September 1999 Shopping for cars and trucks is a very exciting experience for many consumers. They love the thrill of cruising the lots, test driving different vehicles, and haggling over prices with the dealers. For others, it s a time met with apprehension, a great deal of stress, and sometimes even fear. Having a choice is great, but with all of the different manufacturers and all of their models combined, it s enough of an information overload to cause a new car buyer to consider either buying a horse or new walking shoes instead.
Research is very important before buying a new car or truck.
If you are in the library, you can check the automobile ratings and reviews in Consumer Reports or Consumer Guide. Another place to go for information is the Internet, and more and more people are using it as a valuable research tool. One good feature about this site is that you can compare the photos and specifications of two vehicles, side by side. If you have a certain price range, enter it, and get a list of cars for what you can afford. It is also possible to limit the list to a particular class, such as a sedan, in that price range.