What It Is: The online car configurator might be the latest in guilty office-hours pleasures. Moving beyond the typical online pricing tools, nearly all auto makers host online configurators where potential customers can customize the new car of their dreams. It's also very easy to print or email your dream car specs to a dealer and see how much it would cost to make that car a reality in your driveway. (In fact, that's the whole point.) Some auto makers have created car-building programs that mimic the visuals (and some of the fun) of videogames.

Maserati's high-resolution graphics.

How to Get It: The configurators are usually prominently on a manufacturer's home page, near model or dealer information; sometimes they are labeled as "Build Your Own." As you customize your future GranTurismo on Maserati.com, you can instantly see whether the rosewood trim clashes with the black leather seats you've chosen. The Web site offers multiple views, including a close-up of seat stitching and detailed X-ray views of the engine and metal structure as well as under-carriage views to please curious gearheads. Toyota's Scion.com shows how even the smallest extras, like the LED illumination option or the iPod adapter, change the car's interior. Volkswagen's VW.com builder is very playful; paint choices appear as spray cans while all options, from transmission to rims, are illustrated like toy-car accessories, rather than video game avatars. Porsche.com offers 3-D and 2-D versions of their builder; there is no zooming in close but there are several viewpoints, including the cockpit. MiniCooper's MiniUSA.com site loads with 10 million different possible configurations; the multiple exterior options, from racing stripes to chrome accents, invite mix and matching, but there are only three angles to see the car (inside, front and back).

A peek under the hood.

Upside: The more-addictive configurators mix high-resolution graphics with multimedia extras like a recording of an engine revving (Porsche, Maserati) or different background and light settings (Scion, Maserati, Porsche). With the exception of Maserati, all the sites keep a running tab of how much each of your choices costs, should you decide to buy that dream car.

Downside: Some sites don't offer car buyers instant gratification: Consumers want to see a result each time they click on an option, even if it occurs under the hood or is as subtle as darkening the carpet colors. The staid sites merely itemize options clicked. Also, most sites require the latest multimedia plug-ins and a high-speed Internet connection.

Cost: There is no cost to visit the sites.