AUTO PRICE User Guide STARTING AUTO PRICE: To start this program type "AP94". In this mode the program does direct screen IO. If you have display problems, you can start the program with an "AP94 m" or "AP94 b" command. The "AP94 m" command does direct screen IO in monochrome (black & white). The "AP94 b" command uses BIOS for screen IO in B/W. The displays will be noticeably slower using BIOS. The "AP94 m" command may provide better results when using lap tops or B/W VGA displays. TERMS and EXCLUSIONS: Auto prices means many things to many people. This program uses the following: List: The price listed on the window of most automobiles. Invoice: Sometime called base price. The price that appears on the dealers invoice. This may not represent the price the dealer eventually pays for the automobile. Destination Charges: Shipping charges for auto delivery. Some times called freight. Some additional charges and price information NOT reflected in this program are: Factory incentives, rebates, and holdbacks that reduce the dealer cost. Dealer Charges: Dealer Prep, advertising, fuel, dealer installed equipment/options, etc. Taxes and Title: State sales tax, title, property taxes, etc. need to be added to the price of a auto. HOW TO USE THIS PROGRAM: Normal use of this program is to use the UP/DOWN arrow keys to move to a selection, and then to press the ENTER key to make that selection. In most cases the ESC key is used to back out one level. For you convenience, the BKSP key has the same function as the ESC key. In most cases any additional usage of keys will be defined at the bottom of the box displayed on the screen. The main menu provides a number of options. Many of them allow you to read and/or print the included documentation. There is a loan table option that can be used to determine the montly cost of a loan. This option is also available when pricing a auto. The rest of this section will deal with pricing an auto. Select the "Price Auto" option from the main menu and you will then need to select a group type (US cars, Trucks, or Foreign). After selecting a group the following menus will be displayed: MAKE and MODEL MENU: Normal use of this program is to price an auto. To do this select the "PRICE AUTO" options from the main menu. Two menus will be displayed. The one on the left displays make of auto, and the one on the right will display the models for that make. You may use the UP/DOWN keys to identify a make of car. You may use either the ENTER key or RIGHT arrow key to select the make, and the cursor will jump to the right menu. In a similar fashion you may identify a model of auto. To select model of auto you must press the ENTER key. To return to make menu, press the ESC, BKSP, or LEFT arrow key. If you selected a model, then a style screen will display all styles for that model. STYLE MENU: The style menu will display all the styles available. The CODE field represents the manufacturer code for the indicated style. A INVOICE and LIST column display the prices of the auto. An invoice price followed by a "*" indicates the invoice price is based on a percentage of the list price. The user selects the style of auto to continue onto a SUMMARY box and OPTIONS menu. SUMMARY BOX: Once you have selected a make, model, style, a Summary box will appear at the top of the screen. This box will display the invoice and list price of the base auto, shipping cost, and the total of the options you select. This is updated every time a option is selected or deleted. OPTIONS MENU: The option menu is the point were most of the selections are made. Note at the upper right hand of the menu is a count of the number of reference options. Reference count is for the model (not style). The following heading appear in the Options Menu: REF: Reference Line Number The reference column is nothing but a number. The program uses this number as an index. There will be missing ref numbers which represent options for a different styles. CODE: Manufacturer Product Code The CODE column represent the manufacturer code for the option. A blank CODE field indicate that the code is not known or there is no code. Many options are part of a package and have no code. The product code is limited to six characters and may be truncated. S: Status of Option. The following status flags are used: O/o = Option (may be selected) made available via selection of a auto style or another option. I = Included in style of auto (Standard Equipment). i = Included in some other option (probably package). S = User selected this option. s = Required (selected) by some option. Like 'i' except it adds to the cost. Price included in summary box. E = Excluded for this style of auto (normally not displayed). e = Excluded because of some other option. Excluded options can NOT be selected. p = Package: Option is part of a package and/or requires some other option to be selected to become available. Can not be selected with this status. Try F5 key. d/D = Destination charges: Shipping charges deviating from the normal. 'd' may be selected. 'D' is selected or in effect. REL: Related reference number Related reference number may be blank or refer you to another line. For instance if a package is selected, the include option will have a status of 'i' and a REL value equal to the REF number of the package. An option may change the price of other options, and the effected options REL will be updated. Upper case status flags normally relate to the style of auto and have no REL value. A REL value of 999 indicates an override function was used. DESCRIPTION: Option Description A short description of the equipment/option. Most descriptions use the best fit of aproxiomately 150 generic descriptions, therefore, the description may be a under or over statement. For example: Radio descriptions do not include seek, scan, dolby, etc. Tire descriptions usually reflect size but not quality. Alloy wheels may reflect many styles. The user should use manufacture literature for equipment specifics. INVOICE: Invoice Price of Option. The approximate invoice price of auto. If a '*' follows this field, then the value of based on a percentage of list. LIST: List Price of Option. The list price or sticker price of the auto. KEYS: Up/Down/Home/End/PgUp/PgDn: Move up and down option list. PgUp/PgDn changes top ref number by + or - 10 (not 10 lines). Esc/BkSp: Return to style menu. Enter/+/Ins: Select option if status = 'O' or 'o'. Enter/-/Del: De-select option if status = 'S'. F1: HELP - Defines use of keys and status codes. F2: Information: May include EPA mileage, publications, and standard equipment. F3: Standard Equipment: Toggles display of 'I' options. F4: Modification: Displays options the selected option changes the status. (primarily included or excluded) F5: Option In: Display options that include the selected option. F6: Required: Display options that are required before option can be selected. F8: Print option. Brings up menu to select one of: Print selected options (status of 'S' or 's'). Print selected and included opt ('S', 's', 'I', or 'i'). Print listing of all options. F9: Display loan payment table. OVERRIDE FEATURE: In the event it is necessary to override the status or price of an option, the following keys can be used. The REL field will be set to 999. Alt s = Select option. Alt i = Include option. Alt e = Exclude option. Alt p = Change price of option. Enter new list price. Invoice price will be figured on percentage. Alt l = Display all options for Model (not style). Includes status of 'E'. Once displayed other overrides can be used. CONVENTIONS: Several abbreviation conventions are used throughout the program. Most should be self explanatory however the following abbreviations may be found in the information data, EPA mileage data, standard equipment, etc. Engines: I4 = inline 4 cyl. V8 = V block 8 cyl. R2 = 2 rotors. Transmissions: M5 = manual 5 speed. A3 = 3 speed automatic. L4 = 4 speed auto with lockup torque converter. Drive: AWD = all wheel drive. Usually full time 4WD. 4WD = four wheel drive. May be selectable or same as AWD. Note: AWD and 4WD are used interchangeably, however, AWD usually indicates full time. BEWARE: On occasion you may get into a chicken/egg situation. That is option A requires B, and B requires A. If this happens, use the appropriate override option (Alt S, Alt I, etc) to select one of the options. AUTO PRICE uses the 's' status when this condition is detected. In some cases if the user selects and de-selects a varied group of options, it is possible to get invalid results. If this happens simply return to the style menu and start over avoiding the de-selection process. This usually happens when there is a interaction of inclusions, exclusions, and price changes between package options and other options. The price reflects all options with a status code of 'S' or 's'. Users should review all their selection before terminating. It is possible for a selected option to modify a previously selected option. The data for this program has been encrypted, and any attempt to change it may give invalid results or make the program unusable. REGISTER: This is a shareware version of "AUTO PRICE", and it can be freely copied. Give one to your friends or put it on a bulletin board. If you would like to get the latest version with invoice prices, then order a registered version of this program. To register select the "ORDER" option from the main menu and an order form will be displayed. Print, fill out, and mail the order form or call the 800 number found on the order form.