Choosing your first new car is a big decision. Whether you opt for a snazzy sports car with a sunroof, a rugged SUV or a trusted and time-honored sedan, your car is a big-ticket purchase. 

There’s nothing like leaving the dealership confident, with the gleaming dashboard and new car smell a happy reminder that you made the right choice, and that it'll last a long time.

While some people may find it intimidating to haggle with a car salesman or overwhelming to choose from all the options out there, if you arm yourself with knowledge, buying a new car can be a good experience. You may want to consider following these tips from USA.gov as you embark on your quest to find the right car for you:

The Costco Auto Program today announced the outcome of its most-recent offer with General Motors. Preliminary sales results for the Chevrolet, Buick and GMC Special Offer indicate the number of eligible vehicles sold is more than 15,000 – nearly triple the final sales results of last winter’s promotional offer from the Costco Auto Program and GM. The Chevrolet, Buick and GMC Special Offer took place Oct. 2, 2012, through Jan. 2, 2013.

During the promotional period, Costco members were able to purchase select 2012 and 2013 Chevrolet, Buick and GMC models at GM Preferred Pricing, in addition to receiving all publicly available rebates and incentives. Moreover, Costco members who made an eligible purchase qualified to receive a $500 Costco Cash Card after completing a Costco Auto Program member satisfaction survey. “The Chevrolet, Buick and GMC Special Offer exceeded our expectations but we’re not surprised by it,” said John Gleason, Costco Services Manager. “Costco makes every effort to ensure members receive a great value and exceptional service".

The results clearly show our members recognize the great values the Costco Auto Program delivers.” The Costco Auto Program attributes the offer’s overall success to several factors; including, the diverse selection and popularity of eligible vehicles, comprehensive messaging to Costco members, national public relations efforts and word-of-mouth.

Out with the old and in with the new -- car, that is. We asked Kelley Blue Book analyst Alec Gutierrez to decode three options for getting rid of your old car, so you can make room for a shiny, new one.

There are perfectly good options for selling a used car privately, trading it in or donating it. We mapped out the pros and cons of each, so the process can be as easy as a Sunday drive.

Assess the Worth

Before deciding which option is best for you, you’ll want to get a realistic idea of what your car is worth. "Be honest with yourself, and with the vehicle’s worth," says Gutierrez.

On KBB.com, you can input your car’s specific details, such as the year, make, model, whether it has all-wheel drive or leather seats, etc., to get an estimate of what your car is worth. “Don’t skip over any of the details, because they can increase the value of the car,” Gutierrez says.

Then, it's time to explore your options for selling your vehicle:

The 2013 Lexus LS: Lexus has given its flagship sedan a complete redesign and added a new sport version to the lineup. The all-new 2013 Lexus LS 460 is unapologetically big, smooth and sumptuous-both inside and out. Plus, there’s an updated version of its LS 600 hybrid that brings increased fuel efficiency and added plushness. Since it came to the market in 1989, its designers and engineers have set the tone for the Lexus brand by endowing its top-of-the-line model with a high level of craftsmanship, technology and refinement. The newest LS has a more bold exterior; an interior that has been updated with a higher level of quality and technology; there is improved safety and upgraded driving dynamics—along with more than 3,000 new parts! The base LS 460 rear wheel drive version starts at $71, 990 and the LS600 hybrid starts at $119,910.

We came to Tucson, known as “The Real Southwest” and parked overnight at the sumptuous Ritz Carlton Hotel, with accommodations befitting this updated opulent auto. Lexus isn’t shy about its achievements and wants its success to be recognized, so has tailored its ride and drives and media campaign to heighten the prestige of the LS. For its first introduction this summer, Lexus revealed the new model as the centerpiece to an international photo exhibit in San Francisco called the “Lexus Laws of Attraction”, at an L.A. Food and Wine event and at the legendary Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance, in Monterrey, California. The new LS F Sport model was unveiled by renowned designers Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan to a global audience during a live webcast on Lexas.com and Facebook. Looking at the exterior of the new iconic LS, you’ll notice it has an aerodynamic sweep of a profile, with short overhangs front and rear and a relatively long midsection.

The next big name in automobiles may not be an American, or Japanese, or even German or Italian: Believe it or not, India is poised to change the face of the US Auto Industry with the introduction of the Tata Nano to the US Market.

For those who don't know, the Nano is an adorable, no-frills, egg-shaped four seater car introduced in India in 2009 as an alternative to scooters and other super-efficient means of transportation.  It's known as the "World's Cheapest Car," and to say that it's bare-bones is an understatement:  it boasts a 4-gallon tank, a top speed of 65mph, about 3 cubic feet of storage space, and its major advertised features include "headrests" and an interior fuel warning light.  But with simple features comes a simple price tag.  In 2009 it was introduced with an unbelievable price of $2500.

The rest of the world is definitely taking notice of the little Nano that could - I learned about this adorable car from Live with Kelly & Michael, and have since learned that auto aficionado Jay Leno has already snagged one of the Indian models for his car collection.

The Nano will certainly undergo a bit of a redesign before it hits the US market, and those vital statistics seem certain to improve.  Also being added are power steering, traction control, and some other bells and whistles missing from the base model in India - AC and Heating come to mind.  All these improvements will raise the price a bit, of course, but the plan is for the Nano to hit the US market in 2013 with a price of about $8000.  That would make it the cheapest car on the market, and if it's done right, it could change the face of the industry.

The Nano is being redesigned for the European market as well.  I think they're adorable, and moreover, I think the US is ready for a new wave of super-economical automobiles.  India isn't the first nation to be experimenting with this concept - China boasts super-affordable cars with some pretty cool features, and in Japan, Nissan is reintroducing the Datsun brand, as a line of low-cost autos poised to retail for around $3000 in Asia.  I'm watching these sagas, and the Nano's, very closely, so keep an eye here for updates.

Have a great weekend, and TTFN:  tata for nano!  (I couldn't resist.)

Kaeli Gardner AskPatty.com

Took this beautiful beast of a vehicle, a Yukon Denali Hybrid, on a road trip up Highway 1 along the Pacific Coast for a test drive. This roomy, luxurious, eco-friendly SUV is packed with features that made my drive safe and enjoyable. Mom's with larger families that are looking for a more luxury driving experience with better fuel economy will enjoy this SUV.

One of the key factors I loved are the safety features. The air-bag system features 360-degrees of coverage in the event of an accident and comes with the
OnStar’s automatic crash response. OnStar also provides monthly vehicle diagnostics that report when any of the vehicle’s major systems is having problems.
The rear-vision camera is one of the many other ways that the Yukon makes everyday driving extra safe.

The GMC official data for the 2012 Yukon Denali Hybrid - 4WD points out that it has 66 percent better fuel economy than any other full-size SUV in its class.

Highlights of the 2012 Yukon Denali Hybrid - 4WD

• Three rows of seating for 8 passengers are standard on all models. The second row is available as a three-passenger bench with a 60/40 split bench.

• The third row features a removable 50/50-split design

• Leather-appointed, heated front seats are standard on Yukon Hybrid

• Heated and cooled perforated leather seats are standard on Yukon Hybrid Denali

• Tri-zone automatic climate control with rear auxiliary air conditioning is standard

• SiriusXM Satellite Radio standard (with three-month trial)

• Navigation radio with a seven-inch touch screen, USB port, hard drive, Time Shift Recording capability, MP3 playback, navigation with voice recognition and color interface display – and three years of complimentary XM NavTraffic service

• Bose nine-speaker sound system is standard on Yukon Hybrid; a Bose Centerpoint 10-speaker surround sound system is standard on Yukon Hybrid Denali

• Bluetooth phone connectivity is standard

• Power-adjustable pedals are standard

• Available Sun and Entertainment Package includes an additional nine months of SiriusXM Radio service, power sunroof and rear-seat DVD entertainment system.

Complete with flower-filled courtyards, restful fountains and red-tiled roofs, the Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara is the perfect place to enjoy the leisurely pace and warm embrace of the California lifestyle and test drive the all new 2013 Honda Accord line up. The evening before the drive we were treated to a reveal of the new models over cocktails, a cool demo of how they design around people in the car and the excellent visibility designed into front and passenger windows. We concluded the evening with a fine dinner of Mexican inspired eats.

In the morning the Honda team went over all the new specs and features in great detail to give us the all the background on all the models including the 2014 Accord Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) Sedan that is scheduled to debut in early 2013. The technology features are amazing and MANY for safety, drivability, communication, GPS location and entertainment. Something for every busy on the go woman driver needs and more.

I test drove both the all new Honda Accord 2013 Sedan and Coupe models and had so much fun driving the 6 speed manual Coupe, YES a stick shift! Very sporty feel as I took a long test drive over hill and vale in the Santa Barbara wine country. We stopped for a Asian inspired lunch at the Firestone Winery, (no wine tasting darn it). On the way back I drove the Sedan with Tanya from Mommy Goggles which was so quiet and smooth, good thing too as Tanya's tummy did not agree with all the winding roads!

My 2013 Honda Accord driving impressions: Nimble, quick acceleration on both models. Smooth drive on uneven surfaces, better in the Sedan than the Coupe. The manual 6 speed shifting was smooth and easy to handle as well. Loved the Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system and the standard on all models rear backup camera.

Trunk space is very roomy for a mid size compact car. New body style and trim is quite a sexy departure from prior years Honda Accord plain Jane models. 

I so enjoyed meeting all the women bloggers and media at the event, including Tanya from Mommy Goggles and Jill from UrbanMommies Media in Canada, and most of all the of so effervescent Vicki Poponi, Assistant VP Honda Product Planning, who will be my September 20th Automotive Advice for Women Radio Show Guest. Be sure and turn in at 3pm PDT / 6pm EDT to learn more about the all new2013 Honda Accord and Vicki's career in automotive, a fascinating story.

Big thanks to Honda for inviting me to the event!

AskPatty.com Inc., a website, blog, and online resource that serves as a safe haven for women to get advice on car purchases, preventative maintenance and repairs, and other automotive related topics, is pleased to announce the unveiling of the all-new AskPatty.com website featuring an updated interface, enhanced usability, and all new features including the AskPatty.com Car Buying Marketplace powered by LemonFree.com.

Visitors to AskPatty.com's new enhanced website will now be able to easily navigate through their sizeable archive of automotive advice articles, listen to the monthly Automotive Advice for Women radio show, and get advice from the AskPatty Panel of expert women, all in a sleek and simple new interface, designed with an eye on simplicity and functionality. The new site features greater search engine optimization and many localization features such as geo-located search results, guiding women to content that is relevant to them, wherever in North America they may be. Other new features include:

Integration with the AskPattyCertifiedFemaleFriendly.com search engine, enabling women to easily find a Certified Female Friendly retailer near them with a new geo-located search function.
The all new Ask Patty Car Buying Marketplace powered by LemonFree, a geo-located new vehicle search engine enabling consumer women to shop for cars at Certified Female Friendly dealers nearby without leaving the AskPatty.com site.

An improved Automotive Advice interface enabling women to more easily ask car care questions and get answers from the AskPatty Panel of Expert Women.

“We're a company that thrives on educating and empowering women in the automotive market, and the AskPatty.com website is the nerve center of that effort,” continues DeVere. "With this new website, we hope not only to expand our own web presence, but to really enhance the experience of every woman who touches the site, whether she's looking for advice, shopping for a new car, tires, seeking a reliable mechanic, or just Googling one of our many car and truck review articles featured the AskPatty blog.”

The new features of AskPatty.com can be seen at the company's official site, http://www.askpatty.com

About AskPatty.com, Inc.
With international headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California, AskPatty.com, Inc. takes a two-pronged approach to revolutionizing the women's automotive retail market: For consumers, the AskPatty.com website is a safe and reliable source for expert automotive advice and research. For auto dealers, tire centers, collision repair, and automotive service and repair centers the revolutionary AskPatty.com Certified Female Friendly® program trains providers on how to attract and sell to women customers and bolster customer loyalty and retention.
Women can find an Ask Patty Certified Female Friendly® auto dealers, tire centers, collision repair, and automotive service and repair centers using the location search at AskPatty.com.

AskPatty® and Certified Female Friendly® are registered trademarks of AskPatty.com, Inc.

About LemonFree
LemonFree is an automotive search engine that aims to change the story of buying a car. At LemonFree.com, they understand how important and difficult buying a car can be, so they aim to help make it as simple and easy a process, any way they can. At LemonFree.com, the focus is on improving the car buying experience by listening to customer feedback, and changing the way vehicles are listed online, to make car shopping a pleasant experience. They also offer a LemonFree certification to dealerships, aiming to improve the car shopping experience for all consumers.

You might think you're just a pet lover, but behind your back, your friends call you the "Crazy Cat Lady." Or maybe you've got a couple of great big dogs you call your “kids.” Don’t worry, we speak your language. That's why TrueCar.com, the authority on new car pricing, trends and forecasting, has done some research into the needs of pet lovers, to find the best deals available for cars ranked highly by other pet lovers.

Regardless of whether your animals range from small to large, from cute little pocket pups to giant canines that look more like small horses, this slideshow highlights something for every pet owner’s needs, regardless of whether you're driving an economical car, or something just a little bit larger.

Ready to get the lowdown on what cars are most popular with pet owners? It's all here. We also provided the vehicle’s market average[i] and current potential discount off of MSRP[ii] to give car buyers context on how that vehicle’s price is trending in the automotive marketplace during the month of July. Rankings are based on 2011 Strategic Vision Data received from people with pets about the cars they drive.

Last week I attended “Go Further With Ford,” a 3-day presentation at the auto maker’s headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan.  Over 250 journalists, bloggers, and other media gathered to get an inside look at the philosophies and practices that Ford, with its technology partners, will be implementing into its cars in the near future.  In short, Ford aims to make cars that will help increasingly busy people multitask while they are driving in our increasingly crowded world.  In style.