{"id":619,"date":"2019-02-06T11:03:40","date_gmt":"2019-02-06T16:03:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/?p=619"},"modified":"2025-03-06T16:18:50","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T21:18:50","slug":"new-car-buyers-guide-what-is-msrp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/new-car-buyers-guide-what-is-msrp\/","title":{"rendered":"New Car Buyers Guide: What is MSRP?"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to purchasing a new vehicle in Canada, the process is relatively simple. You walk into a car dealership, inquire about your favourite models and makes, take some test drives,\u00a0 and begin the negotiation process to get the best price for your investment.<\/span><\/p>\n

The conversation typically starts at a price point set by the dealership and from there, the buyer will proceed to explain their budget so that the dealership can find a more suitable price for the both of them. The goal of the dealership is to make maximum profits whereas customers are looking for the best deal for their money. For those that have not gone through this process, this can be a challenging point as to what range you should provide the dealer, which is why understanding the definition of the MSRP and how you can leverage tools such as a dealer invoice price<\/a> for comparison which can be instrumental to getting a good price. <\/span><\/p>\n

Keep reading to learn more about the difference between the MSRP and a dealer invoice price:<\/span><\/p>\n

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What is MSRP?<\/b><\/p>\n

MSRP stands for the manufacturer\u2019s suggested retail price, which is exactly what it sounds like. Once the vehicle is manufactured, they put together a list of costs associated with the makeup of the vehicle along with any creative and design aspects. They recommend this price that includes the sales efforts and markup, encouraging all locations to have similar price points so that it can be standardized across the board.<\/span><\/p>\n

This would be more or less the price that dealerships promote, adding on any discounts or additional markups. Understanding the MSRP is often negotiable will allow you to find the range to start the conversation from.<\/span><\/p>\n

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What is a Dealer Invoice price?<\/b><\/p>\n

A dealer invoice price is a price that the dealership is invoiced for the vehicles that they sell. This is often the cost to the dealership, so a subsect of the MSRP. The amount is the direct materials, labour, and overhead associated with the vehicle and this becomes a charge to the dealership when they purchase them to sell to customers. <\/span><\/p>\n

It is commonly known that the dealer invoice price often excludes costs that dealerships are able to get out of through incentives such as dealer holdbacks or cash incentives. Keep in mind, those discounts are not shown on the invoice prices that are on the report but for the most part, dealer invoice reports help to show an <\/span>at-cost <\/span><\/i>version of the vehicle you are looking for which is what you need to begin negotiations.<\/span><\/p>\n

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So the difference is\u2026<\/b><\/p>\n

The difference between MSRP and the dealer invoice price is the profit margin that the dealerships make. They are looking to maximize that as much as possible, but all car dealerships are in the business to make sales so they will negotiate until you are satisfied with the price and they are satisfied with the profit margin. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Obtaining a Dealer Invoice Report<\/b><\/p>\n

With Car Cost Canada, you have the opportunity to get a report that showcases the dealer invoice prices and with the service, certified dealerships are recommended so that you can connect with someone who is ready to negotiate on these terms. Since the report itself is free, you have the opportunity to save money without initially investing anything. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Negotiating Strategies<\/b><\/p>\n

Alongside a dealer invoice report, here are some tips and tricks to help you in your purchasing conversation:<\/span><\/p>\n