by Alex McCall
Cars
are cool. Most guys know this; they start playing with Hot Wheels in
their younger years, and by time they are in their teens, they can talk
torsional rigidity and pound-feet of torque with ease and enthusiasm.
Girls, on the other hand, have a pink plastic Barbie convertible with
no painstakingly-reproduced-in-miniature plastic engine, or even wheels
that turn reliably and doors that don’t fall off.
When
girls get their first car, it’s usually a present from mom and dad, or
some old beater they bought with allowance and babysitting money so
they could get to their job at the mall. When guys talk about their
first car, their eyes tend to get misty, and they smile at the memory
of working on their old Cougar with their dad or their buddies. When
we girls think about our first car, we usually either remember what a
piece of embarrassing crap it was, or remember the good times
indirectly related to the car itself, like that road trip we took in it
with our friends, or the special make-out session we had in the back
seat with our high school crush.
Now, as responsible adult women and moms, we are
expected to go out and buy a car that is right for us and our families,
that doesn’t cost too much and won’t break down, or guzzle gas, or harm
the environment – with little car-buying experience and almost no prior
knowledge of the workings of cars.
In 2006, women bought more
cars than men. In fact, Road and Travel published last year their
findings of a survey they conducted in 2004 of women car buyers,
finding that 52% of all car buyers that year were women. The same
survey also found that 85% of all family decisions concerning car
purchases were “influenced” by women. Carmakers are paying attention,
rest assured. More car features – beyond vanity mirrors and lipstick
holders – are being engineered towards the real needs of women, and
auto dealerships are on high alert for discrimination against their
fairer customers. The system is set up for women to succeed at this
car-buying business, so why do 80% of us (according to msnbc.com) still
bring along a man when we go to the dealership because we feel
intimidated by the process?
Let me ask you something: Do you
bring that same male friend or relative with you when you buy a
swimsuit? Because every spring women embark on a colossal research
project, involving hours of poring over source material, advice
garnered from several sources on usability, cost and appropriateness,
and hands-on inspection and trials that can last months. And all this
for a scrap of fabric that costs less than $100.
The secret to
car buying is that you needn’t be an automotive expert to buy one that
is right for you; you simply must be a good shopper. Are you a good
shopper? I know, I know, you could teach a Master Class in shopping,
right?
Now that you’ve shaken off the intimidation factor, here are my 5 Easy Steps to Buying the Perfect Car for You:
1. Lists
Make two lists. The first one should be labeled: Needs
Write down what you need your car to do, for example:
I… have snow/ice (or other weather conditions) where I live
… live in the hills or mountains
… spend a lot of time in bumper-to-bumper traffic
… do a lot of long-distance driving
… have baby(ies)
… have school-age kids
… have teenagers
… have no garage
… have clients in my car regularly
The second list should be labeled: Wants
Write down what you want your car to do, and don’t self-edit or talk yourself out of things. Examples:
Car should fly
Car should not use gas
Car should parallel-park itself
Car should be indestructible in accidents
Car should find me Mr. Right
Have
fun with this list: you might be surprised how many real-life car
features reflect these wants, such as a car so light and so fast, you
feel you’re flying; or a truck so durable it’s nearly indestructible.
2. Research
There
are car ads on TV almost every 2 minutes: which ones appeal to you?
Even if it’s something you don’t think you can afford or isn’t
practical for your needs, pay attention to why you find that car
appealing. Is it the brand, or a feeling of luxury or status? Is it
precision engineering? Take note of the cars that catch your eye in
ads on TV and in magazines, and write the makes and models on your
“Wants” list.
Take both your lists and compare them with a handful of cars that you
like from ads or recommendations from friends or family. Want your car
to fly? Look for a lightweight, high-horsepower coupe. Live in
Colorado or Vermont? Check for AWD, or all-wheel drive. Every car
online lists its specs, which can tell you much about the car, if you
just know how to look. It’s exactly like clothes shopping with
different terminology. Also, don’t automatically weed out cars that
appear out of your price range, it’s quite possible you actually can
afford the car of your dreams.
Many
wonderfully informative online sites are designed to help people choose
the right car. From full-service sites like vehix.com, cars.com and
edmunds.com, to luxury automobile sites like forbesautos.com, to
manufacturer sites that allow you to “build” one of their cars
virtually, car shopping is now actually fun. You can do side-by-side
comparisons of car makes and models, read advice and reviews, and
participate in online forums with real owners of a particular
make/model –That’s a great way to find out about the known problems of
a car.
3. Budget
By now, you have
narrowed down a selection of cars for consideration. You likely have a
favorite or two in the bunch. Put them aside. Take away the most
expensive car from the ones you have left. Get out your lists again,
and begin the weed-out process based on your own wants and needs for
your car, until you have only two or three options, including your
favorites.
Looking at the MSRP for those cars, you have now established the price range you are willing to pay.
Talk
with someone you trust, who is adept at financial matters, about
whether you outright purchase, financing, or a lease is the right
arrangement for you. DO NOT wait to do until you go to the dealership:
that’s a good way to get a bad deal.
Now you know which car you want, how much you are willing to pay and how you will pay, it’s time for the fun part…
4. Shopping
Just
as you would with groceries or home products, check circulars and
newspaper ads and inserts for sales and specials, before heading out to
the dealerships. Dealer sales and incentives are always going on, and
at different times of year the dealers are looking to unload their
inventory at clearance prices. It pays to be patient and have an eye
for sales!
If you aren’t necessarily looking for a new car,
check out the online car classifieds at the automotive sites, or
Ebaymotors. Anymore, used car sales are a sophisticated and reliable
way to get a great car for less money. Just be smart, be informed, and
trust your instinct if something doesn’t feel right.
If you do
want a new car, research your local dealers to find the ones certified
by AskPatty.com, or ones friends and relatives have recommended. There
is absolutely no reason why you should ever do business with someone
that does not respect you or treat you right. Go to the dealership
armed with your car choices, your budget, your coupons and your
questions. Don’t be afraid to ask them anything – no stupid questions
exist when you are preparing to buy an expensive item from a
salesperson. Remember that the salesperson is there to help you and
will probably be of enormous assistance when you get to the purchasing
stage. Also, never be embarrassed to say, “Thanks, I’m just looking.”
Test-drive
all the cars you want to – there’s no limit. You are making a big
purchase and you want to make sure you drive off in the right car.
Imagine yourself driving this car all day, every day. Are you
comfortable? Can you reach everything? Do you know how all the gizmos
and gadgets work? Will all of your stuff fit in the car? Forget for a
moment that the salesperson is in the car and concentrate on assessing
the car’s value for you.
Remember at all times during your stop
at the dealership that YOU are the one in control. Even if a pen is in
your hand, a contract before you and financing and sales people urging
you on, you can always walk away from a deal that doesn’t feel right.
Try not to give in to any pressure, after all, those people won’t be
driving with you a month from now, trying to figure out the
paddle-shifter while navigating rush-hour traffic.
You
buy your car at your price—no excuses! If they can’t work with you at
one place, they surely will at the next. You don’t have to buy that
car today, no matter what anyone says. If you want to sleep on it, it
(or something just like it) will be there tomorrow.
5. Car Ownership
Once
you bring that new (or new to you) car home, I predict you will be in
love. You will find online an enthusiast’s group for every make/model
ever conceived, and many cars have local and national groups that
get-together, show off their cars, race, or just dine and drive.
Specialized car types often have owner-outings, such as off-road events
or parades. All of this reinforces your excellent choice in vehicle,
and makes you feel part of something special and fun.
Maintenance
is so crucial. Just by adhering to the recommended scheduled
maintenance (often fully covered by warranty) will extend the life and
value of your car by many years. Having AAA or other emergency
coverage, such as OnStar, is well worth the cost of having the service,
as you will undoubtedly discover. Getting your oil changed or dealing
with a flat tire is relatively cheap and easy to have a professional
do, but I recommend you learn how to do these any way, more for the
sense of personal achievement and satisfaction than in case of
emergency in the desert.
Now that you’ve bought a car – the
right car for you – and had a pleasant experience doing it, spread the
word to your friends and family. Cars are cool, and now you know that
buying cars is a piece of cake.
Alex McCall is an automotive
journalist and a car-crazy woman who has loved and learned about cars
since early childhood. She writes about cars to educate women on car
buying, car maintenance and automotive news, but more importantly; she
seeks to spread her love of all things automotive to other women.
Currently, she writes for ForbesAutos.com on a freelance basis and for her new blog, http://troubleonwheels.blogspot.com on a daily basis.
