All cars sold in the U.S. must have posted on a side window what is called a "Monroney sticker" (named for the congressman who introduced the legislation). This law does not apply to light trucks, including passenger vans and most sport-utility vehicles, but most car companies and dealers voluntarily put price stickers on trucks.

• The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the vehicle and all of its factory-installed options.
• A destination charge for shipping from the final assembly point or port of importation to your local dealership.
• EPA fuel economy estimates.

Many dealers add a second window sticker that lists accessories installed at the dealership, and/or other charges. Everything on this added sticker should be considered "optional,"and, more than likely, overpriced. If you don't want a particular item-for instance, pinstriping or rustproofing-don't pay for it. If the dealer insists it is already on the car, you can still refuse to pay.

Here's where we come in.
Talk to your Auto Advisor about how he can help you cut through the "extras." These add-on stickers typically include high-profit (and unnecessary) rustproofing and protection packages. Some denote charges like M.V.A., A.D.P., or other abbreviations. These are smoke screens for dealer-invented profit-generators. M.V.A. stands for "Market Value Adjustment," and A.D.P. is "Additional Dealer Profit." Both sound official but are created by dealers to squeeze more money out of you. Some dealers dream up dandy new names for old add-on charges, such as "Currency Valuation Fee" and "Import Tariff." It is in your best interest to avoid dealers that engage in these unsavory practices.

Every car sold in the U.S. must display in its window a "Monroney sticker" showing the manufacturer's suggested retail price for the vehicle and all of its options. Many dealers also affix a second price sticker containing items added at the dealership. See the "Window Stickers" section of the text for details.