Today’s post is all about WOMEN buying a new car and getting rid of the Bullshit that actually STILL goes on at local dealerships, from pricing to sales and arrogant MALE staffers.
I am offering car-buying tips for women to use so that you can work them into your methodology of how to purchase a new car (we all have our own style).
It’s your turn to buy a new car, finding the one that most satisfies your wants, needs, and income without being stressed when you walk into some of these car dealerships and leave with a smile on your face, knowing that you didn’t get hustled into a ‘car just for women’ or a car you didn’t want because they couldn’t work with you, that’s all B.S.!
Our secrets for women buying cars and dealing with local dealerships will strengthen your purchasing position and let you feel good about the whole process.
Buy a car ladies, rid of the bullshit that goes on at ‘some’ dealerships because YOU Can use our new car purchase advice for women!
Table of Contents
What Qualifies Me TO Provide Car Buying Tips For Women to Rid The Bullshit Game At Car Dealerships?
Just like you, I needed a car(s), but shopping has been less than meritorious, dealing with some seriously “brain-deficient” for lack of other words, men!
I’m not a pretty thing walking into an auto showroom, that has nothing in that “little head of mine” as one dealer stated.
I do know what I want, why I want it, and what I can afford, and when ONE dealer at a local dealership told me, ” You shouldn’t be so picky, if we have one color in, just take it, so we can move on with this, at least you found an SUV, that’s close!” That was all pre-COVID y’all and that started the revolution of me speaking out to help YOU!
- I am a woman
- I need a vehicle to drive
- I have a list of what I want and what I don’t want
- I have kids and I am a hockey mom
- As my kids turn into young adults they needed cars too (and I’ve helped them)
After being featured in Redbook years back for buying an upscale family SUV vehicle way under the sticker price, and now buying a premium 2 premium luxury cars, and writing and test driving cars (for work and articles) I can assure you, I’ve got the goods in my trunk that it takes to walk the walk, talk the talk and walk away when dealerships aren’t quite meeting your needs.
Let’s call this a DIY for buying cars, as I will share what to do and avoid.
Since you will know what to do and what to avoid, you will be able to navigate a car purchase without the bs that often accompanies it!
After years of working with over 8 brands of cars and learning vehicles inside and out, and writing about them, I know just a little about cars and what to expect!
So putting together car-buying tips for women to rid of the bullshit at the car showrooms will hopefully give you a starting ground.
Use Car Buying Tips For Women: Ladies, stay in the driver’s seat when purchasing a car
Don’t let the automotive salespeople talk you into what they want to sell, you are in charge of the purchase.
Remember, you are the queen in your story of life and always will be! Own your role, your highness!
If your car is a shared ride with your partner, choose together, but don’t let a car brand representative talk you into what THEY want!
I don’t deal with condescension, arrogance, or being treated differently in my everyday life, so why would I do so when buying a car?
In fact, one of my most recent interactions was with a Sales Manager who was the antichrist of anyone selling to just ‘anyone’.
Remember Pretty Woman, “Big Mistake! Big! Huge Mistake!” ” I have to go shopping now!”
Car Buying Tips For Women
Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk
You already know the answer, as I was featured in a Redbook article a few years back for the solid purchase of a vehicle at a great price.
Yep, I dealt with horrible sales personnel but never stopped until I found the right car and the right dealership.
Trust me on this, many salespeople talk differently to MEN than Women and I just bore witness to it again!
Rather than deal with the whole scenario, I have walked away, because I don’t do gender-differing discussions or treatment.
Use my car buying tips for women, and if you know your ‘stuff’ before you set foot in a dealership, chances are you will excel at the task at hand.
What Just Happened to Me? I Need Car Buying Tips For Women
The car concierge (at BMW) that took me for a test drive discussed how to work the mirrors and ‘here’s how you take the car from Park to Drive!”
Ok, the shift was right in front of me, and I drove in a car, so when did I suddenly begin to look like I’d NEVER driven a car before?
I countered and said, how do you take it from hybrid to Sport? All I cared about is if the car MOVED!(I was looking for a button but it was on the shifter)
As we drove, “Oh I can tell it’s not your first time driving!”
Sorry, but there is no other way to say this, “WTF?” So, to lay it on a bit more I took a FEW curves a bit tighter, and I know he looked a bit pale after we were done!
My Husband Went To Test Drive and…
Just to get a different perspective I asked my husband if he wanted to drive the same car and see if it really ‘did its thing?”
We arrived and the SAME salesperson suddenly kicked into GUY Mode.
Sharing the HP, how it was magnificent and twin-turbo, and sharing that ‘you’ll see you don’t need more than a 4 Cylinder in this one!”
Never did he show him how anything the car worked, nor did he comment on HIS driving.
Rather he said, “take it harder!”
After we left my husband and I had a discussion and I told him, seriously I needed to write about car-buying tips for women to beat the bullshit.
The gender communication difference is warped and should move at warp speed to change.
News Flash for Dealerships!
Hey, dealerships, women buy cars too, but when you staff your floor with men, who only represent their gender, you take away the chance of women feeling comfortable.
Better yet, your sales staff needs to consider WHO they are working with and that if I drive into your dealership IN A VEHICLE I know how to drive.
Really, I don’t need a seatbelt lesson or how to shift the lesson thanks!
Rather, ask me how
- How am I using my current car (sports, kids, traveling)
- What is on my wishlist
- What is my current vehicle missing
What NOT To Ask A Woman About When She Is Car Shopping?
Don’t ask a woman her car budget, she’ll lead YOU to what she is considering.
Don’t tell your prospective WOMAN buyer to Get a New budget, you are JUDGING me and don’t know ANYTHING about what I can afford.
Why Do We Need CAR BUYING TIPS FOR WOMEN?
You need to know what you are looking for, and what you want.
If you know this, your process will let you in the driver’s seat.
Otherwise, you might be mapped and placed in a car you did not go looking for with features you don’t need or want.
Always remember, unless you are living in your car, it’s used for a commute.
Bottom Line: you need to get from a-b and you don’t need more than you have on that list if it means paying more!
Quick New Purchase Advice For Women To Use
In each different car-buying scenario, I’ve gotten stronger and bolder because this is the GOLDEN RULE YOU LADIES Need to Remember and it’s from MY perspective but applies to EACH of you!
Ladies: Who’s Money Is Buying That New Vehicle?
“It’s MY money being spent, and I want what I want, not what the dealer wants to sell unless it FITS Into what I want without much compromise!”
Momma Didn’t Raise A Dumb Girl
Ladies Go Armed But Provide Interactive Questions!
Rather than feeling bound to anyone, I go armed, and never really reveal what I know, but I do ask questions that should alert a ‘listening’ salesperson that I do know a bit.
Never give up your hand, do share knowledge, but do be forthright, but also let the sales associate share their ‘offerings.’
Then you will see how ‘truly transparent’ they are or are NOT!
You Suddenly Got Into The Driver’s Seat of The Sales Conversation
Suddenly, you are in the driver’s seat because you will have these car buying tips for women that will have been put into play and they help you rise to the occasion!
Combining your prior research on a vehicle, with actively listening, some knowledge of cars (outside of how to put windows up and down), and using some new knowledge that might actually flow out of the mouth of the car salesperson put you in control and behind the RIGHT Wheel of the Right car, but there is more, so keep reading!
#1 Car buying Tips For Women: Create A Wishlist For Your New Car
So when you shop for shoes or a handbag for your job, you go out knowing what you want right?
You gotta have a wish list and you can always tweak it on the run if something does not fit into your budget or the model of the vehicle you were after consider it your own personal compromise.
Do yourself a favor, and make a wishlist for your new car.
What are the must-haves and what are the ‘extras’?
- will your partner ever drive your car? If yes, then you need a Driver 1, Driver 2 setting.
- What about an Apple/Android Nav system with a screen? Why use your phone’s screen when you can have one built-in?
- Do you need an interior lighting package
- what about a moonroof?
- Should your trunk be auto from a key fob or are you fine opening it yourself?
- Do you need a hybrid that charges gasoline only?
- Are you trying to steer clear of premium gas?
- Do you want a 4, 6, or 8 (if applicable) Cylinder engine?
- 4WD, RWD, FWD?
- What is your top spend and how much higher could you go before becoming financially sucked dry?
#2 Typical Questions Should Be Asked
When you get to explain what you want, there should be a line of questioning that is returned from the sales concierge.
Hopefully, the questions of What, Who, When, and Where will be answered.
What do you do for work and does it require this vehicle?
Naturally, the other part of the ‘what’, “What will you be using the car for? Work, kid shuffling, pleasure? “
Who will be the main driver?
Where will you drive (terrain, highway, city, etc)
But, I firmly disagree when I am asked about the budget because that just gives them a wide-open field to figure out other things “You gotta have” and you really don’t!
#3 New Car Purchase Advice For Women Before Going To The Dealership
Simple car buying tips for women to rid of the bullshit start before you go start with an online search!
Before I step foot in a dealership, I review Google reviews.
I want to know, who’s who, and what the staff is like.
Then, I like to see if the person helping me is mentioned in any reviews.
Chances are if they are not, you’ve got the bottom of the barrel.
#4 Car Buying Tips For Women: Make & Model
You might assume there are just a few colors, but there might be other models with other colors.
For instance, the BMW X5 came in a special color and did not have all the features I wanted, but I fell in love with an optional color, that I never knew existed.
So, my car buying tips for women lead me to this: learn the colors, make, and model that you are interested in.
Stay focused on that and peruse.
Don’t be swayed by ‘what you might want” instead have a checklist.
Also, seek out the dealership with that Car on the lot, not photos.
See that color and model in person.
Experience it with your eyes and snap photos so you can remember what you liked, disliked, and saw!
#5 Car Buying Tips For Women: The Window Sticker
There’s absolutely NO WAY to remember what you love and what you saw. Why?
Car buying tips for women: You can have a copy of the window sticker, it’s not against the law, so ASK!
You are invested at the moment, and it’s exciting, and it should be!
While you are looking at things in the car, you can’t keep up with everything, so make notes on your phone.
Then get a copy of the window sticker.
Window stickers help you to recall everything the car has and what it does not.
Work this against your personal checklist!
#6 More Ways To Remember What You Are Seeing
Our world is photo happy, so another part of my car-buying tips for women: take photos! Lots of them!
Take photos of the interior, and the car, with the digital screens on.
Make sure to take a picture of the console, the sides of the door panels, and the cupholders.
Look in the backseat for cargo nets, storage, etc.
Photo it, so you have what you need to walk away with and consider.
Why? The less you have to talk to the salesperson, the better your chances of not being PUSHED into the purchase.
#7 Car Buying Tips for Women: The sales associate
This is the obstacle that can often make or break a deal.
You give your phone number and you are texted endlessly, called, and emailed.
Don’t get me wrong, follow-up is perfect, but pushiness is NOT welcome.
Meaningless texts like: “What’s the word?” are just needless solicitations. I was getting this via text and I showed my husband, which only further ticked me off because I didn’t know this MAN, and I was not his friend and I only provided my cell number for REAL communication, not every few hours texting with “what’s up, any decisions yet”, “what’s the word”, “we doing this!”
NO! We are not doing this, you are doing yourself wrong with the endless texts, and phone calls and treating me like I’ve never even gotten into a car!
Let’s face it if the car is right, and the salesperson was truly transparent, you are going back.
Chances are you will buy the car there, but the needless aggressiveness will turn you off.
So if you are getting called, texted, and emailed nonstop, walk away! I did and I never worried about it, because there are lots of places to purchase cars from including online, in other states, and at other BMW Dealerships!
#7 Car Buying Tips For Women: Dear Sales Manager
When your salesperson is failing miserably to close the deal there is a reason.
Back To Our BMW Incident!
Whatever the reason is, you know the big swinging Sales Manager is going to take a turn to dig in and try to grasp you!
Without wanting to battle back, all I can tell is that I literally had the funniest call of my life with a sales manager.
Let me be crystal clear, because these TWO Men, I would NEVER buy a vehicle at this particular BMW dealership because of them!
The sales manager says, “Your homework is…” that just ends the call, hang up! I did! I don’t need homework, you my dear manager need to do yours, and figure out why your louse of a salesperson isn’t closing the deal.
Is it his attitude toward women? Or his lack of actually showing me anything intriguing in the car, or asking me HOW I will use it?
Perhaps it is his perverse attitude about realizing he actually has to SELL features and discuss the car to make a sale, not just try to close it because you are a BMW Dealer, cause trust me, that doesn’t make you all Gods!
Their homework is to get to know you and understand WHY You are not buying NOT assign you homework.
Or, if the sales manager, asks what you want and then touts, “You better get a bigger budget!” he’s a jerk.
#9 Car Buying Tips For Women When Shopping
Numbers can be crunched, deals can be made and unless you are jumping megabucks and not just features, you don’t need a bigger budget.
If the phrase is, “love the car and money later,” walk away, it’s gonna be way more than you want to spend and you don’t need to reveal your spending to them if you have already figured out what you can afford, what you are selling your current car for, and how much you want to pay a month and what their APR is BEFORE walking in the door because MOST of that info is available on their website!
Learn how many versions of the car there are
For instance, can you build a sportier version without modifying the vehicle of your dreams into a sports build?
There’s a good chance you can, and you might even find one like that so search!
So your takeaway for this car buying tip for women: shop a few places to get a real answer!
Then go back to the dealer you liked the most and address what you know, and ask for a transparent answer with that INFO on the table.
#10 Take A Partner with You On A Separate Shopping Trip
If you really want the car and really dislike the salesperson and you want more information, “call a friend”!
Now most of us are pressed for time, due to our jobs and personal life, but if you can have a friend go without you ( or with you) after you have been there, that is the best way to help make the decision, and let them talk to the salesperson.
Then, let the salesperson talk to them and run through all the stuff that didn’t happen during your conversation and meeting at the dealership. Does their conversation differ?
Did the car sales concierge start talking about engine, horsepower, and torque?
What about this: Did the sales concierge show the guys how to use the features down to the side view mirrors or do they put them in and let the drive?
I’ll bet they show them nothing more than the FOB and start button, describe the torque and engine then let them drive!
#11 LADIES! Make The Sales Concierge Put Some Time Into The Sale
I am not on my computer all day or all night, just like you, I am running a business, a house, and a very young-adult-driven schedule, I have zero minutes to myself.
Nothing is more aggravating than having a dealer tell you to go on the site and BUILD YOUR CAR.
Why can that associate simply not take my checklist and create the car? If I have what I want already stated, and nothing else why must I do more work?
Here’s The Reason A Sales Concierge Won’t Build A Car For You
Maybe I should call these the car buying tips for women a.k.a. red flags of a bad dealer!
- He never asked you how you would use the car
- He showed you how to use a seatbelt, not the gas pedal, and the optional drive modes
- Instead of asking you how you use your car now and if you have kids, he asked nothing
- The salesperson basically assumes that you are there and in their Venus Flytrap to buy and that’s that
They need to help YOU, and the good ones will, the ones just in it for the sale toss this on you.
Walk Away!
Trust me, I just walked away from this nonsense.
The dealer that works with you in the here and now and gives you everything you need in minutes, that’s the kind of dealer YOU should work with.
#12 Got a Trade-In?
You are about to be underwhelmed and you need to go a different direction.
There are a lot of ways to get money for your vehicle that you are currently driving, so please don’t just drive it into a dealer and settle for their price, or you are being as bad of a customer as they are a dealer!
My New Car Purchase Advice For Women
Do NOT take the dealer’s offer because often you can do better.
Exhaust ALL your other resources first to get the most money out of your current vehicle, and I would not share this with you if I had personally not used and done this first on the last 3 vehicles I purchased.
First, try We Buy Any Car, see what their offer is and then go get the true evaluation.
They may also update you with better offers as the week goes along.
Next, a few used dealerships like our CarShop actually will offer you a sale price that will probably exceed the dealership.
Yes, there is a tax benefit to the sale at the dealership but, when the dealer takes the tax break against your top number, you are getting screwed.
So, don’t just let the dealer be the driving factor of your car trade, you are in the driver’s seat!
Overall Car Buying Process + Car Buying Tips For Women
In the end, it’s up to you to assert, learn, and not compulsively buy.
Know who you are, and what you want, and have a set of expectations for the dealership and associates you are about to work with.
I bid adieu to a Cadillac XT5 because local dealers have been awful, and when I took it in for 3000-mile maintenance they did not even wash the car.
Plus it does not go in the snow as it was touted, it absolutely sucked in performance and the weight of the car simply didn’t keep it PLANTED.
So in the end, I’ve followed my own rules and have been out and shopping but I won’t modify my expectations or wants to fit the ‘seller’.
Rather, I work with those that want to modify what they have to what we can make work, that’s how it should be.
NO bullshit is what I prefer and because I have been a car aficionado and driven behind so many vehicles at my job, I know what to expect.
Sharing it with you hopefully helps you to get the best car buying experience and that you will read and employ my car buying tips for women! ~ Dana XO
