According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for used cars and trucks were 386.83% higher in 2017 versus 1952 (a $9,283,859,154.93 difference in value).
Between 1952 and 2017: Used cars and trucks experienced an average inflation rate of 2.46% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, used cars and trucks costing $2,400,000,000 in the year 1952 would cost $11,683,859,154.93 in 2017 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.48% during this same period, inflation for used cars and trucks was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Used cars and trucks, over time, for $2,400,000,000 beginning in 1952. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
---|---|---|
1952 | $2,400,000,000.00 | - |
1953 | $2,258,938,244.85 | -5.88% |
1954 | $1,921,560,130.01 | -14.94% |
1955 | $1,814,951,245.94 | -5.55% |
1956 | $1,747,995,666.31 | -3.69% |
1957 | $1,956,663,055.25 | 11.94% |
1958 | $2,028,819,068.26 | 3.69% |
1959 | $2,265,438,786.57 | 11.66% |
1960 | $2,117,226,435.54 | -6.54% |
1961 | $2,198,483,206.93 | 3.84% |
1962 | $2,398,699,891.66 | 9.11% |
1963 | $2,427,952,329.36 | 1.22% |
1964 | $2,531,310,942.58 | 4.26% |
1965 | $2,516,359,696.64 | -0.59% |
1966 | $2,453,304,442.04 | -2.51% |
1967 | $2,531,310,942.58 | 3.18% |
1968 | $2,595,774,647.89 | 2.55% |
1969 | $2,609,317,443.12 | 0.52% |
1970 | $2,638,569,880.82 | 1.12% |
1971 | $2,789,382,448.54 | 5.72% |
1972 | $2,793,932,827.74 | 0.16% |
1973 | $2,973,997,833.15 | 6.44% |
1974 | $3,100,758,396.53 | 4.26% |
1975 | $3,705,958,829.90 | 19.52% |
1976 | $4,249,404,117.01 | 14.66% |
1977 | $4,625,785,482.12 | 8.86% |
1978 | $4,719,393,282.77 | 2.02% |
1979 | $5,087,973,997.83 | 7.81% |
1980 | $5,266,088,840.74 | 3.50% |
1981 | $6,499,891,657.64 | 23.43% |
1982 | $7,502,275,189.60 | 15.42% |
1983 | $8,342,795,232.94 | 11.20% |
1984 | $9,508,342,361.86 | 13.97% |
1985 | $9,609,100,758.40 | 1.06% |
1986 | $9,193,066,088.84 | -4.33% |
1987 | $9,557,096,424.70 | 3.96% |
1988 | $9,969,230,769.23 | 4.31% |
1989 | $10,177,248,104.01 | 2.09% |
1990 | $9,935,427,952.33 | -2.38% |
1991 | $9,982,231,852.65 | 0.47% |
1992 | $10,408,667,388.95 | 4.27% |
1993 | $11,314,192,849.40 | 8.70% |
1994 | $11,971,397,616.47 | 5.81% |
1995 | $13,221,451,787.65 | 10.44% |
1996 | $13,270,855,904.66 | 0.37% |
1997 | $12,770,964,247.02 | -3.77% |
1998 | $12,727,410,617.55 | -0.34% |
1999 | $12,847,670,639.22 | 0.94% |
2000 | $13,162,946,912.24 | 2.45% |
2001 | $13,411,267,605.63 | 1.89% |
2002 | $12,843,120,260.02 | -4.24% |
2003 | $12,077,356,446.37 | -5.96% |
2004 | $11,266,738,894.91 | -6.71% |
2005 | $11,783,531,961.00 | 4.59% |
2006 | $11,830,335,861.32 | 0.40% |
2007 | $11,471,551,462.62 | -3.03% |
2008 | $11,319,815,817.98 | -1.32% |
2009 | $10,730,093,174.43 | -5.21% |
2010 | $12,095,330,444.20 | 12.72% |
2011 | $12,592,439,869.99 | 4.11% |
2012 | $12,703,956,663.06 | 0.89% |
2013 | $12,666,494,041.17 | -0.29% |
2014 | $12,599,473,456.12 | -0.53% |
2015 | $12,432,637,053.09 | -1.32% |
2016 | $12,125,772,481.04 | -2.47% |
2017 | $11,683,859,154.93 | -3.64% |
2018 | $11,694,507,042.25 | 0.09% |
2019 | $11,810,964,247.02 | 1.00% |
2020 | $12,187,709,642.47 | 3.19% |
2021 | $15,433,378,114.84 | 26.63% |
2022 | $17,400,689,057.42 | 12.75% |
2023 | $16,159,612,134.34 | -7.13% |
2024 | $15,219,915,492.96 | -5.82%* |
* 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 Used cars and trucks:
Year | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
CPI | 28.400 | 26.731 | 22.738 | 21.477 | 20.685 | 23.154 | 24.008 | 26.808 | 25.054 | 26.015 | 28.385 | 28.731 | 29.954 | 29.777 | 29.031 | 29.954 | 30.717 | 30.877 | 31.223 | 33.008 | 33.062 | 35.192 | 36.692 | 43.854 | 50.285 | 54.738 | 55.846 | 60.208 | 62.315 | 76.915 | 88.777 | 98.723 | 112.515 | 113.708 | 108.785 | 113.092 | 117.969 | 120.431 | 117.569 | 118.123 | 123.169 | 133.885 | 141.662 | 156.454 | 157.038 | 151.123 | 150.608 | 152.031 | 155.762 | 158.700 | 151.977 | 142.915 | 133.323 | 139.438 | 139.992 | 135.747 | 133.951 | 126.973 | 143.128 | 149.011 | 150.330 | 149.887 | 149.094 | 147.120 | 143.488 | 138.259 | 138.385 | 139.763 | 144.221 | 182.628 | 205.908 | 191.222 | 180.102 |