From the Curator
Used Car Values in 1926
Information here is from “The Automotive Service Bureau," The Auto Reference Manual, August 15, 1926, printed in Baltimore Md. All prices are for touring cars. These are just a few that were on the market.
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Year
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Car Brand
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New Price
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Used
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Manufactured
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1925
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Anderson
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$1,195.00
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$455.00
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Rock Hill, SC
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1925
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Auburn
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$795.00
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$560.00
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Auburn, Indiana
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1925
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Bay State
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$1,800.00
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$569.00
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Framington Mass.
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1925
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Buick
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$1,295.00
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$750.00
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Detroit, Mich.
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1925
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Cadilliac
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$3,185.00
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$1,675.00
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Detroit, Mich.
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1925
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Chevrolet
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$510.00
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$210.00
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Detroit, Mich.
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1925
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Cartermobile
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$895.00
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$160.00
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Washington, DC
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1925
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J. I. Case
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$1,695.00
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$735.00
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Racine, Wisc.
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1925
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Chrysler
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$950.00
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$415.00
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Detroit, Mich
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1925
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Dagmar
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$1,785.00
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$395.00
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Hagerstown, MD
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1925
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Dodge
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$885.00
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$395.00
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Detroit, Mich.
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1925
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Elcar
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$995.00
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$550.00
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Elkhart, Ind.
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1925
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Flint
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$1,075.00
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$500.00
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Flint, Mich.
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1925
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Franklin
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$1,950.00
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$975.00
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Syracuse, NY
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1925
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Grey
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$630.00
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$290.00
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Detroit, Mich.
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1925
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Locomobile
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$5,500.00
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$2,530.00
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Bridgeport, Conn.
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1925
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Hudson
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$1,250.00
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$505.00
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Detroit, Mich.
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1925
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Nash
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$1,095.00
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$660.00
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Kenosha, Wisc.
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1925
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Paige
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$2,165.00
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$650.00
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Detroit, Mich.
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1925
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Pierce Arrow
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$3,095.00
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$1,435.00
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Buffalo, NY
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1925
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Peerless
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$2,945.00
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$1,210.00
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Cleveland, Ohio
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1925
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Packard
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$2,585.00
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$1,395.00
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Detroit, Mich.
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1925
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R.E.0.
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$1,350.00
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$755.00
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Lansing, Mich.
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1925
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Rolls-Royce
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$13,450.00
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$6,725.00
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Springfield, Mass.
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1925
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Star
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$540.00
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$290.00
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New York City, NY
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1925
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Studebaker
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$1,255.00
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$775.00
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South Bend, Ind.
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As you can see popular cars held good value, just about like cars do today.
Years ago an elderly man said he had bought a 1922 Dixie Flyer 5 passenger touring (new cost was $1,176.00) and drove it Chicago. It had about 6,000 miles on the speedometer when he arrived. Wanting a larger car he was offered $25.00. There were no Dixie Flier dealers in Chicago so he had a orphan car that few people wanted. The Dixie Flier was made in Louisville Kentucky. In 1925 there was over 60 brands of cars on the market.
So you could say that car prices today are just about like they were in '26. Just think of the choices you had then and there were many good cars.
By John Dudley
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Owner & Curator
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