Buying a car alone as a woman makes me feel like a sitting duck

Why are there so few female car salespeople? Surely women are a market to be taken seriously, writes Yvonne Reddin 

From the minute I park my car, I feel instantly vulnerable. My anxiety spikes. And somehow, I feel like my bank account is already being drained before I even step inside the garage. It’s a horrible feeling — that sense of being out of your depth, exposed and at risk of being taken advantage of.

As electric cars overtook petrol in Ireland for the first time in 2026, according to the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), new-car registrations for January were up 3.3% (34,604) compared to January 2025 (33,499). 

In January, 7,319 new electric cars were registered, 48.7% higher than the 4,923 registrations in January 2025.

A new shift is also happening — more women are walking into dealerships alone. One of those women was me — but it was a different experience this time. I learned to drive at the ripe old age of 45, a very late starter to the world of driving, car ownership and perhaps most daunting of all, car buying. 

I went into it completely unprepared. I had no background knowledge. I simply needed to learn to drive and get on with my busy life as a parent of three children.

Fast forward nine years and while my knowledge of cars has definitely improved, my faith in walking into a dealership or garage to enquire about cars has been, quite honestly, soul-destroying.

Every year, around this time, I get the car checked, check my finances and decide whether upgrading is even remotely possible. As a sole parent, like most everyday jobs and decisions, I do it all myself. Of all my many responsibilities, I loathe anything to do with mechanics and car sales staff.

From the minute I park my car, I feel instantly vulnerable. My anxiety spikes. And somehow, I feel like my bank account is already being drained before I even step inside the garage. It’s a horrible feeling — that sense of being out of your depth, exposed and at risk of being taken advantage of.

I simply don’t have the time to thoroughly research every garage or dealership I visit. Life is busy with work and parenting. So I do rely on the expertise of the people selling the cars and that means I need to trust them. I need to believe they’re being honest with me, guiding me in the right direction and not, quite literally, taking me for a ride (pardon the pun).

And that’s where the problem lies.

I am now on my sixth car since learning to drive nine years ago. Yes, six. Because, unfortunately, I’ve had trouble with almost every single one of them. I have found myself stuck in a cycle where fixing the problems would cost more than the car was worth. So, each time, I made the decision to trade in and start all over again.

Yvonne Reddin: 'Can we please have more women in car sales? There must be some out there. It may help the next woman walking into a dealership alone, and maybe they won’t feel that familiar knot of anxiety in their stomach.'

I know, logically, the best option would have been to invest in a newer car with a solid warranty. Something reliable that would last me years, but my finances simply didn’t allow it. Like so many families, every euro is accounted for.

This year, however, I made a decision. My next car would be a newer one. Not brand new but new enough to give me peace of mind. A decent warranty and something reliable that would last me for years rather than 12-24 months.

And yet, the thought of walking into another garage or dealership, filled me with dread.

A message to car salesmen, and I say this genuinely — please don’t assume that women coming in alone know less than men. Please don’t overwhelm us with jargon. What we would like is honesty, patience and guidance.

In all my years of buying cars, I have only ever dealt with one female saleswoman. And when I went back a few months later, she was gone. I’ve often thought how different the experience might be if there were more women working in car sales. I’ve had to learn fast and almost think like a man just to cope with the nerves that come with walking into a dealership alone.

Research published 20 years ago and covered then by the Irish Times showed up to 95% of women felt patronised when buying a car, with many reporting uncomfortable, dismissive or pressurised experiences — especially when shopping alone. Many women even brought male companions with them just to be taken seriously. Very little has changed!

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Until recently.

This time, I decided to do things differently. Instead of physically visiting garages, I went online. The stress levels dropped. Researching cars from the comfort of my home, at my own pace, felt far more empowering.

Over the years, I’ve learned some of the language — enough to know what I want, what to ask, and what to avoid. I had narrowed my search down to two specific car types, which instantly made the process less overwhelming and knowing my budget, the choices became far more manageable.

I focused on dealerships rather than private sales, as I feel there’s more security when it comes to warranties, servicing and accountability if anything goes wrong. It wasn’t long before I found a car that ticked all the boxes — low mileage, good condition, within budget. It seemed too good to be true.

I rang the dealership, armed and ready. Instead, I spoke to the nicest car salesman I’ve dealt with in a very long time. From the first conversation, he put me completely at ease. No pressure. No rushed sales pitch. For the first time ever, I felt listened to.

I trusted my instincts, put down a deposit and within days everything was arranged. They delivered my new car directly to me and offered a very fair trade-in price on my old car, and provided a solid warranty.

Every phone call was handled professionally, efficiently and kindly. And once again, I found myself thinking — this is too good to be true.

Of course, I did my homework. I checked Google reviews, because no matter how good an experience seems, it’s always wise to verify. And while no business will ever have a perfect record, the positive reviews mirrored my own experience and that gave me even more reassurance.

I opted for a hybrid car this time and I’ve already noticed a huge difference. It’s much more economical. For the first time since learning to drive, I feel relaxed behind the wheel — not waiting for the next warning light to appear or the next rattling noise to start.

All in all, my faith in car salesmen and dealerships has been restored. I never thought I’d say that.

And finally, can we please have more women in car sales? There must be some out there. It may help the next woman walking into a dealership alone, and maybe they won’t feel that familiar knot of anxiety in their stomach.