Car Buying Tips For Women
Men Get Better Deals -
Men tended to get the best prices, while women were on average quoted £534 more when they tried to haggle.
Couples do better than women, but can't match lone men. If you are female, try to make an appointment with a female salesperson – they tend to treat female customers better
Read The Small Print -
Read the small print before you sign a finance deal because this is a binding contract.
The most important thing to check for is the phrase ‘regulated by the FSA’: if this isn’t present, don’t sing.
The APR rate should also be clearly displayed, along with the total amount repayable.
Check the terms and conditions for early settlement and termination charges, too, and make absolutely sure that you’re not inadvertently agreeing to a payment protection scheme.
Buy The Car You Want -
One you’ve done your homework, you’ll know the make and model of the car that you want to buy – but the salesman might have other plans.
By all means listen to any device, because it might raise issues you’ve overlooked, but don’t let him talk to you into a car that isn’t suitable for your needs,
but a car with a big engine and your fuel bills could go through the roof; too many extras could make it difficult to resell.
For Bigger Buvks, Sell Privately -
Part-exchange is quick, easy way to off-load your old car when you buy new, but you’ll be paying for the privilege because your dealer will you give you a lower price for it.
The most lucrative way to sell is do it privately.
Don't Be Afraid To Walk Away -
Even if you’ve spend an hour sitting with salesman who has done his level best to get you to buy,
you’ve tested the car, discussed finance and agreed a price in principle - if you’re not sold the car or the deal, don’t be afraid to walk away.
So what if the salesman thinks you’re a time-waster? It’s your money, not his, and you don’t want to spend this much on something you’re not sure about.
Make A Budget And Stick To It -
Its easy to get carried away when buying a new car. The prospect of better performance, more space or extra equipment might lead you to push your budget to breaking point.
It’s a temptation you would do well to resist. If you borrow more than you can really afford and end up defaulting on repayments, your car could be repossessed.
Work out how much you can really afford before you set foot in the showroom – and stick to it.
Diesel Or Petrol -
A diesel car may cost you less in fuel but is likely to be more expensive to buy.
To decide what’s best for you, work out how many miles you do in a year, calculate the cost and expected resale value. The results should speak for themselves.
Timing Is Of The Essence -
As the month ticks past, salespeople start to get twitchy.
Most have to meet certain sales targets, and if they fail they lose valuable bonus payments.
Go shopping for a new car late in month and you could find that dealers are willing to cut a deal they’d have dismissed a couple of weeks ago.
Fill Out Your Own V5 -
Until the DVLA is informed you have sold your car, you remain liable for it, even if it’s no longer in your possession. So don’t accept a private buyers offer to send off your part of the logbook for you.
If they don’t, you’ll end up paying any speeding fines or parking tickets they incur.
Fill out your protion of the V5 logbook (Section6) and post it to the DVLS yourself; give only the New Keeper Supplement (Secton10) to your car’s buyer.
Get Haggling And Get A Bargain -
Want to save lots of money on the price of your new car? Then get haggling. Just because the salesman shows you a brochure with a price in it, doesn’t mean you have to pay it.
The best way to get a discount is simply ask for one.
Selling cars is a competitive business, so most dealers will negotiate to win your business – only the most rare and exclusive models can’t be bargained over. Be bold and you’ll get a yourself a great price.
Hit The Target Price -
How do you know whether you’ve been offered a good deal or not?
Look for the target price. The Target Price is the most you should pay for your next new car.
Clean Your Car Properly -
You only get one chance to make first impression, so make it count and give your car’s exterior a decent clean – a top – grade garage car wash will suffice.
The odd parking knock is expected on a three - or four-year - old mainstream car, but get them repaired on newer or more prestigious cars.
Consider The Color -
Silver is the most popular and helps residual values. White, lime green, yellow and green are best avoided.
Metallic paint comes as an extra but probably won’t add anything to your car’s resale value.
Usually, however, a metallic silver car will sell more easily than a flat-colored one.
If you plan to keep your car for five or 10 years depreciation becomes incidental – so bright purple is fine.
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