Motor vehicle body work priced at $20 in 1986 $75.32 in 2025

Motor Vehicle Body Work Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Motor Vehicle Body Work, 1986-2025 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for motor vehicle body work are 276.62% higher in 2025 versus 1986 (a $55.32 difference in value).

Between 1986 and 2025: Motor vehicle body work experienced an average inflation rate of 3.46% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, motor vehicle body work costing $20 in the year 1986 would cost $75.32 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.78% during this same period, inflation for motor vehicle body work was higher.

In the year 1986: Pricing changed by 3.08%, which is below the average yearly change for motor vehicle body work during the 1986-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1986 (1.90%), inflation for motor vehicle body work was higher.

Price Inflation for Motor vehicle body work since 1977

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (12.62%), 2022 (12.53%), and 1979 (10.99%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $20.00 since 1986

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Motor vehicle body work, over time, for $20 beginning in 1986. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1986$20.003.08%
1987$20.914.56%
1988$22.015.25%
1989$23.295.80%
1990$24.244.10%
1991$25.033.23%
1992$25.662.53%
1993$26.382.82%
1994$27.393.83%
1995$28.353.48%
1996$29.624.49%
1997$30.844.12%
1998$32.023.82%
1999$32.501.53%
2000$33.503.06%
2001$34.763.76%
2002$35.612.44%
2003$36.201.67%
2004$37.152.61%
2005$38.363.26%
2006$40.104.53%
2007$41.433.32%
2008$42.773.23%
2009$44.343.68%
2010$45.382.35%
2011$46.372.17%
2012$47.261.93%
2013$48.342.28%
2014$49.582.58%
2015$50.091.02%
2016$51.302.42%
2017$52.532.39%
2018$54.002.81%
2019$55.923.55%
2020$57.923.58%
2021$61.185.63%
2022$68.8512.53%
2023$73.386.58%
2024$74.461.48%
2025$75.321.16%*

* 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 vehicle body work:

Year1977197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
CPI60.50063.53170.51579.41587.02394.946100.492104.592108.762112.115117.223123.377130.538135.892140.285143.831147.892153.562158.900166.031172.869179.469182.208187.785194.854199.600202.938208.238215.031224.769232.233239.732248.548254.398259.930264.941270.976277.958280.793287.580294.463302.730313.465324.686342.961385.940411.339417.424422.250

Adjust motor vehicle body work prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2025 / CPI in 1986 * 1986 USD value = 2025 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Motor vehicle body work was 112.115 in the year 1986 and 422.250 in 2025:

422.250 / 112.115 * $20 = $75.32

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1986 has the same "purchasing power" as $75.32 in 2025 (in the CPI category of Motor vehicle body work).


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

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