Not Confident Car Buyers (NAPSA)—Anational survey of automotive buying habits drives home some surprising points about women. It shows most women feel disadvantaged in the car-buying process. The study finds that 75 percent of women plan to bring a man along for their next vehicle purchase, mostly to feel that they’re getting a fair deal. “This survey shows today’s womenstill do not feel as empowered as they should in the carbuying process,” said Diana Don Colby, director of financial education at Capital One, which commissioned the study. The survey shows 74 percent of women feel the most difficult parts of buying a car are the financial aspects, such as pricing, financing and understanding associated fees andcosts. Kelley Blue Book and Capital One have compiled a set of tips to help empower women with the knowledge and confidence they need to successfully manage the car-purchase process. Learn about vehicle pricing. Use the Internet to research new and used car prices, including dealer invoice pricing, trans- action pricing and how much you can expect to get on yourtrade-in. Know what you can afford and use those target numbersasa reference point for your pricing negotiations. Research different financing options. A range of auto financing options is available, including dealer financing, banks, credit unions and online lenders. Researching your options andfind- ing the lowest rate you qualify for before purchasing can help save a substantial amount of money. * Treat the car-buying process as three separate negotiations. Determining the: 1) vehicle price; 2) trade-in value; and 3) financing are three separate transactions, and you should negotiate each separately. This strategy will simplify your deal. Read your contract care- fully. Don’t sign until you’re sure everything is correct and the terms are stated in writing as they were explained to you. Stay in control of the process—it’s OK to walk away. If it’s not the price or deal you want, be ready to walk away. Remember, there are many dealers out there who are eager for your business.
