I like lists so this list of 10 Things Women Car Buyers Should Know has evolved over the years, thanks to my own mistakes and the rants of other women car buyers and drivers and women car dealers.
1. Make 2 copies of your drivers license, car insurance card and vehicle registration. Keep one copy in your safe or important papers file at home. Keep the extra car insurance and registration in your wallet.
2. When traveling alone, do not pull over for an UNMARKED car with flashing lights. Call the 911 first to be sure this is a REAL police officer following you.
3. Keep a white rag (man’s handkerchief), towel or blanket, leather gloves and water bottle in your trunk in the event of a breakdown or need to change your tire yourself. Tie the white rag to the driver-side door handle or antenna so other vehicles can see you are in distress. Stay in the car until help arrives.
4. When parking your car in valet or an unsecured lot, lock your garage door opener in the glove-box and give the valet the “valet key”, or take the “clicker” with you. Always lock the door between the garage and house when you leave, for added security.
5. Get your gas/fuel at different BRANDED stations on a regular basis. This helps clean the engine, as different companies use different detergent and chemical compositions to retard build-up. Buy a tank of high-test every 5 fill-ups, especially in winter when fuel has more additives to reduce carbon emissions.
6. Keep all service receipts in a secure location at home. Before you leave the service center make sure the complaint is thoroughly noted on the paperwork, along with the fix or response from the technician. This is especially important for an ongoing problem that may require mediation or litigation in the future. *For an ongoing problem, take the vehicle to different dealerships and keep the copies in dated order.
7. When trading-in or selling your car privately, wipe out all personal information in the cellular phone system (Bluetooth), navigation system (including home address) and the garage door openers. Remove All personal paperwork from the vehicle and if the buyer wants service receipts, cut off your home address info.
8. The best window cleaner for the inside of your windshield is crumpled newspaper, dry.
9. Use a mild liquid face soap or “delicates” detergent to clean the dash. DO NOT USE AMOR-ALL, as it dries out the material and over time the dash will crack. (A poster here recently recommended Vaseline for the dash, and tires too!)
10. When trying to decide what new or used car to buy, don’t just settle on price. Consider the dealership, and the auto reviews by owners. go to www.edmunds.com or www.kbb.com and read the customer reviews.
—————————————————————————————– If you need further help buying a new or used car, feel free to contact sarahlee@mycarlady.com,mvides422@gmail.com,carlady@cox.net where advice is free. Sarah Lee is an automotive executive with 20+ years of experience. She writes about Cars, and is a staunch consumer advocate on car related subjects. Her company: MY CARLADY is a car buyer’s service committed to getting you the best deal on your next new or pre-owned vehicle. You can reach her at CAR DEALS
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