F&I for stars' cars: All in a day's work for Hollywood luxury dealership
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Imagine your favorite Hollywood actor sitting across from you as you pitch an extended service contract. Or how about batting around the benefits of paint and fabric protection with the Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne?
It's all in a day's work at one luxury-brand dealership near Los Angeles.
Celebrity clients are so common that the F&I staff at this dealership is far from star-struck, says the finance manager, who didn't want to be identified and didn't want to name the dealership to protect the privacy of clients -- among them Nick Lachey and superstar teen heartthrob Justin Bieber.
Dealing with the rich and famous is great, the manager says. Not just because stars have money to spend, but they're easier to work with and more polite than some customers who just think they're rich and famous.
The finance manager recalls selling an extended service contract to movie star Denzel Washington about a year ago. "He was super nice. It was for his daughter."
Sometimes it's not possible to chat up the stars much. "Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne came in the other day," the manager says. "They were with all their people, so you didn't really get to talk to them much."
Most celebrities politely listen to the F&I pitch -- and often make a purchase, the manager says.
