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I could also admit that in 1970, there were even cheaper cars than a Dodge Dart, but I'm excluding them b/c at the time, they were still a sort of novelty...the

I could also admit that in 1970, there were even cheaper cars than a Dodge Dart, but I'm excluding them b/c at the time, they were still a sort of novelty...the Dart, being "compact" only with respect to American cars of the period, is sufficiently large such that it doesn't register as a different category. As for modern small SUVs...you're still not going to get much change back from your $27K for a VW Taos, or Mazda CX-30, or Hyundai Santa Fe...how small are you willing to go for cheap?

danans 3y ago
> I could also admit that in 1970, there were even cheaper cars than a Dodge Dart, but I'm excluding them b/c at the time, they were still a sort of novelty.. The cheapest car I can find from 1972 was $2131 or $15k in today's dollars [1]. That's pretty close to the cheapest car today, the Nissan Versa at $16K. There was no time when cars were significantly cheaper (inflation adjusted) than they are today. The Model T would have cost $27000 in today's dollars. And in almost every other year in car history, cars have on average been more expensive than that [2]. 1. https://blog.consumerguide.com/6-cheapest-american-cars-1972-auto/ https://blog.consumerguide.com/6-cheapest-american-cars-1972... 2. https://blog.cheapism.com/average-car-price-by-year/ https://blog.cheapism.com/average-car-price-by-year/
- linksnapzz 3y ago
  You could get a Honda 600 in 1970 for $1200. Again, that's pretty far into the "novelty" category, so I don't count it. I should have qualified what I said-a car the size of a Dodge Dart in 1970 is now twice as expensive.
  - danans 3y ago
    > I should have qualified what I said-a car the size of a Dodge Dart in 1970 is now twice as expensive. I don't understand what information you using to draw that conclusion. A 2023 Nissan Sentra ($20k) dimensions: 183″ L x 72″ W x 57″ H. The 1970 Dart ($21k in today's dollars) dimensions: 196" L x 72" W x 54" H. And a good chunk of that extra length is the huge engine in the Dart and the resulting long hood, so it actually probably had equivalent or less passenger space. The Nissan also has the full raft of safety/convenience features that you said should make it more expensive than the 1970 Dart: ABS, airbags, TPMS, AndroidAuto/Carplay, cruise control, collision detection, auto-braking for pedestrians, driver alertness monitoring, lane departure warning, etc etc etc. Yet it's still cheaper in real dollars than the Dart was.
    - linksnapzz 3y ago
      Hm. My memory must be going; I remember the Dart being much larger. And you're right; I'm certain that modern FWD compacts probably do use interior room better.
      - danans 3y ago
        The Dart certainly looks more hefty than modern cars from a design perspective. And I'll also readily admit that the cars that most people want - big cars - have gotten very pricey, especially since the pandemic.

danans 3y ago

> I could also admit that in 1970, there were even cheaper cars than a Dodge Dart, but I'm excluding them b/c at the time, they were still a sort of novelty.. The cheapest car I can find from 1972 was $2131 or $15k in today's dollars [1]. That's pretty close to the cheapest car today, the Nissan Versa at $16K. There was no time when cars were significantly cheaper (inflation adjusted) than they are today. The Model T would have cost $27000 in today's dollars. And in almost every other year in car history, cars have on average been more expensive than that [2]. 1. https://blog.consumerguide.com/6-cheapest-american-cars-1972-auto/ https://blog.consumerguide.com/6-cheapest-american-cars-1972... 2. https://blog.cheapism.com/average-car-price-by-year/ https://blog.cheapism.com/average-car-price-by-year/

linksnapzz 3y ago
You could get a Honda 600 in 1970 for $1200. Again, that's pretty far into the "novelty" category, so I don't count it. I should have qualified what I said-a car the size of a Dodge Dart in 1970 is now twice as expensive.
- danans 3y ago
  > I should have qualified what I said-a car the size of a Dodge Dart in 1970 is now twice as expensive. I don't understand what information you using to draw that conclusion. A 2023 Nissan Sentra ($20k) dimensions: 183″ L x 72″ W x 57″ H. The 1970 Dart ($21k in today's dollars) dimensions: 196" L x 72" W x 54" H. And a good chunk of that extra length is the huge engine in the Dart and the resulting long hood, so it actually probably had equivalent or less passenger space. The Nissan also has the full raft of safety/convenience features that you said should make it more expensive than the 1970 Dart: ABS, airbags, TPMS, AndroidAuto/Carplay, cruise control, collision detection, auto-braking for pedestrians, driver alertness monitoring, lane departure warning, etc etc etc. Yet it's still cheaper in real dollars than the Dart was.
  - linksnapzz 3y ago
    Hm. My memory must be going; I remember the Dart being much larger. And you're right; I'm certain that modern FWD compacts probably do use interior room better.
    - danans 3y ago
      The Dart certainly looks more hefty than modern cars from a design perspective. And I'll also readily admit that the cars that most people want - big cars - have gotten very pricey, especially since the pandemic.