Okay, something's wrong with your car. You know it. It just doesn't "feel" right.

That may sound lame when you're talking to your mechanic, but believe me, it's not something you want to ignore.

Maybe you feel like the car is difficult to handle. Maybe the ride just seems less smooth and stable. Perhaps there's a vibration that wasn't there before.

These symptoms almost always indicate a problem.

Is it harder to steer your vehicle? Do you have difficulty steering in a straight line? This might mean your front wheels are misaligned or you have worn steering parts.

Robert Sikorsky's little book Drive It Forever offers invaluable tips to keep your car going the extra mile. His stellar advice could save you a year's worth of car payments or more!

The smoother you drive, the longer your car will run. Stopping and starting, fast lane changes, scratching off all lead to shorter life for your car.

Naturally, you can't drive at all without stopping and starting. But your goal is to keep moving smoothly any time that you can. Does it look like a stoplight is about to turn green? Then slow down and if possible, gently keep moving until the light changes.

Now that you've selected a vehicle, you need to know how to inspect it and what to look for when doing so. As long as it's daytime, you can almost always see defects in the body unless they have been carefully covered up. It's always a good idea to look over the outside of the car, walking around it several times so you don't miss anything. Bend down and look underneath as well if it's possible to do so, you may see evidence of extensive rust on the underbody. If you do find a lot of rust, bring it to the dealer's attention so that he knows that you have detected it. He might decide to lower the price to keep you interested. Even so, a lot of rust is not a good thing, as rust can erode all kinds of metal parts and cause a major headache later on should you decide to buy the car. Don't let the incentive of a great price cause you to make a bad decision. Tires are another issue. Although you can always buy new tires, the ones that are on it can tell you a lot about the condition of the chassis. Look for excessive wear on one side of a tire. This can be evidence of a worn out front end or other problems, and is especially important if the tires have very little wear besides what is on the edges. Of course, it is possible that there is just an alignment problem that can often be fixed easily, but be wary nonetheless.

So you want or need a new car, do you? Do you really want to buy or lease a new car or could it be a used car? That is the first decision you have to make when considering buying one of the many, many new cars that are on the market today! If you want one of those new cars straight from the dealership, there are a few things you should think about first before getting that new car. And a few things you should know before spending a lot of your hard earned money on one of those new cars.

Once you have decided on a car, done the best inspection possible under the circumstances and taken her for a test drive, you're ready to negotiate the price. Many used car dealers are willing to haggle about the posted price, though there will be the occasional dealer that just refuses to go any lower, no matter how hard you try. If you run into one of those and you really don't agree with the asking price, go somewhere else. It's just not worth it. Sometimes the asking price will be one that you can live with, and if so by all means pay the man. If, however, you just have a gut feeling that the asking price is way too high, do everything you can to get the dealer to negotiate with you. A lot of times you will be told that the price is not negotiable, but the dealer is really just testing you. He marked the price so that he can make a good, hefty profit, and if there is any way he can convince you that haggling is not an option he will give it his best shot. Should you run into this situation, say "gee, I really wanted this car, but I just don't feel like it's worth that much. Maybe I'll try some other place" or something to that effect. At that point, the dealer has invested a good bit of time, and he does not want to see you walk away now. If he has a haggling bone in his body, he'll start discussing it really fast.

Rental cars are a whole different breed of animal from regular cars. Rental cars are purchased by car rental companies to be rented out to anyone who walks through their door with a valid credit card and driver's license. These rental cars are usually purchased in bulk from manufacturers and most rental cars are not intended to be luxury models, although some rental cars are exactly that. There are specialty rental car agencies that offer exotic, expensive rental cars, but these are the exception and you pay the price for these rental cars.

Getting a new car thrills and excites. Sometimes it's easy to get carried away in our initial response to a car. No matter how much you like a certain vehicle, take it for a long, serious test drive.

You should first plan on spending as long as possible on your test drive. Fifteen minutes isn't enough time. You want to thoroughly examine the car and definitely have a mechanic check it out.

Take a look at the vehicle overall. Do the body parts line up? Does the paint match? Will doors open and close easily? Do the tires look like they wear evenly?

You're on the lot, it's a nice sunny day, and you're starting to feel at ease with the salesman. Now it's time to find a suitable automobile. Any given used car dealer is likely to have anywhere from one to several dozen or even hundreds to pick from. If the dealer only has a handful, it could mean that he sells a lot of cars and is a fair and reputable businessman. On the other hand, it could mean that he is a cheapskate and doesn't buy cars unless the price is really low so that he can maximize his profit. At this point it will be hard to tell, so be alert and pay close attention to everything you are told. The larger the selection, the easier it is to find a good, reliable ride. However, if there are only a few, it might be a good idea to at least look at all of them. If you check out all of the cars and they are all complete junkers, it's time to look somewhere else.

Cars are like electric lights. We often don't appreciate them until they go on the blink. Regular maintenance checks and simple service can greatly reduce the cost of car ownership and keep you a much happier traveler!

Don't let the thought of car maintenance intimidate you. There are actually several car maintenance tips you can do – even if you're totally mechanically-challenged!

For instance, you'll want to keep your windshield washer fluid reservoir full. This involves screwing off the cap and pouring windshield wiper fluid in the right spot. You can quickly check the fluid levels when filling up at the gas station.

A little extra care here and there when it comes to your car, and you'll find yourself saving loads of money – not just on repairs, but on fuel as well!

Keep your engine tuned up. A misfiring spark plug can reduce fuel efficiency as much as 30 percent. This means less money in your wallet. Follow the service schedules listed in your owner's manual. Replace filters and fluids as recommended.

I know it doesn't always fit into your schedule. You just have to make yourself do it. If the dealer is charging an arm and a leg for a tune-up, get a second opinion at a local reputable car repair shop. They can do the same service schedule, usually at a greater savings to you.