Congrats on the decision to purchase your own car! I bought mine in January 2002, so here's my advice. Definately take a male with you. I know it sounds sexist, but I did a lot of research on my particular choice of car, and the salepeople still threw lots of crap at me that I had no idea what they were talking about. My dad went with me, and he sat there shaking his head no to the things that were just commission makers to the salespeople. I also suggest getting a car that will be worth the money paid for it. An Acura, Honda, Toyota, or a VW might be in your best interest, just as kdonline suggests. You can probably get a good deal on a used car from
www.Carmax.com (if they have those in your area). As far as the insurance thing goes, I stayed on my parents, just to make the payments cheaper. But, all insurance agencies have different policies, so call yours and check to see what would be more beneficial. Good luck in your search, and keep us updated on what you decide on
