Giving people who aren't car enthusiasts advice on buying a car when you are a car enthusiasts is one of the worst things in the world. They ask you because they think you know a lot about cars, which you do. And that's the problem.

The part of the population that doesn't know a whole lot about cars usually has a lot of , something Matt delved into today. Which is really difficult, because you have to spend a lot of time explaining that certain beliefs aren't true anymore or that what they think they want isn't really what they want and feelings get hurt in the process.

Diesels are bad for the environment. The Prius is good for the environment. Bigger is safer.…

Sometimes, my plan goes right and people choose a Jetta TDI over a Prius. Other times it backfires horribly and they get a Nissan Versa instead of buying a commuter rail pass.

presented an excellent time when this problem rears its ugly head:

My favorite question: I'm looking for a small sport hatchback.

Should I buy the GTI

: Great Car, but some owners aren't happy with VW quality in electronics.

: What about the Fiesta

: Fun Car, but somewhat tiny and the auto transmission isn't great

: What about the Volvo C30

: Pseudo-luxury and therefore expensive for what you get

: well what about the Sonic

: Still not really up to snuff as the other cars in this list

: I CAME TO YOU FOR HELP....YOU AREN'T TELLING ME ANYTHING!!!!11!!!!

The best advice here would be to pretend VW doesn't have a reputation for craptastic electrical stuff or indifferent dealers. Those of you who want to know about cars will be much happier if you listen to all of us, at least until the warranty runs out. But then it's not our problem.

Photos: Ford, GM, Volvo, VW