Buying a car is like no other shopping experience. The choices seem to be endless. The price you see on the sticker isn't the price you pay -- you must negotiate. You can lease or buy, new or used. A trade-in is often involved. And most people have to navigate another separate transaction, financing the deal.

This lesson will help you with all these questions. For a quick overview, click on "Top 10 things to know" at the upper left. Or work your way through "The details" sections for more information on the topics in this lesson (calculators and other interactive features are marked with a symbol). And "Take the test" is a quiz that checks what you've learned and offers suggestions for further study.