In 2017, Ali Reda, a salesman at Les Stanford Chevrolet Cadillac, allegedly sold 1,530 new vehicles in 2017—enough to set a new record for the most cars sold in a single year.
However, the original sales record holder isn’t buying it. 89-year-old Joe Girard has held the record for decades after selling 1,425 new cars in 1973. Girard built a career on his achievement and moved to motivational speaking after 15 years of auto sales and 13,000 cars sold.
Reda’s record number beats Girard by 105.
Now, Girard is ready for a legal battle to challenge the claim. He told The Detroit Free Press last Friday that he’s already called his lawyer and seriously denies Reda has beaten his record. He also wants to audit the dealership to ensure no one is fudging numbers.
Gary Stanford, the Chevy-Cadillac dealership’s owner, said he’s not worried about a lawsuit and implored anyone interested to look at the numbers, which General Motors verifies.
And those around Reda confirm he’s a stand-up guy and hasn’t worked mischievously for such a record. In fact, he often sends customers away and tells them to come back when their finances are in better shape, and he even has a track record of turning would-be buyers away to competitors if there’s a better vehicle out there.
He refers to himself as an “advisor,” not just a salesman.
Girard won’t go down without a fight, though. He and his wife have cautioned anyone from saying the record is broken until Guinness officials finish crunching the data.
Comments
Seriously?? Is this what America has really become, a complete “sue-for-anything” society? Seriously, what are the damages? How is Girard harmed? You held a record for 45 years, that’s awesome and should be congratulated. However, just coming off the Olympics, we see records continue to be broken everywhere; sports, sales, events, etc. Was there foul play? I have no idea. Asking GM to audit the numbers can be valid to be sure the dealership is doing everything correct (not just counting sales for this person). But to file a lawsuit, I’m sorry, for me this loses the respect for holding a record for such an incredibly long time. Congratulates for both should be deserved for their moment. It will likely not be 45 years until Reda’s record is broken.
Yes, yes and yes. Kids are now suing their parents for lack of attention….
Joe Girard has been milking this for years. Maybe Ali Reda should ask for an audit of the original record. With Cadillacs far smaller share in today’s market, the new record is far more impressive regardless.
Wait, an auto salesmen who doesn’t have moral? Now I’ve heard everything…
On a serious note, the guy is 89, here’s what happened when he sues…His name makes headlines one last time IF the new record is legit…If not legit, he gets a big payday and he still makes headlines…The only way he can lose is if he DOESN’T sue…
What payday? Has he suffered a loss? This is nothing but a meaningless ego trip.
Follow the money; not his ego…
“Joe Girard
World’s Greatest #1 Retail Salesman
As Attested by The Guinness Book of World Records
Sold more retail “big ticket” items “one at a time” than any other salesperson in any retail industry including houses, boats, motor homes, insurance, automobiles, etc.
Audited by the Accounting Firm of Deloitte & Touche, audit available on request.”
https://www.joegirard.com/inspirational-speaker/
Girard needs to step off. It was a sales record, and like all records, they can be broken by someone you’ve never heard of. If he was a gracious loser, he’d congratulate Reda as both he and new record holder know how difficult it is to sell that many cars in a year. Seeing how he’s moving for legal action tells me he’s a bit of an arse.
If Girard doesn’t like it, he could always try to break the new record. Otherwise, his complaining does little to support his own claims.
The most perplexing part of the story is that he is selling GM cars left and right in Dearborn, AKA Ford Land.
After GM’s bankruptcy and subsequent wholesale clearinghouse of dealerships Les Stanford was the last one standing in the area.
Averaging four sales a day is absurd. That’s like batting .400 on a season.
Ever heard of fleet sales?
http://www.lesstanfordchevrolet.com/MeetOurDepartments states they do have a separate fleet manager…Let’s just see how the audit plays out…
Hey Joe Girard, records are made to be broken. Your 89 years old is this how you want to spend your remaining few years, bitter?
Probably all of them were Chevrolet, lol.
In Ford territory.
Does holding the record give one the authority to do an audit? Ali Reda should be quick to trademark “Record For Most Cars Sold In A Year” if Joe has failed to do so!
Yea, I know, nonsense none the less!
If the guy worked 356 days, that would be 4.29 cars per day.
The only explanation is to be selling fleets of Chevys and probably not all locally.
That dealer must be specializing in lowest cost fleet sales.
The original record holder probably had a similar situation.
Who pays for the audit?
Girard LLC? Brother …
Wonder who owns the record for highest gross receipts?
Another litigant, no doubt.
The guy is a prick.
Girard doesn’t let go easily. The 2011 Automotive News article said he never forgave a boss who fired him. He mailed a copy of his W-2 annual earnings statement to his old boss with a note at the bottom telling him, “You fired the wrong guy.” After the boss died, the article said, Girard took a W-2 to the cemetery and buried it atop the man’s casket.