"What they might be doing is spending thousands of dollars to save hundreds, " says Jack Nerad, the executive director of Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com.

CNN: SUVs plunge toward 'endangered' list

One month doesn't make a trend, of course, but the executive editor of Kelley Blue Book, a vehicle information guide for consumers, thinks buyers' attitudes are changing.

FORBES: High Gas Prices Are Here To Stay

We then compared used-car prices among the top performing 2009 models in each of 14 separate vehicle classes to find which models offer the proverbial most bang for the buck, according to the most-current data provided by Kelley Blue Book.

FORBES: The Best Used Cars For Your Money

October sales missed most estimates because of the effects from the storm, says Alec Gutierrez, the senior market analyst of automotive insights for Kelley Blue Book.

FORBES: Analysts: Storm Will Hurt Car Sales

Prices, even the dealers' true cost, are now laid bare with the click of a mouse on sites like Kelley's Blue Book and Microsoft's CarPoint.

FORBES: Web wheels