Challenging Male:Female Experience

When someone tries to tell me I can’t do something… This kinda makes me more determined to try. And being the kind of woman that when I try something I don’t stop until I’ve successfully mastered it, means that as I step up to the challenge, I’m constantly in a state of development. And very competitive about it!

So when I read the following result of a What Car? survey from a few years ago, this was like a “you can’t” red flag to the competitive bull in me!

I’m sorry…. Say what now!!! Why should I, as a woman, pay more for a car I like?!? Game on!

As it was my 40th in January, I’d already decided this was the year I would be upgrading my 14 year old reliable Yaris for something new and more reflective of who I am becoming. So the scene is set.

Problem is – I have never haggled in my life! Cue male colleague and friend to egg me on in the background, and I am ready to go.

I used the carwow website to start the process, by telling dealers out there what I wanted and let them do the hard work of getting me their offers and deals. I then chose two I liked the sound of and messaged the dealers directly, asking them to call me to talk through what they can actually offer me – not just the blurb on the page they’d copy and pasted.

Being the type of lady I am, I was open with both of these boys in letting them know I was in negotions with a second dealer and would go for the best offer.

Then came the calls and the negotions. Like I said, I did have someone egging me on encouraging me to not settle for the first offer I received. Oh my days that was hard!!! It sounded so good!!! What if they changed their minds and pulled out?!?

The upshot is: they didn’t. They wanted the deal more than I wanted the car, so I managed to negotiate between the two dealers and arrange a PCP offer which started at £273 a month drop to £199 a month. And I asked for a full tank of petrol. Ohhh and some mats too. And they reduced GAP year insurance from £650 down to £250 when I told them I’d found it cheaper online!

And that was without the need to sashay in my heels and flutter my eyelids!!

When I went to pick up the car, the “winning dealer” wasn’t overly happy to see me – I didn’t even get offered a cappuccino when I had to go through all the paperwork! Clearly my deal ate into some of his commission – but when you look at the hefty reductions I received… Just goes to show how large the profit margins are!

So, me and my Audi-Belle are looking forward to a happy life together with so much adventure in front of us. Life truly does begin at 40! And being incredibly competitive has its bonuses. More often than not!