Car Buyers Being Tricked by Lower Sticker Prices
In recent months, a number of cars have come with much lower base MSRP prices for 2012 compared to 2011, notes USA Today.
To create the lower prices, however, companies are removing standard features.
A prime example is the 2012 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet. Down a whopping $1,850 compared to the 2011 base model. The catch? GPS Navigation is no longer a standard feature.
Chevrolet made a similar decision with the Volt, dropping the base price about a thousand dollars. To accomplish that, however, the company removed not only navigation from the standard equipment list, but also the Bose Stereo and other smaller items.
Automakers know that the vast majority of car buyers DO NOT buy the base model. In fact, it can sometimes be very difficult to even find bare-bone base models on dealer lots.
By removing standard features from the base model, car companies can advertise much lower starting prices, even though they're unrealistic for the vast majority of consumers.
Essentially, the idea is: When comparing prices between model years, be sure you're looking at equivalent equipment levels rather than just the price.

Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About The Author

Latest Weekly Car Buying Tips
November 2023
- Biggest Price Drops on New Cars (Fall 2023) Nov 30, 2023
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Nov 30, 2023
- Cheapest Luxury Lease Deals Nov 30, 2023
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Nov 30, 2023
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Nov 23, 2023
- Best Black Friday Car Deals Nov 23, 2023
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Nov 23, 2023
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Nov 23, 2023
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Nov 16, 2023
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Nov 16, 2023
- Which Cars Better to Lease or Buy Nov 16, 2023
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Nov 16, 2023
- Best 0% Finance Deals November 2023 Nov 09, 2023
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Nov 09, 2023
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Nov 09, 2023
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Nov 09, 2023
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars Nov 02, 2023
- Best Car Deals by Category Nov 02, 2023
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Nov 02, 2023
- New Cars You Should Wait to Buy Nov 02, 2023
October 2023
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Oct 26, 2023
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars for 2023 Oct 19, 2023
- Real Prices of Midsize Cars Oct 19, 2023