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Will trim packages push up the price of your next car?

Posted at 4:45 AM, Oct 11, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-11 05:03:20-04

Enter a car dealership with a price in mind and chances are the cost of the car you thought you could afford is probably a lot more.

Consumer Reports calls it trim-level sticker shock, and we`re here to give you some advice.

Depending on the features you want, you should expect to pay more than the base price for a car.

Features included in trim levels make up different versions of the same model car.

Over the past 15 years trim levels have doubled on some models, and that means more money out of your pocket.

Take the Ford F-150, which has a base price of about 28-thousand dollars. At the highest trim level, it`s over 61-thousand dollars. Or the Subaru Forester for about 23-thousand. Depending on the trim level, you could pay between 26- and 36-thousand dollars.

To confuse matters, you can get specific features only with certain trim levels.

That`s because with so many features available, manufacturers have to narrow down the choices.

Therefore, instead of buying features you don`t want to get the ones you do, first focus on the must-have safety features, even if you have to pay extra, rather than on trim levels.

Remember to negotiate, and be sure to check out Consumer Reports` used-car reliability ratings.