2009 Nissan 370z vs 1996 Toyota Supra

Zaggeron

Those prices from the links you posted were in 1993 dollars. Converting 40,000 in 1993 dollars to 2009 dollars ends up being around 58,000.

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2010 Platinum Graphite 370z Roadster:Touring/Sport
2013 Subaru BRZ Limited

ImportConvert

I think you're doing it wrong...

But lets check this out:

Average Income in the United States (1913-2006) ? Visualizing Economics

Income in the mid 90's wasn't far or from income around 2006 (as good as my graph shows).

Now you brought up inflation.

So people are making LESS now (or in 2006...) than they were in 1996. Considering you make the same amount of even more worthless dollars now than then, as a whole.

Your inflation statement has cast just the opposite light on the situation than what you have intended.

Zaggeron

Note the note in the paragraph before the graph

"It now includes data through 2006 (in 2006$)."

The numbers in the chart in your link have already been converted to 2006 dollars.

There's no denying that the Supra (and the 300zx, Rx-7, etc.) were expensive for their time. A 1994 (C4) Corvette had an MSRP in 1994 of 36k. So the Supra had a higher retail price at the time than the Corvette ...

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2010 Platinum Graphite 370z Roadster:Touring/Sport
2013 Subaru BRZ Limited

ImportConvert

Well then at best (or worst, depending on whose side of this argument you are on) they cost the same.

Zaggeron

Hmmm ... I don't know where you came up with that conclusion

The Supra had a higher base price in 1993 dollars than the 370z base price in 2009 dollars. So even if you don't adjust for inflation, the Supra is more expensive. If you actually adjust those dollars for the decreased buying power of today's dollar, the Supra is much more expensive.

Here are links to various inflation calcuators

Inflation Calculator: Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Inflation Calculator
Inflation Calculator | Find US Dollar's Value from 1913-2011


The first calculator from the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that $37,000 had the same buying power in 1994 as $55k has in 2011.

So a 1994 MKIV Supra with a base price of $37,000 would cost around $55K in today's dollars.


Actually I think the 37K base price from your original link was "estimated price". Here's a window sticker for a '95 TT version -- A whopping 48.7K



The '93 version was considerably cheaper but still had a base price of around 40k

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2010 Platinum Graphite 370z Roadster:Touring/Sport
2013 Subaru BRZ Limited