shopautoweek.com Says Smart Shopping Can Make Today's Base Model Car a Real Steal

DETROIT, Feb. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Driving a bargain-priced car isn't the chore it used to be, with features once considered luxury now standard, says shopautoweek.com. 

"I'm a car enthusiast – I love high-performance sports cars with rich leather interiors and tires that cost more than my mortgage payment," said shopautoweek.com digital editor Andrew Stoy. "The thing is, I'm also a cheapskate, but even entry-level cars these days come with most of the conveniences drivers expect."

Most base-model cars come standard with features such as air conditioning, power windows, power locks and power mirrors. Some even come with a power driver's seat. Government mandates also have standardized essential safety equipment such as antilock brakes, multiple airbags and stability control, said Stoy.  

"If shoppers can forgo leather seats and panoramic roofs, it's possible to get a safe, well-equipped vehicle without breaking the bank."

Stoy reminds shoppers that automakers and dealers arrange the shopping experience to push the models they need to sell. If you go bargain hunting, you'll likely find rebates and other incentives are set up so a nicely equipped version of the car you're seeking will cost just a few dollars more per month than the basic model.

While not exactly a trick, the pricing structure is carefully arranged to overcome your resistance – and those planning to buy rather than lease can actually benefit from this strategy by having a better-equipped model to sell or trade-in down the line. 

For more on Andy's insight and all the latest on affordable car best buys, visit shopautoweek.com.

About shopautoweek.com

The shopautoweek.com site delivers an Internet car-shopping experience unlike any other available. Powered by unbiased insight, opinion and expertise of Autoweek editors, it guides shoppers with a trusted voice married with the latest available data to give consumers both objective and subjective points of view. Launched in September 2011, shopautoweek.com is an authoritative online resource for anyone researching a new vehicle. Consumers will easily find vehicle specifications, features, reviews and pricing information to help guide their vehicle-purchase decision. The shopautoweek.com site is part of the Autoweek Media Group, which includes Autoweek magazine, autoweek.com and Autoweek Productions. Autoweek Media Group is owned by Crain Communications Inc., publisher of leading industry trade publications Advertising Age and Automotive News, among others, and is based in Detroit, Michigan.

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SOURCE shopautoweek.com