Sales trends in the car market often move with the price of gasoline. As the latter has sunk, so has demand for small cars. Pity the poor automakers; they just got production up to meet increased demand and now there's a reversal in people's tastes!

The flip side, of course, is that the oversupply means deals may abound on small vehicles right now. Clark always wants you to zig when others zag. The average American could really benefit from better fuel efficiency, so this represents a real window of opportunity.

Financing from the American automakers may be hit or miss. GMAC is tightening up on credit by raising its borrower score requirement to a minimum of 700. That move reverses the industry's historical bias toward lending to customers that other businesses won't. Ford, however, confirms it's still loaning and leasing cars freely. So the chances are there to get a real deal on some smaller American cars.

The bigger news, however, is that the Japanese automakers also have oversupply of small cars in most categories except hybrids. No worry there, though; small cars typically offer much better payback than hybrids. Look for Honda to buck that truism next year with a new line of affordable hybrids.

In related news, The Washington Post reports that auto arson rates have doubled as people seek to collect insurance money. There's even a term in the insurance industry for someone who torches their own car -- "owner give-ups." With owner give-ups under increased scrutiny, you'll be suspected as a possible criminal even if you have a legitimate car fire.