Are there no experts that sell trucks?

You would think...but Ive never found a salesman that knew as much about a truck I was looking at as I do. I always research first. And I basically have to ignore everything the salesman tells me as its mostly hot air. Youre spot on here...a few minutes of basic research and you know more than just about any car salesman. Its sad really and it shows you where these guys priorities are...selling vehicles...the best salesmen could sell ice to eskimos, etc. Im sure theres some good ones out there, ive just never found one. Nor do I care really. I do my own research and even agree to the numbers before I ever show up to make the deal.

Trouble is IMHO - they are "car salesmen" who also sell trucks when the need arises. Just a guess since I have not even set foot in a car/truck dealership since I bought my '98 Dodge 1500. I did spend 40+ years as a manufacturers rep in the car and truck business so I know dealers and salesmen intently.

Maybe try a GMC dealer where they specialize in trucks.

Yes it would be nice if the "Towing Guide" was required reading of a truck salesman, however there really is nothing requiring the truck dealers to become educated in the trucks they are selling.

Fred.

They spend every waking moment learing how to sell, and very little about what they're selling.

Salesmen went to school to study sales nothing else, not trucks not anything except sales. If they are good at it then they sell stuff.

Haha...apparently, I am not alone in my truck buying experience!

Seems a lot of folks here seem to think the buyer should always know more about a product than the salesman. Maybe not always, but a lot of people feel that way from experience.

In 2006 I went to purchase a diesel tow vehicle. I had owned a fleet of diesel equipped vehicles back in the 80's. I told the salesman, who was touted as a "Truck Specialist," of my 20 year experience.

I was out of date with diesels and asked:"Do today's diesels still have a "Wait to start" light on the dash?" His reply:"Oh no. They did away with those years ago. You can just start them right up."

During the test drive I saw the "wait" light illuminate on the dash! Having some knowledge allowed me to realize that this "truck specialist" knew absolutely nothing about trucks.

It was fun though, I had lots of fun throwing questions at him that he did not know the answer to, during the negotiations. Mostly, his answers were lies. I would never assume that a salesman has any product knowledge. They were trained how to sell, not about the product.

Even tow truck drivers don't have a clue about diesels. When a driver got in mine he jumped in and tried to start it immediately.

what do expect they were all trained at mcdonalds,you want cheese with that? my daughter just bought a new toyota van, the dealer has a person trained on each model, the lady who walked thru the van with us really new the van.the sales person told us they are the only company he new of that had trained people on each model.

A salesman at a local Ford dealer that I've dealt with for years used to work in the commercial/fleet side of things, and he did know his trucks very well. The fleet guy that I last bought a Chevy from also knew his product well. The local Dodge dealer didn't seem to have anyone who knew or cared about trucks and that is partially why I didn't end up with a Dodge. But like other posters have said the vast majority of salespeople I've dealt with have little or no product knowledge.