Buying a Car

Buying a car is supposed to be an exciting experience, trading in the old for the new. But oftentimes, it becomes a hassle we dread. Stepping into a car dealership, being swarmed by salespeople, trying to finding the right car, and being hit with a price way over budget isn’t exactly ideal – not to mention extremely time-consuming. But of course, the experience of buying a car is different for everyone. There is a belief among some that women get treated unfairly when it comes to car loans and deals and should therefore bring a man to negotiate on their behalf, but is that just a myth? Does gender or age really affect the deal you can get on a car, or are savings based on the tactics people employ? We surveyed just over 1,000 Americans to get the details on their car-buying experiences.

Cutting Costs

You might expect some negotiation of a car’s sticker price at the dealership. However, not everyone is keen on negotiating with a salesperson. Eighty-six percent of men have negotiated the cost of car, while only around 78 percent of women have done the same. However, age had less of an effect on whether or not one negotiates: Millennials were the most likely to haggle, but baby boomers were not that far behind.
Of the three generations, Gen Xers were the least likely to negotiate, but when they did, they were the age group that saved the most. The middle generation saved an average of $2,893, while millennials saved an average of $2,343. There was not a large discrepancy between how much money men and women saved when they negotiated – men only saved around $100 more – but when neither haggled, women ended up paying an average of around $300 more than men.

Skills to Save

 
Negotiating can take on many forms. Whether you’re haggling for a better sale price or skipping out on the extras, every penny counts. Over 50 percent of men rejected extended warranties in order to save money, which is a recommended tactic when buying new cars since the manufacturer’s warranty will usually cover any problems you may have. Baby boomers were also the most likely to skip the extra warranty, but regardless of gender and age, this tactic saved buyers an average of $1,287.
Women, on the other hand, were more likely to bring someone more familiar with cars and dealerships along with them in hopes of getting the best deal. Forty-six percent of millennials also brought someone along when buying a car, perhaps due to their age and lack of experience. Buyers across all demographics saved an average of $1,091 using this approach.
Which negotiating skill saves you the most? Mentioning a competing dealer’s lower offer earned all demographics the best deal on average. Only a third of women and 38 percent of men negotiated this way, but both saved an average of $1,610 when they did.

Who Saves the Most?

Mentioning a lower offer from a competing dealer saved buyers the most money, but it actually saved men twice as much as women. On average, women who used this approach saved $1,050 on average, while men saved $2,102. Compared to their male counterparts, women saved more by bringing along someone more familiar with cars and rejecting add-on features, but the difference was slim.
The negotiation skill that saved buyers the most money also varied based on generation. Baby boomers and Gen Xers saved the most, an average of around $1,400, by rejecting add-on features, while millennials saved a whopping $2,032 by mentioning a lower offer by a competing dealer. Aside from rejecting add-on features, baby boomers saved the least across all negotiation skills.

Do Your Research

Walking into a dealership knowing what you’re looking for and understanding the value of the vehicle is the best way to know whether or not you should accept the dealer’s offer.
Conducting research can be tedious and confusing given thousands of search engine hits, but 97% of our survey respondents said they did it. Certain resources helped buyers save more than others. Those who used Jalopnik saved an average of $7,454 – more than any other resource. Coming in second, buyers who used Reddit to gather information saved an average of around $3,060. Every other resource saved our respondents an average of at least $2,000. Not conducting any research, however, resulted in the least amount of savings, with an average of only $1,444.

Save, Don’t Stress

The experience of buying a car may present inherent stresses, but there are certainly ways to ease the process and even get yourself a better deal. Next time you’re in the market for a new car, do your research first so you know how much you should be paying, and which features you don’t need. Don’t be afraid to haggle with the salesperson and decline any extras they may offer.
Once you’ve got your car, take a breather and relax – finding the right insurance won’t be nearly as stressful. With Cheap Car Insurance, you can browse the lowest possible insurance quotes, customized for you and your family, for free. Visit us online at CheapCarInsurance.net to compare coverage options and ensure that you’re getting a good deal on the perfect policy for you.
Methodology:
We surveyed 1,001 people who have purchased or leased a car from a dealership, in order to gauge their experience with negotiation and savings on the price of their vehicle. Respondents ranged in age from 18 to 82 but for sample size purposes, we only analyzed millennials, Gen Xers, and baby boomers for assets exploring generational differences. The average age of the respondent in this survey was 37 with a standard deviation of 11.7 years. Fifty percent of our respondents were male and 50 percent of respondents were female. In the asset, “Average Amount of Money Saved, by Doing Research …” there was a sample size of 12 respondents for those who consulted Jalopnik, and the next lowest sample size was 13 for those who used a car-savvy friend. Data were not statistically tested, and this is an exploratory study of car-buying or leasing experiences at the dealership.
Fair Use
No need to negotiate with us. We grant you permission to share this project’s images and content for noncommercial purposes. Just don’t forget to link back to this page to give the authors proper credit.