What women should look for while buying a car

How often do we see just women going into a car dealership to inquire about a car? Or the salesperson to be a woman? Buying a car has been exaggeratingly showcased to be men’s business. Male chauvinism? Maybe. But this Women’s Day, we want to balance the deal, to some extent at least. We list a few things that women should look for while buying a car thus eliminating the need for a man to tag along and thus empowering you.

So, the first thing we are going to say is that the advice we give here is the same we would give for men. You read that right. Women don’t need separate car buying advice or guidelines. Men and women both are wired almost the same, well apart from shopping and cricket. So, please understand that it is the knowledge that matters, not the gender.

Secondly, the boys club of the car dealerships expects women to be uninformed, especially when the ladies are alone. Here’s where women have an advantage when loaded with information, of calling the salesperson’s bluff in case they try to one up you. So here goes, Ladies.

Information is wealth. And accessing the information is easier and quicker than boiling water. You can get all sort of information about the cars that match your budget, style and size. Learn as much as possible about cars that you have shortlisted. Know about the variants of each model and discover the features the variants come with, prioritising what you need before what you want.

Most of us would look for financing for buying a car and if you do too, again gather information from as much finance companies and banks as you can to compare. Yes, the car dealerships will help you on that but it is always better to know that you are getting the best offers.

And don’t let the salesperson know that you are looking at financing. Always negotiate with the dealer as if you are paying complete cash to get better deals. When you let them know about your thoughts on monthly instalments, their minds will work on how to add hidden costs in your payments.

Always get a quotation from different dealers of the same brand to get the best price. Once you have the quotes of different dealers, pit the dealers against one another with the quotes, before zeroing in on the best deal for you.

Watch out for any hidden or additional costs over and above the quoted prices from the dealers. Drill them deep about any kind of costs, smaller or larger, before offering them an advance on booking. Most dealers will add these costs right before the delivery, so be absolutely sure of the total cost.

If you are thinking of replacing your older car with a new one, always consider selling the older car rather than exchanging it with the dealers. The dealers always low ball much below the market price for the exchange of old car. You would be better off with selling the car yourself to save you a considerable amount of money.

Lastly, take your time before buying a car. Don’t jump into decisions blinded by the dealers’ offers. Weigh them out wisely and then decide.

Happy Women’s Day!

Relevant: 5 Cars that Every Female Loves to Drive