My how times have changed!

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I bet it means a down payment within the range they usually see - a statistically normal amount.

To be certain, ask 'em when you "call for your free credit check". Man, over the phone! in 1964! How'd they do it?

And, I want a Borgward. I'm embarrassed to admit I've never heard of them before.
 
Back in the day the average annual salary (all domestic industries) was just under $6,000.


Funny how the advertised monthly payments include the verbiage " with normal down payment". Talk about open-ended.
 
Originally Posted by Imp4
Average income in '63 was $4,400.

https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
$4,400 then works out to nearly $37k today. A buck in 1963 would be $8.37 today, depending upon how much stock you put into inflation calculators. That's kinda interesting, actually, as if I just 8x those payments, they are advertising "low" monthly payments of $400. I know that is probably a 3 year loan instead of today's 5 year (or 6, or 7, or ...) but still.
 
Mine also but it was the six banger. Man was it a dog. I got my license in 64 and remember driving it while circling the dairy queen on Saturday night. That was the big thing for us teens back in the day. That was the last six Dad ever bought.
 
Originally Posted by Bud
Mine also but it was the six banger. Man was it a dog. I got my license in 64 and remember driving it while circling the dairy queen on Saturday night. That was the big thing for us teens back in the day. That was the last six Dad ever bought.


DQ was the Saturday night thing here way back … smoking tires if you could. Nobody could beat the BiL and his 2 speed GTO (85 on speedometer, car hardly moves) … thought he was Mr Bad until one night the tire smoke was split by a black & white Dodge w/ lights flashing … I was his driver for the next few months …
 
Originally Posted by supton
Originally Posted by Imp4
Average income in '63 was $4,400.

https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
$4,400 then works out to nearly $37k today. A buck in 1963 would be $8.37 today, depending upon how much stock you put into inflation calculators. That's kinda interesting, actually, as if I just 8x those payments, they are advertising "low" monthly payments of $400. I know that is probably a 3 year loan instead of today's 5 year (or 6, or 7, or ...) but still.


I didnt even think they did car loans back then!

I just ran an inflation calculator and $2500 is 20,000.00 today.

What's more expensive I would guess is housing. Everything else seems cheaper.

Plus too many people using up stuff and ruining stuff.

Population 50% increase in general since I graduated HS, and Double since I was born.

Insane breeding without a clue.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite

I didnt even think they did car loans back then!

I think I've seen loan ads for Model T's... don't remember now. But part of Henry's hook was he paying his workers enough so that they could afford his product. [I've read that was the line to the public, in regards to his $5 per day wage, but I've read there was a different story in reality.]

Quote
I just ran an inflation calculator and $2500 is 20,000.00 today.

What's more expensive I would guess is housing. Everything else seems cheaper.

Couple years ago a statistic came out. In 1950 the median price of a home was 2x median income. In 2015 (2016?) it was 5x. So housing has gone way up. But our houses are like 2x the size with more doors, windows, insulation, not to mention a/c in many of them.
 
Originally Posted by Schmoe
That '63 Impala for 2495 in 1964 is about 21K today....still good price back then.

That's starting..a numbers matching SS409 convertible can easily set you back $70k.

Check this '63 beauty out from Classic Cars.com - yes please!!
[Linked Image]
 
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Originally Posted by Egg_Head
Here's a 1959 Borgward wagon:

[Linked Image]


It does look oddly cool...I would soooo sport that!
 
Originally Posted by supton
Originally Posted by Imp4
Average income in '63 was $4,400.

https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
$4,400 then works out to nearly $37k today. A buck in 1963 would be $8.37 today, depending upon how much stock you put into inflation calculators. That's kinda interesting, actually, as if I just 8x those payments, they are advertising "low" monthly payments of $400. I know that is probably a 3 year loan instead of today's 5 year (or 6, or 7, or ...) but still.


Yeah, but I bet a car from that era probably only lasted half as long as cars do today. Maybe back then you'd be lucky to get 100k out of car and did they do 1k oil changes or 3k back then?
 
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by supton
Originally Posted by Imp4
Average income in '63 was $4,400.

https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
$4,400 then works out to nearly $37k today. A buck in 1963 would be $8.37 today, depending upon how much stock you put into inflation calculators. That's kinda interesting, actually, as if I just 8x those payments, they are advertising "low" monthly payments of $400. I know that is probably a 3 year loan instead of today's 5 year (or 6, or 7, or ...) but still.


Yeah, but I bet a car from that era probably only lasted half as long as cars do today. Maybe back then you'd be lucky to get 100k out of car and did they do 1k oil changes or 3k back then?


Not to mention how unsafe they were compared to modern cars!
 
Originally Posted by Skippy722
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by supton
Originally Posted by Imp4
Average income in '63 was $4,400.

https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
$4,400 then works out to nearly $37k today. A buck in 1963 would be $8.37 today, depending upon how much stock you put into inflation calculators. That's kinda interesting, actually, as if I just 8x those payments, they are advertising "low" monthly payments of $400. I know that is probably a 3 year loan instead of today's 5 year (or 6, or 7, or ...) but still.


Yeah, but I bet a car from that era probably only lasted half as long as cars do today. Maybe back then you'd be lucky to get 100k out of car and did they do 1k oil changes or 3k back then?

Not to mention how unsafe they were compared to modern cars!

Like the lack of headrest? Or 3pt seat belts... or how about a "padded" dash? Oh yeah, we can't leave out that you can't legally drive all liquored up anymore. Well, at least you shouldn't.

History of Car Safety Features

[Linked Image]
 
Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
Originally Posted by Schmoe
That '63 Impala for 2495 in 1964 is about 21K today....still good price back then.

That's starting..a numbers matching SS409 convertible can easily set you back $70k.

Check this '63 beauty out from Classic Cars.com - yes please!!
[Linked Image]




Wow I love old OEM stock cars like that. It's like a time capsule, but still beautiful like it just drove off the showroom floor!
 
Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter

Like the lack of headrest? Or 3pt seat belts... or how about a "padded" dash? Oh yeah, we can't leave out that you can't legally drive all liquored up anymore. Well, at least you shouldn't.


A friend of mine did buy a late 60's Firebird convertible. We drove around in it and kept going over all the list of the stuff it's missing compared to my Mercedes. No airbags, drum brakes instead of 4 wheel vented and front drilled rotors, ABS, traction control stablity control, not even cruise control. For entertainment I think it just had an AM/FM radio, not even sure about the FM part. Ended up using a bluetooth speaker for music. Basically very bare bones not even basics like power locks/windows. His kids didn't even know what the hand crank for the window was for until he told them. And yeah, just a front lap belt and no headrest. I think the convertible part beats my pano roof though.
 
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by supton
Originally Posted by Imp4
Average income in '63 was $4,400.

https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
$4,400 then works out to nearly $37k today. A buck in 1963 would be $8.37 today, depending upon how much stock you put into inflation calculators. That's kinda interesting, actually, as if I just 8x those payments, they are advertising "low" monthly payments of $400. I know that is probably a 3 year loan instead of today's 5 year (or 6, or 7, or ...) but still.


Yeah, but I bet a car from that era probably only lasted half as long as cars do today. Maybe back then you'd be lucky to get 100k out of car and did they do 1k oil changes or 3k back then?



Likely the recommended OCI was 5K miles.
 
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