Bankrate's New Car Buying Guide -- It's spring and time for a young man's -- or woman's -- fancy to lightly turn to thoughts of . . . cars, of course.

To be very p.c. about it you don't have to be young, either, for your mind to wander to those glistening masses of steel -- and lately plastic. After all, when Alfred Lord Tennyson penned his oft-quoted words more than 160 years ago there weren't any automobiles to distract young men from thoughts of love.

But now with spring comes a new season for cars -- second only to fall when many new models debut -- as skies turn blue, roads clear and manufacturers turn out more new products.

If you're among the many whose daydreams and musings are leaning increasingly to a brand new set of wheels, we bring you Bankrate.com's New Car Buying Guide.

Newest of the new -- Some new cars are hard to distinguish from last year's model while others are either new creations or totally revamped. Here's a rundown on the newest of the new.

Top 10 car colors -- When it comes to the hottest car color silver is definitely the coolest.

Want flashy car plus 60 miles per gallon? Get a 'smart' -- Coming soon to America: a smart car that's cool-looking, inexpensive, gets great mileage and even can change color every day.

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Best in class: Top 3 cars by style and price -- Recognizing that beauty is in the mind of the beholder and individuality inspires more ice cream flavors than just vanilla, here are our choices for the model year.

Top 10 coolest -- and affordable -- cars -- Some cars are hot, some are cool. If you want to look your very best, these are the coolest sets of wheels you can be spotted in without breaking the bank.

10 best car values -- There are good cars and there are cheap cars. And then there are some good, cheap cars. If you're looking for the best value, give these a second look.

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Road test: 10 most exciting cars -- Like needles in a haystack, there are many exciting vehicles among the hundreds of good, bad and mediocre in showrooms today. Bankrate's Terry Jackson went on the road to find the top 10.

Top 10 gas guzzlers -- They're usually big, powerful and capable of turning heads at a single glance. But you sure pay the price to drive them, the biggest fuel drinkers of 2005.

Is a hybrid good for you? -- Hybrid cars, a combination of a gasoline engine with a battery-powered electric motor -- are good for the earth. But is it the best car for you? Our personalized calculator will help you decide.

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When sales fall, incentives rise -- When cars don't move off the lot fast enough dealers and manufacturers offer bigger and better deals. But make sure a deal's a real deal before you sign.

Line up your auto financing first -- You'll be in a better spot to bargain if you have your financing pre-arranged.

Cut emissions and your tax bill -- If you bought an environment friendly car, Uncle Sam has a couple of tax breaks for you.

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