For a couple of years now, shopping for a car doesn't mean just going to a dealer. It also means going to the Internet. Here are some thoughts about places to go.

The dot-com meltdown has actually helped improve the car sites, eliminating dozens of companies that had poor business models or were of marginal use to consumers. At the same time. the major sites have improved in quality.

Some of the sites to be aware of:

Cars.com
http://www.cars.com
Terrific site for searching for new and used cars. Allows you to price and compare cars and features "infrequently asked questions" and plenty of advice for the buyer and the seller. The in-depth guides are especially handy. Good place to start your car search. Also has links to "Car Talk" -- the popular radio show.

Edmunds.com
http://www.edmunds.com
A good car site that you should visit, Edmunds has a feature called "true market value," which tells you what the national average price is for the same make and model.

Autobytel
http://www.autobytel.com
This is a referral site that sends you to dealerships that have paid for customer leads. You will have to give your name, address and phone number before you can get price quotes.

CarPoint.com
http://www.carpoint.com
This site is run by Microsoft and is very similar to Autobytel.

Kelley Blue Book
http://www.kbb.com
The legendary Kelley Blue Book, which is used as the final arbiter of car prices, has gone online in a very practical way. You can research used car prices as well as those of new cars. If you own a car, or are in the market for one, be sure to check it out.

7online's Automotive Section
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/automotive
Plenty of answers to tough and important questions here. Check out the "Ten Steps to Buying a New Car" and the vehicle leasing guide.

There are other sites out there, of course, but these are the must-stops on the road to your new car.

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