MYTH #8: Cars equipped with anti-lock brakes don't skid so you don't need to slow down when it snows. FACT: While ABS will help keep your car under control on slippery surfaces, stopping distances increase as traction decreases. Snow, ice and even rain decrease the available traction or "grip" you've got, and you must lower your speed to compensate for the increased stopping distances -- ABS or not. MYTH #9: Diesel cars are more economical than gasoline cars. FACT: Only if you drive the diesel long enough to make up for the typically higher purchase cost of the diesel engine. While diesel engines are capable of excellent fuel economy -- and often last hundreds of thousands of miles -- they also cost significantly more to buy. The price difference between a diesel and a gasoline-powered  version of the same basic vehicle can be $2,000 or more. It will take many years of driving to make up for that -- and unless you keep the diesel-fueled vehicle long enough -- usually well beyond five years -- you end up losing money overall. MYTH #10: Large SUVS are safer than passenger cars. FACT: SUVs, if driven inappropriately, are more likely to roll over or be involved in an accident than passenger sedans. And SUVs often lack the latest safety features -- such as side and head airbags, and stability control -- that are available on passenger cars. The safest vehicles are those that can avoid being involved in an accident in the first place -- and which offer the best occupant protection if an accident does occur. Extended warranties for used cars By Lucy Lazarony • Bankrate.com anties for used cars? Just snapped up a great used car and now you're thinking about purchasing an extended warranty? Proceed with caution. Extended warranties are enormous moneymakers for auto dealers and anyone who sells them. One wrong move could cost you hundreds, even thousands of dollars. "I think you have to automatically assume a 100 percent markup," says Phil Reed, consumer advice editor at Edmunds.com.