Soaring US car prices compel buyers to travel thousands of miles for deals

Buyers looking to pay no more than sticker price are flying long distances to snag a car

After an auto dealer demanded $10,000 above sticker price for a new hybrid vehicle, car shopper Michael Rathjen of Kirkland, Washington, resolved to pay no more than the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the vehicle of his choice. He never dreamed his quest would take him eight months and 3,000 miles from home.

I'm calling across the entire country. I'm thinking this is not going to be possible. I'm not going to find a dealer selling at MSRP," recalled Rathjen, a technical writer. I kept calling further and further away until I hit Vermont."