New research shows that Japanese automakers stand to lose nearly 200,000 sales to competitors due to the lingering effects of last month's massive earthquake.

Toyota, Nissan and Honda are still dealing with supply chain issues as they try to source parts from manufacturers that were badly damaged by the quake. That's led to a major production slowdown that is affecting their ability to deliver vehicles to the U.S.

Because of this, a new A.T. Kearney report sees U.S. buyers turning elsewhere. In total, the Japanese manufacturers could lose 193,000 new car sales to competitors from the U.S. and Europe. That may sound like a drop in the bucket when the total sales for the year is projected to be above 13 million, but given the extremely competitive nature of the auto industry, the difference is significant.

"It's a pretty big deal in a very highly competitive market," said Dan Cheng, A.T. Kearney's automotive branch head.

New car prices continue to be high because of the limited supply in the wake of the earthquake and high gas prices driving up demand for fuel-efficient vehicles. Drivers looking to save money should head to New Jersey State Auto Auction and shop used cars, which are typically much cheaper.