10 STEPS KEY TO SMARTER CAR SHOPPING

1. Do your homework. If you don't know what is available in the automobile marketplace, you can't make a smart decision. A good place to start is reading auto sections like this or picking up a copy of one of the new car magazines. If possible, attending an automobile show also makes good sense. Here you can check out just about every make and model available. Sit in the vehicles, read the sticker prices, and pick up brochures, all without a hassle. You can also talk to knowledgeable people about the models, again without giving your name.

2. Set a budget. There are lots of beautiful cars, sport utilities, mini-vans, and pickups in every price range. There's no sense in going beyond your means for wheels. You can get almost all the convenience features of the most expensive models in lower-priced vehicles. Once you set a budget, figure out the features you want - and really need - then see what models fit within your budget. Don't forget to include maintenance and fuel in your budget plans. Ask how much tune-ups cost and how often they are required. Remember sport utility vehicles are in most cases gas hogs that could eat a hole in your pocket.

3. Sit in the models. Sitting in a vehicle is a key to your future enjoyment of the vehicle. If the vehicle is too high to get into on the showroom floor, it will be worse when you have to do it daily. If the seats don't feel comfortable, you won't be comfortable on the road. How's the visibility? If you can't see all around, you could be asking for trouble on the highway. Are the controls easy to reach, logical, well lit for nighttime? Are there convenient places to put the things you carry? If you are planning on having passengers, is there room in the rear seat when your seat is at your maximum comfort level?

4. Drive them. Once you've narrowed your choices down, take some test drives. Be sure the vehicle you test has the equipment and engine you are planning on buying. Even so-called clones of vehicles can ride and handle quite differently. General Motors mid size models like the Oldsmobile Intrigue may share engines and other mechanics with fellow GM lines, but they can drive and handle quite differently. On the test drive, try roads like the ones you drive on most frequently to get a sense of feel and speed. Do you need fast acceleration to get on a highway? Never, never, never buy any vehicle without a good test drive. Around the block doesn't make it.

5. Compare. Many American makes are dubbing their models as import fighters, claiming similar handling, performance and feel, all at a lower price. It pays to check out features and price, then take a test drive. You may find you can save a few thousand dollars by going American. Even if you buy American, it pays to compare makes from the same manufacturer. Buick has been billed as the best built car in America, yet it shares parts with Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Chevrolet. Does this mean that the Buick, which comes off the same assembly line as some of these others, get special attention? No. So compare it, and its features (GM gives its makes some exclusive features, so if you want these you'll have to buy that make), and you may find happiness and lower price in a similar GM model. On the Internet, there are services such as Autosite.com that offer side-by-side comparisons of models.

6. Get pricing. If you don't know the total cost of the vehicle, including dealer cost, how can you make a wise buying decision? There are many sources of this information. Consumer Reports, AAA, and autosite.com provide low-cost print outs of any model you may be considering. The beauty of these services is that they also can let you know about any incentives or special deals on a particular make or model. Even some 1999 models have customer-buying incentives.

7. Compare. Do this especially if you are torn between, say, a car and SUV. Yes, SUVs are "in" but do you really need one? I keep itching to buy one, but at the last minute, I get practical. I want one for winter driving; I want to go in any kind of weather. But then, I look at my trusty front-drive car and realize I've gotten through all these winters without one of those big brutes. My front-drive car has pulled me through some tough sinter conditions. So, I reason, I really don't need a SUV with its high fuel consumption. There are more cars and wagons with all-wheel-drive that are as good if not better than some SUVs. If front-drive won't do, check out a car with AWD.

8. Buy or lease. Leasing a vehicle is tempting because of the lower cost. Yes, the monthly payments are a lot lower, but there's the cost of mileage. Leases are generally keyed to driving no more than 12,000 or so miles a year. Go over that and you pay a penalty of 15 cents or more per mile. You may be better off buying. Sure, you may have to set your sights on a lower priced model, but it will be yours (and the bank's) and you won't have to worry about mileage or nicks and scratches when it is time to turn it in. And do not forget about insurance. Many leasing companies require the lessee to obtain $100,000/300,000 in coverage. This could significantly add to the cost of the car.

9. Dealership or Internet. Many people have found buying on the Internet can save thousands, but do you really want to buy a vehicle from a distant and unknown dealership? If you've done your homework and priced out the vehicle of your dreams, you could do just as well near home.

10. Avoid costly extras. When it comes to signing on the dotted line, beware the extras the business manager will suggest or put on the bill of sale. An extended warranty may be good if you're putting lots of miles on the car, but otherwise it's not necessary. Beware also of extra service charges; ask what they are for. If you think about these extra charges, you will find that they are simply another way for the dealer to profit from your purchase. If they seem out of line, go elsewhere.