Older cars for today's average price.
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- Duck Vader
- Posts: 18791
- Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:57 am
Older cars for today's average price.
Today's average new car price is about $37k. If someone gave you $37k to buy a vehicle from each decade of the past 100 years, say 1920 to 2020, what would you buy from each one? In other words spend up to $37k in each decade using today's market values.
- aaronatstate
- Posts: 9882
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- Location: Arkansas
Re: Older cars for today's average price.
To clarify what you mean, what used car would we buy from each decade with a $37k budget right?

Chr15t0ph3r85: YES
Chr15t0ph3r85: GOOO STATE
- Duck Vader
- Posts: 18791
- Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:57 am
Re: Older cars for today's average price.
Yes. You can spend $37k for a used car each decade. Not 37k total.
- Duck Vader
- Posts: 18791
- Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:57 am
Re: Older cars for today's average price.
I know a lot of these are going to seem stupid/ridiculous/dull even, but these are what I would honestly look at buying for each decade if I was spending $37k.
20s - Ford Model A
30s - Late 30s Chevy Coupe or Deluxe
40s - Jeepster probably.
50s - Honestly would probably end up looking at a GMC or Chevy Pick-up. I know - shocking right?
60s - 68-69 Chevelle SS with big block
70s - As much as I am not a mopar guy I would have to go with the 70-71 Cuda. Thought about a 79 Z28, but if getting 70s I'd rather get something still in the true muscle car era. I know it would be hard to find a Cuda under $37k though. So if I couldn't find one I would probably look for the Z28. Not a huge fan of early 70s Camaros or Firebirds, hard pressed to find a good early mopar under $37k, etc. Mustangs? Eh...
80s - This was a tough one for me. Would probably end up getting a GM full-size truck/SUV. Toss up between a K5 Blazer and a C/K truck. But a Jeep Wagoneer is also pretty damn cool. That would be a rough decade for sure.
90s - 98+ Trans Am WS6. I know there are a lot of really nice cars out there, and this is for sure going full redneck, but when I bought the VR4 it was between the VR4 and this and I still want one for some odd reason.
00s - C5 Z06. If getting a "sports car" again it would be a C5, so why not a C5 Z06.
10s - This is probably the hardest one for me to decide on. Lots of things I would look at. Trucks, SUVs, cars, etc. Too many to honestly narrow it down.
20s - Ford Model A
30s - Late 30s Chevy Coupe or Deluxe
40s - Jeepster probably.
50s - Honestly would probably end up looking at a GMC or Chevy Pick-up. I know - shocking right?
60s - 68-69 Chevelle SS with big block
70s - As much as I am not a mopar guy I would have to go with the 70-71 Cuda. Thought about a 79 Z28, but if getting 70s I'd rather get something still in the true muscle car era. I know it would be hard to find a Cuda under $37k though. So if I couldn't find one I would probably look for the Z28. Not a huge fan of early 70s Camaros or Firebirds, hard pressed to find a good early mopar under $37k, etc. Mustangs? Eh...
80s - This was a tough one for me. Would probably end up getting a GM full-size truck/SUV. Toss up between a K5 Blazer and a C/K truck. But a Jeep Wagoneer is also pretty damn cool. That would be a rough decade for sure.
90s - 98+ Trans Am WS6. I know there are a lot of really nice cars out there, and this is for sure going full redneck, but when I bought the VR4 it was between the VR4 and this and I still want one for some odd reason.
00s - C5 Z06. If getting a "sports car" again it would be a C5, so why not a C5 Z06.
10s - This is probably the hardest one for me to decide on. Lots of things I would look at. Trucks, SUVs, cars, etc. Too many to honestly narrow it down.
Last edited by Duck Vader on Tue May 07, 2019 5:15 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- alienviking
- Posts: 10702
- Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 7:41 pm
Re: Older cars for today's average price.
1920s - 1929 Plymouth Street Rod (https://classiccars.com/listings/view/1 ... igan-49601)
1930s - Chevrolet Coupe
1940s - Triumph Roadster
1950s - Porsche 356
1960s - Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS
1970s - 1970 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS (https://classiccars.com/listings/view/9 ... rnia-92866)
1980s - Land Rover Defender
1990s - Mazda RX-7 FD
2000s - Chevrolet Corvette C5 Z06
2010s - Jaguar XK-R
That last one is hard hah.
1930s - Chevrolet Coupe
1940s - Triumph Roadster
1950s - Porsche 356
1960s - Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS
1970s - 1970 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS (https://classiccars.com/listings/view/9 ... rnia-92866)
1980s - Land Rover Defender
1990s - Mazda RX-7 FD
2000s - Chevrolet Corvette C5 Z06
2010s - Jaguar XK-R
That last one is hard hah.
Last edited by alienviking on Tue May 07, 2019 5:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.