What You Said ; Our annual survey of readers gives the passionate point of view on America's Best vehicles.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

We know passion. We live car passion every day. And so, too, does the AutoWeek reader. According to our 12th annual poll of subscribers, our average reader owns five cars or trucks or sport/utility vehicles or a combination thereof. Two were built in America, with the other three split between European and Asian origin. Telling figures: One AW subscriber polled really likes American cars-he has 33 parked in his garage. Not to be outdone, another subscriber said he has 20 cars from Europe.

Which suggests to you why it is that, this year, in addition to the now-traditional question about America's Best vehicles, we asked you-our readers-what cars, trucks and sport/utilities you believe to be the best from Europe and Asia (see sidebars for listings and methodology) and sold in America.

An interesting sidelight to note is that when asked if they consider cars built in the United States by ``foreign car companies'' to be foreign cars, nearly one of five (18.16 percent) subscribers said ``no.'' In selecting their favorites, though, readers voted for American-built cars in their European and Asian lists, and Mexican-made cars on the American list. Perhaps the World Car isn't as far off as we might think.

Beyond the lists, we also ask that the surveyed readers tell us what's going on in the car world. Who better to know than the most informed and most interested car buyers?

According to our readers, now might be the right time to buy a car. Respondents agree by a margin of 3-1 that the economic climate is ideal (74.68 percent) to put a new vehicle in their driveway. Some 47 percent plan to buy a car in the next 12 months. And we must stress this point about buying: More than 90 percent say they will spend money to own rather than lease the car, just as 82 percent ranked outright ownership of a vehicle as an important factor when shopping.

Once they buy the car, they aren't wedded to it for its-or their-entire lives. Nearly 10 percent say they keep it between one and two years, with

another 35 percent holding onto their rides for three to four years. Nearly 56 percent say they are not keeping the car longer than they have in the past, even though 62 percent believe new cars deliver value for the money.