A window sticker is more than just information about a vehicle's price. A vehicle's window sticker contains plenty of useful information to help you in your vehicle search.

Vehicle Description

This section contains basic information about the vehicle, including its model year, color, number of doors, engine and transmission type and its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

Make sure the window sticker's VIN match the vehicle's VIN (usually located in the inside of the driver's door or on the dashboard).

Standard Equipment

Standard equipment is a list of the features available on the vehicle at no extra cost to the buyer.

In this section, you might look for the following:

• Are airbags standard?
• Is power steering standard?
• What is the warranty length?
• How does the standard equipment compare to other models?

Fuel Economy

The window sticker should display information about how many miles a vehicle can travel per gallon of gasoline for both city and highway driving. These figures are based on tests performed in compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

This section offers comparative ratings for other vehicles within the vehicle's size class (e.g. large, luxury, compact). You will also find information about the vehicle's engine and transmission.

Look at the "actual mileage" paragraph to find a more realistic explanation of the vehicle's fuel capabilities since fuel economy figures can vary depending on driving conditions, driving habits and a vehicle's options.

Pricing

The pricing section involves several components:

• Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)&EEMM;The manufacturer's suggested base price; doesn't include options or destination charges
• Optional equipment&EEMM;Optional equipment provides an opportunity to enhance your new vehicle, but at additional expense. This section includes a breakdown of pricing for options and option packages. Optional equipment lists the "suggested" retail prices
• Destination charge&EEMM;This number includes the cost of shipping the vehicle to the dealership

Total price&EEMM;This is the sum of the above charges. Total price does not include ownership costs like registration, insurance, and taxes