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The tragic earthquake and nuclear crisis has shut down production of some especially fuel-efficient cars just when gas prices are spiking.
Those constraints are showing up in higher prices for popular Japanese fuel sippers, especially the Honda Fit and the Toyota Prius.
Prices for the Prius rose from about $300 under invoice two weeks ago to selling for sticker price this week.
Likewise, Honda Fit prices have already increased, projected to climb several hundred dollars in the coming weeks.
Honda looks like the automaker that has been hardest-hit, suspending new dealer orders for the CR-Z, Fit, Insight, and Acura RL and TSX, as well as some CR-Vs that were made in Japan.
Even cars produced in North America aren't immune. General Motors had to shut down a plant that makes small pickups in Louisiana, reportedly because of a shortage of Japan-sourced parts and Honda just announced they will be cutting back production by 50 percent due to part shortages.
So far, more than 200,000 Japanese cars that were scheduled for production haven't been made, leaving short supplies on dealers' lots.
And car shoppers will face diminishing choices of options and colors on these cars in coming weeks.
The situation in Japan has interrupted or slowed production of the following models:
A better strategy if you can put off buying a new car would be to wait until production and prices get back to normal - which may not be until early June.
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