Buying A New Car In 1970 - What Was It Like?
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- Опубликовано: 21 июн 2019
- What was it like to buy a new car in 1970? What where the buying choices back in 1970? Was it easier or more difficult than purchasing a new car today? For the answer to these questions and other questions related to car buying in 1970 watch this video.
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Back in the day, when America actually had a real “middle-class”.
America is the name of a continent,not a country!
Will the US ever get the middle class back!?
@@marthagomez7335
There is no continent named America. America is short for the United States of America which is a country. There is a continent named North America. I hope you learned. something
@@007fredh there are two continents named America North America and South America,and the United States is part of North America along with Mexico 🇲🇽 and Canada 🇨🇦 The United States “of “ America NOT! America. I hope you learned something.
That’s pretty much what I said I’m glad you’ll learn some thing.
I graduated high school in 1970. Minimum wage was
$ 1.65 an hour. My first apartment was $55.00 a month. Gasoline was 30¢ a gallon and people pulled in to the gas station for a dollar's worth and got the windows washed, oil checked, tires aired up if needed and never got out of the car.
Sings like a much better time than now.
@@lvmybears it actually was a lot better. It wasn't perfect but it was a good era. People were cool and kids mostly were respectful.
You could graduate High School and get a good job and support yourself and live on your own. You could buy a house in California for under $10K..
In the '70s it was called full service for 3-5¢ extra a gallon 😉 I remembered .
We owned a 76 service station in mid 80s and had full service, check oil, wash windows with spray bottle and check tires, plus fill your tank!!!! Those days are long gone...now the gas stations, as we call them, are just twinkie stands!!!!
Wish minimum wage was still $1.65. My whole life it seems i get a raise and then the wage goes up right behind it and then I have to spend all my raise on the essentials that go up right after minimum wage goes up.
In 1977 my dad went out for a loaf of bread and milk, about 8 hrs later he came home with a brand new Chevrolet station wagon but he forgot the milk and bread. 😆.
A Chevy wagon!?!?! Do you realize how much bread and milk he coulda bought!!!!!😂😂😂
And those days Men would go out and suprise the family with a new car these days a man has too run it past his wife if his going down too the gas station to fill up on fuel let alone buying a car from a dealership
In the 60's and early 70's my dad bought a new car every year. He was a traveling salesman and put a lot of miles on a car in a year. He preferred Chryslers or Plymouth. He always bought at the same place with the same salesman. We used to refer to the salesman as "Uncle Jack" since he was almost part of the family.
Yes, that personal relationship was one of the reasons buying a new car back then was much more pleasant. Plus, the cars themselves were much more attractive.
Things sure did go downhill. I was born in 75 so I don't remember the 70s much. But I've always said I feel bad for anyone who didn't live thru the 80s & 90s. The 80s was like living on a different planet. Everything was better
@@8corymix8 wrong- the 60's and 70's were more fun plus we had way better music.
@@tommurphy4307 but in the 80s whe had your music AND our music.!! and your great cars were bought used for cheap!! more fun!!
That's amazing! Why couldn't it be like that nowadays
The good thing about cars back then was that you could do your own repairs.
was made of real good parts of glass now plastic stuff goes bad in one year
Cars have become to much electronics and not just mechanical. I've had some you couldn't even change the oil unless you put the car up on a jack or on a lift. That makes it easy for those oil change companies to change (or not change) your Oil (the.scam ones) I had a Dodge that in order to remove the battery you had to take off one of the tires to reach it You might think some of the Engineers that design those Cars had escaped from a nuthouse!
Yep. Your own repairs and modifications were easy. No computers, sensors or software. Plenty of room in the engine compartment!
Gap your 'points' with a matchbook cover. Yeah, that's close enough, hope I can borrow my mechanic neighbors timing light now. Man I miss the stock 327 with a four barrel in the old 62 Impala SS that was my first car (in 77'). Who else remembers 'auto shop'?
And they all looked different
Don't forget the beautiful brochures that were art work in their own right!
Lou Costabile's "My Car Story" channel is great for showing them in rich detail.
They sell them today on e-bay for quite a bit of $$$$$.
@@rightlanehog3151 Right. Glossy and had all the options listed.
At 14 I would go to the Chevrolet, Ford and Dodge dealers and get the brochures for SS, Mustangs and Cuda/Challengers.
Sadly I didn't save any of them.
@@wms1650 Even the magazine ads had a 'dreamy' aspect to them.
They did not have photos .. they were drawings.. can you imagine that today?.....
When I was a kid I started working at a Lincoln Mercury store. The year was 1975. Everyone in the sales department were well-dressed men. All in very nice suits and all long time employees. A nice little perk was that all of the sales department had their own demo. I was in the service department as a technician. In 1975 starting pay was $11.50 per hour. It doesn't sound like much but my first brand new car was a 1978 Toyota pickup that cost me $3,838. It took me less than a year to pay it off. I had a nice apartment that cost me $180 per month. Utilities usually ran about $20 per month. It was carefree living back then.
$11.50 was damned good back then for a young guy! It was $24,000 a year and minimum wage was only $2.35 an hour; it was just raised from $1.65. You did quite well for the time. Wages have fallen faaaaaaaaaaaar behind inflation. But people back then did not think it was care-free living! Inflation was just really getting started, and everyone missed the Good Old Days of the late '50s and the '60s. Lyndon Johnson paid for Vietnam and his Great Society by printing money, and then came the Arab Oil Embargo, and then the fun REALLY started. Your customers almost could not afford to gas up their Lincolns and Mercurys. (That's why YOU bought a Toyota!) I was in high school myself, and I did not get MY first new car until 1980.
Your childhood sounds like it was awesome
You where getting paid almost $90 a hour in today pay
Ya the good old days
Flat rate pay was 50/50 before the strike of 75 in Chicago
This is a great topic. I remember as a little 6-7yo kid my dad got a new ‘69 Oldsmobile Toronado in a metallic silver-olive color and similar nice fabric interior. He actually kept that car for at least 5 years. But he had a new car every 2 years. My aunts and uncles all traded their cars in every 1-2 years! It was like a great American past time! But they did have their loyalty to dealers and brands. Pontiacs and Oldsmobile’s mostly ha. The men had coupes and the women had wagons. All kinds of colors. Then we’d all take these 2-4 car caravan road trips from Pittsburgh to the Carolinas for 2-3 week summer vacations. Like there wasn’t a care in the world. That’s what it was like folks.
That was a real beautt
In the rust belt, many cars started to have rust if they had problem spots. You almost Had to..
@@sheiladawg1664 I had an uncle who lived in central PA, and drove rather far to work each day, exposing his car to the winter's salt on I-80. He was very frustrated when he had to buy a new car just as he sent in the last payment for the one he had, simply because it had rusted out.
No it wasn't. For the struggling, it never happened this way. You're arrogant and insensitive. I might add, you lack vision.
my grandpa bought a brand new galaxie convertible in '64. it had a 390 4-barrel and he would drive it from hubbard, ohio to west salem to run at dragway 42- no roll bar. how crazy was that?
This honestly makes me wish it were 1970 again. Simplicity.
Life isn’t complex now 🤣😂
It had an easy going and relaxed vibe but everything was an adventure. It has its pros and cons.
@Freethinkers Going out of town and getting lost was part of the adventure back then.
Simplicity is today. I can google anything, I don't need to call around or seek out a library. I can navigate somewhere with real time directions, not trying to read a map. I can pay bills on my phone, I don't have to go to the bank and line up. Believe me, life was a hassle back then.
I wish the was 1970 prices
In the 70's my dad bought Chevy, Buick and Olds and it was a big event to go to the dealer and test drive them, negotiate, bring it home and half the neighborhood would come by to check it out. Now it's pretty much shop online, point, click, pick it up and put it in the garage.
Yeah, you buy the top of the line model and no one cares
I was born in Chicago in '69 and grew up there until we moved to L.A. in '79. We lived in townhouses on the northside of town, and all the neighbors were fairly close. I do recall spending spring and summer evenings in the parking lot whenever we or a neighbor bought a new car!
I remember car buying was an all day event back then. I was just a kid, so it was fun getting in all the cars in the huge showroom at Reedman's in PA.
Took my dad a few days of haggling and bs to buy an 85 Buick LeSabre, was pathetic
Remember back in the days, if someone friend or family bought a new car, they would go house to house and go cruising. It's no longer special to get a new car. They don't smell as good brand-new as the used to
The narrator sounds like he just lost his best friend.
He's wishing for the old days that will never return.
@@robertvictory8391 amen to that
I feel the pain, EV's have no soul
He sounds like a burnt out school teacher, reluctantly giving a class.
Believe me, the life of a true car geek ain't easy! ; )
Great video. Having spent my career in dealer service departments, man you are spot on. One digression, buying in the seventies was exciting, the new model roll outs were extravaganzas. Search light shining, and the string of flags flying. I believe that contributed to a more frequent turn over in ownership. I do agree, some were based on concerns regarding longevity. I also believe that the average miles driven per year was substantially down, which goes right back to your discussion regarding the frequency that customers switched cars.
Now, the part that I enjoyed the most is your discussion regarding the customer relationship. That is so spot on. Things have changed considerably, a 500+ car lot is pretty typical where back then there were maybe 30-90 cars on a lot. Just like the cars that many people drive now, the purchase experience and relationship is without a real personal experience.
Like you, and many others, I am melancholy about those days, and I appreciate the videos that you take the time to produce and do voice over. That's a lot of work, and I sure do appreciate. It would be nice to have a chance to talk further, you'd be a great person to listen to their stories.
Melancholy=muh LAN ko lee.
A truly thoughtful compliment! Almost a lost art! Your commentary reminds me of my late father….he really shared a compliment well, and told a good story!
Blessings to you, from Duvall Washington state 🇺🇸
My cousin bought a brand new Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird in 1970 for $5000, Now a Superbird is worth half a million.
JayDogTitan 1464 My dad had a Barracuda. How do you think I feel?
my friends older brother got a new 68 Roadrunner for a high school graduation gift. it was a base model with bench seat and a 383, I think his parents got it for about $2700 back then. $5,000 was a ton of money back then,
what happened to it
by the way, he couldn't afford this car while in college and it was traded in on a Toyota about 1969-70
califdad4 smart choice
"Bought what you could afford"? What a concept
steve thomas there was a reason why even though my grandmother worked at a Ford factory for over 30 years, she only ever bought 3 new cars (1982 Ford LTD station wagon, 1992 Ford Mustang convertible and 1997 Ford Focus). Why? She had 5 kids to raise and my grandfather became disabled.
@@CamaroAmx Sounds like my grandmother. Farm plus worked as the school secretary and raised four kids.
Difference is back then, you could afford a lot more car for your income.
I could buy a piece of metal
I buy cars and stuff I can’t afford and ask my mommy to help me pay sometimes cause nobody can afford good stuff anymore.
I love your cars America 👍 some of the most beautiful cars ever made 🏁🏁
well in less than 30 to 40 years from now you could look back and see how things were so much better and seemed easier back in 2020, my father felt the same way and did his father. the good old days weren't always that great. but I for one wish I could go back 30 years in time.
30 yrs back is 1990 .. did you mean 50 yrs to 1970 ?
All the cars today look so similar, back in the day you could pretty much tell what make and model a car was from the taillights in the darkness.
Yep, all cars today look like shitwagons. Except for the new challenger.
I remember counting the Ventiports on Buick’s! 4 always meant Roadmaster! My Great Uncle bought my Great Aunt a new Buick about every two years and he would drive the “old one “. He kept his 1956 Roadmaster however for a Very long time!
Lol. Born in 2001. All older cars look thr same to me.
@@baronvonjo1929 you're just uncultured, I don't mean that in a negative way, you just don't. I was born June of 2001 and I can tell the difference in old cars and new ones I can tell brands by taillights, tell models by headlights and some cars even by sound
@@jacobwebb8818 I agree. I also happen to be born in 2001, and I too can differentiate new and older cars at night based on headlights and taillights, and during the day just based on knowledge.
The Chevrolet dealership at 2:42 was a half a block from my house when I was a kid. Me and my buddy would go (in 1971) into the showroom and they would actually let us sit in the new Corvettes for hours at a time and listen to the radio.
The dealer was investing in his future.
@@blackholeentry3489 came here to say this
You had to be white for that right?
@@lrodriguez9315 white makes right
@@hankkingsley2976 thats right brother
Mickey Rourke's character in the movie "Sin City" said it best. "Modern cars, they all look like electric shavers".
My grandmother had a Buick in the 70s. The dealer would send her flowers on her anniversary
Salesmanship right there
That's interesting....when I bought my 1999 Prelude brand new, I think I recall getting a card on my birthday the next Summer.....
My salesman was an old-school man who grew up in the business, starting in the 1970s.....
My dad loved Buicks. Every 5 yrs he'd get a new one. My auto insurance agent sends me a birthday card every year.
@@happydays8171 Your Dad had good taste. Come to think of it, the salesman who sold me my Prelude drove an '83 LeSabre.
@@67marlins81
That's ironic, now I drive a Civic, only because I've been to the factory where it was made (I was a steel hauler and had to pick up rejected steel from their plant in Marysville OH. Unbelievably clean). Best car I've ever owned. I'd have to go to China now to see a Buick made. Sorry dad (he just turned over in his grave).
Guys, we did have phones back in 1970. You would call the dealer before making the trip.Also, dealerships tended to be close to one another. Granted, it's easier on the Internet but we didn't have to trudge uphill in the snow both ways just to check out cars.
Also, checking out the inventory on a Sunday afternoon was almost a tradition!
Phylis Maddox that Sunday get together tradition back then sounds like a fantastic time for a family sir- thank you
I could be mistaken but back in the 50s wouldnt you pile the whole family in the car and go check out the new models, even if you werent buying ?
Check out the all new oldsmobile for 58!!
@@MrTheHillfolk Yup, and we were still 'window shopping' the lots in the Seventies!
I used to do that every Saturday morning. I would go window shopping at the used car dealers. On more than one occasion I came home in something different!
True about the dealerships tending to be close to one another: they were usually all on "the main drag" in the towns where I mainly grew up - we called it "dealer row." ;-)
I was 15 back in 1970. I remember going to Rock Springs, Wyoming to the Chevy dealership with my dad. Those were neat times checking out what GM had to offer! It was like being in a candy store to me! Way cool.
Joe Murdock I was watching this video and reading the comments today and saw your as I’m in Rock Springs, WY right now
So many awesome cars were built in 1969-70...the absolute pinnacle of the muscle car era. My personal favorite muscle cars are the 69 1/2 Plymouth Roadrunner/Dodge Super Bee A12 440/6, the 68 Dodge Charger R/T, the 67 Plymouth GTX/Dodge Coronet R/T, the 70 Plymouth AAR Cuda, and the 71 Plymouth GTX or 71 Hemi or 440/6 Roadrunner Love the 70 Dodge Challenger T/A and 70-71 Challenger R/T as well and the 68-73 340 Dart/Demon/Duster were awesome cars too.
Probably from Anselmi Dealership
Some people bought pickup trucks for fun. My grandpa bought a beautiful red pickup truck in the 70s even though he lived in the suburbs. It still runs to this day and is still a looker.
Back then when you got a new car you would immediately show it off to friends, family, then neighbors. People wanted a ride in it and you took a picture with your new baby. Getting chrome polish was a necessity as was whitewall cleaner.
That is so true. Buying a car really meant something back then. I miss the big boulevard cruisers
I also remember back in the 80s when my grandfather would buy a new pickup every three years and he would order it from the factory through his one and only Ford dealership, he was one of those two tone color guys for his Vehicles, he would match colors together that nobody else would dream of, then magically a year later you would see somebody copycat the same color scheme. 🌝
that is cool...they wait 5 years to change anything these days..body style or colors etc....all cookie cutter cars today ..golden age is over
Life looked a lot peaceful and clean in the 70’s and the music is not up for debate. They had the best music!
Weird Al Yankovic got his start in 1979.
In the U.S. in the 70s the air was dirtier, many rivers were dirtier, Vietnam led the news nearly every day until '73. Watergate, NYC insolvency, Son of Sam, 10%+ inflation, gas rationing, high loan rates, etc. But we saw moon landings, the bicentennial celebration, funky music, Saturday morning cartoons, blockbuster movies, new forms of entertainment and technology, improving medical care, etc. Every decade has its lousy times and good times. People who were kids in the 40s and 50s complained about kids and society in the 70s and 80s. People who were kids in the 70s and 80s complain about today's kids and society. It's almost a requirement for middle-aged adults to yearn for the past and view the present and future with doubt and anxiety.
@japanwatchconnection but still, music was better ;)
Sure did!
stet1965 and people in the 80’s and 90’s are complaining about the 2000’s kids 😂😂 so I guess you’re right
Remember when buying a new car was a major life event your family and friends would congratulate and admire your beautiful made in America car....the pride you felt driving around with that new car window sticker for everyone to see....
wish i was back in the 70's, no cell phones are my biggest gripe nowadays
This was a great trip back in time. Thanks for posting.
I will take 1970 again anytime. Thanks for the video.
Rob W still got my 70 Cornett big lock and Smokey still can’t catch it
Until you found yourself in south East Asia
Go a little bit further back than that - those oil shocks are just around the corner!
Me too!
I remember the year 1969 A Chevrolet dealership about 3 miles from my house had a Orange and White strips Z/28 on its lot, As a kid I fell in love with that Car, Fast forward 10 year I purchased a 1979 Z/28 from the same location. I miss the smaller dealerships, They treated you like Family in the community.
Not fair! I was born in '79, I missed the best decade ever! The cars were absolutely beautiful back then.
I didn't miss the 70s. Trust me, it wasn't the best decade ever, especially if you were a gearhead.
Same here, born in 1979. Missed out on the decade of Starsky and Hutch, or what we had in England, the professionals, flares, strikes, inflation, martial arts movies from Hong Kong, gratuitous drinking and smoking and no political correctness.
As kid autumn was time for back to school( yuck), new TV programs and the new car models. Liked to go to the dealerships and see the new car lines as the came in on the car haulers. Now it's as about as exciting as looking for a washing machine. New TV shows about the same.
Yeah, my parents would always go look at new cars on the lot in the evenings so they didn't get pestered by the salesman! Lol
@@Tusuperbis
Lol..my wife and I go on Sundays for the same reason.
I was a sophomore in high school in '69 , right before I got my license and we would walk by a Dodge dealership on the way to lunch , Daytona' s , Chargers , Challengers , GTX's , Road Runners , Darts , Dusters , 'Cuda's ! Superbees' Blues , Greens, Purples , Oranges' ! We would spend half of our lunch break gawking ! A '70 orange Hemi-Cuda' was $ 4,000.00 ! in '73 , I bought a '69 Mach 1 428 Cobra Jet , Ram -Air for $ 1200.00 It was a rocket ! I'd give BOTH of my left ones to still have it today ! For $2.00 in gas , I could RACE all night !A Big Mac was 40 cents , , concerts were $4.50 , $ 5.50 day of show , $ 1.50 to get into the Drive-in , Levi's straight legs were $ 6.50 , " Flares" were $ 7.50 "Elephant Bells " with 4 inch cuffs weren't out yet ! My Senior high school ring was $ 32.00 ! Great time to be young ! Vietnam kind of sucked on the evening news every night though ! Peace , love , and understanding ! "If it feels good , do it !" No AIDS Yet ! Free love every were !"lid" of Jamaican was $ 12.00 !
Got my license in 1970
Learned how to drive in my friend's 1966 Galaxie convertible while he was serving overseas in 1970
Bought my 1st car in 1970
1964 Grand Prix from my parents $625.00
They bought a demo 1969 Ford Country Squire with a 429 in 1970.
Saw Jimi Hendrix in 1970
Joined the Navy in 1970.
Lost my virginity in 1970
Join the Navy, go see Jimmy Hendrix, lose your virginity after the show. In 1970 I had a 421 4sp Grand Prix that ran real good for a luxury car. I have also owned a 63 Grand Prix with the 389 and Hydra-Matic transmission. Both were great looking cars.
Great comment
Now it's take you're meds on time
Thank you for sharing :) I remember as a little kid in the early 70's going to "Service Stations" where a local high school kid would work, pump your gas, check your oil, check tire pressure. Some with a bit more experience would work in the garage a two bay station with plenty pictures of Miss July LOL where you could get new belts, batteries and basic tune up. First car came many years later but it was a 67 Camaro Ralley Sport, learned about engines, maintenance, drag racing and girls...........I miss yesterday
I remember my brother and I could buy "high mileage cars" 80k, we paid about $85 for them. They were considered junk.
Many engines WERE junk by 100,000 miles. Any utility V6 now will run 300,000 easy while never being opened up once if given proper maintenance. We've got Toyota Previas going on 400,000 at work, they still run fine.
@@ltr4300 Any Toyota engine will last 300K with proper maintenance. There is still a lot of junk being made that will be on its last legs near 100,000 miles.
@chief tp US car quality plummeted in the early 70's as quick as horsepower. By 1974 there wasn't anything good left. We all drove hot '60's cars that nobody wanted anymore because of insurance costs and 87 octane gas.
Engines run so clean now and are so accurately managed by ECU/ECMs and the oils today are so good they just don't gunk up and sludge up like they used to,used to have to remove cylinder head and de coke the engine,reseat the valves etc,they don't run rich or lean,the emissions are so much lower,it's amazing how long current engines can last 250,000/ 300,000 Kim's or more ( I live in Australia)
and now angus we go from worlds best to beggars hoping for a crumb from korea and now china im an aussie too
I was 20. Driving a 1957 VW bug that I paid $350 for. More worried about getting drafted then getting a new car.
Mike Btrfld $350 doesn’t even buy you a good cell phone today
@@LLJR my phone cost me $80 3 years ago and has been dropped dozens of times. Its like a laptop in my pocket. Why pay anymore?
Probably my favorite year bug..55-57 oval.
That 57 bug is worth quite a few bucks now
My first car was a 1989 GMC S10 Jimmy in the year 2006. Heh, I was so directionless back then. I kinda wish I had joined the military or something. So much wasted time and potential. I just wanted a car that would run reliably and have more stability than that SUV. Slid it down a mountain sideways. To be fair it stayed upright, but then my mother blew the engine.
Fantastic video I'm 61 year's old and I grew up in my dad's Lincoln Mercury car dealership starting washing cars at the age of fourteen and worked my way up in every department. Parts, service, body shop. New car ad and used car sales, at the young ripe age of 21 I became the new car sales manager that year I made $85,000 man was I on top of the world, buying $1,000 suites dressing to the 9s Johnson and Murphy shoes we're the trade mark to success back then paying $400 for an awesome pair of shoes. Our repeat buyer's where the strength of our dealership. We did everything in our power to retain a great % of our customer base.
My dad bought a 1970 Dodge Polara. It was dark green and he got it at Worthington Dodge in Orange County, Calif.
They're making new automobiles out of reach for common working people now days.
The cheapest and probably best way to drive a new car is a 3 year lease...
Even apartments are getting out of reach for average worker. I've never leased, expensive, but never been able to buy new anyway.
About 12k msrp for the cheapest new car I can think of.
houses to
Republican trickle down economic. The rich get richer and middle class get poorer. Thanks President trump.🙊🙉🙈
My parents would go down to the Cadillac dealer and buy a three year old DeVille (every three years). They dealt with one salesman every time, he would "recommend" cars to them. He knew the pedigree of each one and how the previous owner had treated it.
That certainly doesn't happen these days.
Every new car came with free factory rust
I custom ordered many new cars back in those days. I miss the 70's...
Why do I feel so depressed after watching this ?
Well it doesn't help that the narrator has a dull, monotone voice and zero enthusiasm.
It is because of what we have lost in this country.
Andy Robertson the delivery is bland and the era was better than it is now. Probably the combo got you down. I know it made me feel like we are all getting taken advantage of for the sole reason of company profit.
Well go buy yourself a 65 mustang. You'll feel better after that. Oh, and drive the car.
Its the voice
My parents bought a 1972 Ford LTD Country Squire station wagon which I loved the car, I picked out the color plus had the wood panel accent. Good old days.
Man how sad we are today. You get a choice of two non colors. Silver or Gray with black fire resistant interiors. How sad
I remember going with my dad. We drove at least 10 cars over a period of two weeks. He brought cash and laid it on the table and we drove off in a new Impala for my mom.
1970 may have been good for some folks. But, i watched my Uncle forced to leave his job, home, wife and two boys, to go to a place called Vietnam.
I have driven a 70 Ford Falcon wagon for the past 25 years. Inline 250, one barrel, C4 Tran. It's a solid, dependable beater. I enjoyed this video.
Great dependable car
My mom drove a new 1970 Olds Cutlass and it was incredible!
I would consider buying a '69-'70 cutlass with a 400 c.I. when I retire in 4 years or get a '68 toronado.
Yep! I owned one of those! Wish i have it now!👋😥👍mine was a two door with the 350 rocket, posi traction, dual muffler. Loved it!
I had a 71 Cutlass fastback as my second car in 1977. It was probably the best overall car I ever drove. It replaced a 70 beater 3sp Maverick base stock bondocar that my Dad and I restored and sold after a year. Those were the only two cars I ever sold for more than they cost me. Should have never sold the Cutlass. 20mpg if I kept my foot out of it, and it would fly if you wanted it too.
Median family income today means two people working also. Cars have far outpaced the cost of living, but there is usually a base model economy car that is still about what a 1913 Model T cost. The Fiesta S in 2013 was only 20% over the cost of a T when adjusted for a century of inflation. And the car can run over 200,000 miles and ten, twelve or more years without major repairs. Thus Ford dropped it from the North American market. They weren't making money off those frugal drivers.
Nice car..
S Tho My dad bought me a 1971 Maverick and it was terrible. They chromed the 3-speed shifter on the stalk and I had to drape a towel over it or it was too hot to touch. My clutch plate broke twice and luckily my dad bought me a 1974 Mustang convertible to drive.
I was doing a lot of traveling for my job back then and 40 to 50K miles on a car was a lot of miles and time for a new one. Cars did seem cheaper and they changed so much year to year it was fun going to several dealers to see what was new.
My grandpa bought a new 56 chevy sedan. It was a 6cyl with 3spd on the column base model. He said at around 60k miles, the valvetrain would rattle and it would smoke a little bit on startup. Took it to the dealer and they would tighten everything back down and put in new seals. Ran like new for another 60k miles and then he traded it in!
This is when life was still great in the US. 50s-70s - happy times.
Sure. Except for the race riots, the open and cruel segregation, the Vietnam war, the Kent State shootings, the assassination of JFK, the Cuban missile crisis. A great couple of decades to be a white male, I suppose. Not so much for everyone else.
@@CaptHollister You forgot Watergate, Gas Crisis, Energy Crisis, inflation, recession and Iran.
@@CaptHollister - Trump 2024 !!
@@smartysmarty1714 Make America Great Again!
Think Brady bunch
In 1972 I went with 2 uncles to buy a 1972 Mercury Montero MX. it was dark green and most plain Jane but to me it was gorgeous. I was around 15 and it was the first time I went with anyone to buy a new car. I was very excited. I passed my drivers test in that car about a year later. Also borrowed it to go out on dates occasionally.
Ahhhh... that's the world I was born into, feel at home at, and miss so much. 21st century blows!
You’re lucky to have known that era...
It was so much better than it is today
Back in the 70's people didn't go to different manufacturer dealers to compare car models. Most people were either "Chevy Guys" or a "Ford Man" as well as your uncle that may have been a "Buick Man". Then there were the "Mopar Men".
Until that fateful family reunion when your cousin came cruising up in a Toyota Celica! Only time I ever saw the Ford gang and Chevy gang join forces! Lol! My poor cousin!
In the town I grew up in, everybody was either a Ford Guy or a Chevy Guy. But *nobody* was a Dodge guy...if you rolled up in a Dodge pickup truck back then, people would look at you like you'd just farted in church. Back then, people stayed loyal to their brands (which is why I was completely shocked when my father--a Ford Man for all of my life up to that point--bought a Chevy pickup. Seems the last Ford pickup he had finally hacked him off beyond the point of no return)
My grandpa and stepdad were chevy guys. My dad was a mopar man. I'm a chevy guy myself but, I like some of the performance cars of all the big three!
Most people didn't shop for cars..they Knew what they wanted..then went down picked one out took a drive & made an offer.
There was an AMC dealership down the street from my house. Unfortunately, I got my license in 1988, one year after AMC was bought out by Chrysler, so I missed out on the coolest-looking cars ever built.
My Mom bought a brand new LATE 1970 Ford Maverick IN 1970. The salesman at then Parlett Ford in Ellicot City, Maryland (I believe it was) was no pressure and showed us SEVERAL Mavericks before we picked out the 2 door model in Candy Apple Red with a black vinyl top, Black DeLuxe interior, automatic transmission, power steering, radio all ready to go was about $2900....
1970 I bought a new AMC Hornet. I was 18 so my Dad had to be on the title. Paid $74.85 a month for three years. Comparing the 1970 to 2019 convinces me I never have to buy a new car again. I own a 1997 Oldsmobile 88 ( inherited it) and two Studebakers
That Hornet is worth 2 arms , 1 leg and 3 teeth
You forgot to mention that cars were much nicer looking in 1970!
TOTALLY! THESE 2019'S ARE VOMIT INDUCING!
I will not buy a car that needs to be smogged, I only own old cars a 1969 Dodge Dart with a 318 v8 and a 1968 Dodge Monaco 500 with a 383 v8. If the government wants to over-regulate I won't buy anything .
@@hunterfisher1294 Always keep a spare ballast resistor in the glove box. ;)
@@charlesrandolph8441 absolutely, they all look like Angry insects. They all copy each other, even Chevrolet looks like Hondas now..
A lot less safe
God-bless what you’re doing with this channel. You do a magnificent job of encapsulating of what it was like to be a buyer of a vehicle in this era. People forget what the dollar was worth back then.
"Buying within your means" is something that has all but disappeared. My friend who works at a local Cadillac dealership says most Cadillac buyers have no business trying to buy one but the salesmen are more than eager to put them into the driver seat at all cost which usually means ultra long term financing at higher than usual rates.
My dad, fresh out of the military in 1974, bought a number of new cars. A 1974 Jeep Wagoneer, a 1977 Chevrolet Malibu wagon, a Datsun 210, etc. I still have the window stickers and sales receipts. The thing that was crazy about the early 1970's especially is that the base model vehicles were incredibly inexpensive, but also came stripped-down with almost no accessories. The invoice for the 1977 Chevy wagon had everything from mirrors to a heater to an AM radio listed as add-ons. Every dumb little thing cost more. The base model went from $2,300 to over $4,000. And he still installed cruise control as an after-market kit. Due to all of the mandatory safety and efficiency equipment, there is no such thing as a base model car anymore.
This shows how the American people have fallen behind, median income 1970-$9000, today $60,000. So about 7 times higher, but everything has gone up at least 10 times higher. Also the reason why two incomes per family are needed, in the 70's only one.
That is called Reagonomics in the USA or Thatcherism in Britain or Lyin' Brian Mulroney up here in Canada. Their idea was that workers had too much and the rich (including the Corporate rich) had too little so something drastic had to be done. Today, we the guinea pigs, are living the result of their experiment. We've had decades of deregulation and effective wage freezes. Most of our best blue collar jobs have been free-traded to oblivion but, at least, the rich are a lot richer than they were in the 70s.
Doug Lee It is called inflation. Forcing you to use credit and fake currency to steal your wealth and time. They use it to buy real assets and natural resources and continue to stay in power
That was the first thing I thought of too when I watched this well stated... you all made good points about it
Chunky Munk
Yes it is, and yes they do!
@@douglee5599 We also need to consider that in the early 70s corporations paid nearly half the entire tax bill of the USA. Today they pay closer to 10% which means middle class wage and salary earners had to pick up the slack.
Bought my first new car from the dealer in 1970. It was a 350ci Malibu. I paid $2645.12 for it off the show room floor. It was a lot for me at the time for I was making only $1.70 per hour working at a service station.
Man! Buying cars in 1970 sounds fun!
I happy to still have my 1970 Mustang still do my own repairs
In 1971 I went with my father when I was 13 and bought a new Chrysler Valiant 265 auto wagon (Australian model ) and I am still driving the car now Just turned over 200000 miles Original motor and gearbox and diff The head has never been off and just changed the original water pump Has always been garaged serviced never crashed or abused Has been a great reliable vehicle still going strong and the motor does not use oil cheers
old car were amazing and good looking. today's cars are disposable plastic boxes
Old cars were worn out at 100,000 miles, new cars ( at least Japanese one’s) go 200,000 or even 300,000 miles.
People used to throw cars away back then after a year or two, even if they had no issues with the car.
Now, most people keep cars until they they are worn out, which takes longer to do.
The trade off is that modern cars are not designed to be rebuilt, but replaced, unlike the cars of the past, which given regular rebuilds could last almost indefinitely.
So ironic.
@@boataxe4605 just pop in a new engine
You are letting nostalgia get the better of your good judgement. 1970's cars sucked. Objectively. The performance sucked. Reliability sucked. Safety sucked. Features sucked. They sucked in every way it was possible for a car to suck compared to the cars of today.
@@boataxe4605 true my buddy's dodge Cummins has 800 000 kms on it and still runs great and the frame is in good shape .. some small rust spots on body but what do you expect
I ordered and bought my first new car, a 1970 full size Ford XL hardtop, an aqua 429 for $ 3,468 at Floyd Rice Ford on Livernois ave in Detroit. Salesman gave me a great deal. I was considering a 396 Chevelle for $3,600 or a 440 Roadrunner for $3,800. The Ford had more standard equipment. Ordered it in August '69, took 6 weeks for delivery. Payments were $80.73 per month for 36 months with $900 down. Replaced the stock wheels with a set of 15 x 7 1/2 ET chrome mags and Goodyear polyglas L70x15s. Exactly one year later got T-boned by a 3/4 ton truck and the Ford was totaled. Bought a mint 390 '67 LTD for $1,300 to replace the '70. Life was awfully good back then. The same year I bought a running rusted '51 Mercury 2 door for $40. from a buddy. His wife was nagging him to get it out of their driveway.
In 1970, stationed at Edwards AFB, a Lockheed employee was a "part-time dealer/broker" for Chrysler.
I went through the catalogue and built a 3/4 ton pickup truck, sent in a check, flew to Detroit, picked it up, and drove back to California.
Saved a TON of money.
That 383 four speed hauled a big camper and the family around for 20+ years, until motorhome time.
In May of 1970 I went with dad to pick up the family's new XR-7 Cougar at Martone Lincoln-Mercury in Naperville. Sticker price was about $4400. Dad signed the paperwork then the salesman handed the keys to me and walked me back to the service bay. About the only car back there that day as I recall was this lovely dark ivy green metallic Cougar. I had tried to order it with the 428 but dad and the salesman put the brakes on that idea. So she came through with the new 4 barrel 351 Cleveland...a $35 option over the base 2V engine. The mill had a glorious exhaust note and I was King for a day as I drove it back home. I'll never forget that car. I would say buying a car in 70 was about the same as now.
My grandmother had a gold on gold '68 with a black vinyl top and I'll remember that exhaust note for as long as I live.
I liked how he talked about buying within one's means.
My father as well as all my aunts and uncles never bought cars on credit.
They drove them till they were wore out and then just paid cash for a new one.
Even my friends parents paid cash for cars.
In 1970, you could buy what we used to call a 'base model'. Many
even lacked power steering and brakes. Those were extra cost options.
Since I lived up north, almost no cars had AC. A base Chevy Biscayne could
be had for just over $2,000. As for keeping them only a couple years. That is BS.
Everyone I know had cars that went well over 100K miles and were kept for years.
No, they did not go 200K or more, but the oils back then were not near as good as the synthetics
used today. You take a Plymouth 318 V8 and run it with Mobil 1 and it will easily
go over 200K miles. I had a 71 Fury that crested 200K miles with out ever taking a wrench to the engine other
then to change plugs and do oil changes.
i have a slant-six, ran conventional oil its entire life, has almost 900,000 miles on it. it is hurting and in need of repair BUT, back in the 1970's, cars were much better made. my 1995 model truck? 238,000 miles, and the engine has destroyed itself. the slant-six i had pulled out of my 1977 station wagon so it can be repaired, STILL RUNS! not good but, still running.
2003 dodge 1500 van !! 318 fleet serviced 4 speed auto , 325.000 so far !!!!! Oh BTW. paid 500 bucks for it 😎😎😎😎🍺🍺
I know for a fact that most people didn't keep new cars longer than 3 years. Although some did. A common, yet mythical and archaic idea for the time, was that 100,000 miles meant they were worn out. It is a belief that was echoed by old timers that ran cars on much less quality oil in times when metallurgy was not as advanced as it was in the 60s and 70s. I can say from experience that, while bodies got a fair share of rust by that mileage, the motors and transmissions were just fine. I've had old cars from the period with well over 100k that ran fantastic. They were kept up of course. But keep in mind, tires, because of the way they were made and the quality and technology of the time, only lasted approximately 30,000 miles. Points and plugs were changed every 20,000 miles. Oil was changed every 3,000 miles, as the refinement methods were not nearly as advanced. People skimping on oil changes led to a lot of engine failures. Cars were a little higher maintenance then. But also bare in mind that the maintenance was also cheaper, and could be done yourself, or at a minimal cost by a mechanic. Computers have made engines and transmissions more efficient, at the cost of nearly non serviceable automobiles. Good gas mileage at the time was 10 to 20 mpg, with the latter being considered fantastic. While today, 20 mpg is considered abysmal. I know many people traded vehicles in in a short time because they wanted to shift the cost of new tires and other things like batteries onto the dealer. And while something like 30,000 miles on the odometer today doesn't seem like much with as frequently as modern people travel, people were less likely to travel long distances. Most of what they needed was in town. People just didn't travel as much.
All true. Then, getting a new ride every three or four years was the norm because the body styles changed so much. Latest and greatest was the rule.
Here in the midwest back then
everything was rusting in three years. Underbodies rusted out. Exhaust systems rusted to bits in no time. I remember seeing rusty mufflers and exhaust pipes all over sides of roads back then.
I knew guys who never maintained their cars and bought a new one every three years. You could pay off a car in two to three years and the payments didn’t choke the budget.
@@Progrocker70same here on the east coast , between the salt air and heavily salted roads.
@@erin19030 Bingo! Now things as simple as buying groceries choke the budget..........
I like the style of the narration. Refreshingly different.
You like someone sounding bored?
"A Caprice with a 454 ci engine..." Sign me up!
Had a 71.365 hp
You'd think in this day and age with all of the efficiencies that just-in-time production and computerization have brought us, the ability to order cars exactly the way you want them like you could in 1970 would be an easy thing to do. Yet every automaker (with maybe the exception of FIAT) offers the obligatory palette of white/silver/black/red/blue and a standard charcoal interior. My soul withers just thinking about it...it seems we've come full circle back to the Henry Ford idea of "you can order your car in any color you like, as long as it's black". Automakers do it simply because (a) it maximizes their profits, and (b) people are sheep and put up with it.
I agree. The body style, color, interior, engine and transmission choices back then put today's paltry selection to shame.
I drive a 2017 Fusion in Ruby Red. I located it on the dealer's website. They had the car on dealer order. I put in a deposit to get first digs when the vehicle arrived. The dealer told me that would be the only Fusion they would get in Ruby Red for the remainder of the model year. The car went from the truck to my hands inside of one day. I'd say both dealer and customer went home happy. I got a new car and the dealer didn't have to put it in stock.
Exactly
this lack of color trend is most confusing because peeps i talk to actually prefer no color (black, gray, white)!!
@@rightlanehog3151
I agree...plus we all go along with the manufacturer's when all they want to produce is an SUV!!
Please bring back exciting cars that are affordable.
I am so glad I found this video. Now I fall asleep every night.
I did a "custom" order on a new 2021 Dodge Durango as my first ever new car purchase at the tender age of 50. Turns out, with the options I chose, my Durango IS documented as a 1 of 1.
Really enjoy your Channel My first New car was a 1974 Chevy Nova Plain Jane 6cyl no power Nothing,,2250 out the Door and Payments of$69, per month//Owned a 1970 Ford LTD and got one in 1975 Loved those plush rides..Now have a Ford Focus World of Difference !!
My Dad bought a 1970 Ford Ranch Wagon. I'd love to get one of those things!
My dad bought a Volvo station wagon in 1970. 450k later, in 1980 he bought another Volvo sedan. Kept it until 1994 with over 400k on it. Other than normal wear and tear, NEVER had any issues. The one he bought in 1994 he still drives.
I remember when I was 17 years old 22 years ago, My Grandfather passed away and I was gifted his 1978 Ford Ltd. It was one of the best Gifts I could have ever had. I remember bringing my Graduation date, which was my Girlfriend at the time to the Prom when i graduated High School.
But, I am sure that you remember just a year later in 1971, Ford and Chevy competed directly with Pinto and Vega sales against the imports. I remember one advertised for $1995 and the other for $1998. I don't remember which was which. My Aunt and Uncle always went to a nearby Ford dealership, which they had frequented since buying a new 1964 Ford Country Squire. They continued buying Fords for their kids. I remember a Maverick, Pinto, Granada and others, always from the same salesman. When he moved to Toyota some fifteen years later, They continued to buy Toyotas from him until their passing. You really had to learn to walk away from salesman. I learned early, and got some great deals. I usually got calls back from salesman within a few days. My uncles and many friend had Dad's with pickups, even though we lived in the "burbs," but all were tradesman (carpenters, electricians, iron and concrete workers). I remember buying a used 1964 F-100 25 years ago. No power steering, power brakes, radio, carpeting, automatic transmission. No factory rear bumper or passenger side mirror. No passenger side visor or armrests on either side, but most could be options.
Actually some families did use pickup trucks to take vacations in 1970. The difference was there was a slide-in camper in the bed of the truck. GM even made a special longer bed box called the Longhorn just for this purpose. Most travel trailers were pulled by full-cars/station wagons in 1970.
Yeah...I have to disagree with the commentator on this video about "trucks were only used for work". When there was literally lots of them in the 1970s and back.
Plus the popular Body-on-frame truck-based SUVs like the Chevy K5 Blazer, GMC Jimmys, Dodge Ram Chargers and etc were everywhere....even the Chevy/GMC Suburban.
I knew a guy years ago that had a '76 GMC Camper Special.
It was only taken out in the summer and stored in the winter. Never saw the snow or salt.
I saw it a few years ago before he passed on and I swear, it was is in excellent, showroom condition.
He’s generalizing .
Ya man, the video narrator kinda emphasized on the urban demographic when talking about the pickup trucks and the SUVs not being used much in the ‘70s, but those types of vehicles were heavily used by the rural folks, farmers, ranchers and the tradesmen even back then.
I worked in a gas station when I was a kid back in the sixties. The owner would leave my alone to run the station while he was out delivering fuel oil to heating customers.
I recall a woman coming one October morning to get the air in her tires changed from Summer air to Winter air. My boss had evidently been scamming this woman with this "service" for years.
paulpaul1948 you serious oh man thats real horrible but also hilarious
But there is winter air for your tires, it's called Nitrogen. They used it back then, too.
You don't need to do that!!!? Lol. Slimy.
Yes I was in high school then and a gallon of gas and a pack of cigarettes was the same price...25 cents...so it's all relative....
@@jalderink 👌
Buying a car in the 70's: Kurt Russell would lure you into the dealership with a dollar bill on the end of a fishing line
That's a great movie!!
It was a $10 bill!
That movie “Used Cars” was made in my hometown Mesa, Arizona. Lol
When I was a teenager way back when, my neighbor had a 1969 Mach One Mustang with a 351C and a 4-speed manual. He had saved up $5000 by working 3 jobs until he was 18, then went and bought a brand new Mustang as soon as he could. This car was fully loaded and looked brand new (back in 1996) and nobody was allowed anywhere near it.
well for one thing all the cars were big, comfortable and beautiful
A 6 foot long hood, is not a good thing
True, but pretty unsafe by today's standards.
I really enjoyed the trip back to that time in history, didn't know all the options in paint color etc. they had available just to please a customer. Today the cars all look a alike.
My dad bought a new Pontiac every other year back in the 70's, almost bought a Chevy Pickup but blew the engine on a test drive of less than 20 miles. After the wrecker took him back to the dealer the dealer said they could put a new motor in it and itd be just like new. My dad said "New?" It is new! He left, went to the GMC dealer bought the same but better truck and drove it 10 years.
In 1976 I bought a F250 Ford Explorer 4x4 Pickup. I was going to buy it at a dealership in Denver Colorado The price was $7,200.00. My Dad recommended I check out the dealer in Golden Colorado as he said they usually had better prices. It was about 10 miles away. So I went to Golden and bought the same exact truck, even the same color, for $5,600.00. I learned right then to shop around. My first car was a 1963 Ford Galaxy with a 390 cubic inch engine with a big Holley carburetor and that sucker would fly. I could even afford to drive it as gas was 65 cents a gallon.
purchasing power for the dollar was so much better....everything changed after 1977-1981....before 1977 one spouse could work, my dad bought a brand new 1972 buick lesabre, mom didn't work, 2 kids, one dog, everyone got to where they wanted to go...one income, one car, one house...cartoons on Saturday only....great times...
I agree,those were the days ( quality).
70s was the best days of my life... 1976 I was 15 and took drivers Ed... 15 I had my permit and a 1969 Mach One... Dad was a body Man and The Dodge dealership He Worked at took it in Trade and the owners offered it to Dad to buy before they started the Work on it... I drove it home..Got me a work permit from school also 😂 ..Lot of cool cars back in the 70s..
Mustang "Mach 1"
What a great memory thanks for sharing it
You and I are about the same age. The high school parking lot looked like Jay Leno heaven
When I bought a car in the '70's I had to order it and it was custom made and arrived in about 6 weeks. Very rarely did you get a car off the lot or showroom
Don Schwartz -- Very true. I've ordered many cars new back in the 70's. Wish I had them all back today ... lol
my dad did!
I have to order my vehicle when I trade. The issue I have is bed length. I find the accessory groups to be particularly annoying. In order to get options I want I have to accept options I don’t want or need.
I bought a Challenger RT in 1970. 440 six pack, 4 speed, Dana 4:10 rear end. I just made the last payment 2 days ago. 😆😆
A kid in my classes family owned a brand new 1970 Ford LTD wagon. I remember it vividly
Please Take Me Back To 1970!
The smog is waiting for you!!!
@@spazzman90 And a free trip to Vietnam...
@@spazzman90 Great! I prefer the Smog than living now in 2019!
Yeah, And don't bother waiting for me, I'll hitch back !
You could go into a dealership and order what you wanted. My dad got a new Chevy every 2 years. We had paint color charts and got to pick out the colors. His 1970 Chevelle was metallic blue, he ordered bench seats, 2 doors, AM radio, and air conditioner, 350 V8 2 barrel. I picked the color. His 68 Chevelle had a 250 six cylinder, 3 on the tree stick shift, AC, radio, black vinyl bench seats, 2 door. It was red and my brother picked the color. I recall that he paid $2500 for the car. They were built in the Van Nuys Assembly Plant 20 miles from our home.
Dad got a new Oldsmobile Delta 88 every 3 years ! And my my mom had a 1970 Torino brougham with hideaway headlights for 6 years . Man I loved that car as a child . That's why I'm the proud owner of one today . God I wish I had a time machine !
You rendered a wonderful era of buying a new car then, I remember it all so well too! I remember going down to the local Datsun dealership as a kid with my dad as he bought a brand new Orange 510 wagon, 2 years later I went with him to buy a new Green fastback Datsun 1600, a fun time as a kid going from one dealership to the next, a few more years later my father switched to buying new Ford cars from then on.
Now the local Nissan dealership is part of a large chain like Autonation
@@wasabitoburrion4409 Times & cars have changed, I recently bought a 2018 Nissan Maxima for my wife, she loves it.
Those are some of my fondest memories, too - tooling around town with my Dad - then he's get a "wild hair" and we'd check-out new cars - and every few years buy one.
@@stuartyoung4182 Who would go from Datsun reliability to garbage domestic like Ford?
Absolutely right. I also remember the local Daland Datsun (San Francisco) dealership as a kid with my dad when he bought a brand new red 510 wagon. Those were the best years ever. Now I'm trying to buy a Volkswagen Amarok pickup truck.
Cars are way overpriced, that’s why they are pushing a lease
Thats a rip too.
The preowned deal has worked pretty good for me on 2 cars so far.
Get a 2yo car traded in on lease.
I got a vw for 12k, new is almost 20k, and it had 25k miles on it.
Payment to own it isnt bad either, its only like 215 a month.
As an ex-salesman no one ever wins with a lease except the dealer and the bank.
MrHillfolk that’s a deal , smart shopper!
@@edwardautrey3671
I figure let the first owner take a hit.
The first one i got in 2001 and it lasted till 2012.
This last one i got in 2016 and its been good.
Really its the wifes car, i drive junk.
Just look for something with relatively low mileage so you can save it from the original owners possible abuse.
Leases are good deals if you work within the mileage age get it from the financial arm of the manufacturer.
You won't be out costly repairs or expensive maintenance.
I wish we were still in the 70's
Too many still are
Back in 1973, I had a Ford Cortina GT on order, told, there would be a 6 week wait, after 6 weeks still no car. Saw a advert for Mazda new RX2s, went in, test drove one, ordered one with a AM radio, front fender "hockey stick" mirrors and mag wheels, got $10 refund on each steel wheel, all in sunburst red, which was actually orange, picked it up after a 2 week wait, owned it for 8 years, always regretted selling it.