Car Prices in U.S. Get Bumped Up by Effects of Japanese Quake

It's spring and typically one of the busiest times for car shopping. But potential car, truck and SUV buyers -- particularly those heading into showrooms of Japanese makes like Mazda, Honda and Toyota will encounter higher vehicle prices. Some auto makers are running their vehicle production at only half of normal levels.

Mazda dealers, like Foothills in Spokane, Wa., are
charging higher prices these days. 

The price increases, typically $100-$400, aren't limited to cars made at Japanese plants that were affected by the massive earthquake last month. Ford announced a 0.4% price increase earlier this month. Toyota is raising prices about 2% on nearly all models May 1, and GM will likely announce a small increase in the price of most of its cars and trucks on Monday.

The increasing globalization of the industry means that parts come from all over the world and even vehicles made in U.S. factories have been affected by the plants shutdowns in Japan. Last month, Ford suspended building Tuxedo Black vehicles due to the quake.

Most of the price increases are hitting small cars build in Japan, and those are the vehicles that may be in highest demand during this spring shopping season. The average price of gasoline is now above $4 per gallon in five states, and it could rise to that level in New York and Washington, D.C., this weekend. That is driving sales of smaller, more efficient vehicles.