Actually buying a vehicle right over the Internet is possible through CarsDirect.com (www.carsdirect.com) and, if you don't want to deal with other human beings, preferable. There are numerous referral sites like Microsoft's Carpoint (carpoint.msn.com), Auto-By-Tel (www.autobytel), and even the Motor Trend Auto Program (www.motortrendauto.com) that will send you a price on a car and refer you to a dealer in your area willing to sell you a car at that price. Those referral programs are, however, paid for by dealers, and most consumers are best off using them as starting points for negotiations rather than final prices.
It's at the point now where it pays to shop on the Internet first for everything from the financing for your new vehicle to insurance. It all boils down to the fact that having the best knowledge is the best way to make sure you get the best deal.
All-Wheel Drive vs. Four-Wheel DriveAll-wheel drive and four-wheel drive are often used interchangeably. But while there's a distinction between the two, there's no real agreement on exactly what that distinction is. Here's our attempt.
Generally, full-time, all-wheel drive systems send power to all four wheels of a vehicle all the time. They usually do this through viscous couplings in a transfer case or electronically actuated clutches controlled by a computer (or a combination of the two). Part-time four-wheel drive systems, on the other hand, are activated by the driver manually (or electronically) only when the going gets rough. True four-wheel drive systems have the capability to full lock the front and rear output in the transfer case, and they have two-speed transfer cases.