It's interesting that people make such a big deal about cost of cars being so high.
A 1990 Mazda Miata had an MSRP of $13,800.
A 2023 Mazda Miata has an MSRP of $30,890.
Huge increase, right? Except that $13,800 of 1990 dollars is ~$33,500 today. Meaning a new Miata is cheaper than a new 1990 Miata when adjusted for inflation. And for that, you get more performance, more reliability, more efficiency, cleaner, and more comfort.
It will be interesting when the Miata finally gets some hybrid applied to it to see how much it costs to meet the EV mandate.
In reply to alfadriver :
Agreed.
I'm about to get a new Mazda CX-30 and give my daughter my 2019 CX-3.
Turbo, AWD, Premium trim level, and a fancy paint job will be under 40K including T,L,R, and destination charge.
Given my history with Mazda's, I trust it to give me at least 10 years and 250K miles for what will work out to be at most, $300 per month (40K-4K)/10.
Safe, reliable, comfy, and very nicely featured with brand new everything for three hundred bucks a month...I'lllll take it.
In reply to alfadriver :
If I used that inflation metrics (if that's the right word - I'm not an English major) my health insurance would cost me $225/month. Not $2400/month.
So I wouldn't put much faith in those numbers, one way or the other.
I couldn't afford a $13,000 car, in '90, either, and won't be able to afford a new car now, and doubtful till after I die.
In reply to 03Panther :
Somethings follow inflation closely, other don't. Cars mostly use commodities to be built, so they will follow inflation.
Well, actually, they don't. There is so much more in a modern car in terms of the expensive commodities and complexities- a new Miata should be more expensive than it is relative to the 1990 in today's dollars. So car have been growing in cost slower than inflation. It's been that way for a while now.
In reply to alfadriver :
I agree
They certainly do, except they don't. But sometimes -
all depending on numbers and statistics. That are sometimes accurate, and sometimes not. And sometimes statistics can even be manipulated.
The "advertised" numbers, don't mesh with anything I've lived through.
None of which coves that cars that burn gas, are not really going away.
stuart in mn said:
Appleseed said:
Ice isn't going away for a long, long, time.
But ones that are not excessively complicated and expensive and stuffed with junk (per the OP's post) have gone away. There will never be a car as simple as say a VW Beetle ever again.
Nor as simple as my 1982 Rabbit Convertible. Which I really need to make run again.
