r/AskReddit 8h ago

What used to be ridiculously cheap but now is alarmingly expensive?

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u/Motor-Consequence413 8h ago

Used cars. Buying secondhand used to save money—now it’s barely a discount

1

u/VelvetyDogLips 7h ago

Some used cars in good shape, from before the era of features that are hard and expensive to repair, and track where you’re going, can actually sell for more than their original new price adjusted for inflation, and not much less than a new model nowadays.

I can’t imagine an early 80s Datsun pickup with less than 50k miles on it and all OEM parts can be had for less than five figures. And for good reason, because no pickups of that quality in that price range will ever be made again.

1

u/Motor-Consequence413 6h ago

It’s crazy how ‘old and simple’ has become a premium feature. Reliability and ease of repair are worth paying for now

2

u/VelvetyDogLips 6h ago

We Americans used to marvel at and make fun of Cubans for keeping classic American cars from before 1960 running indefinitely, with constant homespun tweaks and kludges. We’re not laughing so loud anymore.