Some of my favorite self-help books are the "...For Dummies" series published by IDG Books. They now have another great book out, "Buying A Car for Dummies," written by Deanna Sclar, leading auto repair expert and consumer spokesperson.

Sclar starts with "Making the Right Decision," and ends with "10 Great Automotive Web Sites." The subject is treated with enough sense of humor to keep a person reading and enough facts to inform and enlighten. It's simple enough to be an easy read, but packed full of pertinent facts that make it worthwhile. It is full of things Dad never taught me about car buying.

Sclar deals in depth with the subject of buying an old car vs. new car -- deciding on what you really want (vehicles to avoid no matter the cost), buying or leasing, finding a good repair facility (what to do if you can't), insurance, protecting your investment and much more. As usual, with the "...For Dummies" series of books, a "Cheat Sheet";on car buying is included as a reminder of what you have learned.

This book goes beyond buying a car. An old adage jumps to mind when reviewing this book -- an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It is well written and worth the USA asking price of $16.99.