Having more information gives you more power. Not long ago, auto dealers had the upper hand because they had most of the information about price. The Internet has changed that -- with an estimated 25% of those who shop for new cars today checking for price information on the Web first.

With a little effort, you now can find out the dealer's cost for any vehicle. You can find out if price rebates, subsidized lease deals or other special breaks can cut your cost. And best of all, you can decide exactly what you intend to pay for the car or truck before you ever go near a showroom.

The number most often cited as the dealer's cost is the so-called invoice price -- the wholesale price that the manufacturer bills the dealer on shipment. But that is not the whole story. An additional amount -- called the holdback -- is paid by the manufacturer to the dealer later, in effect cutting the dealer's cost. When a car model is in oversupply, a dealer eager to get it off the lot may negotiate a price that will cut into his holdback--typically around 3% of the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) -- and thus strike a selling price below the invoice price. But in normal circumstances most dealers are unlikely to sell below their invoice price unless there are special incentives.

The manufacturer may offer so-called "dealer incentives" for slow-moving models -- in effect, rebates paid to the dealer instead of the car buyer. Unlike heavily advertised consumer rebates, these dealer incentives are rarely publicized. But if you have done your homework and know such an incentive exists, you often can negotiate half or more of that amount for yourself.

For a full list of cars, minivans, sport utilities and pickups with base prices and target prices with typical equipment, check this site. We show you the base MSRP and dealer's invoice cost, as well as the same number with typical optional equipment.

These are averages, however, and each vehicle is different. A hot-selling new sport utility or sports car may sell for a while at full MSRP with no bargaining possible. But for more ordinary vehicles, a good starting point is to aim for a target price of 2% over the dealer invoice price.

For a slow-selling model, you may be able to go even lower (see the discussion above of the holdback and rebates). If you discover that the model you want carries a sizable consumer rebate or dealer incentive of $750 or more, let that alert you to bargain harder, since the dealer and the manufacturer want to move that model.