This article talks about tips for women but the Spies say they are helpful for ALL buyers...Men AND Women.
Buying a Car Remains a Hassle for Women
Recent Poll Shows Little-to-No Improvement From Previous Year's Biggest Gripes
"Women continue to experience stress when buying a car as demands on their time and the need for convenience increases," says Donna Wassel,
regional vice president for CarMax. "That's why it is important to find a car retailer that focuses on providing a transparent, customer-friendly, and easy car buying process."
Wassel offers the following 10 tips for women car shoppers:
Buying a car remains a hassle for women, according to a recent poll conducted by CarMax, Inc. (NYSE: KMX), the nation's largest retailer of used cars, on the company's website. The poll shows no improvement in women's biggest gripes from previous years in which the poll was conducted.
CarMax recently surveyed more than 9,800 women on carmax.com about what was most lacking in their car-buying experience. The responses are
summarized below, compared with the responses to a similar survey conducted on carmax.com in 2004.
What was most lacking when you bought your last car?
*Click on photo to expand
1. Use the Internet to research vehicle types, makes, models, options,features, and prices.
Visit websites such as carmax.com to see actual
prices and photos of nearly every vehicle make and model.
2. Print out fact sheets or information about the vehicles you are interested in, so you can remind yourself about what you want when you
step onto the lot.
3. Bring key paperwork items with you,including title and registration for your current vehicle, your driver's license, and insurance card.
4. If you have been pre-approved for a car loan, bring the approval letter with you.
5. Find a car retailer and salesperson you like and trust by asking friends and family for referrals.
6. Find a car retailer that is open and transparent in the transaction.
7. Look for a retailer that offers low, no-haggle prices and a la carte pricing on each part of the car buying transaction -- the vehicle
price, the warranty, the trade-in, and the financing. Beware of extraneous, unexplained fees.
8. Get a fair offer on your trade-in separately from your car purchase. You can bring your car to a reputble dealer for a free appraisal. Having the appraisal offer will help you understand the fair value of your "trade-in" before you start shopping.
9. Have confidence in your car shopping abilities. You have done your research and are prepared to make a smart car buying decision.
10. Do not hesitate to ask lots of questions -- as many as you need so that you understand exactly what you are paying for. Be prepared to
walk away if you are unhappy with your car buying experience.
"Being prepared to walk away can be tough to do, especially if you have spent a lot of time on one car lot," says Wassel. "But if you are not
pleased with the car buying process, it's worth it -- remember, you are the one who has to drive the car and make the payments, not the salesperson."