HUNTING CAR BARGAINS

Buying a new car can be a bitlike guerrilla training, with a buyerstalking deals and then engaging insimulated combat with a salesperson.If you're a doctor seriouslylooking for an auto, a car-buyingservice like CarBargains, run by thenonprofit Consumers' Checkbook(www.checkbook.org), can help youavoid that stress by getting car dealersto submit bids on the specificcar you want to buy. Plug in themake and model you want, andCarBargains gathers bids from 5dealers in your area. The dealerprice is quoted at an amount aboveor below the factory invoice price,which is always lower than the manufacturer'ssuggested retail price.The service costs $190; for quoteson leases through Consumers'Checkbook's LeaseWise program,the cost is $335.