Q.I am stuck with a vehicle, owing more than it is worth -- a situation known as being "upside down" on the loan. What are my options to get out of this situation?

A.You are in a tough position, but unfortunately you have a lot of company. Edmunds.com, a Web site that tracks such things, says one out of every four auto loans are "upside down" right now.

When you drive your new truck or car off the dealer's lot it depreciates the second it hits the street, and its value goes down every month thereafter. People that don't put a big chunk of money down on their purchase are upside down on their loans from the get-go. And with a long-term loan they could stay that way for many years.

If you can still afford to make the payments, being upside down really has no impact on your ownership rights.

The problem comes when you are upside down and have to sell your vehicle because you can't afford the payments or the costs related to driving it, with gas prices being what they are.

This has really put the squeeze on the owners of big pickups and SUVs. As gas prices have gone up, their operating costs have soared and the resale value of their trucks has plummeted.

If that's your situation, go to any dealer and discuss the possibility of trading in your vehicle for a less expensive model. Ask if the difference between what you owe and what it's worth could be rolled into a new loan on a new, but more economical car or truck.

And check out the Interest.com article, Save big bucks by downsizing your car.

Another way to escape an upside-down loan is to buy a new car or truck with a rebate that's large enough to make up the difference between what you owe on your current vehicle, and what it will fetch as a trade in.

Unfortunately, the biggest rebates are on the biggest pickups and SUVs. But we've seen cash-back deals of $3,000 or more on sporty cars like the Pontiac G6 and Vibe. So shop around.

If you have a few thousand dollars in savings, or perhaps a home equity line of credit, you can always sell your vehicle and use that money to make up the difference, pay off the lender and clear the title. Go to Edmunds.com or Kelley Blue Book to find out how much your car is worth.

The worst possible outcome is to have your vehicle repossessed. It will be sold at auction and likely for a lower price than you could get if you sold it yourself. You will still owe the finance company the difference between the auction price and the balance you owe. And a repossession on your credit report will bring your credit score down.