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Going to a car dealership has always been terrifying for me. I feel like a deer in the headlights, and I feel like everyone working there knows I feel that way. “Fresh meat” is something I can almost hear them saying, like sharks circling their prey. It also doesn’t help that sometimes I just get the guys working at car dealerships creepily checking me out, which I certainly shouldn’t have to face at any establishment where I’m about to hand over a bunch of money. Though blanket statements aren’t always great, for the sake of this article, we can probably all agree that men generally think that women aren’t great at negotiating or asserting themselves, and that male car salesmen feel that way about women, tenfold. But you don’t have to be walked all over at a car dealership. Here are tips for going as a woman.
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Research the cars in advance
You’re helpless if you haven’t researched the cars in advance. Figure out the cars you’re interested in. Then figure out which ones are actually in your price range. The ones that aren’t—forget about those. Narrow in on a few, and learn everything you can about them, like how good of mileage they get, typical problems they run into, common things they go to the auto body shop for, typical resale value, and more. Know your facts, so a salesperson doesn’t try to spin false facts at you.
