Cores not being returned to GM, parts walking out the door

[LOWAIRD1964]

Hi guys I am in a weird position here. Started at a new dealership and the parts manager here does things that I just don't agree with. I have come from a manager position at another dealership. I was basically in a parts manager position for about a year or so to finish a termination wind down of a dealership. So I know how things work and how things are supposed to work. But I am pretty young and still learning everyday. I just don't know if he thinks I am really dumb or what and its really starting to burn me up. Since I have been here there has not been 1 core returned to GM except engines, trans. stuff you cant easily hide. All cores are sold to his buddy out the back door and money goes in his pocket. We do ALOT of converters here. Does this effect me in anyway? As far as gross profit or anything?
Another thing he does is "hook" himself and buddies up with parts. Im not talking an oil filter here and there. I mean y pipe converters, exhausts, TONS of tires etc. All high dollar parts right out of the door. I never find any invoices where they are billed out to him or any other people. The other day I noticed an odd set of pads that came back in on RIM and I know that I didn't sell them so I decided to research and sure enough they were taken out of the system manually. So I decided to look up the rotors for same vehicle and sure enough they were minused out of the system also.



Basically I am curious if this is effecting my pay in anyway? And just want to here some thoughts of what I should do here? On one hand I feel like im being a rat but on the other hand if it means I am losing money I should let someone know.

Thank you for any input.

[FixedManager]

You need to speak to your owner immediately if you are sure. Gather the evidence and make the report. If not, you are complicit and just as culpable however by demonstrating your skills you may be able to fill a future void.

[jdpetey]

Sounds like you're in a really unenviable position.

Dealership would be losing money in regards to that core money still showing on the books in accounting.

Shouldn't affect your pay, if you're paid on gross, in that regard, unless you mark up cores, which that doesn't sound like that's remotely happening.

The parts 'walking out the door', presumably unpaid for, will definitely lower sales numbers, lowering gross, but more importantly, will be screwing up the whole integrity of your 'checks & balances' between parts and accounting.

Lastly, the likelihood of you being implicated in participating in this type of stuff increases every day, week, month, etc. this continues.

Good luck with that situation.

[Zep33]

Your loyalty should be to the dealership, not the parts manager.

This sounds like one of the stories we see on the Dealer's Edge news page when someone gets busted at a dealership for theft and the questions of how this can happen. One reason it happens is because others let it happen and turn a blind eye.

You should do the right thing. If it comes down to it, give the owner your 2 week notice and when asked why, tell him you feel uncomfortable with what is going on in the department. I can guarantee you won't be going anywhere but someone else will

[cville1987]

You have to tell the DP about it. It was happening at one of our stores, the tweaker parts manager was selling the cores and we found all the empty boxes. It was an inventory that busted him. It happened to an old boss of mine as well. I remember when his buddy who was our front counter guy was moving to another state, he let him go through the department with a cart and get all the parts we had that fit his Blazer. Alternator, starter, plugs, cap, rotor, pads, rotors, belts, filters, door handles, etc. It was insane. Thankfully I was just a driver then and he eventually cracked after an inventory and turned in his keys. He almost went to jail over that inventory.

[CMayne]

Have to agree with Fixedmanager. If it turns into something ugly it's time to get out anyway. No one needs to live looking over their shoulder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[PartsPlant81]

I would report it to the owner ASAP if you have the evidence to prove it. It may take a while but eventually the missing $ will show up on the financial statement and if your accounting manager/controller has a little bit of an idea what to look for he/she would notice that something is wrong.

[GregW]

Something should definitely be done. Look to see if he is charging it to the service department or new/used cars.... some dealers do not pay to close attention to this.....

If you go to the owner or GM, make sure you have ALL of your ducks in a row!!!!