New Car Buying Guide
Car Buying 101
Note: While this buying guide will help you shop for a new car, the ShopWiki crawler doesn't currently search a complete list of new car sites. The search engine does find antique  and used cars.
Online Resources
Glossaries
The surest way to improve your buying experience is to understand car buying terminology. Start with the stuff they mention in car commercials: MSRP, anti-lock brakes, traction control, all-wheel drive, cylinders. For a full glossary, check out the aptly named Auto Glossary. Price-related terms, which are in a category of their own, are summarized in the Car Pricing buying guide and those terms not mentioned in that guide can probably be found among its links.
Comprehensive Buying Guides
There are several car buying resources online we might classify as "comforting" -- they won't make pat you on the back or make you hot chocolate, but they will hold your hand from the start of your quest through the successful acquisition of a brand new car. CarBuyingTips.com may not bring any comfort to epileptics, but once you get past the...bold... design and tone, you'll find a genuinely informative step-by-step primer. The car-buying sites recommended on CarBuyingTips are paying sponsors of the site, though, so don't rely exclusively on them. Safe Car Guide, as an Autobytel affiliate, also has commercial interests, but, as with CarBuyingTips.com, you wouldn't know it from the quality of the articles.
Top Cars
As an undecided buyer you'll probably want to browse categories of cars, see recommendations on various models you may not be familiar with. While any site that reviews cars can be helpful when narrowing a decision, you'll want a resource that succinctly states its top choices in different categories. ConsumerSearch compile the suggestions of several external reviewers and organizes them by type of car. Intellichoice ranks the top cost-saving cars (lowest gas costs, depreciation, maintenance). And Edmunds.com, your best bet, lists the Editors' Most Wanted, Consumers' Most Wanted and Most Researched vehicles, in addition to several top 10s.
Additional Research
Check out Car and Driver for its road tests and buyer's guide. Look to JD Power and Associates for its famed Power Rankings. Visit Motor Trend, Auto Week, and Auto Insider for car news and articles. RTM reviews new cars, offering insight from experienced journalists with a slant towards women.
Car Pricing and Online Purchasing
Once you find a vehicle and want to research market prices--or actually purchase the vehicle online-- you'll have a plethora of sites to choose from. Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds have made their names on pricing. Most experts suggest comparison shopping. No one site gets all the lowest prices. Try many different car buying sites and some online dealers, too. If you want detailed information about a specific model, visit the manufacturer's Web site, using this list of every car maker ever.]
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