The Top 15 family roadsters have been picked…keep in mind these are family vehicles. Parent’s Magazine & AAA compiled the data.

MPG, reliability & safety trump 0-60 times, quarter-mile trials and skid-pad results.

The main category was safety, based on government & automotive crash rating findings - including modern safety technology.  (Simplicity of use was graded as well…meaning, how easy it will be for Mom & Dad to lug all of the accessories needed for a family outing.)

My favorite: The Dodge Caliber. Nice mileage, very practical and a respectable fun-factor.

There were five categories this year:

• Crossovers
• SUV’s
• Minivans
• Sedans   
• Economy cars

Crossovers

• Toyota RAV4: 21 mpg city/30 mpg highway
• Dodge Caliber: 23 mpg city/32 mpg highway
• Ford Edge: 17 mpg city/25 mpg highway

SUV’s

• Honda CR-V: 22 mpg city/30 mpg highway
• Chevrolet Tahoe: 15 mpg city/22 mpg highway
• Hyundai Santa Fe: 19 mpg city/26 mpg highway

Minivans

• Honda Odyssey: 18 mpg city/26 mpg highway
• Toyota Sienna: 18 mpg city/26 mpg highway
• Hyundai Entourage: 18 mpg city/25 mpg highway

Sedans

• Toyota Camry: 22 mpg city/34 mpg highway
• Honda Accord: 20 mpg city/34 mpg highway
• Mercury Milan: 19 mpg city/31 mpg highway

Economy Cars

• Honda Civic: 22 mpg city/30 mpg highway
• Volkswagen Rabbit: 22 mpg city/30 mpg highway
• Mazda 3: 26 mpg city/35 mpg highway  

While you’re busy taking care of the important items such as gas mileage, reliability & safety - the next smart move is finding the best price on one of these vehicles. Auction Direct has almost every one of these used car models in stock right now. Compare this ‘07 Dodge Caliber to other dealers’ new and used car offers…

Ford & Shelby Automobiles are at it again - this time it’s the incredibly intense GT500 Super Snake they plan to release late in 2007.

For most Mustang lovers, their only glimpse of this beauty on wheels will only be this photo…so enjoy it.

A few lucky (rich) stiffs, and their buddies, will actually get to drive one.

Pretend you’re one of these guys for a moment - here’s what you’ll get. A Shelby GT500 Super Snake coupe with a Ford Racing Supercharger; a 5.4L V8 with an amazing 600 horsepower…that’s right - 600! And there’s even an option for a  725-horsepower motor.

Other mods include a Ford Racing Handling Pack that adds adjustable dampers, lower springs, bigger stabilizer bars and a front strut tower brace. The brakes are of course bigger and fit snuggly behind a set of Shelby-designed Alcoa 20-inch wheels.

Ok - now come back to Earth. 

You can still turn some heads and tear up the road with a 2005 Ford Mustang GT without breaking the bank.

Check out the top 10 coolest, affordable vehicles, priced under 18k, according to KBB…

Sporty, stylish & smaller is the theme for this year’s list. The prices are great; the fuel economy is even better. (The Scion, above, gets my nod)

Nine out of 10 will give you 30mpg or better. Note that half of the vehicles are hatchbacks. Goodbye SUV’s…hello three & five-door cars. (Again!)

• Chevy Silverado Classic - Tough, roomy pick-up built to last…
• Ford Focus SES 2-door Hatchback - Sporty, smart & roomy…
• Honda Fit - Hip+Fun=Fit
• Hyundai Tiburon - The shark keeps getting better…
• Jeep Patriot - The rugged look with a new attitude…
• Mazda 3 - You’ll probably test drive this one a 2nd time…so much fun
• Nissan Versa - Barely even sips gas while zipping you around… 
• Scion tC - Gaining more  & more fans every day with its unique style…
• Suzuki SX4 - errands have never been so fun - shockingly spacious too
• Volkswagen Rabbit - Always a favorite & always fun…

All of these are light on your wallet and will definitely help at the pump. Show your fun side with these models. Be sure to show your smarts as well and search out a better deal on a slightly used model.

Need a great place to start your search? Try Auction Direct USA’s inventory pages. 

And if they don’t have it, they’ll find it.

The best selling vehicles list from 2006 has a different look to it - and its no shock to anyone that gas prices are the culrpit.

Smaller and midsize passenger vehicles quickly became popular as the squeeze at the pump got tighter. A lot of last years larger vehicles and SUV’s not only got bumped from the list but their overall sales plummeted.

Here’s the complete list…

#1. Ford F-Series pickup Base price: $19,640
2006 sales through end of August: 545,963
2005 sales through end of August: 625,047; Percentage change: down 13%

2. Chevrolet Silverado pickup Base price: $16,740
2006 sales through end of August: 434,937
2005 sales through end of August: 522,227; Percentage change: down 17%

#3. Toyota Camry convertible, coupe and sedan Base price: $18,270
2006 sales through end of August: 302,636
2005 sales through end of August: 299,507; Percentage change: up 1%

#4. Toyota Corolla sedan Base price: $14,205
2006 sales through end of August: 274,074
2005 sales through end of August: 235,980; Percentage change: up 16%

5. Honda Accord coupe and sedan Base price: $18,625
2006 sales through end of August: 250,663
2005 sales through end of August: 258,514; Percentage change: down 3%

#6. Dodge Ram pickup Base price: $22,050
2006 sales through end of August: 250,144
2005 sales through end of August: 283,310; Percentage change: down 12%

#7. Honda Civic coupe and sedan Base price: $14,810
2006 sales through end of August: 225,212
2005 sales through end of August: 203,673; Percentage change: up 11%

#8. Chevrolet Impala sedan Base price: $21,515
2006 sales through end of August: 197,304
2005 sales through end of August: 160,579; Percentage change: up 23%

#9. Chevrolet Cobalt coupe and sedan Base price: $13,665
2006 sales through end of August: 163,343
2005 sales through end of August: 148,831; Percentage change: up 10%

#10. Nissan Altima sedan Base price: $19,600
2006 sales through end of August: 154,909
2005 sales through end of August: 178,703; Percentage change: down 13%

Want to save even more? Check out these best selling used cars and trucks at Auction Direct USA!

Mention negotiating car prices with a used car dealer and you’ll make someone cringe. Nobody likes it. It’s time consuming, stressful and frustrating.

If you’re willing to invest some time online, you might be able to match wits with your next salesperson. Research the original price of the car when it first came out. Use this to determine the dealer cost. (The cost of the car when the dealer brought it from the manufacturer.) This cost is includes the dealer invoice, and the holdback.The dealer invoice is the cost the dealer paid for the car.

Both Edmunds and Kelley Blue Book are great places to research dealer invoices. A holdback is a rebate the manufacturer pays the dealer when the car is sold. Rebates are based on the make and model of the car – around 2-3% of the total value of the car. Subtract this holdback from the costs and you’ll quickly realize how much the dealer actually paid for the car. Any hidden incentives to the dealer should be calculated. This is a hard one to arrive at – seeing that it’s called a “hidden” incentive.

If you can crack this code, be sure to bring it up in your price negotiations. New car dealers ask up to $5000 over their cost of the car.Congratulations if you’ve made it this far. Most people don’t. Your next step is to start around $4k below the advertised price.

Make them work for your business – you already expected this turf battle. After either you, or the sales person, have had enough of this “guess-my-price” game – you already know what’s next. “Let me go talk to my manager.” Classic sales tactic.  

The salesperson will head off to his manager to give him a good chuckle with your offer. Then, they’ll talk about last Sunday’s game and debate about the merits of the last singer voted off American Idol.   Most people dread this situation, lose the negotiation and get stuck with a deal they’re not happy with – or just walk away disgruntled.What’s the solution? The one-price, no-haggle pricing structure is giving traditional car dealers strong competition. The one-price method eliminates the negotiation and makes car buying stress-free. 

Imagine buying a car and your salesperson works with you the entire time. Better yet, when the salesperson goes to his manager, it’s simply to introduce you to him. And the icing, nobody tries to “close” you with lines from the movie Used Cars. Don’t believe this actually exists? See what the buzz is all about at this New York Used Car dealership

The blog name says it all. WhyBuyUsedCars.com

You’ll find an all inclusive, no holds barred look into the perplexing used car industry.

You’re spending more time than ever searching online…for buyers advice, car care help and industry tips & secrets. Discover what WhyBuyUsedCars.com has to improve your used car buying experience.

Have a used car question? Looking for more accurate info? How about sharing a great (new) car dealer story? (everybody has a good one…)

Enjoy, have fun and tell us what you think….I’m sure the new car guys won’t be thrilled.