For Women, Online Car Shopping Saves Money, Cuts Stress

The fact that women usually pay more than men for all things car-related is hardly big news: study after study, article after article has shown that, when it comes to negotiating for auto repairs and auto purchases, women (and, often, minorities) are at a disadvantage. Researchers cite a host of reasons -- lack of confidence, gender prejudice, difficulty with haggling -- but the upshot is the same: as soon as a woman walks into a car-related situation, it's almost foreordained that she's going to pay more money.

The key, one writer recently suggested, lies in not walking in. In a recent article on Salon.com, Libby Copeland highlighted her recent experience with online car buying. After soliciting quotes from several local dealerships, she was able to research the various charges, while playing the salesmen off against each other. As with so many other online interactions, Copeland profited by separating herself from a situation that would have disadvantaged her.

If you're a woman (or a man, for that matter!) who doesn't thrive on high-pressure sales environments, the article makes for a compelling read. And, while you're at it, tell us about some of your experiences with high-pressure sales -- and the strategies that you used to defeat them!

Bruce Watson is DailyFinance's Savings Editor. You can reach him by e-mail at bruce.watson@teamaol.com, or follow him on Twitter at @bruce1971.

%Gallery-184765%