Topic: Cars were expensive twenty years ago

[KD]

Land Cruiser listed as a station wagon...lol.

[johngenx]

Toyotas were expensive then. We bought a 1990 Integra in the fall of 89 and paid $15K for it, not much over the price of a Corolla and well below the Celica.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Found my copy of Carguide from 1999 which has specs and prices of all the cars for sale in Canada that year. I was surprised by how expensive cars were then. In the last twenty years inflation in Canada has been 47%.

Some examples:

1999 Toyota Corolla VE: $15,090
After inflation: $22,200
2019 Toyota Corolla CE: $16,790

I thought this was pretty amazing.  Check out the Toyota msrp list from 1988 AutoGuide i have:
30 years ago a base automatic Corolla was $12K,  and the fancy one $14K

$11,458.00 for the 5 speed Corolla DLX in 1988 works out to $21,445 in 2018. Hard to imagine given that it was the stripper model. In 1988, a base model was REALLY base. Power nothing, vinyl seats, no tach, no air, no cruise, either no radio or an AM only.

And $50,531 in 2018 would swing the Cressida. 

[johngenx]

$30K then was a lot of dough for a car.  The missus made about $24K teaching, and I think minimum wage was in the $3 range.

[draghon]

Only 11 years ago but how about the 2007 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT wagon

Base price: $41,795
Options: $2,000 (Five-speed automatic transmission, $1,500; XM radio, $500)
Freight: $1,495
A/C tax: $100
Price as tested: $45,390

http://www.autos.ca/car-test-drives/test-drive-2007-subaru-legacy-25gt-wagon/

Same for me, 2007 Civic SI, ~$30,000
2018 Civic SI, ~30,000

[johngenx]

Remember that with the exception of higher incomes, wage growth has been stagnant for a long time. Makers have been under pressure to keep cars affordable to keep volumes up. They had a time when leasing looks like their salvation, but we know how that turned out. Today, they just can't change the inflation adjusted price for a Corolla. No one could buy them.

[quadzilla]

I wanted the GT, but it was $10-11k more than the Outback wagon we ended up with in 2008. I just couldn't justify spending that much more even with the added performance.

Same here but went with the Mazda6 Wagon which I think was in the low 30's loaded.

[OliverD]

And $50,531 in 2018 would swing the Cressida. 

For comparison, a 2019 Avalon is $42,790.

[ktm525]

Remember that with the exception of higher incomes, wage growth has been stagnant for a long time. Makers have been under pressure to keep cars affordable to keep volumes up. They had a time when leasing looks like their salvation, but we know how that turned out. Today, they just can't change the inflation adjusted price for a Corolla. No one could buy them.

Leasing is back as are 96 month loans.

[Fobroader]

$30k for a Landcruiser back then. I would happily dish out under $60K for a solid axle, twin locked, diesel 105 model 



No SUV in its class available today has even remotely the same amount of capability and durability.

[ktm525]

$30k for a Landcruiser back then. I would happily dish out under $60K for a solid axle, twin locked, diesel 105 model 



No SUV in its class available today has even remotely the same amount of capability and durability.

Back when? IIRC my 1990 4Runner was $30k new and I doubt a LC was cheaper.

Plus that LC steering wheel is on the wrong side.

[sailor723]

Only 11 years ago but how about the 2007 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT wagon

Base price: $41,795
Options: $2,000 (Five-speed automatic transmission, $1,500; XM radio, $500)
Freight: $1,495
A/C tax: $100
Price as tested: $45,390

http://www.autos.ca/car-test-drives/test-drive-2007-subaru-legacy-25gt-wagon/

The current top of the line Legacy sedan with the H3.6 starts at $39K...  Not a wagon I know, but an interesting comparison all the same...

That was back when Subaru was trying to be the Japanese Volvo.

[blur911]

Only 11 years ago but how about the 2007 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT wagon

Base price: $41,795
Options: $2,000 (Five-speed automatic transmission, $1,500; XM radio, $500)
Freight: $1,495
A/C tax: $100
Price as tested: $45,390

http://www.autos.ca/car-test-drives/test-drive-2007-subaru-legacy-25gt-wagon/

The current top of the line Legacy sedan with the H3.6 starts at $39K...  Not a wagon I know, but an interesting comparison all the same...

That was back when Subaru was trying to be the Japanese Volvo.

Our 2003 Outback VDC was even worse.

Vehicle Price:   $43,995.00
Freight & Delivery:   $1,195.00
Subtotal:   $45,190.00
HST (13%):   $5,874.70
Total Price: *   $51,064.70

https://www.auto123.com/en/new-cars/technical-specs/subaru/outback/2003/wagon/h6-30-vdc/#ifR0V02dtxhW7VP7.99

[johngenx]

Subaru pricing was way out of whack during the 2000s. Our 2001 Forester was about $35K new, which was stupidly expensive then. It's no wonder they depreciated so hard. We paid $15K for it in 2004 - well over 50% depreciation in three years.

From about 1999 to 2010 Subaru did indeed fancy themselves as a premium brand.

[Scaerio]

That was back when Subaru was trying to be the Japanese Volvo.

And they kinda ended up suceeding...