Concerning transportation, I began on the ground floor, literally, at the dirt, mud and asphalt, then, I progressed upward. In 1975, at the age of 15, I purchased my first automobile--a used 1968 Volkswagen Beetle. During the '70s and '80s, American, European, and Japanese vehicles sharpened and refined my knowledge of used vehicles.

In 1991 I paid $2,600 for a used vehicle that a private owner had driven 82,000 miles. A short time later, I landed a job that included a company car for traveling a seven-county territory. During the job interview, however, my supervisor forgot to mention that new employees were required to drive their own vehicles during the first year of the job.

Since I needed the job, I started driving my vehicle 500-800 miles on back roads and interstates each week for work; and after six months of use (I was paid mileage when driving the vehicle for work), the automobile paid for itself. Upon completing the first year of the job, I decided to keep driving my vehicle at work and eventually, it returned several times its $2,600 purchase price. The odometer has now logged over 292,000 miles, and the vehicle just keeps running.

Drive the Best for the Price:... is based upon my over 25 years of experience with used vehicles and my interest in vehicle design, production, and performance.

• Identifying the correct vehicle
• Places to find used vehicles
• Inspecting the exterior
• Inspecting the interior
• Test-driving a used vehicle
• The Used Vehicle Comparison Checklist
• Saving money
• Selling a used vehicle