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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DealerInt" data-source="post: 79780" data-attributes="member: 19902">We've been collecting compensation data from 500+ franchise and independent dealerships across the US. Figured this group would find the 2026 numbers useful — whether you're benchmarking your own pay, hiring, or negotiating.Here's the summary across every major dealership role:General ManagerBase: 75K–75K–135KTotal comp (with bonus): 135K–135K–280KTop metro: New York Metro (200K–200K–290K), Los Angeles (195K–195K–285K)Multi-rooftop GMs earning 20–30% higher than single-storeFinance Manager (F&I)Base: 46K–46K–82KPer-copy bonus: 160–160–320/dealTotal comp: 100K–100K–220KAFIP-certified F&I managers earning 12–18% more than non-certifiedCar SalespersonEntry level (0–1 yr): 54K–54K–78K totalMid-level (2–5 yr): 76K–76K–116K totalSenior/top performer: 119K–119K–194K totalLuxury franchise salespeople averaging 25–40% higher than mainstreamSales ManagerBase: 65K–65K–95KTotal comp: 120K–120K–200KCompensation heavily tied to department gross — which is where override visibility becomes a factorService AdvisorEntry level: 42K–42K–56KSenior (5–10 yr): 74K–74K–98KKey variable: hours per RO and CSI bonus structureService ManagerBase: 55K–55K–80KTotal comp: 85K–85K–140KFixed ops absorption rate directly affects bonusBDC ManagerBase: 45K–45K–65KTotal comp: 70K–70K–110KBonus tied to appointment-set rate and show rateParts ManagerBase: 48K–48K–68KTotal comp: 65K–65K–100KGross margin and inventory turn are the main bonus driversDealer Principal / OwnerSingle point: 300K–300K–800K total (salary + distributions)Multi-rooftop: 500K–500K–2M+Biggest variable: how much gross leaks through undocumented overrides before it reaches the bottom lineRegional breakdown: Northeast and West Coast run 15–25% higher than Midwest and Mountain states across every role. Southeast sits in the middle but has the fastest-growing comp in the country right now.One pattern we keep seeing in the data: The GMs and F&I managers at the top of these ranges almost always work at stores with structured override policies. When desk decisions are visible, gross holds, and compensation tied to gross follows. The stores where GMs are stuck at the low end of $135K almost always have an override visibility gap — they can't manage what they can't see.Full data with regional tables, city-level breakdowns, and experience-tier splits for all roles: <a href="https://www.dealerint.com/benchmarks" target="_blank">DealerInt — Automotive CRM & Desking Software for Car Dealerships</a>Curious how your store's comp stacks up. Anyone willing to share whether these ranges match your market?</blockquote>

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