By Gary S. Vasilash

Analysts from Edmunds, the vehicle shopping research firm, have discerned some clues in the market that they feel bode well for consumers. (They have also found some not-so-good things, like the unlikelihood of getting a lease deal and rising interest rates, but let’s put those things aside.)

Edmunds found that while the average transaction price (ATP) for a new vehicle hit a record high in November, at $47,681, November was the first month since July 2021 that the ATP was below the Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price (MSRP).

The average MSRP in November was $47,696.

So $15 to the consumer’s side of the ledger.

For buyers of large trucks, there was an average save of $1,210.

However, on the other end of the spectrum, compact cars, there was a price $703 higher than the MSRP.

Go big, save big(gish). Go small, pay more.

The ATP for the large truck was $61,076 and that represents a ~2% saving from the MSRP.

The ATP for a compact car was $26,398, or a ~3% premium over the MSRP.

That said, the folks at Edmunds think that if you’ve been waiting for a time to buy, that time might be right now.