AIB Finance and Leasing has published a new guide called Buying and financing your next car which offers practical advice and information on choosing and purchasing a new car. It covers topics such as the annual costs of running a car - tax, insurance and service costs - and the finance options available.

The four main types of finance: hire purchase, car loans, leasing and personal contract purchase are all explained in easy to understand terms. According to AIB Finance and Leasing, 60 per cent of the 541,000 new and used cars sold in 1998 were bought with the help of some kind of finance plan.

The guide also provides moneysaving hints on how to reduce car insurance costs. It is available free of charge from all AIB branches.