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Post by abbey1227 on Aug 18, 2021 6:57:22 GMT
It's fun!
Ford Says The Maverick Is Cheaper Than The Model T Was, But That's Not Exactly True
It is cheaper than at least ONE Model T, but how does it stack up against other cheap cars?
By Jason Torchinsky
Ford’s clearly excited about their upcoming small pickup truck, the Maverick, and I’ll be honest— I am, too. A big part of what I find exciting is that it’s cheap, at least by modern car standards, starting at under $20,000. I’m sick of everything being so expensive. Ford seems to understand this sentiment as well, since they sent us a press release reminding us that, adjusted for inflation, the Maverick is actually cheaper than a Model T. That’s amazing! And, even better, it’s even sort of true!
Yes, it absolutely is true if you look at the price of the first Ford Model T that came out in 1908, which had a price of $850, which would be about $25,223 in today’s money. That’s a solid five grand more than the Maverick, so great job getting those prices down over the past century or so, Ford!
Plus, I think the Maverick’s infotainment system is way better than the 1908 Model T’s which, if I recall, didn’t even offer an option for CarPlay.
Things do fall apart a bit if we look at the progression of the Model T, though, which got dramatically cheaper over time, going down to a low of $260 for a Runabout model in 1925. Even adjusted for inflation, the price of that car is staggeringly cheap, coming to $4,056 in today’s money.
All of this got me wondering how the Maverick stacks up against some of the legendary cheap-ass cars built over the past century, so I whipped up a quick chart showing the cars’ price at the time they were new, and their prices adjusted for inflation: Image: Ford, VW, Yugo, GM, Tata, Jason Torchinsky 1908 Model T $825/ $25,223 1925 Model T $260/$4,056 1968 VW Beetle $1,699/$13,328 1986 Yugo $3,990/$10,123 1995 Geo Metro $7,616/$13,643 2008 Tata Nano $2,500/$3,169 2022 Ford Maverick $19,995/$19,995
Man, those were some cheap cars. The Maverick’s price is actually pretty good, especially considering what you’re getting; compared to, say a ‘95 Geo Metro, you’re getting a car that gets about as good gas mileage, but is significantly bigger, more practical, and vastly safer, for about $6,000 more, which, in context, is pretty damn good.
This chart also really reminded me of what a stellar achievement the Tata Nano was, even if it did turn out to be something of a failure. It was a real engineering triumph, that thing.
I also just realized that, if we just count the Model Ts as one entry, I’ve driven every car on this chart except for the Maverick! And I’m pretty sure I was quite fond of them all.
Man, I have garbage tastes.
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Post by Prometheus on Aug 19, 2021 0:41:59 GMT
The average worker in 1908 was making a bout $460/year. The car cost nearly twice the annual salary in 1925, worker made an average of about $1,800/year meaning that car was about 1/7 of their salary in 2020 the average salary was about $50,000 meaning the Maverick costs less than 1/2 a year's wages. Please note that these are averages. They have not been adjusted by race, sex, or anything else. Also note that wages quadrupled in the intervening 17 years from 1908 to 1925. Too bad that trend didn't continue, right? We'd all be making $5 million a year! Of course, outrageous inflation in the WWI years drove that wage increase and we wouldn't want that either. ![[giveup]](//storage.proboards.com/7182076/images/FSYefibmKqtatIXMgHZg.gif) |
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Post by abbey1227 on Aug 19, 2021 12:51:57 GMT
The average worker in 1908 was making a bout $460/year. The car cost nearly twice the annual salary in 1925, worker made an average of about $1,800/year meaning that car was about 1/7 of their salary in 2020 the average salary was about $50,000 meaning the Maverick costs less than 1/2 a year's wages. Please note that these are averages. They have not been adjusted by race, sex, or anything else. Also note that wages quadrupled in the intervening 17 years from 1908 to 1925. Too bad that trend didn't continue, right? We'd all be making $5 million a year! Of course, outrageous inflation in the WWI years drove that wage increase and we wouldn't want that either.
Now I so much prefer the way you broke that down. It's so much more easy to make a comparison, imo. It's like when I bring up taxes to people..... I ask them "How many days a week do you wanna work for the Govt?" and they look perplexed, until I point out that roughly 20% in taxes is 1 day out of their 5 day week. 40% would be 2 days and so on. It's not until you point that out do they really get what's been goin on.
it'd be really funny if everyone WAS making $5 Million/year. Just to see the prices on everything.  It'd likely look like the Weimar Republic all over again.......wheelbarrowing a ton money for a loaf of bread. |
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Post by Prometheus on Aug 20, 2021 5:21:42 GMT
The average worker in 1908 was making a bout $460/year. The car cost nearly twice the annual salary in 1925, worker made an average of about $1,800/year meaning that car was about 1/7 of their salary in 2020 the average salary was about $50,000 meaning the Maverick costs less than 1/2 a year's wages. Please note that these are averages. They have not been adjusted by race, sex, or anything else. Also note that wages quadrupled in the intervening 17 years from 1908 to 1925. Too bad that trend didn't continue, right? We'd all be making $5 million a year! Of course, outrageous inflation in the WWI years drove that wage increase and we wouldn't want that either.
Now I so much prefer the way you broke that down. It's so much more easy to make a comparison, imo. It's like when I bring up taxes to people..... I ask them "How many days a week do you wanna work for the Govt?" and they look perplexed, until I point out that roughly 20% in taxes is 1 day out of their 5 day week. 40% would be 2 days and so on. It's not until you point that out do they really get what's been goin on.
it'd be really funny if everyone WAS making $5 Million/year. Just to see the prices on everything. It'd likely look like the Weimar Republic all over again.......wheelbarrowing a ton money for a loaf of bread. "Statistics" is another class that should be mandatory in middle and/or high school. Toss in some micro and macro-ec... I might even be willing to drop the age to vote at that point |
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Post by abbey1227 on Aug 20, 2021 13:31:34 GMT
"Statistics" is another class that should be mandatory in middle and/or high school. Toss in some micro and macro-ec... I might even be willing to drop the age to vote at that point
Seems reasonable......but I think the age to vote should have some correlation to those voters actually having skin in the game. Y'know?
As I've suggested in the past, people like myself could have just gotten to work at 15-16 and been just fine........no real difference long term but a savings to tax payers. And then, having had to be involved in the actual paying of taxes, you're more likely to start paying attention to where it's all going.
Do you know how many younger 'adults' I've heard use the phrase "But I just thought the Govt paid for that."? As if the Govt prints money/value out of thin air? and not just demands it from all of the other people they're surrounded by?
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Post by Prometheus on Aug 21, 2021 0:06:10 GMT
"Statistics" is another class that should be mandatory in middle and/or high school. Toss in some micro and macro-ec... I might even be willing to drop the age to vote at that point
Seems reasonable......but I think the age to vote should have some correlation to those voters actually having skin in the game. Y'know?
As I've suggested in the past, people like myself could have just gotten to work at 15-16 and been just fine........no real difference long term but a savings to tax payers. And then, having had to be involved in the actual paying of taxes, you're more likely to start paying attention to where it's all going.
Do you know how many younger 'adults' I've heard use the phrase "But I just thought the Govt paid for that."? As if the Govt prints money/value out of thin air? and not just demands it from all of the other people they're surrounded by?
1. They can drive at 16. They can join the military (with consent) at 16. They are "benefiting" from the education provided. They are on the cusp of entering the economic market as employees and already subject to it through their parents if not more directly. I'm willing to say that they have skin in the game.
2. See above
3. Sounds like they need a better education, doesn't it?
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Post by abbey1227 on Aug 21, 2021 0:55:45 GMT
3. Sounds like they need a better education, doesn't it?
3. And we've agreed multiple times in the past that it's primarily the parents that are impeding that basic education. Though, for obvious reasons.......you get awfully defensive of teachers as a whole.
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Post by Prometheus on Aug 21, 2021 4:01:38 GMT
3. Sounds like they need a better education, doesn't it?
3. And we've agreed multiple times in the past that it's primarily the parents that are impeding that basic education. Though, for obvious reasons.......you get awfully defensive of teachers as a whole.
I said "education" not teachers.
Try to keep up.
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Post by abbey1227 on Aug 21, 2021 12:34:15 GMT
3. And we've agreed multiple times in the past that it's primarily the parents that are impeding that basic education. Though, for obvious reasons.......you get awfully defensive of teachers as a whole.
I said "education" not teachers.
Try to keep up.
You've also said most parents are incapable of teaching their own children like the typical public school teachers.
Where else would they getting it from? The Street? Youtube?
(Though I still think a great deal could come from youtube videos featuring the very best teachers)
I also would guess that out of every 100 teachers, there are more problem people than out of every 100 cops. But that's just my impression.
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Post by Prometheus on Aug 22, 2021 9:45:01 GMT
I said "education" not teachers.
Try to keep up.
You've also said most parents are incapable of teaching their own children like the typical public school teachers.
Where else would they getting it from? The Street? Youtube?
(Though I still think a great deal could come from youtube videos featuring the very best teachers)
I also would guess that out of every 100 teachers, there are more problem people than out of every 100 cops. But that's just my impression.
1. That conversation was about homeschooling, and yes, most parents are not trained in teaching methodology nor do they have the financial freedom to do it. Homeschooling is not the only way for parents to be engaged in the educational process. Don't conflate issues.
2. Go do a study. I'll wait.
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![[giveup]](http://storage.proboards.com/7182076/images/FSYefibmKqtatIXMgHZg.gif)
![[cheers]](http://storage.proboards.com/7182076/images/engyBVslEdpmpmdnBwZQ.gif)