I’m going to assume you don’t have a bad case of egomania and have decided to buy a late model used (previously owned) car. We’re going to look closely at your options.

Size of vehicle: If you are a family of four, consider a 4-door sedan. If there are only two in your family and no plans for more, consider a smaller two or four door. If you are a large family, consider a mini van.

Cars, by category, with the best resale value according to Kelly Blue Book for 2006:

• Sedan: Honda Accord Hybrid
• Luxury: Infiniti M45
• Coupe: Infiniti G35 Coupe
• Pickup: Toyota Tacoma PreRunner
• Convertible: Chevrolet Corvette
• Sport Utility: Porsche Cayenne
• Wagon: Subaru Outback
• Van/Minivan: Honda Odyssey
• Hatchback: MINI Cooper/Toyota Prius

For convenience and my sanity, I have included only 2006 models. However, there is a significant savings by purchasing the 2005 model on most of these vehicles. You will also notice that the Toyota Prius is listed as 60-51mpg. The reason for this is that the car gets better gas mileage around town than it does on the highway.

Now I'm going to get on my soapbox. The U.S. is in a war with itself trying to figure ways to be less oil dependant. Global warming threatens civilization as we know it. So why in the world would anyone buy a passenger vehicle that sucks up a lot of fuel? Go figure.

On a more positive note, if car buying is in your immediate future, and you've decided on what car(s) best suit your family size and lifestyle, it's time to go shopping. Take your car of choice out on a test drive. See how it handles on hills, curves, and the open road. Make sure it fits your body size for a comfortable drive. Check the design of the car for clear visibility. One thing you should not do is allow yourself to be pressured. The salesperson isn't the one going to have to live with your decision. You are.