[ipso_facto]

Pick,

Well said ipso! Some things have gone up in quality though.

IMO nearly everything has gone up in quality due to technological advances. However, I think it is the value that has gone drastically down. Today, you can buy the very best of anything. Problem is, the value of this "best" stuff is not as good, once you look at the sticker price.

Find a new Ford diesel tow vehicle, load it with options and then look at the price. It's very nice indeed, will probably last longer than diesels from any other decade. But prices of these new top quality items are sky-high compared to where they used to be, 30 or 50 years ago which doesn't make them such a good deal after all.
Which means at the end, most end up getting a used vehicle in a more reasonable price range. The de facto effect of lower purchasing power is you getting less in quality and value.


Take Chevy/GM trucks for example. When I graduated from High School in 1973, I went out and bought a new 3/4 ton pickup. It has numberous quality issues.


That's true, 70's vehicles had a lot of issues with rust. I had a '74 mopar and the trunk rusted completely through. Admittedly it took it 15 years.


.... The quality of products from "The Big 3" has gone up over the years, as well as the prices.

Indeed, but quality is irrelevant if it represents a poor value and is not affordable for the mere mortals. This is true because the average consumer borrows more and more to get the same thing. For example, truck leasing is a new trend and going up, which ensure you never own the vehicle.



Silvertwinkie,



See, where I have problems is that we bought an SOB in 1982 for about $8k. That same box or similar purchased today, 21 years later is only about $14k (granted they are both not as well built as the Airstream).

Actually, that proves my point. The same box purchased today should cost more than $14K because de facto inflation rate was higher than 4% you cite. $8K in 1982 was more than 14K today. In other words, the SOB maker you had just doesn't invest as much as they used to in the building process, fearing high prices. Which ultimately means to you, the consumer is lower quality for the same unit. If you want same or higher quality, you have to get a high-end unit. You have to choose between (1) high quality and higher prices (2) same prices but lower quality. Most manufacturers raise prices accordingly but sometimes it is not popular and quality issues must result. It makes perfect sense.