You probably have the beginning of such a list in mind already, based on what you like and dislike about the car you now drive. Ratings of recently tested vehicles, plus detailed reliability forecasts for the 2001 cars. Once you have a short list of cars, gather all the pertinent details on features, prices, safety equipment, financing, and insurance options. Again, you'll find much of the information you need in this issue. Dealers, banks, and libraries can provide the rest of the material you'll need, but the Internet offers much faster access.
New sites appear frequently.
Even an automaker's web site, often little more than a glorified advertisement, can help you locate a dealer and provide specifications or information on trim lines. A number of other sites let you outfit a model with your choice of options and get the sticker price for that car. You can also use our e-Ratings of automotive web sites, and order CR New Car and Used Car Price Service reports. If our survey is any guide, many people now use the web heavily when buying a new car. Some 40 percent of respondents went to a manufacturer's web site, and about one-third surfed to other sites as well.