5 Tips For Female Car Buyers

Looking at buying a new car? If you’re a woman, you may have several disadvantages over a male consumer. To maximize your experience when buying a new car, you may want to consider these new car buying tips.  First, you should know everything about the car you are considering.  To check out prices and the safety information about cars you are thinking about: check out NADA Guides at: http://www.nadaguides.com.


Major Tips for Car Buying

Do your research online. It’s estimated that in today’s car buying climate, approximately 2/3 of all consumers will research online when buying a new car. You can visit car dealerships, the manufacturer’s website, and whether you are looking at buying a new car at your local dealer or through an online dealer, there are many valuable internet portals to check out the details of buying your new car. Through online research you can check current prices, if any recalls or hazards have been noted, and what the car’s safety rating is. That makes doing your research online one of the best car buying tips for women and men, alike.  Also, you can take a panoramic look at vehicles you are considering at www.nadaguides.com.



Women need to be prepared. When buying a new car, women need to have their research done and all materials in hand. Often there is a bias at car dealerships against women purchasers. Unfortunately, cars are still a man’s world. So, to get the best deal when buying your new car, you want to be prepared with print-out of the MSRP and any extra perks like sunroofs, or special color options you want before you go face to face with an old-school car salesman. On average, consumers who do their research and come to the car dealership prepared can save anywhere from 3% - 10% compared to shoppers who do not do their research ahead of time. CarSmart.com at www.carsmart.com is an excellent place to begin. Doing your research online, printing it off, and following the other new car buying tips will surely help you have the best experience buying a new car.

MSRP is not the bottom line. MSRP is the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. You need to be aware of this when buying your new car, but one of the main new car buying tips is that price is not set in stone. Although some dealerships will have an absolute “no haggle” price, this is typically set well below the manufacturer’s suggested retail price and is more likely to be based on the new car invoice price. Many online dealerships will list the new car invoice price on their sites, and this can be valuable cost effective research. To learn more about the differences in MSRP and Invoice price, this quick informative article is very useful http://www.beat-the.com/mailbag11.html. It never hurts to show your online printouts of invoice price so that you know what the real bottom line is. A car salesman who says the MSRP price is final should not intimidate women. Ask again, and you may find that you can have the vehicle you want for far less than the MSRP – but if you don’t ask, you will never know – just like if you don’t drive a car, you won’t know if it suits you.


Alternative Ways to Shop for Cars

Take a virtual test drive before the actual test drive. How? Women can take a virtual test drive at many online dealerships by doing side by side comparison of the cars you are considering. Taking a virtual test drive when buying a new car is a great new car buying tip; a tip that everyone should take advantage of when shopping for a car. Why? When you compare different makes and models of cars you are considering you are able to check out the specifications before going to the physical location of a car dealership. This will save you time, and perhaps money. By knowing exactly what you want when you go into the car dealership, you are less likely to be swayed by a talked up sales pitch, and instead, end up buying a new car that totally suits your needs. If you’ve done your research online, taken a virtual test drive, found out about the MSRP and invoice prices and come to the dealership prepared to get the most bang for your buck and buying the new car of your dreams, your are totally set up for success. Still, with all this preparation, your virtual test drive may not have prepared you for haggling with the car dealer, and this is when the best car buying tip comes in handy, and you may consider taking a male friend with you.

Consider taking a male friend to the dealership. While to some women it may seem ridiculous that they would need the morale support of a male friend at their new car buying experience, it can be of assistance. As noted earlier, women have disadvantages when buying a new car that men simply don’t face. If you encounter a prejudicial car dealer who thinks cars are a man’s domain and women know nothing about them, despite all your hard work researching exactly what you want, then having a male friend along can both bolster your courage to be aggressive at getting what you want, as well as stepping in if need be. The end result you want is buying a new car that you want, and suits your lifestyle at the best price possible. If you need to take a male friend along to even the playing field when you are dealing for your new car, do it and be happy that you are a woman secure enough in herself to accept the help of a man when needed.