Car parts priced at $500 in 1977 $1,196.68 in 2024

Car Parts Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Car Parts, 1977-2024 ($500)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for motor vehicle parts and equipment are 139.34% higher in 2024 versus 1977 (a $696.68 difference in value).

Between 1977 and 2024: Car parts experienced an average inflation rate of 1.87% per year. In other words, car parts costing $500 in the year 1977 would cost $1,196.68 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.53% during this same period, inflation for car parts was lower.

Price Inflation for Motor vehicle parts and equipment since 1977

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 2022 (13.32%), 1980 (12%), and 1979 (9.64%).

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Buying power of $500.00 since 1977

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Car parts, over time, for $500 beginning in 1977. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1977$500.00-
1978$515.223.04%
1979$564.879.64%
1980$632.6512.00%
1981$671.116.08%
1982$688.022.52%
1983$669.17-2.74%
1984$634.90-5.12%
1985$636.840.31%
1986$633.57-0.51%
1987$638.010.70%
1988$649.861.86%
1989$665.442.40%
1990$669.990.68%
1991$678.311.24%
1992$684.290.88%
1993$674.74-1.40%
1994$673.05-0.25%
1995$678.060.74%
1996$678.620.08%
1997$676.52-0.31%
1998$671.47-0.75%
1999$667.33-0.62%
2000$674.181.03%
2001$695.883.22%
2002$709.782.00%
2003$715.910.86%
2004$721.680.81%
2005$743.132.97%
2006$778.684.78%
2007$807.323.68%
2008$854.895.89%
2009$890.104.12%
2010$909.662.20%
2011$955.575.05%
2012$986.453.23%
2013$972.26-1.44%
2014$961.64-1.09%
2015$957.74-0.41%
2016$953.22-0.47%
2017$949.80-0.36%
2018$953.930.43%
2019$972.361.93%
2020$983.071.10%
2021$1,029.884.76%
2022$1,167.0113.32%
2023$1,200.572.88%
2024$1,196.68-0.32%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.


Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Motor vehicle parts and equipment:

Year197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI75.30077.59285.06995.277101.069103.615100.77795.61595.90895.41596.08597.869100.215100.900102.154103.054101.615101.362102.115102.200101.885101.123100.500101.531104.800106.892107.815108.685111.915117.269121.583128.747134.050136.995143.909148.560146.422144.823144.236143.555143.041143.662146.437148.051155.100175.752180.806180.221

Adjust car parts prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1977 * 1977 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Motor vehicle parts and equipment was 75.300 in the year 1977 and 180.221 in 2024:

180.221 / 75.300 * $500 = $1,196.68

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $500 in 1977 has the same "purchasing power" as $1,196.68 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Motor vehicle parts and equipment).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Motor vehicle parts and equipment in 1977. In addition to car parts, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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