Buying a car remains a hassle for women, according to a recent poll conducted by CarMax, Inc. , the nation's largest retailer of used cars, on the company's website. The poll shows no improvement in women's biggest gripes from previous years in which the poll was conducted.

CarMax recently surveyed more than 9,800 women on carmax.com about what was most lacking in their car-buying experience. The responses are summarized below, compared with the responses to a similar survey conducted on carmax.com in 2004.

  What was most lacking when you bought your last car?

  Criteria                                            This Year's Response  Response in 2004
  * A quick, effortless transaction                            21%               21%
  * A salesperson I liked and trusted                      15%               16%
  * Lowest, fair pricing                                               14%               14%
  * A fair trade-in value                                               14%               14%
  * Respect for/attention to my wants and needs  14%               13%
  * A fair, reasonable finance rate                            6%                7%
  * Understandable paperwork                                 4%                4%
  * Other factors                                                           12%               11%


  CarMax offers the following 10 tips for women car shoppers:

  1.  Use the Internet to research vehicle types, makes, models, options,
      features, and prices.  Visit websites such as carmax.com to see actual
      prices and photos of nearly every vehicle make and model.

  2.  Print out fact sheets or information about the vehicles you are
      interested in, so you can remind yourself about what you want when you
      step onto the lot.

  3.  Bring key paperwork items with you, including title and registration
      for your current vehicle, your driver's license, and insurance card.

  4.  If you have been pre-approved for a car loan, bring the approval
      letter with you.

  5.  Find a car retailer and salesperson you like and trust by asking
      friends and family for referrals.

  6.  Find a car retailer that is open and transparent in the transaction.

  7.  Look for a retailer that offers low, no-haggle prices and a la carte
      pricing on each part of the car buying transaction -- the vehicle
      price, the warranty, the trade-in, and the financing.  Beware of
      extraneous, unexplained fees.

  8.  Get a fair offer on your trade-in separately from your car purchase.
      You can bring your car to CarMax for a free appraisal.  Having the
      appraisal offer will help you understand the fair value of your
      "trade-in" before you start shopping.

  9.  Have confidence in your car shopping abilities.  You have done your
      research and are prepared to make a smart car buying decision.

  10. Do not hesitate to ask lots of questions -- as many as you need so
      that you understand exactly what you are paying for.  Be prepared to
      walk away if you are unhappy with your car buying experience.