Be very careful, Robert... Where are you moving?

First, yes, you can look for a car online...In fact, it is a good idea to be
sure you know exactly
what you want before you go to a dealership and what you will have to pay.

When you go to the dealership, the salesman will usually give you a test
drive. DO NOT give
him a deposit on the car. (yes, sometimes they ask).  Walk away if he or she
is pushy or insistent.

Do not let him add on a bunch of crap you dont want or need...which might
include, but is not
limited to, undercoating, special dealer prep, extended warranty.

Visit several dealerships.  Compare them and their prices.  NEVER look
hungry to buy.

Leasing is usually not a good deal for the individual.  Buying 'program'
cars can be good.  These
cars have low mileage, good prices (somebody else has leased them and
absorbed a lot of the depreciation), and they are usually maintained well.

Be deliberate.  Fools rush in...

I shopped for my last two new cars in the reference section of the public
library. Once I had chosen the model I wanted from the fuel economy,
reliability, and cost ratings I went to a dealership and made them an
offer. I let the sales rep take me for a test drive first as a matter of
formality. I like to save money by not having to go to a garage for lots
of maintenance and repairs after I buy a car. Every time you go to a
strange garage you risk being ripped off, either intentionally or by
improper diagnosis and repair. It can take a long time to diagnose
problems on today's complex cars, and a long time to do repair due to
compactness, not to mention the high cost of new parts.

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William R Watt    National Capital FreeNet    Ottawa's free community network
homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm 
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First off, slow down because if the dealer senses you gotta have the
car right now there is a good likelihood you will be taken advantage
of.  I would consider renting a car in the new city while settling in
and doing the homework on a new car to buy.

The first thing to do is decide which kind of car you want.  Decide on
a style: SUV, sedan, crossover, sports car, etc that meets your needs.
Next, pick a price range you are financially comfortable with.
Now for the fun part...do some homework on the web.  A good place to
start is Edmunds.com for detailed information on new cars, reviews, a
comparison tool and brand forums.  There is a reasonably up to date
section with information on dealer incentives which will be helpful
when negotiating price.

Once you have narrowed the choices to a few car makers then ask your
neighbors in the new city about reputable local dealers.  Then head to
the dealer(s) for a fun weekend of test drives and mostly low pressure
sales pitches.  In my experience the high pressure sales pitches have
pretty much disappeared.

I would not commit to buying a car online without having driven it or
seen it in person.  I suspect you will get the best deal in person if
you are willing to negotiate a bit.