Buy a Compact Car

Determine what you want to spend. Compact cars start at around $10,000.

Decide what is most important to you: safety, performance, value, handling, comfort, reliability, dealer service, looks, interior room, gas mileage.

Make a short list of the makes and models that you want to consider. Do some research to determine how they stack up in terms of your priorities. Read magazine reviews to get a clearer picture.

Review the crash test data on various cars. Check Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Vehicle Ratings (see hwysafety.org).

Consider resale value. You may be surprised to find quite a bit of variation here. Check the Kelly Blue Book values of the various models over time (see kbb.com).

Talk to friends who own similar cars. They may have some good advice.

Compare insurance premiums on different cars you are considering.

Go test ride the two or three cars on your short list. Don't worry about the dealers now. Focus on the cars. Do you feel comfortable in the car? Does it drive the way you want it to? Don't commit to any car or salesperson yet. Go home and think about it.

Rank the cars according to your priorities. Then rank them in terms of price. You should be able to narrow the choice down to one or two cars. If the choice still isn't clear, test drive the cars again.

Collect pricing information on the car you want, decide on colors and option packages, and get your loan together (see "How to Get a Car Loan," under Related eHows).

Return to the dealer and tell them what you want. For tips on how to negotiate the sale, see "How to Shop for a New Car," under Related eHows.