Automakers tend to avoid talking price at the national level. That’s why it was relatively uncommon to see prices in magazine ads. At the local dealer level, however, that’s where the haggling begins. There’s little more entertaining to a car guy than to find the car ads in an old newspaper. We’ll have to post a collection of those some time soon, too.
With the average transaction price of a new vehicle hovering around $32,000, the prices in these ads now seem a little quaint. But the real charm is in the small print. Apparently “loaded” once meant that a car came with headrests (see the AMC ad above).
Car Ads with Prices
1939 Plymouth
Stop-and-Go Madness! A Gallery of Classic Car Ads Featuring Brakes
1957 Almquist Sable
Bow-Tie Madness! 12 Classic Chevrolet Ads
1970 AMC Gremlin
Kenosha Madness! 10 Classic AMC Ads
1980 Porsche 928
My name is Don Sikora, and I’m a recovering Renault Fuego owner.
1989 Hyundai Excel
Check out the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast
Car Ads with Prices
Car Ads with Prices