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?
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i use a combo of shea butter and aloe vera moisturizer. Works great. I use shea butter on my lips, around my eyes and nose (dry areas), My father swears by vasoline.
p.s. I dropped your name on Gina's post, Barb. ;)
My husband I recently purchased a new car. Best experience ever. He went to the dealership. Met with the salesman. Test drove all of the cars we talked about. I test drove a friend’s car of the one I liked. My husband did all of the negotiations with the salesman alone at the dealership. I didn’t have to deal with the stress. When it was done, he called me and said I could come down, sign the papers and drive my new car home. Easy peasy. My husband is a tough negotiator, and he can be tough, without me there. I don’t like the stress of the “deal”. We got our new car thousands of $ below invoice along with perks like tinted windows and more. So, it’s not that I “need” my man there, it’s just that I know where my strengths and weaknesses lie, and he’s my strength in this particular area.
I think most people, whatever gender, start out with a certain reserve of sales resistance but it wears down as you visit several dealerships. It’s good to go with a friend who can pull you back from the brink. It’s very unlikely that you will lose anything of value by taking a day to mull over whatever deal you’re considering, and a friend with no emotional investment in the outcome can help you not get caught up in deal fever.
I agree. The Salespeople want you caught up in the Buyer’s Hype” and that sense of you must buy NOW, TODAY. That’s why I don’t go. Too much stress on me. I don’t like them putting pressure on me. My husband isn’t affected by it. He can walk away easy. I feel guilty. I don’t know why. I just do.