As 2011 winds down, it seems like an opportune time to look back at the used car winners and losers from 2011 based on articles and blog posts I wrote over the last 12 months. Hard to believe it's time to start writing 2012 on the checks.

Anyway, this list of seven used car winners (4) and losers (3) demonstrates what an interesting year 2011 was in the used car business. So, how is the biggest loser of the year?

That would have to be Ford with its Windstar recall. On the flip side the Honda Accord continues to be a big winner in used car sales, once again taking the number one spot.

Loser: The Ford Windstar Recall

Sure, this started in 2010 but it continued to be a problem. Ford's reputation among the 500,000 or so affected owners was hurt by bad dealership and customer service practices surrounding the Ford Windstar recall. Information was misleading, inconsistent or incomplete. Customers couldn't get results they deserved, except those who worked through this website and were put in touch with top Ford executives. Others, though, probably thought Ford did more than it should have for a class of customers (minivan owners) it had all but abandoned years ago.

Winner: The Honda Accord

Accoding to Edmunds.com, the Honda Accord comes out on top as the most popular selling used car in 2011. It helps that the Accord has been around since 1976. In those following 35 years, it has sold hundreds of thousands of them.

Plus, the darn things, when maintained right, refuse to die. It's no wonder they continue to thrive on the used car market year after year. The other top 5 used cars for 2011 in terms of sales are the Ford F-150, Toyota Camry, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and the Honda Civic, which has been around even longer than the Accord.

Winner: Used Car Sales Overall

It looks like 2011 is shaping up to be a good year for used car sales, in spite of the dire predictions that there is no supply and used car prices are going to shoot through the roof but consumers should be concerned by an increasing use of mobile websites. Look for used car sales to hit the 40.3 million mark this year, which is up about 10% over 2010's sales numbers of 36.7 million.

Loser: Saab Certified Pre-Owned Buyers

Folks who bought a Saab certified pre-owned after February 2010 woke up in mid-December to the news that they no longer owned a vehicle with warranty protection - zip, zero, none. Saab North America sent out a directive to its dealerships that Saab's bankruptcy meant the company could no longer pay for warranty work. In the blink of an eye, their vehicle's values dropped, putting them upside down on their car loans, and exposing them to potentially large out-of-pocket expenses for repairs.

Winner: Buick, Chevrolet, GMC Certified Pre-Owned Program

Ironically, while GM has a lot to do with the position Saab certified pre-owners find themselves in, its Chevrolet, Buick and GMC certified pre-owned program owners were offered a great new benefit in 2011: two years/30,000 miles of standard maintenance under new GM's Owner Care program. It's a great means for instilling consumer confidence in a product and keeps the vehicles well maintained for trade-in purposes.

Loser: Soccer Moms as Severe Drivers

A new category of severe drivers was identified and it's going to hurt the resale value of their used cars: soccer moms. They're considered severe drivers by manufacturers in terms of maintenance of their vehicles because they drive short distances of less than 10 miles at a clip. Their engines never fully warm up, which creates a strain. A normal day of driving around, picking up the kids, dropping them off, and running to the grocery store is considered severe driving. It's not just taxi cabs that suffer from severe driving. It's used minivans, too.

Winner: Newspapers for Used Car Ads

Nope, that headlines not a leftover from the 1995 Winners and Losers section on About.com (which by the way didn't exist in 1995). Rather, it's from research by CNW Research in its June 2011 newsletter on the retail automotive business. Even more surprising, the percentage of used car buyers who used newspapers is UP from 2006: 58.7% up to 59.2%. Sure, it's only a half-percentage point but in what other area besides used cars is the newspaper industry growing?