According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for motor vehicle maintenance and repair are 2,300.67% higher in 2026 versus 1949 (a $11,503.37 difference in value).
Between 1949 and 2026:Car maintenance experienced an average inflation rate of 4.21% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, car maintenance costing $500 in the year 1949 would cost $12,003.37 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.45% during this same period, inflation for car maintenance was higher.
In the year 1949: Pricing changed by 2.96%, which is below the average yearly change for car maintenance during the 1949-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1949 (-0.97%), inflation for car maintenance was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Car maintenance, over time, for $500 beginning in 1949. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | $500.00 | 2.96% |
| 1950 | $508.09 | 1.62% |
| 1951 | $546.72 | 7.60% |
| 1952 | $561.32 | 2.67% |
| 1953 | $589.17 | 4.96% |
| 1954 | $611.41 | 3.77% |
| 1955 | $625.11 | 2.24% |
| 1956 | $649.15 | 3.84% |
| 1957 | $673.18 | 3.70% |
| 1958 | $685.53 | 1.84% |
| 1959 | $698.34 | 1.87% |
| 1960 | $712.04 | 1.96% |
| 1961 | $730.91 | 2.65% |
| 1962 | $738.54 | 1.04% |
| 1963 | $749.10 | 1.43% |
| 1964 | $759.21 | 1.35% |
| 1965 | $769.77 | 1.39% |
| 1966 | $786.61 | 2.19% |
| 1967 | $819.18 | 4.14% |
| 1968 | $863.21 | 5.37% |
| 1969 | $919.14 | 6.48% |
| 1970 | $987.42 | 7.43% |
| 1971 | $1,058.18 | 7.17% |
| 1972 | $1,106.47 | 4.56% |
| 1973 | $1,164.87 | 5.28% |
| 1974 | $1,284.14 | 10.24% |
| 1975 | $1,446.32 | 12.63% |
| 1976 | $1,553.23 | 7.39% |
| 1977 | $1,668.69 | 7.43% |
| 1978 | $1,806.38 | 8.25% |
| 1979 | $1,987.20 | 10.01% |
| 1980 | $2,198.11 | 10.61% |
| 1981 | $2,404.99 | 9.41% |
| 1982 | $2,586.70 | 7.56% |
| 1983 | $2,702.61 | 4.48% |
| 1984 | $2,796.50 | 3.47% |
| 1985 | $2,878.26 | 2.92% |
| 1986 | $2,974.17 | 3.33% |
| 1987 | $3,093.44 | 4.01% |
| 1988 | $3,226.64 | 4.31% |
| 1989 | $3,365.90 | 4.32% |
| 1990 | $3,506.96 | 4.19% |
| 1991 | $3,665.32 | 4.52% |
| 1992 | $3,807.73 | 3.89% |
| 1993 | $3,931.27 | 3.24% |
| 1994 | $4,047.39 | 2.95% |
| 1995 | $4,151.39 | 2.57% |
| 1996 | $4,268.64 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $4,386.34 | 2.76% |
| 1998 | $4,503.14 | 2.66% |
| 1999 | $4,632.30 | 2.87% |
| 2000 | $4,779.42 | 3.18% |
| 2001 | $4,946.54 | 3.50% |
| 2002 | $5,127.13 | 3.65% |
| 2003 | $5,272.01 | 2.83% |
| 2004 | $5,395.10 | 2.33% |
| 2005 | $5,577.27 | 3.38% |
| 2006 | $5,811.99 | 4.21% |
| 2007 | $6,009.77 | 3.40% |
| 2008 | $6,303.49 | 4.89% |
| 2009 | $6,558.94 | 4.05% |
| 2010 | $6,683.40 | 1.90% |
| 2011 | $6,822.08 | 2.08% |
| 2012 | $6,942.92 | 1.77% |
| 2013 | $7,052.32 | 1.58% |
| 2014 | $7,170.49 | 1.68% |
| 2015 | $7,296.94 | 1.76% |
| 2016 | $7,421.86 | 1.71% |
| 2017 | $7,569.45 | 1.99% |
| 2018 | $7,718.54 | 1.97% |
| 2019 | $7,978.44 | 3.37% |
| 2020 | $8,247.71 | 3.38% |
| 2021 | $8,569.94 | 3.91% |
| 2022 | $9,275.98 | 8.24% |
| 2023 | $10,345.78 | 11.53% |
| 2024 | $10,977.75 | 6.11% |
| 2025 | $11,636.56 | 6.00% |
| 2026 | $12,003.37 | 3.15%* |
* 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 maintenance and repair:
| Year | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 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 | 2025 | 2026 |
| CPI | 17.140 | 18.017 | 18.550 | 18.850 | 20.283 | 20.825 | 21.858 | 22.683 | 23.192 | 24.083 | 24.975 | 25.433 | 25.908 | 26.417 | 27.117 | 27.400 | 27.792 | 28.167 | 28.558 | 29.183 | 30.392 | 32.025 | 34.100 | 36.633 | 39.258 | 41.050 | 43.217 | 47.642 | 53.658 | 57.625 | 61.908 | 67.017 | 73.725 | 81.550 | 89.225 | 95.967 | 100.267 | 103.750 | 106.783 | 110.342 | 114.767 | 119.708 | 124.875 | 130.108 | 135.983 | 141.267 | 145.850 | 150.158 | 154.017 | 158.367 | 162.733 | 167.067 | 171.858 | 177.317 | 183.517 | 190.217 | 195.592 | 200.158 | 206.917 | 215.625 | 222.963 | 233.859 | 243.337 | 247.954 | 253.099 | 257.582 | 261.641 | 266.025 | 270.716 | 275.351 | 280.827 | 286.358 | 296.000 | 305.990 | 317.945 | 344.139 | 383.829 | 407.275 | 431.716 | 445.325 |