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If you've eyed your neighbor's new car and wondered if you could afford to buy a new one with your budget, here are a couple of things to consider. Buying a used car is a good and smart idea. Did you know that the value of a new car drops anywhere from 20 to 30 percent in the first year of ownership? That's what the experts at consumer.org say.

Unless you're able to come up with a big down payment, the car you own will cost you more than its worth within one year. It is true that some car makes and models hold value better than others and that is of importance to you if you're considering a used car.

All the information you need about automobiles and trucks, you'll find on the Internet: reliability, performance, pricing and forums are available for the smart car shopper. How much detail do you want or need to know? You can choose.

If you're looking for a basic overview of used cars and ratings, consumer.org and Edmunds.com are good places to start your search, even if you haven't targeted the car you want to buy. These reports give a good overall view of the reliability, performance of brands, and offer interactive tools, consumer forums and consumer and editor reviews.

You have to become a member of consumer.org to drill down deeper to the car details and you sometimes want that level of detail after you've decided on a car.

JDPower.com is a global marketing firm established in 1968. They conduct independent surveys of customer satisfaction and product quality and can provide historical data on vehicles by category and provide good overviews. They have a strong reputation in auto analysis, ratings, and quality buys, but they don't test products.

I was surprised to find that many used car prices are above $10,000 for cars that are several years old. With a 10,000 investment, you want the best and most reliable car your money can buy so you might want more detail.

There is a site that will give you finely tuned detail without having to become a member. I'm not in the market for a used car, but I wanted to use their interactive tools to see what they had to offer, so I punched in my car make and model that is several years old. I was amazed at what I found. I will certainly use this service before I buy my next car.

MSN Autos offers an overall reliability rating, but in addition includes an in-depth view of the mechanical rating of the reliability of seven systems: engine, transmission & driveline, steering & suspension, brakes, heating & air conditioning, starting & charging and accessories. [http://autos.msn.com/home/rel iability_ratings.aspx]

An interactive dialog box allows you to select a year, make and model to view. The information includes history problems for that model of car, includes recalls, and a description of the problems in an easy to understand writing style. They even include parts description and an estimate of how much the repair will cost in parts and labor.

I learned that my car had 23 recalls I received about 4 of those through the years. I just had my first major repair a few months ago and learned through the website that the recall will cover the repair cost. This is great news to me and can be crucial for anyone who buys a used car.

Whatever level of detail you want to view can be found on these auto websites and you'll find tools that allow you to calculate costs, assess insurance costs, and interact with others on forums.

The best shopper is an informed shopper, so don't go it alone unless you're an auto expert, and don't buy someone else's problems. Identify the problem areas by using the auto website tools to find the best deal on reliable cars on the market.

Learn more about this author, Mona Gallagher.
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