The latest national data shows that 45% of women feel apprehensive and 34% are intimidated when browsing at a car dealership. Women account for 54% of new car purchases, yet almost 60% visit the dealership with another person, in most cases a man (78%), even when the car is exclusively hers.
Why do so many women still bring a male chaperone with them when buying a new car? At
Women-Drivers.com, the most common reasons we hear are:
- I feel that I do not know as much about cars as men, so I prefer a male companion to assist me
- I don't want to look cheap or seem aggressive; I prefer to defer those tasks to a man
- I'm not as comfortable being straightforward as men in a business transaction; it's harder to ask for what I want as directly
- I feel that I will not get the best deal on my own. I.e., two are better than one - I believe this neutralizes or mitigates overpaying or being taken advantage of
- I'm not comfortable with salesmen (9 out of 10 car sales associates are men)
Does this data surprise you? Are you comfortable buying a car alone?
