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DriveTime Automotive Group

Engaged Employer

Sales Manager - Anonymous employee DriveTime Automotive Group Employee Review

3.0
Jan 22, 2015
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I would say the biggest upside to working at DriveTime is the fun atmosphere. It's not by any means a "stuffy" place. Directors and assistant directors (those that manage the GMs within the dealerships) are very supportive. There are a lot of resources to help you do your job whether it's selling cars, processing title work, or being a lot attendant.

Cons

The worst part of the job by far is the work life balance. Employees are expected to work 55+ hours during tax season which for some reason begins in January even though this very company doesn't have W2s ready nor would we have our tax money back during that month. Nonetheless mid-Jan through April expect to live at the dealership. After tax season the hours are still brutal without there really being a need.10-12 hour days are very common and expected even though there is no need. An improvement in the salaries/bonuses of those that help underwrite and manage the teams would allow for more folks to want to move into management and allow for more flexible hours. Pay is a bit of a drag as well, in so far as you really have no idea what your goals are until the very end of the previous month. It is also tough when you consider that you could improve year over year net sales by as much as 10% but you don't have a guarantee that you will make the same amount of money as you did the year before. Dealership management does not participate in commissions beginning in 2015...there are only "bonuses" paid when you achieve the goal given to you at the start of the month. Not to mention this goal is mostly arbitrary based on a combination of last year's performance, previous month's performance, the region's goal, and how nice the guy that gives you your goal wants to be to you. If you're a store that has hit budget 6 months in a row you can expect another monster budget, but if you have missed 3 months in a row you'll get a smaller budget so you don't lose all hope. You're really incentivized to just barely make your goal. If you make it in the final 3 days probably works best.

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DriveTime Automotive Group Response
11y
Thank you for taking the time to submit a review. You are correct, DT hired more than 1,700+ employees in 2014 primarily due to expansion with 13 new dealerships, 2 new inspection centers, and continue to grow both our operation centers and corporate office. We are now over 3500 employees. Our turnover is much lower than the figure cited and substantially lower when compared to industry standard. DriveTime Leaders are always open and receptive to feedback therefore, in Q4 2014 we piloted a new dealership part time position in hope to provide our retail employees with more support created an even better work life balance.

Explore other reviews about DriveTime Automotive Group

5.0
Dec 11, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Pay is good. Structure is better

Cons

Long hours, ever changing policies

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DriveTime Automotive Group Response
4mo
Thank you for sharing your experience as a General Manager. We’re glad to hear you’ve had a positive experience with our pay and structure. At the DriveTime Family of Brands, we have established processes and leadership support in place to help teams stay aligned as the business grows and evolves. We focus on clear expectations, consistent communication, and providing resources that help teams navigate change effectively. We appreciate your perspective and thank you for being part of the DriveTime Family of Brands.
2.0
May 20, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

It use to operate like a startup. Flexible with the right management. Outings can be fun, but most of the fun has been laid off or budgeted out. Red tape, metrics, favoritism, and budgeting ruined everything. I miss what it use to be.

Cons

They have let go at least 50% of IT, and another 20% have left on their own if not more within the last year. The good old boy club is very strong, was told there's no where to move up. Years in a row never having any actual achievable goals to show accountability for promotion. They are running out of technical knowledge and the only one's who are staying are those who've been there for a long time, only. Even some of those are getting laid off unexpectedly. Having connections outside of work seems to matter more than skill or contributions wether that's code or hours spent. Be wary of applying here, they are running on a skeletion crew on just about every team, this was not the case a year ago. What's left is not the biggest contributors or most impactful team members. Once the CTO (Greg) left, it all started a shift, a little over a year ago. No sense of ownership on any of the teams, while every team is so fragmented. One could be implimenting something affecting the whole company and get laid the same day.

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DriveTime Automotive Group Response
19h
Thank you for sharing your experience as an Engineer. We're glad to hear you enjoyed the entrepreneurial spirit, flexibility, and relationships built during your time here. At the DriveTime Family of Brands, we're committed to creating opportunities for growth through regular career conversations, internal mobility, leadership development programs, and transparent performance expectations. We also work hard to foster a culture where team members can share ideas, make an impact, and collaborate across teams. Thank you for sharing your experience, we wish you the very best in your future endeavors.
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