New Car Research

Of course, for dealer invoice pricing on models and options, you'll have to go to an independent source. Both Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds publish this information in books (often available at libraries) and at their respective web sites. Other sources for invoice pricing are Automobiles.com, CarPoint and Intellichoice. In addition, Intellichoice, Edmunds, and Autobytel all provide info on current rebates and dealer incentives.

Ownership Costs
What are the real-world ownership costs for the models you're considering? Intellichoice provides a wealth of information in both their printed guides—The Complete Car Cost Guide and The Complete Small Truck Cost Guide (check your library)—and in their New Auto Purchasing Reports ($4.95), which can be ordered through their web sites. Among Intellichoice's array of stats are averages for maintenance costs, repair costs, depreciation, and the total ownership cost for the first five years.

Reliability
How reliably have the models you're looking at held up? Consumer Reports publishes individual reliability data on most models, based on annual survey responses from their subscribers. The reliability information is broken down into more than a dozen categories, from engine to electrical. It's available in Consumer Reports' annual April auto issue, in their auto-buying guides, and at their web site (for a fee).

Safety
How do the models compare in terms of safety? Various crash-test results are available at the web sites for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. NHTSA's site also contains its new Rollover Resistance Ratings for various vehicles and a complete list of safety recalls, by model.

Insurance
How much will insurance cost you and what coverage do you need? You'll find a wealth of auto insurance information at Insure.com and Insweb.com. In addition to getting quote comparisons, you'll find an insurance company guide and complaint finder at Insure.com; Insweb.com has an auto-coverage analyzer, FAQs, and articles on factors that affect auto insurance.