​​Reading All the Window Sticker Has to Tell You​

Anyone who has shopped for a new car is familiar with a window sticker. Most people try to bypass all the text to just get to the price. But Monroney labels – and we will get to why they are called that in a moment – have far more useful information for anyone who takes a longer look. Ewing Buick GMC walks you through the information on a window sticker and provides a little history of how it came to be.

The first version of modern window stickers appeared on cars in 1959 as a result of the Automobile Information Disclosure Act of 1958. We have precious few people around anymore who can tell what buying a new car was like before then, truly, when it had all the consumer protection of the Wild West. Cars had no price tags, and the prices could be whatever the dealer thought the customer would pay. Included in the prices would be absurdly high shipping charges and several options you couldn’t see, like “paint sealer” and “fabric protection”. Customers often had no basis for determining a fair price for a car. Think of that the next time you go to or stumble upon a vintage car show. Most of those beautifully restored cars from the 50s or earlier were likely purchased initially by customers who had no idea what the vehicle should cost.

The change actually began as a means of protecting dealers from manufacturer tactics they disagreed with, and Senator Almor Stillwell Monroney, a Democrat from Oklahoma, was the chairman of the subcommittee in charge. While initially focusing on dealer complaints with manufacturers, the scope widened to consumer complaints against dealers. From this, the bill requiring window stickers was passed. While some dealers strongly opposed the legislation, the National Automobile Dealers Association supported it.

And, similar to “ObamaCare,” the stickers were soon nicknamed “Monroney labels” after the politician who pushed for them, a term that lives on today. This also gave rise to the term “Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price” (MSRP). Legally, as independent businesses, dealerships can still set their own prices, but MSRP gives customers an idea of the price they can expect and a basis for negotiation.

Manufacturers can design the stickers in any fashion they want as long as they are clearly legible, and provide the following information:

Model Information

In this section, you will find the vehicle’s year, model, and trim level. Also included are engine and transmission information, and exterior and interior color codes and/or color names.

Standard and Optional Equipment

You will see a list of all the standard equipment included on that trim, the manufacturer decides is worthy to list, which is usually quite extensive and divided into categories, also determined by the manufacturer. Also included will be factory-installed options with itemized pricing.

Pricing

This is likely the part with which you are most familiar, where the trim level, options, and destination charges are added to determine the MSRP; again, the actual price is set by the dealer.

Warranty Information

Warranty info could also be a bit fuzzy before Monroney labels, so it is stated in detail here. Some manufacturers have a separate Warranty section, though GMC considers it part of standard features under the Owner Benefits section. Any manufacturer-sponsored free maintenance programs will also be listed with the warranties.

Fuel Economy

Beginning in the mid 70s, after the first oil-embargo-derived fuel crisis, the window stickers of all passenger cars and light trucks (large trucks are exempt) must have the city and highway mpg figures as determined by the EPA. The combined figure is not required, but it is often included. In 2013, environmental information was added, including greenhouse gas and smog ratings, as well as a QR code that takes you to more detailed model information on the EPA website.

Government Safety Ratings

NHTSA star ratings for frontal, side, and rollover crash tests are included, along with an overall rating, the highest of which is 5 stars. NHTSA conducts crash tests on cars throughout the year, so this section may be blank if the model has not yet been tested.

Parts Content

To give a sense of how “domestic” a vehicle is, if at all, the Parts Content section lists the source country for the assembly of the vehicle. Additional information, such as provided by GMC, includes the source country of the engine and transmission, and an estimate of the North American and foreign content.

As mentioned, despite the MSRP, the dealer sets its own price for the vehicle, and sometimes there will be an additional sticker listing dealer accessories and other fees, which together make up the dealer price. These accessories may be items popular in a particular region, such as all-weather floor mats in an area with heavy snow. These supplemental stickers will be adjacent to the Monroney, so be sure to look for them.

So next time you are at Ewing Buick-GMC and looking at a window sticker, give it a little more time than before. You may find some additional helpful information.