What does the "Monroney sticker" tell me?

What does the "Monroney sticker" tell me?

James Bell (Publisher, Auto Reviewer) gives expert video advice on: How can I figure out an offer on a new car?; What steps should I take before negotiating the purchase price of my new car? and more...

The Monroney sticker is the official document that all vehicles are required to have to identify the cost of the base vehicle, and then the cost of all the specifications that have been added to that vehicle by the factory. That's the key: it's from the factory the way it was delivered to the dealership. The dealer add-on sticker is going to quite often be a small sticker just to the right of the Monroney, which is, sneakily, often a similar color and similar type, but it's going to have things like new wheels that have been added since the vehicle came from the factory, and maybe an upgraded stereo system, rustproofing, Scotchguard on the seats, etc. - things that the dealer has added as additional profit opportunity for them.