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Platform Shopping in the '90s
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At the New United Motor Manufacturing plant in Fremont, Calif., Toyota Corollas and Geo Prizms are built--one after another--on the very same assembly line. Both cars are, in fact, built on the same platform: that is, both are built to the same tolerances with virtually the same mechanical components. They share engines, transmissions and brakes, for instance. And while their branding, sheet metal, instrument panels and option packages differ, these cars are virtually the same.
The benefit of shared platform shopping
Historically, auto manufacturers have shared platforms between different model lines as a means of controlling manufacturing costs and leveraging investments in costly tooling and assembly processes. And, historically, savvy car shoppers have taken the time to compare shared platform vehicles--in search of the best value.
The pay-off could be financial, depending upon price differences or differences in effective rebates. Or the pay-off could be psychological, as you learn some of the secrets of the auto business and gain the latitude to be more selective about which dealer to give your business to.
Instead of bracing yourself to do business with a dealer you completely mistrust, you may discover a virtually identical car--with a different nameplate--down the street at a dealer you consider very reputable. Of course, there may be trade-offs to consider, such as differences in option packages and color schemes, but in the long run an informed shopper does better than an uninformed shopper.
The spectrum of platform sharing
At one end of the spectrum there is a form of platform sharing known as "rebadging." Rebadged vehicles are highly similar, with only slight cosmetic differences--even though rebadged vehicles may be advertised and marketed quite differently--targeting different types of buyers. One example of this would be the Honda Passport sport utility and the Isuzu Rodeo.
At the other end of the spectrum there is a type of platform sharing that is more or less undetectable to the average consumer eye where vehicles with considerably different body styles are built on the same frame. The Pontiac Grand Am and Buick Skylark--both of which share GM's "N" platform--provide a good example here.
CarPoint's shared platform shopping guide
If you're in the market for a new car or truck, and considering any of the vehicles listed in the table below, be sure to check out the shared-platform competition.
Passenger Cars |
If you're considering this... |
Take a look at this... |
Or this |
Chrysler Cirrus $17,560 |
Dodge Stratus $14,485 - $16,110 |
Plymouth Breeze $14,310 |
Chrysler Concorde $19,745 |
Eagle Vision $19,545 - $23,835 |
Dodge Intrepid $18,745 - $22,260 |
Mercury Grand Marquis $22,070 - $23,480 |
Ford Crown Victoria $21,050 - $22,770 |
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Mercury Tracer $11,755 - $13,625 |
Ford Escort $10,065 - $13,205 |
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Mercury Mystique $14,330 - $15,705 |
Ford Contour $13,785 - $16,170 |
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Mercury Sable $18,360 - $21,295 |
Ford Taurus $17,995 - $25,930 |
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Sports Cars |
If you're considering this... |
Take a look at this |
Mitsubishi 3000GT $30,690 - $64,449 |
Dodge Stealth $24,461 - $34,820 |
Mitsubishi Eclipse $14,970 - $24,990 |
Eagle Talon $14,059 - $20,271 |
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Minivans |
If you're considering this... |
Take a look at this... |
Or this |
GMC Safari $18,662 - $21,446 |
Chevrolet Astro $18,592 - $21,376 |
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Chrysler Town & Country $24,400 - $30,280 |
Dodge Caravan $16,575 - $24,110 |
Plymouth Voyager $16,575 - $20,010 |
Honda Odyssey $23,560 - $25,550 |
Isuzu Oasis $23,495 - $25,990 |
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Nissan Quest $20,899 - $25,699 |
Mercury Villager $19,385 - $26,390 |
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Oldsmobile Silhouette $21,355 - $22,655 |
Pontiac Trans Sport $19,394 |
Chevrolet Lumina Minivan $17,870 - $19,890 |
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Sport Utilities |
If you're considering this... |
Take a look at this... |
Or this |
GMC Suburban $24,097 - $27,549 |
Chevrolet Suburban $24,027 - $27,478 |
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GMC Yukon $22,956 - $30,534 |
Chevrolet Tahoe $22,886 - $30,464 |
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Honda Passport $17,990 - $27,880 |
Isuzu Rodeo $17,340 - $27,110 |
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Acura SLX $33,900 |
Isuzu Trooper $25,360 - $37,990 |
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Oldsmobile Bravada $29,505 |
GMC Jimmy $19,573 - $23,504 |
Chevrolet Blazer $19,444 - $23,252 |
Geo Tracker $12,970 - $15,710 |
Suzuki Sidekick $12,899 - $18,999 |
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Lexus LX 450 $47,500 |
Toyota Land Cruiser $40,258 |
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Pickup Trucks |
If you're considering this... |
Take a look at this |
GMC Sierra C/K 1500 $14,086 - $20,290 |
Chevrolet C/K 1500 $14,016 - $20,636 |
GMC Sierra C/K 2500 $16,953 - $22,632 |
Chevrolet C/K 2500 $16,883 - $22,861 |
GMC Sierra C/K 3500 $18,157 - $24,354 |
Chevrolet C/K 3500 $18,086 - $24,283 |
GMC Sonoma $11,290 - $18,882 |
Chevrolet S-Series $11,270 - $18,615 |
Continue...
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