Auto service prices from 1956

[Number_35]

I bought this book, published in 1956, around 1978, for 15 cents. At the time I thought the prices from 22 years before were hilarious. More so now. Per the Bank of Canada inflation calculator, here's what the poor guy had to pay Slick ...

Engine tune-up
Parts (six or eight plugs in that nice Chevy, plus points and condenser. Distributor cap and rotor?)
$8.75 then = $82.55 now
Labour $10.00 then = $94.34 now

Reline brakes
Parts $16.00 then = $150.95 now
Labour $14.75 then = $139.16 now

Wheel alignment
Labour $15.00 then = $141.52 now

Wheel balance
Parts $3.50 then = $33.02 now
Labour $7.50 then = $70.76 now

Altogether, the $85.50 then = $806.65 now, for a tune-up, brakes, alignment, and wheel balancing.

The $180 tune-up looks expensive to me - but there would be the time to replace the points and condenser, set the dwell angle, adjust the mixture and idle speed, and so on. Now all we would do is change plugs (and often only four of them rather than six or eight). But at least Slick didn't have to pull the intake manifold to get access to the rear bank in a transverse V6. Perhaps the car (a '55 or '56 Chevy) had an oil-bath air filter, and that was part of the cost. That tune-up would be required at least annually, and perhaps twice a year depending on how much he drove.

Almost $300 for brakes? I hope Slick turned the drums as well. For a new car it went through the brakes fast.

The wheel alignment looks about right.

Over $100 to balance four wheels? Seems high.

Confounding factor though: Slick is obviously a rip-off artist ... or is he? There's no 10% for shop supplies, and no sales tax! Maybe the oil was fine and Slick didn't do an unnecessary change. Maybe the guy got a deal.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Index wages for inflation and get back to us.

 

[supton]

Huh, would have guessed worse. Probably is, most of that would be done at most every 50k, more like 100k, for today's cars. But for Slick's customer, that was what, every 10 or 20k?

 

[Number_35]

https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/COLA/AWI.html

Per the link, the average annual wage in the US in 1956 was $3532.36, and $50,321.89 in 2017. So US wages went up by a factor of about 14.25, whereas (Canadian) inflation from 1956 to 2017 was exactly 9x. So in theory, assuming that comparing American wages to Canadian inflation is still apples-to-apples, our buying power has increased about 1.58 times (14.25/9). However, this does not take different tax rates into effect, or improved (or inferior) products over the 60 years.

 

[Number_35]

Originally Posted by supton
Huh, would have guessed worse. Probably is, most of that would be done at most every 50k, more like 100k, for today's cars. But for Slick's customer, that was what, every 10 or 20k?
Yup, the old debate, back in the days of unleaded gas, was whether to change plugs twice a year or every 10K miles.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Buying power may have gone up on paper, but considering that products today are considered throwaways vs. something that lasts, are we really ahead? My buddy has a Frigidaire fridge in his garage that was built in the early 60s that's still running, while the Frigidaire he bought for his house 6 years ago has already had a compressor failure.

I never buy a first-year anything, whether car, appliance, OPE, electronics, etc. There are always oversights in durability and reliability on new items, so I let people who obviously don't need their money as much as I do perform the field testing for me. Then after a year or two of field proving, I look at what has performed as promised and lasted, and then buy it on clearance or sale because it's no longer a new model.

 

[Trav]

I was talking to a geezer that bough a brand new T Bird in 64, he said he made real good money in the paper mill at the time he bought it, $100 a week take home, that puts it in a different light.

 

[JunkdrawerDog]

That sounds about right. In 1965, Dad and my older cousin bought new Oldsmobiles. Dad bought a Cutlass 2dr hardtop. 330 v8 w/4 bbl and powerglide. Cousin bought 442, 400v8 w/4 bbl and 4 spd manual. Dad was taking home $95 a week. Cousin was only takin home $65 a week, but he was single w/ no kids.

 

[JLTD]

I think your modern estimates are a little low....

 

[Silk]

It would cost a lot more to reline brakes these days...they'd have to learn how to do it for a start.

 

[Hall]

I don't think the "today" prices are that bad at all. $200 for a tune-up - $100 in parts and $100 (an hour labor though on the higher side for independent shops, at least around here). Platinum or Iridium plugs x 8 can certainly be $5-10/each.

Ever priced a brake job at a shop ? $200 is on the low side and will only cover replacement pads. If they get in there and find, "oh, your rotors are too thin, we can't turn 'em", you'll easily approach $300 total now.

Remember, these aren't prices that you and I will buy parts from RockAuto for. These are shop prices with their mark-up.

Wheel alignment and balancing are definitely high for today's prices. I suspect it is because the equipment today makes it "easier" and quicker to do. Who pays for "parts" on a wheel balancing ? Yes, they have weights but the cost of those are built into the service charge.

 

[Ethan1]

Originally Posted by SubieRubyRoo
products today are considered throwaways vs. something that lasts


Except literally the opposite is true regarding automobiles, soooooooo...

 

[AC1DD]

Originally Posted by Ethan1
Originally Posted by SubieRubyRoo
products today are considered throwaways vs. something that lasts


Except literally the opposite is true regarding automobiles, soooooooo...


Ah, not really. Cars today are much more reliable up to a carefully calculated point in time, then the thing scientifically starts falling apart pretty quickly, and the cost to repair the complicated items on said modern vehicle is so high that yep, you guessed it. The owner throws in the towel and buys another new one.

Cars from 25 plus years ago weren't nearly as reliable but when they broke it doesn't cost you an arm and leg to repair, that is if you can actually get the parts to repair the newer vehicles today at all. Especially the electronic items and you have multiplexed electrical systems which can make diagnosing them almost impossible many times, even with elaborate dedicated scan tools!

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

That was my point, AC1DD. My two Subaru's have AWD but it's all mechanical, no fancy electronics, both cars use essentially identical parts for about 85% of the wear items, service intervals take same things as well. It makes upkeep on two cars very simple; I just changed thermostats and coolant on both cars in about 50 minutes total. All it takes is a 10mm socket and new thermostat & o-ring. Flush with 2 gal of distilled, drain and refill with coolant & Subaru coolant conditioner. Easy peasy!

Sure, there are some issues, wheel bearings etc, but I haven't had any issues at all with mine regarding some of the "noisy" complaints like HG. However, if I do have problems with HGs.... most likely it will just get sent to the JY and I'll buy another 10 year old Subaru with cash and get another 10 years out of it!