Part 4/9:
The trend of consumers paying above MSRP for everyday vehicles drastically altered the new car marketplace. Where buying a car used to mean securing big discounts and favorable interest rates, consumers are now presented with a constrained array of choices. Dealerships, emboldened by previous profits during the markup era, have started pushing higher price points across their models. This trend leads to a lack of affordable options for buyers forced to navigate inflated prices caused by previous economic stimuli and ongoing inflation.