The joy of owning a car often starts as dread when you set foot in the showroom. It isn't hard to see why. You've been coached to ignore the sticker price and go in ready to haggle, but you're never sure if you're getting the best price. Or if you're getting enough for your trade-in. Or if the finance office is offering a fair deal. If you lease your new wheels, there's a whole array of arcane terms to worry about.

The more you know about the car-buying process, the more confidence you'll have –- and the better the deal you'll snag. Take our quiz to test your car-buying knowledge:

Question 1 of 8

A. Tell the salesperson what you want to spend each month.
B. Demand to talk to the manager.
C. Get quotes from several dealers and create competition for your business.
D. Let your spouse do the haggling.

Question 1 of 8

Question 2 of 8

A. Higher than if you sell it yourself.
B. A certified "pre-owned" price set by dealers.
C. The Edmunds.com trade-in value.
D. A raw deal, any way you cut it.

Question 2 of 8

Question 3 of 8

A. A credit union
B. A community bank
C. The manufacturer's financing
D. Your Uncle Vinny
E. ANY of the above might be best

Question 3 of 8

Question 4 of 8

A. Take the low rate.
B. Take the rebate.
C. Keep trying to talk the dealer into giving you both.
D. Compare the size of the rebate with both the loan rate and the length of the loan.

Question 4 of 8

Question 5 of 8

A. The residual, or resale, value.
B. What your brother-in-law would pay for your car.
C. The Kelley Blue Book trade-in value.
D. What the vehicle would fetch at a repossession auction.

Question 5 of 8

Question 6 of 8

A. Selling new cars and trucks.
B. Servicing vehicles.
C. Extended warranties.
D. Suckers who buy vehicle add-ons, such as undercoating and Scotchguard.

Question 6 of 8

Question 7 of 8

A. $3,000
B. $1,550
C. Zero
D. All of the above.

Question 7 of 8

Question 8 of 8

A. You plan to drive the vehicle into the ground.
B. You have plenty of cash upfront.
C. Your goal is to drive a luxury vehicle for less money.
D. You hate to clean the interior. Let somebody else do that.

Question 8 of 8

Results: 0 out of 8 Right

See Also

DRIVE TIME: How to Handle Car Dealers
DRIVE TIME: Use a Car-Buying Service to Find Deals on New Cars
DRIVE TIME: 5 Myths About Leasing a Car
SPECIAL REPORT: Best New Car Values, 2013