Rather than depend on the advice of semi-knowledgeable friends, a mechanic biased toward a car maker and not a specific vehicle, or by looking to see what your neighbor drives, you can depend on this.

I bought my last two cars using earlier guides.

In it, I found lists of “Good Bets,” which are cars the authors consider to perform well over the years. That is guiding my purchase. I won’t buy a car not listed there. I also found lists dividing reliable cars by price range, which cars have had recalls, unreliable models (by year), and detailed descriptions of the pros and cons of each vehicle.

That’s not all. There are also articles on safety, buying strategies, batteries, insurance, towing, depreciation, tires and child car seats.

It is not a complicated book. It is straight to the point, with minimal car jargon. Novices like myself are not overwhelmed by information I am not concerned with.

I am interested in safety, performance, cost of repair and related information. I found all of this here. A Corolla from 2003 is not the same as one from 2002. While this is obvious, this guide helps is know why each is worth what they say.

I fully recommend “Consumer Reports Used Car Buying Guide.” I am confident that because I have read it and will refer to it while I shop for an auto online, I am prepared to save money and to buy a better vehicle. You still need to test drive the vehicle, but this will help get you to that test.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com