That economic uncertainty is expected to continue to dampen US auto sales in the coming months after December sales crashed by 36 per cent and industry sales for 2008 fell 18 per cent to their lowest level since 1992.

'Car owners are considering the real costs and risks in buying a new model, emphasizing needs over wants,' said Mr Jeff Bartlett, deputy online automotive editor of Consumer Reports, which commissioned the survey.

'The shift in behavior comes at a time when the economy has put jobs and household budgets in peril. And for those looking to buy, the finance crunch has made it more difficult to secure a loan.'

The top reason why 48 per cent of those surveyed delayed buying a new car (39 per cent) was because their current vehicle is in good shape.

Some 30 per cent put off buying a new car because they were 'concerned about the weak economy generally' or because vehicles have become too expensive.

Problems obtaining financing amid a credit crunch were cited by 13 per cent of respondents and nearly a quarter of those with household incomes under 50,000 dollars a year.

Some 18 per cent of respondents put off buying a car because interest rates were too high while 11 per cent said they were worried about potentially losing their job.

A further nine percent cited concerns that the carmaker they chose might go bankrupt. The survey was conducted Dec 4-8 as Congress was debating whether to extend billions of dollars in loans to cash-strapped General Motors, Chrysler and Ford.

While GM and Chrysler did eventually obtain the loans, analysts warn that they could still be at risk of bankruptcy if sales do not improve.

The survey also found that 18 per cent of those who put off buying a new car said they were 'waiting for new fuel saving technologies to get cheaper, like hybrid or plug-in electric' vehicles.

Nearly half of respondents said that value was one of the top three factors worth considering when buying a new vehicle. Safety and quality were also cited among the most important considerations.

The survey also found that Americans rated Toyota and Honda highest in terms of perceived quality, value, and environmental friendliness.

Volvo had a commanding lead in terms of safety perceptions while Lexus and Mercedes led the pack in terms of design and styling and Porsche and BMW topped the list in terms of performance.

Toyota, Honda, Ford, Cadillac, and Mercedes-Benz rated highest in terms of overall brand perception.

The telephone survey of a national sample of 1,745 adults with at least one vehicle in their household has a margin of error of 2.4 per cent. -- AFP