Small car values rise as gas prices soar

It's pretty well-known that cars are one of the worst investments you can make but, for a select group of small used cars, rising gas prices are sending values upward.

The average sale price for used vehicles in the United States has fallen 2.5% in the past year but, according to the Associated Press, "In the past year, the average used small car price has gone up 2 percent, from $9,278 to $9,470 ... There's evidence that the prices are accelerating, according to recent data from J.D. Power and Associates."

There's wonderful karmic beauty in this: gas pigs who bought environmentally unfriendly cars are now looking to sell because they can no longer afford the gas -- and they're finding that the cars aren't worth nearly as much as they thought they would be. And they're swapping into smaller cars that are more expensive than they used to be.

If you're looking to buy or sell a car, or just do some market research, check out AOL Autos.