Easy: the best car for the environment is a used car. The "Car Guys" on NPR have made this point many times. The buying of any new car generates a big stress on the environment. Raw materials are mined and the manufacturing process itself uses energy that must be created, with environmental consequences. All the plastics used in cars today drain oil reserves, too.

Keeping your current car longer and assuring that it is in good tune is the greenest thing to do. The money spent to maintain a used car stays in the local economy instead of going off to another city or country.

A used car can be more reliable than a new one. Let the first owner pay the depreciation and get the service issues taken care of for you. Maintenance data isn't available on new cars, especially new models. Certainly you should find the car that best suits your needs and is just large enough. You can always rent a mini-van for the occasional long trip with the family. Fuel efficiency and safety should be carefully considered, too.

Many dealerships now feature late model used cars with excellent warranties, too. If you are patient, you can probably find one that still has that new car smell!

Learn more about this author, Ron Erb.
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