ATLANTA, Aug. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Buying a new car can leave anyone anxious, but this shopping experience is still more stressful for women than men. Designed specifically for women, the new AutoTrader.com Roadmap to Car Shopping Success, developed with Courtney Hansen, host of Spike TV's "Powerblock" and author of The Garage Girl's Guide to Everything You Need to Know About Your Car, makes it easy for women to approach the car shopping experience with certainty, regardless of how car-savvy they are.

Created as a how-to guide for car shopping and buying, the AutoTrader.com Roadmap to Car Shopping Success, available at www.AutoTrader.com/roadmap, provides women with all the tips, insights and information they need to help find the right vehicle for their lifestyle, budget and needs.

A recent survey from AutoTrader.com, the Internet's leading auto classifieds marketplace and consumer information website, found that approximately one in four women (24%) finds shopping for a vehicle "stressful," compared to only 15% of men. Furthermore, while nearly half of men (44%) feel "certain and confident" when visiting car dealerships, only one in four women (25%) feels the same way. But according to Hansen, shopping for a car can be a fun and rewarding experience, regardless of the buyer's automotive know-how.

"Long gone are the days when making car purchases is a man's role. In fact, women influence over 80 percent of all automotive sales(i)," she says. "Doing your homework on sites like AutoTrader.com and arming yourself with a few simple tips will help anyone in the market for a new car feel more satisfied with the purchase in the end."

Some of Hansen's tips from the AutoTrader.com Roadmap to Car Shopping Success, available at www.AutoTrader.com/roadmap, include:

Researching and Planning

• Determine what vehicle features – like passenger seating, storage capacity, fuel costs, and other options – are essential to your lifestyle.
• Compare vehicles, research prices, look at videos and photos, find specials and access local inventory on sites like AutoTrader.com. Bring this research to the dealer or seller.

Visiting a Dealership or Private Seller

• Ask questions to show that you're prepared and knowledgeable.
• Get up and take a walk if you ever feel uncomfortable.

Test Driving and Inspection

• Bring a friend to the test drive and to help you fully examine the body, interior and engine.
• Conduct a thorough visual inspection after the test drive.

Considerations and Precautions

• Get a CARFAX history report before buying any pre-owned vehicle, based on the vehicle's Vehicle Identification Number.
• Review government and insurance company crash test ratings for any vehicle you're considering.

Negotiating

• Go to the dealership armed with the best interest rate that you can locate on your own.
• When negotiating a monthly payment, focus on the actual price of the car.
• Ask the dealer or seller to explain how the cost breaks down and get it in writing.

For more information and tips, visit www.AutoTrader.com/roadmap.

About AutoTrader.com

AutoTrader.com, created in 1997 and headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., is the Internet's leading automotive marketplace and consumer information website.  AutoTrader.com aggregates in a single location millions of new cars, used cars and certified pre-owned cars from thousands of auto dealers and private sellers.  AutoTrader.com attracts more than 15 million unique monthly visitors who utilize the site to view vehicles for sale, research and compare vehicles, review pricing and specials, and read auto-related content like buying and selling tips, auto maintenance tips and coverage of major auto shows and automotive trends.  Through innovative merchandising functionality such as multiple photos, videos, detailed descriptions and comprehensive research and compare tools, AutoTrader.com unites new and used car buyers and sellers online to improve the way people research, locate and advertise vehicles. AutoTrader.com is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises.  The venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and the private equity firm Providence Equity Partners are also investors.  For more information, please visit www.autotrader.com.

(i) CNW Marketing Research Study

SOURCE AutoTrader.com