NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - With General Motors easing up on big rebate promotions, you might think there are no bargains to be found any more on GM cars and trucks.

Actually, some vehicles offer potentially better deals now, under GM's new "Value Pricing" plan, than could have been had before, according to an analysis by Consumer Reports.

Photo Gallery See more photos

On some other vehicles, though, you could have gotten a better deal last fall, even during a month when GM wasn't having a big rebate promotion program. In some cases, a lot better.

Consumer Reports looked at what the magazine calls the "Bottom Line Price." That's the price the vehicle actually costs the dealer minus any available cash rebates. Essentially, it's the lowest price you could theoretically pay if the dealer were to take no profit at all.

Consumer Reports says it's the number car shoppers should use as a starting price for negotiation. It's lower than the commonly-available "invoice price" you usually hear about because the "Bottom Line Price" includes money, such as dealer incentives, that auto dealerships get back from car manufacturers

Some of the best and worst potential deals, as calculated by Consumer Reports, are on the same make and model. Whether the current pricing plan amounts to a better deal for the consumer or not depends on what trim level you're looking at.

For example, the sticker price is the same today on the Cadillac DTS as it was in October: $47,695. In October you could have negotiated as much as $5,200 off that price, including rebates.

Today, though, without any big rebate promotions in place, you could negotiate almost $7,400 off that sticker price. So, if you negotiate hard, the car could actually cost you $2,000 less today than it would have in October.

But that's true only on the top-of-the-line "Luxury III" Cadillac DTS. On the more modestly-priced "Luxury II" DTS, the situation is reversed. Negotiate as hard as you can and that car will still cost you nearly $7,000 more today than it would have in October.

The differences have to do with lower dealer invoice prices as well as higher dealer incentives and consumer incentives for some models, said Rob Gentile, director of auto pricing for Consumer Reports.

Cash rebates are still available on some GM models, but they are generally more modest and their use is more targeted to specific models and trim levels that need the extra marketing help.

"We will use those strategically and on a trargeted basis going forward," said Deborah Silverman, a spokeswoman for General Motors.

In any event, provided that GM sticks with its no-rebate plan, "value pricing" should at least provide greater clarity for car shoppers. Buyers will no longer have to worry that buying now, rather than waiting, might cause them to miss a big rebate promotion.

The new pricing strategy should also increase resale values of GM Vehicles, said Silverman, since rebate promotions programs tend to damage resale values.

Ranked based on the difference between October 2005 and January 2006 "Bottom Line Price." The "Bottom Line Price" represents Consumer Reports' calculation of the dealer's actual cost of the vehicle minus consumer rebates. This price represents a starting point for price negotiation. Consumer Reports only lists vehicles that are also recommended by the magazine.

1. GMC Yukon 4WD SL MSRP (photos and details)

MSRP: $38,205 ($100 lower)
BLP: $28,337 ($5,672 lower)

2. Chevrolet Suburban 4WD 1500 LS (photos and details)

MSRP: $41,465 ($1,700 higher)(/br>BLP: $30,743 ($4,529 lower)

3. Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD LS 5.3 Liter (photos and details)

MSRP: $39,415 ($1,700 higher)
BLP: $28,990 ($4,509 lower)

4. Chevrolet Silverado 3500 LS 4WD Ext LWB (photos and details)

MSRP: $28,940 ($1,659 lower)
BLP: $23,487 ($1,960 lower)

5. Buick Terraza CXK AWD (photos and details)

MSRP: $33,250 ($625 lower)
BLP: $24,124 ($4,096 lower)

____________________________

More auto stories:

• Cheap thrills: Five bargain rides
• MONEY Magazine's Best Cars 2006