Motor oil, coolant, and fluids priced at $20 in 1981 $103.36 in 2024

Motor Oil, Coolant, And Fluids Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Motor Oil, Coolant, And Fluids, 1981-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for motor oil, coolant, and fluids are 416.80% higher in 2024 versus 1981 (a $83.36 difference in value).

Between 1981 and 2024: Motor oil, coolant, and fluids experienced an average inflation rate of 3.89% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, motor oil, coolant, and fluids costing $20 in the year 1981 would cost $103.36 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.92% during this same period, inflation for motor oil, coolant, and fluids was higher.

In the year 1981: Pricing changed by 9.25%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for motor oil, coolant, and fluids during the 1981-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1981 (10.33%), inflation for motor oil, coolant, and fluids was lower.

Price Inflation for Motor oil, coolant, and fluids since 1977

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (18.91%), 2008 (16.41%), and 2022 (16.41%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1981

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Motor oil, coolant, and fluids, over time, for $20 beginning in 1981. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1981$20.009.25%
1982$20.894.46%
1983$21.332.08%
1984$21.26-0.31%
1985$21.631.76%
1986$21.57-0.29%
1987$21.22-1.63%
1988$22.063.94%
1989$23.325.74%
1990$23.571.04%
1991$25.267.21%
1992$25.00-1.03%
1993$24.98-0.11%
1994$25.692.84%
1995$27.175.78%
1996$27.902.70%
1997$27.86-0.15%
1998$27.74-0.46%
1999$27.73-0.01%
2000$29.195.27%
2001$31.146.68%
2002$32.414.07%
2003$33.242.57%
2004$34.985.22%
2005$38.6710.54%
2006$45.0016.38%
2007$48.908.67%
2008$56.9316.41%
2009$62.269.37%
2010$64.613.77%
2011$70.789.56%
2012$76.087.48%
2013$76.350.36%
2014$77.651.70%
2015$78.070.55%
2016$77.67-0.52%
2017$79.232.01%
2018$82.494.12%
2019$83.561.30%
2020$83.43-0.16%
2021$85.892.95%
2022$99.9816.41%
2023$104.574.59%
2024$103.36-1.16%*

* 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 oil, coolant, and fluids:

Year197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI65.30067.05472.76986.53194.53198.746100.800100.485102.254101.962100.300104.254110.238111.385119.415118.185118.054121.408128.423131.885131.692131.092131.077137.985147.208153.192157.123165.331182.762212.692231.138269.078294.293305.384334.564359.596360.885367.002369.021367.099374.485389.905394.964394.338405.966472.567494.249488.538

Adjust motor oil, coolant, and fluids prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1981 * 1981 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Motor oil, coolant, and fluids was 94.531 in the year 1981 and 488.538 in 2024:

488.538 / 94.531 * $20 = $103.36

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1981 has the same "purchasing power" as $103.36 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Motor oil, coolant, and fluids).


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

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