop the employees that want more out of their career.  Additionally, Sonic has been brave enough to fundamentally change the way people will be buying cars with us.  The sales people are being paid a "real" salary plus bonus so for the first time an automobile sales person has a career they can respect and have a job/work life balance! The first market was introduced in the Charlotte market but over the next couple years they will roll this new business plan out to the rest of their 104 dealerships.  The cool thing is that Sonic is investing heavily in the dealerships as they get converted to the new way of selling (called One Sonic One Experience).  The investment makes the showrooms feel more comfortable and technology is at the forefront of Sonic.  The sales people will sell cars 100% from an iPad that has Sonic specific apps on it.  The sales people will even handle the finance portion of the sale ... it is waaaayy cool!!  The most enjoyable part of my job is being at the beginning steps of One Sonic One Experience.  It really is easy to recommend working for Sonic.  The hardest part of the job is that is still a retail business, so Saturday's are must for working and Sunday's are variable.  The pay and benefits are very good!

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