Chrysler recently instituted a "lifetime" - yes, your lifetime - powertrain warranty for its Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles. If you're shopping for a car and comparing warranty coverage, "lifetime" sounds tough to beat. But when you break down the numbers in light of how long most people own their cars, most warranties, including Chrysler's, end up being pretty much the same as their competitors. The exception are Hyundai and its Korean sister-brand Kia. Hyundai made a splash in 1999 when it introduced a 10-year, 100,000 mile powertrain warranty. Of all the major non-luxury car brands out there, Hyundai and Kia are still the only ones with a warranty package that's materially better than the rest.

With home foreclosure rates rising and economic volatility the norm, it's easy to understand why more people might want to get out from under a $400-per-month car lease that stretches on for two or three years more. Companies such as LeaseTrader.com and Swapalease.com offer such services, connecting people who want to get out of a lease with those eager to get a deal on a short-term arrangement, but consumers should proceed carefully before paying hundreds of dollars for a lease transfer. The idea of escaping a lease is gaining in popularity. LeaseTrader.com says it expects to handle 35,000 transactions this year, up from about 20,000 in 2006.

The dealership experience can be extremely stressful, but it doesn't have to be. You could know everything there is to know about the cars you're considering, but that's only a fraction of the buying process. If you want that seductive new sedan at a good price, you're probably going to need to know what to say - and more importantly, what not to say. Some people loathe the whole car-buying experience simply because they anticipate getting conned. A few hundred dollars isn't a big deal on the price of a luxury car, but it's the idea of smart shopping and that sense of getting a good deal that's especially important. For luxury car buyers - notoriously labeled the shrewd shoppers - a good deal is icing on the cake.

At the East Side Organizing Project in Cleveland, six home owners recently went in for group foreclosure counseling. When asked if any had taken out payday loans, four hands shot up. A payday loan is a small-dollar, short-term loan with fees that can add up to interest rates of almost 400 percent. They're generally taken out when the borrower is caught short on cash and promises to pay the balance back next payday. If it sounds like legal loan-sharking, it's not. "Loan sharks are actually cheaper," said Bill Faith, a leader of the Ohio Coalition for Responsible Lending.

Conventional wisdom holds that it's best to buy a home by paying 20% of its price up front. That spares the buyer the expense of private mortgage insurance (PMI), and provides lower monthly payments to boot. Now that the subprime lending crisis has erupted, hurting profits in investment firm Bear Stearns, homebuilders like Pulte Homes, and lenders such as Citigroup, Freddie Mac, and Countrywide , the responsible 20% down payment seems even harder to argue with.

Hybrids are attractive vehicles in this era of $3-plus gasoline. Even though the revised method for calculating federal fuel economy has knocked down the estimated mileage on all cars, especially some hybrids, gas-electric hybrids still are the most fuel-efficient vehicles available. But do they make long-term economic sense? Most savvy buyers know that hybrids cost at least $2,500 more than comparable gas-only vehicles, which means it would take years to recoup the added cost. Many buyers are willing to make that commitment.

Having something break on a nearly new car could lead you to love it more. Lexus IS 250 owners can attest to that. Lexus' dealerships offer some of the industry's best perks (in-showroom cappuccino machines, among them) and the brand's service department is known to work overtime for customers. Lexus is just one of several luxury brands offering over-the-top dealership service that separates their vehicles from the rest - and instills buyer loyalty and satisfaction.