Men...I Need Your Help!

BetterWithAge

I did my homework online first. Then I took a male friend with me who knew what I wanted and what I expected to pay. He really didn't participate in the process, but having him there made it easier. I had gone by myself a few times, but was treated like an idiot and walked out of a few dealerships frustrated. It is sad how the sexes are still treated differently.

I hate having to get my car repaired... Same problem only worse. Years ago, I caught a guy trying to scam me. I was a single mom at the time and needed a new tire (couldn't afford a set). The guy told me that all of my tires needed to be replaced and that 'by law' he was not permitted to put them back on my truck. I told home that I could not afford it and he suggested that I borrow the money from a family member or husband/boyfriend. I laughed at him and told him that I was alone in the world no family/SO/anyone and really needed my truck. I think he felt sorry for me and said that I really didn't need to replace them all and that I could probably get by for a few more months. I never went back to that place.

Good luck

BetterWithAge

Excellent advice...

One of my best friends is a car salesman and has told me some things to help me out the next time I need to buy a car.

- Never, ever show excitement or love for a car, they know they can rip you off if you do. It doesn't matter how much you love it, never show it.

- Don't, under any circumstances, buy an extended warranty for a vehicle or any other extras or add ons. The dealerships make a huge amount of money off of them and they are basically a waste of your money.

- Have an list of no more than 3 vehicles with mileage and features you are looking to buy and about what they will cost.

- Do everything you can to get financing before you go to the car lot. Yes, they have a lot of options for financing, but you will most often get a slightly higher rate and other charges than you would at your local banks. They dealerships get kickbacks for financing and the higher your interest rate, the more they make. (I don't know if this is the case at every place, but it is at the dealership my friend works at) If your credit isn't good enough to get financing through a local bank then research what interest rate you're likely to get and how that will translate into payments. Unless buying new never stretch your payments farther than 5 years.

- If you or a friend aren't mechanically inclined enough to thoroughly check the car over then bite the bullet and take it to a trusted, non dealership mechanic to do so. It may cost you up to a $100 but it's worth it to avoid buying a piece of junk. If there is anything that needs to be addressed, such as tires needing replaced, ask the dealership to fix it for free before you commit to finalizing the sale.

- Only talk final purchase price, not monthly payments. This won't be an issue if you have already obtained financing or done your research. Also, don't be afraid to flat out tell the salesman no. Stick to your guns!

- Like someone above me said, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. The salesman is there to make money and that is it. They will try to act like they are working to get you the best deal possible but they're not. They're trying to find the maximum price you'll pay. The salesman is not your buddy.

- Don't talk numbers or purchase on your first visit. A good salesman will try to trick you into this, but don't fall for it.

- Don't be afraid to walk away and go somewhere else.

JohnFlevarakis

If I apologize for the "BOOBIES" thread, can I get a little help? :bigsmile:

I'm looking to buy a new car this year...so how can I, as a single woman, do this without getting hosed? Last time around I got saddled with my current hoopty. How can I get treated fairly because it seems that women get taken to the cleaners by car salesmen? And the first one who says "get a sex change" will feel my wrath, LOL! :devil:

i used true car.com when i bought my last car didn't think it'd work but some dealers are actually true car certified and honor the price

76tech

The friends of mine who can best negotiate a car purchase? Women.

Like everyone else has said - educate yourself on the prices.

Don't let the salespeople lead you from your questions. They are very good at skirting the issues when they don't want to give you a straight answer. Expect to have to ask the same direct question several times, only to have them answer with another question or just not answer it at all.

And, everything else said before I came to the party. Good luck. I hate buying cars almost as much as buying houses.

BetterWithAge

We will try this next time as well

If you plan to purchase new.....

Go test drive/try out all the vehicles and narrow it down to 2 different models.

Get pre-approved financing at your Bank/CU.

Email all dealers within 100 miles of your house and tell them you want XXX Model with these options in any of these colors. Make it clear you are emailing all dealers in your area and that you are pre-approved with financing.

I did this when I purchased my truck 4 years ago. I was able to get a awesome deal. I also was able to talk them down another 1,500 when I went in because I had to settle for a color I really didn't want and a couple extra options that I didn't really want to pay for. Gas was $4 and they really, really wanted to sell a truck. When we got to the point of arguing over $50 and no other dealer would beat it, I knew they were at the bottom.

QueenJayJay

Get a sex change.

Dad?

Don't get excited. I'm not paying child support.

LauraMacNCheese

I bought a book on negotiating which was quite fascinating and only reinforced my desire to take a shower after talking to a car salesperson.

...and wear something low cut and revealing.

Cleavage...yet another weapon in a woman's arsenal, yeah? LOL! :bigsmile:

LauraMacNCheese

Get a sex change.

LauraMacNCheese

Wow...I sure missed some great advice when I went to bed last night. Thanks everyone!! :flowerforyou:

Here's a little more detail that I should've included in my original post.

I plan to buy a used vehicle...and thanks to my tax refund, I have a set amount that I want to pay in cash. I want absolutely nothing to do with car payments at this point time and I've heard that cash-in-hand can get you a better deal @ the car lots. I just hate going there because they're like circling vultures waiting to swoop on you. I do know what I would really like...a Subaru Outback or Forester. But failing that, something along the lines of a Taurus or a similar model.

Some questions I have are: does asking for the "CarFax" really work? Can cash-in-hand really get you a better deal? Is it better to buy from a lot or a private party?

grinch031

I don't think being a woman is going to make you any more a victim than a guy. If you do your homework ahead of time, you will be better off. Last car I bought I couldn't get the salesman to even tell me the proposed interest rate! He kept asking, "how much do you want to pay per month?" And I kept responding with, "i don't care about the monthly payment, what is the interest rate?". It was so aggravating.

I hate car salesman, and have pretty much decided I'm going to do everything ahead of time and only go to a dealer to actually make the purchase and drive the car off the lot. If they don't agree on my price by phone ahead of time, I'm not going to waste my time.

TwinkieDong

It is easy, DO NOT SETTLE! Go to a credit union or a bank, get pre approved for a loan. That way you know your interest rate, and amount you can qualify for. Then research some cars, their reliability, the used value, new value based off dealer's cost, etc. Now you go shopping for a car. Never tell them you are pre-approved for a loan until you get into the finance department. Then you can see if they will beat that rate, if not you have your loan already. Now do you have a trade in? If so, think about selling it private party. If you must trade it in, I would first negotiate the new car. Then once negotiated I would bring up the trade in. Also never fall into the trap of how much you want your car payment to be. What they are doing is trying to see how much they can jack up your payment and interest to work in their favor. So if you want to answer that find a low number. Say $200 for 60 months on a used car. Hope this helps. Oh and dont fall for their this is the best deal. If things are not going our way, walk away. I would personally start with searching online and try and negotiate online rather than in person. They have lower over head, profit margins, etc.