[anovikov]

Well but this is simply not the case. Cars did not get more expensive in the last 30-40 years vs CPI and much more accessible vs median let alone average income. They also last a lot longer so used cars are much more of an option than they were 30 let alone 60 years ago.

[maxsilver]

> Cars did not get more expensive in the last 30-40 years vs CPI and much more accessible vs median let alone average income.

This is objectively false, cars absolutely did get more expensive in the last 30 years, they cost about double what they did in 1990, even after accounting for inflation. (see https://thesoundingline.com/since-1990-the-price-of-a-cheap-... as just one example of the math on that).

They may "last longer", sure, but that can itself also carry negative impacts (particularly on fuel economy, safety, and air pollution)

[crazygringo]

Your link shows an extremely outlier case, which is the absolute cheapest car available (not a representative or average car) compared to the median income (which is different from inflation).

It's easy to look up prices for something average though. A 1990 Toyota Camry was $11,588 MSRP [1]. A 2022 Toyta Camry is $25,395 MSRP [2]. That's a nominal increase of 119%. Meanwhile, the CPI increase from 1990 to 2022 was 124%.

So, a Toyota Camry has decreased slightly in price, in real terms. But it's also a better car, e.g. the 1990 one got you 24 MPG combined, while the 2022 gets you 32 MPG combined. Not to mention a host of other improvements over more than two decades.

So your assertion that cars cost double even after inflation doesn't seem to hold up, at least not for an average representative car, from the data I'm able to pull.

[1] https://www.jdpower.com/cars/1990/toyota/camry/4-door-sedan

[2] https://www.kbb.com/toyota/camry/2022/

[3] https://www.minneapolisfed.org/about-us/monetary-policy/infl...

[4] https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/6763.shtml

[5] https://www.mariettatoyota.com/2022-toyota-camry-mpg/

[ianburrell]

Also, the 2022 Camry is a significantly bigger car. The 1990 was a compact, like the Corolla today. The 2022 is a midsize car. Comparing 1990 Camry to 2022 Corolla would make more sense.