# Total (current) cost of every car you've ever owned **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 12, 2025, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529 "2025-06-12T13:37:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/1 "2025-06-12T13:37:46Z")
After visiting the British Motor Museum, I imagined exhibiting all the cars I’ve ever owned. …it would be a pretty boring exhibit in my case; I’ve only ever owned cheap, practical, second-hand cars. But what would it cost to buy cars like I owned, today, in the same kind of condition as when I initially owned them? Ford escort mk4 ($5000) Ford Fiesta mk5 ($4000) Fiat Marea 2.0 TD ($4000) Volvo S40 1.6 ($2500) = $15,500 NB: the UK is one of the cheapest places in the world for buying second-hand cars. These numbers are legit the rough prices from a quick search on autotrader and ebay. I suspect no-one’s exhibit will be as cheap as mine. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/2 "2025-06-12T14:27:07Z")
1979 Chevy Impala 4 door - $1525 1988 Honda Accord hatchback - $1850 1998 Saturn SW2 - $2550 2004 Subaru Outback - $4000 2010 Subaru Outback - $6000 2024 Chevy Equinox EV - $45000 Total = ~$62,000 Not sure how to calculate current cost, I used JD Power but my cars were all high mileage when I got rid of them. One wasn’t in running condition, so I’m not sure how that figures into it. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/3 "2025-06-12T14:34:22Z")
I’m seeing some insane prices online for the crap vehicles I used to own. These are the first three: 1973 Ford Pinto Runabout: $10,700 1968 VW Beetle: $13,300 1981 Piaggio Vespa P200E: $4,800 ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/4 "2025-06-12T14:36:57Z")
FWIW, the reason that there are memes on facebook asking questions like ‘whats the first car you owned’ or ‘whats the first concert you went to’ etc is that those are security questions people use to gain access to their online accounts. For me, I’ve been driving for about 30 years. Looking at the prices that was paid for the original cars (my first car was bought in 1995 and cost $900) all my cars combined over the last 30 years have cost about 35k for 7 cars. But those were the prices when I got them, not in today’s dollars. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/5 "2025-06-12T14:37:20Z")
I’ve only owned three cars, and they’d be worth about $26,000 in total combined today. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/6 "2025-06-12T14:41:13Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > I’m seeing some insane prices online for the crap vehicles I used to own. Possibly because the few remaining examples of 40-50 year old cars are probably collector’s items, even if they were common as dirt when they were newer. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/7 "2025-06-12T14:42:51Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > FWIW, the reason that there are memes on facebook asking questions like ‘whats the first car you owned’ or ‘whats the first concert you went to’ etc is that those are security questions people use to gain access to their online accounts Yes please be careful folks. Maybe lie about the name of your first car. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/8 "2025-06-12T14:42:56Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > FWIW, the reason that there are memes on facebook asking questions like ‘whats the first car you owned’ or ‘whats the first concert you went to’ etc is that those are security questions people use to gain access to their online accounts. I still see those memes occasionally, to which I reply, “A 1984 two-door Security Question.” Amusingly, that was also the name of my first-grade teacher, even though people keep betting I can’t remember her name. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/9 "2025-06-12T14:45:14Z")
[![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EVv-i_aX0AIR3YX.jpg) ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EVv-i_aX0AIR3YX.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/10 "2025-06-12T16:57:35Z")
Fortunately, I remember nothing but the make and color of my first car. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/11 "2025-06-12T17:06:32Z")
Paranoid much? 😉 To answer the OP, I haven’t a clue. And to make any sense, the costs would have to be inflation-adjusted since I got my first car – a Volkswagen Beetle – over 50 years ago. OMG, did I just doxx myself? 😲 ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/12 "2025-06-12T17:12:25Z")
Where are these current prices being found? I tried Edmunds and Kelly and their cutouts were way before my 1950 Chrysler Windsor. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/13 "2025-06-12T17:58:43Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Paranoid much? 😉 I had someone accuse me of being paranoid once. 23 years later, he died of cancer. Coincidence? I have my doubts. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/14 "2025-06-12T18:13:07Z")
At the time prices, somewhere north of $165000. But that doesn’t reflect (current) cost, because I’ve seen ridiculous prices for old muscle cars. If I still had it, is my slightly rusty Camaro worth the $2500 I paid, or the $20K I’ve seen people asking for ones in worse shape? Same with my Cuda, bought for $2300, sold for $9000 twenty years ago, probably could get $60K today. Maybe. Reverse wise, is my 1992 Grand Cherokee worth the 35K they cost new, or about the $600 Carvana would offer today (and they’d be paying too much, what a POS vehicle that was!)? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/15 "2025-06-12T18:41:36Z")
I paid a total of $3000 for my first and still-current car. Looking at Edmund’s, it looks like that’s near the high end of what that same model and year costs today. It’s still in mostly pretty good shape, and serves my needs. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/16 "2025-06-12T18:43:20Z")
I toyed with this on Chat GPT. I read the OP as the current cost of an equivalent car you owned, not current blue book. It took a while to get the point across, but GPT eventually came up with some answers: 1999 Land Rover Discovery - current equivalent $80,000 1968 Mustang Grande - $51,000 1939 Packard Roadster used - $135,000 1939 Lincoln V12 used - $50,000 1939 La Salle 4 door used -$100,000 It struggled with cars that lack equivalents: 1932 Cadillac Roadster -$400,000 1932 Auburn Victoria Brougham - $100,000 Didn’t try my 1927 Willeys Knight. Crane ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/17 "2025-06-12T20:28:22Z")
Yeah I was trying to say the cost of making an exhibit of your cars today. I was mostly trying to avoid adding up the original prices. It’s the classic cars that of course have the highest price tags now. Aside: one of the surprises for me was how massive the old stagecoach-style vehicles of the early 20th century were. I guess I’d just assumed that the model-t was representative of all old-timey vehicles. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/18 "2025-06-12T20:52:28Z")
My complete list: 1973 Ford Pinto Runabout: $10,700 1968 VW Beetle: $13,300 1981 Piaggio Vespa P200E: $4,800 1976 Honda Civic: $1,100 1986 Mazda 2000B truck: $2,600 1986 Pontiac Fiero: $5,000 1972 Volkswagen bus: $25,000 1982 Toyota Corolla: $1,300 1998 Ford Explorer Sport: $1,300 2005 Honda Element: $3,000 2004 Ford F-150 with back seats and 8-foot bed: $4,000 2023 Subaru Forester: $20,800 Total: $91,600 I wish I’d held on to those VWs or bought the ones going for $600 when I was in college. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/19 "2025-06-12T21:03:35Z")
$0 😲 No, I’ve never owned a car! (I lived and worked in London for my first 33 years. As a mediaeval city, it was **not** car-friendly. So traffic was intense, parking practically non-existent and there was good public transport (underground, bus + trains.) Therefore I didn’t even learn to drive. I now live in the countryside - and the local taxi firm have me as their best client! ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529/20 "2025-06-12T21:20:49Z")
I did a count and in the last 41 years, my husband and I have bought around 30 vehicles, some new, some used. Not my fault - he’s a car guy with no self-control. Anyway, I couldn’t begin to guess how much they cost us and I won’t try, lest I weep. As a point of reference, my current vehicle is a 2012 Sonata that just passed 220k miles. He has a 2024 Santa Fe. (My last 2 rides had 106k and 235k, he gets nervous if the odometer nears 60k.) So let’s just say the total is probably the GNP of a small country. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/total-current-cost-of-every-car-youve-ever-owned/1019529.md?page=2)