Are Women Better Than Men When It Comes to Buying a Car?
While the book 'Women Don’t Ask' indicates the fairer sex often winds up paying upwards of $1,300 more for a car simply to avoid the sometimes-painful haggling process, a new survey demonstrates women aren't the pushovers auto-sellers may think they are.
The survey, conducted for car lease swapping site LeaseTrader, shows women are more likely than men to ask tough questions and be more thorough during the car-buying process.
For example, when taking over a lease from a previous owner, more than two-thirds of women overall insist the vehicle undergo an inspection before the transfer occurs, while only about half of men do the same.
Female buyers were also more likely to ask about a vehicle’s accident history, safety performance, and overall functionality. Guys, on the other hand, tended to focus more on aesthetics, technology, and driving and engine performance.
The bottom line: women may be more inclined to avoid confrontation -- or haggling -- but they ask a lot of questions to avoid getting stuck with a lemon.
Sergio Stiberman, CEO and founder of LeaseTrader.com, said, “[The fact that] our data illustrates a deepening relationship between women and cars comes as no surprise to us given that the gender gap has narrowed and even reversed in some areas since our marketplace opened nearly 15 years ago.”
[Time]