“I LIKE THIS BUSINESS” 1940’s SOCONY VACUUM OIL PRODUCT SALES FILM NEW & USED CAR SALESMAN XD45924

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This late 1930s / early 1940s oil product sales film depicts a narrative in which a car dealership owner’s uncle steps in to assist with his nephew’s used car dealership. The film is presented by Socony Vacuum Oil Company (:08) which began in 1931, when the Standard Oil Company of New York and Vacuum Oil merged. Later the company became known as Mobil which would then merge with the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey to form ExxonMobil in 1999. The film was produced by Caravel Films Inc. based in New York City.
The film opens with a sales representative meeting with the owner of a car dealership (:42). A Ford Model T sits in the garage (:59) as the owner of another car arrives to inspect the vehicle and notices a squeak in the door. Uncle Jim informs his nephew of his desire to come out of retirement in order to help at the dealership (7:38). Jim then travels to various dealers to discover what the ‘used car problem’ is (8:42). Dealers note encouraging regular checkups on vehicles and offering lubrication services can aide in the problem (8:59). Jim then meets with the Socony Vacuum Oil Company (9:42) for further assistance. Upon returning from his meetings, Jim suggests the shop get cleaned up and coated with fresh paint (10:16). Uncle Jim meets again with Socony in order to get set up the lubrication business (10:28) which will help to uncover the needs of customers and their vehicles. They then provide a sales promotion in order to draw in new customers (15:33). A montage ensues of employees at the dealership cleaning and repainting (16:30). An advertisement for Mobil Oil hangs on the walls in the lubrication center (16:46). An instructor shows the lubrication chart with workers in the lubrication area (17:14). A sample is tested of the Mobil grease (19:13) and this is compared to the competitor’s version. Uncle Jim then dictates what it takes to really provide good customer service (21:17). Tools like service cards are used which thank the customer for their business (23:06). Upon entering his nephew’s office, Jim offers the lubrication services to a customer (23:29). One of the sales representatives; a man called ‘Little’, appears to be doing surprising well (24:31). Jim takes his nephew to the lubrication center to show that Little had been receiving his leads from them in the center (25:15). Here he displays the amount of time and craft they put into building the lead beginning with soft selling their new car to a customer over five months as the consumer regularly brought their car in for lubrication services (25:28). Jim suggests they install a model of the new available car into the service shop (27:47). Concentration on one well known and effective brand helps sales (28:23). Small effective gestures such as offering to drive a woman’s car from out of the garage for her are shown (28:52). Another mechanic allows the customer to see the need for service to be completed for himself (32:20). Use of tools such as the chart which shows which grease or oil to use (33:42) enables good customer service. The close out process which takes place when the customer returns to pick up their car follows (35:02). Jim explains how the lubrication services and oil changes were now carrying a large part of the overhead (36:36). Customers tend to look to mechanics as car experts making them an ideal selling tool (37:13). The mechanic offers the customer a list of used cars available at the dealership (37:42). Jim also credits much of their success to the assistance of Socony Vacuum Oil Company (38:33). As the film wraps up Jim is heard using the title as he agrees to stay on and work because he ‘likes this business’.
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[@eshelly4205]

Funny how no matter how much time goes by, somethings never change

[@robstumpf]

Love it. Trying to offer the most value for the most money. No talk about government handouts, diversity, equity, loving complete strangers, or any bunk like that.

[@tomservo56954]

I never even knew there was a special water pump grease.

[@fredbozo8488]

Back in the day when they said “poppycock” instead of “f*cking bullsh*t” 😂

[@hopebear06]

I have a 1920's Vacuum oil Gargoyle oil can for sale. Very rare.

[@jayg1438]

That company was founded in Rochester, NY. The city I grew up in.

[@alphaomega8373]

Trade ya for a rusty Tonka truck!

[@baronvonnembles]

Several "hells" or "damns". Very unusual for the time. I suspect they were thrown in to show the guys watching that this was real to life stuff!

[@winnerscreed6767]

Maybe a little cheesy by today's vision. But I liked the relaxed feel to it and learned a lot about how older cars worked and were maintained.

[@jamestregler1584]

Geee Wizzzz the shop looks snazzy 😃

[@fromthesidelines]

Originally released in 1934.

[@manhoot]

The business of America is business.

[@earlyriser8998]

you are so right....it is what makes us the promised land for billions of souls.

[@ubangiestomp]

Said President Calvin Coolage, back in the day.

[@mickeybitsko1676]

We’re bigger than u s steel

[@mickeybitsko1676]

This guy should hire joe Thorne as sales manager

[@Doodlesthegreat]

"...but then again, I like peat moss." *CLAP* (RIP Chuck Barris)

[@HarmanMotorWorks]

And along comes the EVs....and we can (almost) say goodbye to the "lubrication service"...

[@58sportsuburban]

EV’S have been around since the 1800’s…

[@rapman5363]

Mobil grease #6 😂😂😂

[@chrisyost8167]

Not fond of it?

[@dannydougin3925]

The music makes me think of worker ants!

[@kc4cvh]

Ten or twelve times a year? My I3 is next scheduled for service in April, 2024.

[@earlyriser8998]

It was a different time...there were few sealed bearings and manufacturing tolerances meant that oil leaked by the cylinder rings like a highway. Rubber was used for engine mounts and broke down easily and no metal panel was rust proofed. Even in the 1960's we replaced rusted cars every 3-4 years. The Japanese revolutionized cars in the 1970's and built the first versions of what we have today. We expect a car to go 10,000 miles on an oil change, not to rust, and much more. The result is cheap used cars, cars that last for decades without fatal problems, and relatively cheap repairs. I am more concerned about the computers in my current cars than I am about the mechanical aspects.

[@markdraper3469]

@@earlyriser8998 Agreeing, to a point. Things today seem over complicated or over simplified compared to the past. Parts outsourced to contractors have their own QC issues. Some things you might work on require tools that cost as much as the single repair would. Of course car manufacturers have learned from the electronics industry, "pay to buy it, pay to use it and pay to give it back." In 2008 I got a Chevy with OnStar standard. It was incompatible with 1st Gen and by 2011 was also outdated. Today I have a '21 Ford that is connected 5 ways from Sunday. But at the rate things become unsupported, will I not be able to use the features I'm using now, not for the failure of the device, but because they simply will stop upgrading my version?

[@jimhaines8370]

back in those days oil changes every 1000 miles as most cars didn't even have filters and no full flow filters. The old Kendell oil add showed two fingers as to say they had the first 2000 mile oil

[@kc4cvh]

I was just foolin’. I’ve done most upkeep on my vehicles for forty years, I’m glad to reduce it to just restoring my Porsche 928

[@kc4cvh]

I also remember the Marfak grease, “lasts up to 1,000 miles!”

[@andrewsmactips]

Funny how Americans say Sell when the mean to say Persuade. eg: "You've got to sell him."

[@mickeybitsko1676]

Too bad they didn’t add another 15 minutes on this. Would be a good B fil7m

[@mickeybitsko1676]

Don McBride not yelling?

[@1_TRICK_Pony]

👍

[@christopherwelch136]

The “principles of business.” Lol!

[@earlyriser8998]

Chris, that is the way business works. Google tracks every search and purchase of yours to sell your info to someone else. KZbin monitors the videos you watch to push certain videos on to your channel. You and your actions are the products they sell. Credit cards and grocery stores track every item you buy to profile you and many others for targeted promotions. Every loyalty card and coupon is a company trying to understand your purchases and influence more. Even I would promote our fish of the day if you came into my restaurant, in the day. And with good service maybe get a larger tip. If you are not trying to increase your margin and keep your customers happy then you will go the way of the great dodo.

[@NipkowDisk]

back when "vacuum" was pronounced with THREE syllables... cool.

[@chuckschafer942]

HENRY TRAVERS

[@alphaomega8373]

90 day service for a brand new car? Get real!

[@straightpipediesel]

The average American car goes around 1200 miles/month. If you do the excessive 5,000 mile oil change quick lube places push, that's a service every 4 months.

[@mickeybitsko1676]

People made it to Hollywood aspiring to act…..and wound up in this suboptimal trash

[@baronvonnembles]

You must be fun at parties.

[@mickeybitsko1676]

@@baronvonnembles when I walk into a room, I own it with my Hollywood presence. If you want to feel better, go put on some makeup

[@mickeybitsko1676]

@@baronvonnembles I do magic tricks. Make mark Johnson disappear