Edmunds

Whether you're trading in or selling, how you present your old car will have a big impact on the price you get for it. Here are three ways to make sure you get the best price for your old ride.

GM is expected to show a sales increase of 15.3% from a year ago when it posts August numbers later this week, according to auto industry research firm Edmunds. That would be an improvement of 30,000 cars and light trucks and would eclipse the unit gains of its smaller rivals.

Summer is car buying season, but this year, it's a sellers market. Between the Japanese earthquake, high gas prices and a shaky economy, you'll have to work harder than ever to score a deal on the vehicle you want. But it can be done, and we've got advice from the experts on you how can do it.

It's still hard to diagnose how the overall economy will fare in 2011. But the signs for at least one area all seem to be pointing up: car sales. Analysts predict the number of vehicles sold next year will rise 10% to 23% above that of 2010.

U.S. auto sales started off strong over the Labor Day holiday weekend, but have since dropped significantly, according to analysis by car-buying guide Edmunds.com.

Kelley Blue Book Co., the venerable publisher of car-buying guides, is looking for a buyer itself, according to a report in the Financial Times. Within the past few weeks, the family-owned company has retained JP Morgan to handle the sale process, sources say.

July was a mixed bag for auto sales, with sales improving, but not as much as the abundance of incentives for would-be car buyers led industry watchers to expect. But if August car sales continue on track, it may be the best month of 2010 so far, Edmunds.com reports.

Analysts' expectations are that sales rose to the highest levels of the year last month as increased automaker incentives lured bargain-hunters.

After a series of recalls, Toyota is attracting fewer car owners who drive other brands, despite generous incentives and a massive media campaign to address concerns about quality. Nearly half of all new cars sold at Toyota dealerships this year included a Toyota trade-in, up from 42% in 2009.

It's hard to resist a good deal, even if it's a recall-plagued Toyota. Toyota's new incentive plan is attracting the attention of potential buyers, according to Edmunds.com and kbb.com, the site of the Kelly Blue Book. Edmunds.com says pricing research, or "purchase intent," for Toyota vehicles is...