Poll Shows Little Improvement
On Biggest Gripes
Buying
a car remains a hassle for women, according
to a recent poll conducted by CarMax, retailer
of used cars. In fact, the poll showed no
improvement since the company's last consumer
response in 2004. That's not a good thing,
in case you were wondering. While women purchase
over 50 percent of new and used vehicles,
many still feel unaccounted
for at dealerships.
CarMax recently surveyed more than 9,800 women
on carmax.com about what was most lacking
in their car-buying experience. The responses
are summarized below, compared with the responses
to a similar survey conducted on carmax.com
in 2004. What was most lacking when you bought
your last car?
|
What
was most lacking when you bought your
last car? |
This
Year's Response |
Response
in 2004 |
| Quick,
effortless transaction |
21% |
21% |
| Salesperson
I liked and trusted |
15% |
16% |
| Fair
trade-in value |
14% |
14% |
| Respect
/ Attention to my needs |
14% |
13% |
| Fair,
reasonable finance rate |
6% |
7% |
| Understandable
paperwork |
4% |
4% |
| Other
factors |
12% |
11% |
"Women
continue to experience stress when buying
a car as demands on their time and the need
for convenience increases," said Donna
Wassel, regional vice president for CarMax.
"That's why it is important to find a
car retailer that focuses on providing a transparent,
customer-friendly, and easy car buying process."
Wassel offers the following 10 tips for
women car shoppers:
1. Use the Internet to research vehicle
types, makes, models, options, features, and
prices. Visit websites such as carmax.com
to see actual prices and photos of
every vehicle make and model.
2. Print out fact sheets or information
about the vehicles you are interested in,
so you can remind yourself about what you
want when you step onto the lot.
3. Bring key paperwork items with you,
including title and registration for your
current vehicle, your driver's license, and
insurance card.
4. If you have been pre-approved for a car loan, bring the approval letter with you.
5. Find a car retailer and salesperson you like and trust by asking friends and family for referrals.
6. Find a car retailer that is open and transparent in all aspects of the transaction.
7. Look for a retailer that offers low, no-haggle prices and a la carte pricing on each part of the car buying transaction - the vehicle price, the warranty, the trade-in, and the financing. Beware of extraneous, unexplained fees.
8. Get a fair offer on your trade-in separately from your car purchase. You can bring your car to CarMax for a free appraisal. Having the appraisal offer will help you understand the fair value of your "trade-in" before you start shopping.
9. Have confidence in your car shopping abilities. You have done your research and are prepared to make a smart decision.
10. Do not hesitate to ask lots of questions — as many as you need so that you understand exactly what you are paying for. Be prepared to walk away if you are unhappy with your experience.
"Being prepared to walk away can be tough to do, especially if you have spent a lot of time on one car lot," says Wassel. "But if you are not pleased with the car buying process, it's worth it — remember, you are the one who has to drive the car and make the payments, not the salesperson."
(Source: CarMax) |
