Ever heard of the Buick Rainier?

How about the Isuzu Ascender?

When you look at new or used cars and trucks and now SUVs, you may be confused. In spite of a recession and bailouts, you still have a lot of competitors in the same space. And I don’t even mean the different models available from say Toyota, Honda, Hyundai and Volkswagen. We’re talking about the same automaker.

How to Figure Out Model Glut

Here’s one example: at Nissan, you have the example of the Rogue, Juke and Cube all competing in the compact utility vehicle/hatchback slot. There’s the Pathfinder and the Xterra, and then the Murano, Infiniti FX series and the Nissan Pathfinder Armada (Full credit goes to this thread).

So, for three segments, you see Nissan (and it’s captive luxury brand Infiniti) offering at least 8 models depending on how you want to slice the FX SUVs. That doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense, but is a common distinction among Japanese automakers and it’s where you can make a big play.

A similar possibility opens up at Ford, where you have the Ford Edge, the Ford Explorer which will be car-based by 2011, and the Lincoln MKX. The only reason you didn’t have more options is because Ford Motors finally shuttered Mercury.

If your head is starting to pound, it’s quite alright. Most automakers are still worrying about how to pare down their line-ups (even Cadillac, which offered the SRX mid-sized crossover, is still bringing out the CTS in wagon form). So how does this help you?

Making Poor Automaker Choices Into Cost Savings

If you’re looking at a new car, you can still find overlap among cars that are built on the same chassis and offer pretty much the same sorts of features. I recommend using the PSCars.com Car Configurator to see just exactly what I mean.

While I won’t go into too much detail about how similar chassis affect cars differently (you can read more here), you can definitely go for the unloved models. For example, if you look at monthly sales figures for Nissan, you may find that the Xterra gets more attention thanks to prior ad campaigns that linked it to extreme sports.

So rather than pay a premium for demand, wait until new cars start showing up and pounce on the less-beloved Nissan Pathfinder. You’re more likely to find

Used Cars Offer Even More Opportunity

General Motors may have set a record in the early part of the decade when it rolled out not two or three, but six midsize SUVs that basically all offered the same thing.

Starting with the Chevrolet Trailblazer (offered also in an extended wheelbase version that could remind you of the Suburban), they expanded. The GMC Envoy reflected the common GM tactic of making twinned Chevrolet/GMC variants. Add in the Oldsmobile Bravada, the Buick Rainier, the Isuzu Ascender and even the Saab 9-7X and you have a bevy of options.

It’s like that for a variety of vehicles, especially among domestic makes. For example Ford generally made three types of mid-size sedans through most of the 1990s and 2000s, all based on the Taurus.

Again, you’ll find that it’s easy to find the lesser loved car (for the six-headed monster, the Isuzu and the Buick come to mind), and drive a hard bargain about the lack of interest in the vehicle.

It may have contributed to the automaker’s bankruptcies, but you can certainly do some research on the trend.

A standard college packing job

Pack lists from most colleges don’t include a car, but that doesn’t mean that your young scholar doesn’t need a new or used car. Depending on the school, a vehicle can be key to accessing local parks or concert venues, and open up the possibilities of internships that can help in a creaky job market.

We’re fully convinced that the PSCars.com Car Configurator should help you pick out the right new or used car. So rather than making a list of cars or SUVs, we’d rather point you towards features that can help you feel comfortable about one important aspect of sending a son or daughter off to school.

(To any college students reading this: most of these tips can be applied to the car you want. Print out everything below this if you want help justifying the purchase.)

Five Seats or Less

Too many automotive and consumer journalists worry about the safety gadgets that go into a car. It’s easy to think that side-impact airbags and electronic stability control will help in the moment of a crash, and the best options among cars will have them.

But college students are social creatures. And there’s a reason that most states require younger drivers to have one or two passengers in their car while they are learning how to drive. Distractions during driving are one of the leading causes of crashes.

Minimize the hassle, and increase the possibility that your teenaged youngster will be able to focus on driving. Get a vehicle with five seats max. They don’t need to be a taxi service.

Ride Height Below Eye Level

This is covered in an e-book that you can get for free when you sign up for the e-newsletter (it covers six other myths about cars!), but the simple fact is that SUVs may not always be the best bet, especially for kids.

“But the CR-V and the RAV4 are based on cars!” Ride height is a factor that affects handling of the vehicle, attempting to park and dealing with the elements. In a new atmosphere like at school, these are all aspects of driving that can be difficult for younger motorists.

In addition, the available space in most wagons and hatchbacks is only a couple milk crates lower than that of a comparable compact SUV. If Junior doesn’t need to be Lawrence of Arabia, you’ll do better in a smaller vehicle, and they’ll pay less for gas.

Great Handling Reviews, Low Power

As a not so long ago student, I had fun driving around campus and the Tampa Bay area. In fact I did that all without having a high performance car. In fact, it was a Chevy Cavalier, as I talked about in an earlier article.

If you want a car that your kids will enjoy and not lead to further gray hairs, handling is a good place to start. A car or SUV that feels like it rides on rails ends up being safer because a younger driver is confident that it will go where you want it to, no matter the situation.

On the other hand, you probably don’t need a car that snarls. Realistically, it just tends to eat into a wallet where college students could be going to movies, concerts or whatever else they want. More importantly, the odds of needing a car that can do 0-60 MPH in under 9 seconds in college has always hovered around zero.

Space for Stuff

Cargo capacity is hands down the most important thing that will enable a college car to be its most useful. But you need to complement the cargo capacity with the recommendation we made above about seats.

That’s why we keep going back to wagons or hatchbacks, or even a small pick-up like a Nissan Frontier or a Ford Ranger. These allow for a lot of gear to be carried to and from school, and even allow for room re-decoration without the bungie cord/twine mess that can be a disaster.

Looking for space is an easy enough thing to do using the Car Configurator. In fact, you can compare our earlier assertion about small SUVs versus wagons and hatchbacks. If I’m wrong, show me in the comments.

There’s Room For Disagreement

I know that, like your son or daughter’s first college professor, I didn’t really answer the question. But just like the perfect length for an essay, there really is no correct answer to the best car for a college student. Take these ideas and work them into your own desires for a car to protect one of the most important parts of your life.

But horsepower, all-wheel drive capability or a pretty exterior? Those are the province of a family conversation.

As always, feel free to leave questions, concerns or rebuttals in the comments.

[Image: Brian Lane Winfield Moore via Flickr]

Buying a new or used car can seem like a bit of a long-winded experience. You have to research, contact dealerships, get the right price and then establishing your credit for a loan if you need it. It used to be that would involve trips to several dealerships, picking up brochures and trying to get quotes.

“Those days are gone,” says Peter McInnis, internet manager at Mercedes Benz of Fort Lauderdale. When we spoke to him, McInnis was actually confused by the concept of buying a car without internet resources; just five percent of his customers go that route.

So if that’s the case, then there should be a general game plan for how to make it an easy process. PSCars.com spoke to internet sales experts, credit rating impresarios and others to find out how to make buying your next used or new car as painless as possible.

What Do You Want?

Your dream car?

We, and the dealerships we talked to, advocate getting as much of your research done online before you start looking for quotes. Another article will detail the specifics of how to go about it, but here is a brief primer:

1- Make a list of your needs, wants and likes. Use a tool like PSCars.com to ensure that you find models that fit the majority of your needs, most of your wants and a few of your likes. Have a list of three or four cars that fit those needs best.

2- Create a budget by listing your monthly paychecks (if you’re paid bi-weekly, double the net payment on your most recent stub), and then subtracting your expenses. The result is your total budget for a car, including the loan, gasoline (or diesel), insurance and maintenance.

3- Match the models listed in step 1 with the finances in step 2. You should find a couple cars, wagons or SUVs that fit your need, whether they’re new or pre-owned vehicles. Now take a deep breath and let’s get ready to deal with the automotive salespeople. They won’t bite, we promise.

What Should You Look for from Dealerships?

McInnis says that he has access to dozens of images whenever a customer asks for resources to help them choose a car, in addition to videos that he sends to all leads.

You should look for an internet sales manager that provides these sorts of multimedia tools. As A.J. Hasty, Acura of Palm Beach Internet Manager, understands, you also need to look for dealership staff who are prompt. He expects to be able to provide a quote within minutes of receiving it through the corporate intranet.

That means that customers shouldn’t deal with companies that aren’t prompt, courteous and eager to help them answer questions. As we’ll soon find out, though, that doesn’t mean that they are looking to be taken advantage of.

How Do You Act Around Internet Sales Managers?

Hasty says that he has been “blessed because I have the right people [as customers],” ones who understand that he will work hard on the customer service side. He’s even delivered cars as far as four hours away, so that customers never had to step foot in the dealership.

But many internet sales managers we spoke to say they don’t have a lot of wiggle room in their quotes. Since it’s designed to speed up the buying process, they argue that they are giving the best price they can afford to.

It may mean that you should be doing any research you need prior to e-mailing a representative, and to leave haggling to issues such as delivery or trade-ins. The dealership personnel PSCars.com spoke to admitted that their job performance is based on a key indicator, the Customer Satisfaction Index.

The numbers for each salesperson are based on the surveys that new and used car buyers receive shortly after taking delivery. They determine any bonuses, as well as who gets to keep their job. So if you are a terror for them to deal with, they might just ask you to kindly move on. In some cases, it’s worth it to lose the sale if they know their ratings will go down.

That same mentality means it irks sales managers when potential customers give out false information like telephone numbers or e-mail addresses. One went so far as to day that the practice eliminated any chance of price negotiation.

At the same time, A.J. Hasty told us that every e-mail he sends out includes the line, “I want to make it easy for you to buy this car.” He and others told us that they are genuinely interested in helping consumers.

Just remember, they have a job to do, as well.

Steps to Make Your Money Work for You

By now, you should have one or more quotes, and a healthy understanding of the car you want. That doesn’t mean you should be rushing out to sign a contract or get ready for a new car in your driveway or in front of your home.

The financial side of things is often the least-explained and yet most important aspect of buying a car. Taking advantage of certain requirements and stipulations can mean the difference between a $20,000 car and a $17,000 car.

Start with dealer incentives. They can seem great, but Thomas Alexander, professor of finance at Norwood University, notes that many discounts that are above $1,000 or so are used on cars that are being discontinued. If you’re planning on re-selling the car down the road, the discount may not be as valuable as the loss in re-sale pricing.

If you plan on taking advantage of a zero percent interest rate, use a spreadsheet or online loan calculator to determine the difference between the loan amounts and any incentives you may have received. In most cases, the lower interest rate is the most valuable thing you can get.

That Thing About the Credit Score

One of the key determining factors about interest rates is your credit score, the number that you get from credit agencies and determines your rough ability to be a good loan target. There are a variety of resources out there about how to improve your credit score, but we want to delve into one that affects short-term issues like buying a new or used car.

Wayne Sanford calls himself Wayne the Credit Guy, and seven years in the credit re-building industry has seen him trying to find ways for consumers to come out on top. One tip he normally advocates is to pay down the balances on their credit cards, because up to 30% of that credit score is based on balance ratios, or the amount you have in debt versus your credit limit.

“What people don’t realize is when you pay off or down your credit card the company does not automatically call the bureaus to report that information…. They report that information monthly,” he says, arguing that consumers should wait at least 45 days if they expect their credit rating to drop drastically by paying off bills.

John Curran is a PSCars.com automotive writer. He can be reached at JohnC@practicalsystems.com.

We know that the Car Configurator is still in beta, so there are a few kinks to work out. But we also want you, our readers and car shoppers, to be able to get a handle on the system while it’s still in beta. The more you can do, the better shot you have at designing the car that fits your needs.

We’re going to look at the new car showroom another day, because it’s fairly well running. With so many of you interested in used cars, it made more sense to try and show you the steps it takes to configure a used car with our system. Let’s start by clicking on the configurator link at the top right of the home page.

You should see this:

Still there? Great. Now we want to pick a car. One that I’ve been kind of loving for a while is the 2003 Audi A4 Avant wagon with a manual transmission. Don’t ask why, but it’ll serve nicely. Where you see the arrow, you’ll fill in the information for year, make, model and body time/trim lines.

So here’s my fantastic wagon. I’m a writer, so it’s not like I’m really looking to buy an all-new Audi (though, here’s hoping!) But, what if I wanted to compare it to slightly newer vehicles? That’s what the link to body changes under the ownership tab is for (second from left). It offers the last several years of cars, and you can quick scroll back and forth between them.

Now we’re ready to build our own. Click on the right orange arrow that says “Build Your Own.” See the steps along the bottom? We’re still getting the last kinks of out of the dealership part of the system, but you can click through the “select vehicle” and “mileage” before you get to appearance. I picked a Denim Blue Pearl exterior and a platinum interior. You can see the car changes colors with the selections here:

You can also pull up packages and options. On mine I did the pearl paint and the rear side airbags. Then click on “summary.” Et voila! You have a car. If you’re like me, you have a significant other that you would have to run such a big purchase past. That’s why I like having the html link at the bottom left of the summary page. I just copy it and forward it to get the approval.

Now, we’re also working on the “parking” function. It’ll let you configure several models and then come back to them easily. For now, a really good workaround is to copy that URL at the bottom left into a new window, and then bookmark it.

PSCars.com Car Configurator is pretty neat, and I bet you didn’t think you could get this much information from one site about new and used cars. Try it out and let me know what you think, as well as any questions, comments or concerns. This tool is for you guys, after all.

John Curran is a PSCars.com automotive writer. He can be reached at JohnC@practicalsystems.com.

You will start seeing reviews of the 2011 Honda CR-Z, a sporty-looking hybrid that manages to do little of being sporty, and not enough with the hybrid powertrain it has on offer.

It’s based on the CRX, which was a tiny hatch that in the mid to late 1980s offered great fuel economy and decent acceleration, along with go-kart-like handling. But safety regulations were different, as were your needs in options and amenities.

The CR-Z may be popular when Honda launches it, although I’m not too sure. It does bring to mind an excellent question that people should answer for themselves when looking for a new Honda car online, or any other model.

Chiefly, do you want to look fast, go fast or some combination of the two? The Honda CR-Z tries to do a little bit of both. If you look at the image at the top, you’ll notice that the lines do look striking. But the car doesn’t have very much go in its engines, and the fuel economy is shy of 40 miles per gallon on the highway.

Instead, let’s look at two options that both top out above 40 miles per gallon on the highway. It’s a nice starting point for those who need fuel economy, or recognize that small cars’ resale value may be helped by those numbers. For this, we’re looking at the Volkswagen Golf TDI and the Honda Civic Hybrid.

Both are old designs that have been made more economical by engine choices. For Volkswagen, that means a turbodiesel engine and the Civic Hybrid includes a gasoline electric engine.

In terms of looks, both are adequate, which is to say that they don’t look different from their normal counterparts with just gasoline engines. But the Civic Hybrid is a bit slower, and feels like it.

You can use the PSCars configurator to check out the different statistics, as well as pricing. You can also check out the reviews. But the real point of this is to take a look at different cars that take unique approaches to try and solve the fuel efficiency/sporty conundrum.

For our money, the Golf TDI may offer just a bit more power and handling feel than the Civic Hybrid. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a car that can navigate city streets without making you wince at the gas pump, go Honda.

The CR-Z, on the other hand is a great looking car. We’ve said that. But to make the best new car buying decision, you need to look beyond the exterior, especially in the compact car market where . And it may turn out that the CR-Z suits your needs, but so too could two of Honda’s other hybrid options, or a diesel if you’re looking for fuel efficient cars.

[Image: Honda]

John Curran is a PSCars.com automotive writer. He can be reached at JohnC@practicalsystems.com.

Buying a new car online means trying to cut down the number of options from dozens to three or five that you can look at in more detail. But what if you have one car you like, and a friend or family member tells you that there has to be a couple more options?

Thanks to the automakers, with many cars you can pick one of two or three options that all start from the same chassis, or metal skeleton. Just like a bear and a lion might have the same spine but everything else is different, the Cadillac SRX crossover and the CTS sedan share the same underpinnings.

To an extent. And therein lies the problem. I can tell you that Ford Focuses, Volvo C30s and Mazda3s from a couple years ago have the same metal underneath the seats. But that doesn’t mean that they are all built the same way.

On the left, a Mazda3. On the right, a Volvo C30. Two different looks, one platform.

It’s why I’m going to point you to the configurator. Here at PSCars.com, we have a pretty neat way to compare a number of different cars, and it doesn’t involve poring through feature lists or trying to switch among internet browser windows.

Instead, you can see the differences in the exterior and interior for platform sharing vehicles and tell for yourself whether or not one strikes you as a better fit.

Taking a look doesn’t necessarily mean that the car is the right fit for you. Here are a couple of other concerns you should note:

1) They may look alike, but similar looking cars aren’t always built off the same platform. While many cars do, one excellent example is the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta that looks a lot like an Audi A4 with a different grille pattern. But they are different, and if you were to compare the two on our configurator, you would be able to see the differences in engines and other things

2) Warranties and other options. Subaru and Toyota both plan on making a variation of the FT-86 concept car that could be a nice coupe for many. They also have different service centers and warranties that may impact your decision to buy. Be sure to note these since they may not appear in brochures or other documents.

3) What do you REALLY need? I mean, you can get a Ford Escape or a Mercury Mariner and the major differences are options. The same issues come up when you consider the Ford Edge and the Lincoln MKZ. You may find that there are a lot of amenities you don’t need on a base model from an upmarket brand, and you can always add options to other options.

Whatever you choose, knowing the skeleton under the skin of new cars can turn you onto some alternatives you may not have realized shared a familial resemblance. And you can take your options to our configurator to see how they stack up in terms of engines, space and looks.

Your turn: what cars that share a platform or a body do you like? Why?

John Curran is a PSCars.com automotive writer. He can be reached at JohnC@practicalsystems.com.