Buy a Car the Web Way

HowStuffWorks , a site renowned for explaining the science behind technologies and the physics behind astronomies, offers users a step-by-step guide to an equally confusing subject: car buying. At HowStuffWorks you'll find concise, easily digestible explanations of different issues related to car buying, including finding a used car, using the Internet in your car search, and what to know before searching.

GotTrouble.com takes a straightforward, jargon-free approach to elucidating the process of car buying. With their guide to the art of buying, a vocabulary rundown, and an overview of buying used, this site is a good starting place.

The Federal Trade Commission has a guide to buying new cars with tips on issues you might encounter during your search.

The Motley Fool , a respected financial Web site, has a multipart guide to car buying. This guide comes equipped with the site's characteristic wit and humor, so expect to be entertained while you read tips on "Preparing for Battle" and "The Art of the Deal."

Edmunds is a fantastic car research site with a "Tips and Advice" section providing guidance on issues such as buying a car and financing and insuring a car. The "Confessions of a Car Salesman" article offers an inside glimpse into industry practices, preparing you for how to avoid scams and sly tactics.

CarBuyingTips.com is chock full of tips and advice on buying cars and avoiding scams. There are also buyer's guides with valuable information on financing and leasing. This site is quite text-heavy and not terribly easy to navigate but don't let that turn you off: there's quality insight within.

Insider Car Secrets is a site created by Tony Iorio, a veteran of the car sales industry. Various issues pertaining to car buying are covered such as general car buying info, new car info, used car info, financing info, warranty info, insurance info, and more. Within each section you'll find tips, links to quality Web sites, and other insights about buying cars. Extremely entertaining are Iorio's "Insider Secrets," which are anecdotal pieces of advice based on his knowledge of car sales.

MSN Autos is an automotive research portal with overviews and reviews of the latest car models from the world's top manufacturers. Each model is rated and broken down by price, features and specs, photos, reviews, safety, and reliability. You can also access local dealer quotes, consumer report snapshots, and more.

CarWorks is a complete car buyer's guide. In addition to providing reviews on all models currently on the market, the site has a nine-step "Buying Tips" section that walks you through the car buying process with advice on working the showroom floor, dealing with dealer tricks, and more.

Yahoo Autos is similar in design and function to MSN Autos but differs in that it offers user reviews. On the homepage, select the make and model of a new car, and Yahoo will direct you to a page with a summary and user reviews.

Autobytel 's best buyer features are its car reviews, comparison feature, and the "Research Center," which has pricing, specs, and more. All of these are accessible from the homepage.

CarSmart has new-car price quotes, reviews, and a "Car Research" section that takes users from early-stage research like checking invoice pricing reports and rebate/incentive programs to more advanced features like payment calculators and loan quotes.

Cars.com is a user-friendly site with an intuitive structure that makes getting a price quote from a long list of local dealerships easy and quick. When looking for new cars, you'll have the option of searching local inventory or customizing.

CarsDirect is a sales and research site with more than half a million listings for new and used cars, and a variety of articles on issues related to the purchasing process. Check out the useful "Buying Guides" that break down the industry by body type, explaining which cars excel over their competition and why.

Edmunds is a car buying information site that walks buyers through the entire purchasing process. In addition to the "Tips and Advice" section we recommended earlier in this guide, Edmunds has appraisal tools like its "true market value" price quotes for new and used vehicles and reviews of new and used automobiles.

Invoice Dealers is an easy way for you to get a price quote from a local dealer on a car of your choice. Simply enter the make, model and year, and your zip code, along with your contact information, and you'll be contacted with a price. Also check out the "Research" section for vehicle summaries and specs, along with links to information on competing cars.

Automotive-Links.com is a directory of links to Web sites related to a long list of car makes and models. Through this directory you'll find official manufacturer Web sites, enthusiast pages, and links to sites with parts.

The Federal Trade Commission has this guide to buying used cars. It explains your rights as a consumer, payment options, a breakdown of the loan agreement, what questions to ask, what to watch out for, a breakdown of warranties, and more. It also offers tips on things to consider prior to buying, along with directions on where to go if you have problems.

Kelley Blue Book (KBB) is the largest automobile appraiser in the United States, and its Web site should be your first stop when looking for the valuation of any car. The site is essentially a buyer's guide with tools to help visitors determine which car is the best fit, and articles that cover financing issues and how to get the best value from a car over time. The "Reviews and Ratings" section lets you access KBB reviews.

CARFAX provides free vehicle history reports containing service history, number of owners, results of emissions checks, odometer readings, total loss accident history, and more. Simply enter the car's VIN, and CARFAX provides all the valuable information you want to know before you lay out the cash for that used car.

AutoCheck has automotive history reports similar to those offered by CARFAX. To access the free report, simply enter the car's VIN on the homepage.

AutoTrader is a used car marketplace with a massive listing of more than three million cars. AutoTrader has research and comparison features, tips and advice, reviews, safety information, financing and insurance info, and guides to help you choose the right car.

Autoweb is part of the Autobytel Web site network, which includes CarSmart and Cars.com. Unlike many sites, Autoweb's used car listings only include cars for sale by dealers. It provides research tools such as Blue Book values, detailed vehicle reviews and summaries, and financing information including free insurance and loan quotes.

Cars.com is divided into four sections: "Buy," "Sell," "Research," and "Shopping Advice." Detailed listings and plenty of articles make it easy to find a used car in your area and do the research necessary to ensure you get it at the right price.

CarsDirect is a sales and research site with more than a million listings for new and used cars and a variety of articles on issues related to the purchasing process.

CarSmart has comprehensive used car listings. Cars can be searched by vehicle make, model, location, and price range. Get free price quotes on used and new cars, or read about vehicle recalls on cars dating back to 1983.

AutoNetUSA is a simple online hub for used car classifieds. Search by make, model, year, price range, or geography, or read the "Buying Tips" section for a simple, five-step approach to buying a car.

LeaseGuide.com , the "consumer car leasing guide," is a comprehensive site dedicated to leasing a car. On the left side of the page you'll see a list of topics covered. A good place to start, particularly for a beginner, is the site's "Lease Guide". Another useful aid is the glossary, which has easy-to-understand definitions of terms related to the car buying and leasing process.

LeaseCompare.com helps you get instant lease quotes on the car of your choice and allows you to compare payments from different banks for new and used cars.

Swapalease is a car lease trading marketplace with two main purposes: it allows users interested in getting out of their car leases prematurely to do so without incurring any costs, and it lets users take advantage of inexpensive, short-term lease possibilities.

LeaseTrader , like Swapalease, is a site designed to help you transfer your lease. LeaseTrader is a central marketplace where lease sellers can meet up with lease buyers. The listings are pretty extensive and cover the entire United States.

Expert Lease Pro is a software program designed to assist you in negotiating better agreements when leasing a car so you save money. Order online or by phone. The software download options start at $69.95.

LeaseWizard is a car lease and loan analysis program for Windows. You can order the product online or via fax and the basic download is available for $24.95.

HowStuffWorks has an introductory explanation of car financing that covers how financing works, sources of financing, dealer financing, and why you should shop for a loan. The "Buyer Beware" section offers tips on things to watch out for.

Autobytel has a variety of resources on car loan research and financing tools. For research, you'll find lease tips, a guide to understanding loans, a comparison of loans and leases, and a guide to understanding rebates and incentives. For auto financing tools, Autobytel has a payment calculator, credit report center, and Blue Book access.

Yahoo Autos has several finance calculators designed to help you calculate what your monthly payments will be. It also has links to its partner sites CarsDirect, CarLoan.com, and CapitalOne, where you can get estimates and compare rate offers.

HSBC offers auto loans and refinancing. On this page you'll find an application and information on the available services.

AutoLoan.com has auto loans and tips for getting the best loan. Apply online with their quick, one-page application form. Most customers are contacted by a local loan officer within an hour of submitting the application.