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
Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.Latest Weekly Car Buying Tips
March 2024
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Mar 28, 2024
- Which Cars Better to Lease or Buy Mar 28, 2024
- Nissan Rogue Special Deals Alert Mar 28, 2024
- Cheapest Luxury Lease Deals Mar 28, 2024
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Mar 21, 2024
- Best Car Deals by Category Mar 21, 2024
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars for 2024 Mar 21, 2024
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Mar 21, 2024
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Mar 14, 2024
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Mar 14, 2024
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Mar 14, 2024
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Mar 14, 2024
- Best 0% Finance Deals March 2024 Mar 07, 2024
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Mar 07, 2024
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Mar 07, 2024
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars Mar 07, 2024
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Mar 07, 2024
February 2024
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Feb 29, 2024
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Feb 29, 2024
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Feb 22, 2024
- New Cars You Should Wait to Buy Feb 22, 2024
- Real Prices of Midsize Cars Feb 15, 2024
- Largest Hidden Dealer Rebates Feb 01, 2024