Today we present a bit of a mental (and mathematical) exercise for the readers. The headline is slightly misleading. We’re not looking for the most money you’ve ever paid for a car; that would be too easy. What we’re looking for is the most expensive car based on its original MSRP (adjusted to current value) that you’ve owned.
The basic premise is simple, and the methodology will be explained below.
Start with a list of cars you have owned, focusing on the more expensive models. Then find the original MSRP, run that through an inflation calculator, and figure out what it would cost you to buy brand new today.
This will work best if you live in the United States. If you live elsewhere, try your best to play along with the resources that are available to you locally.
- Compile your list of fancy models you have owned.
- Find the MSRP for those models. For vehicles sold between 1984 and 2014, there’s an exceptionally good resource at the Michigan Secretary of State Website (Starting in 1984, Michigan charged registration fees based on MSRP, which is why this resource exists.) For model years outside that range, do the best you can with an Internet search. If your car any significant options, add a ball-park number for them.
- Run that MSRP through the US government’s CPI Inflation Calculator. Set the original date to January of your car’s model year, and the result date to March 2026.
- Comment with your top answer (or your top 3, if you want) in the format [YYYY] [Make/Model]-[MSRP]=[value today]
Example: 2000 BMW 740iL-$66,400=$129,894.21
The lede photo is the giveaway to my personal list topper. My top 3 are:
1. 1978 Mercedes 300SD-$23,700=$125,216.77
2. 1990 Cadillac Sedan Deville-$27,540=$71,381.99
3. 1985 Volvo 745 Turbo-$21,340=$66,793.80
A couple of notes to my list. I bought each of those cars as 15-20 year old beaters, and didn’t pay more than $2000 for any of them. Also of note, my current daily driver, a 2017 Mazda CX-5 Touring FWD, falls pretty low on my list as $25,915=$35,239.27.
We hope you have enjoyed today’s thought exercise and thanks for playing!
Fun idea! Mine would be the 1993 Toyota Supra, $83,763 in today’s value.
Second would be my 2021 Tacoma Limited, bought in 2023. $50,819.17 today
It is a fun idea. For me, a pretty basic 1996/7 BMW 3 series, bought in about ’99 (and still expensive). Here in Australia, such a car was way more in AUD terms than the same car in the US in USD terms: it was $48,000AUD. If i put that amount into the US inflation calculator (level of inflation here has been nearly identical), that’s $101,000! And the amount – borrowed – to buy it second hand comes to an equally eye-popping $65KAUD today.
I learnt a sharp lesson. This was a damn nice car, if ruinously expensive to service and repair, and I have never done such a foolish thing since. After the initial glow of feel-goodness wore off, it was simply a car, and a huge waste of money – money I could do with right bloody now!
I’ve had some rather used Peugeots and Renaults since then that were pricey here new, but not on that scale.
Coming in at #1 would be a 2000 Park Ave Ultra. According to my Consumer Guide auto encyclopedia, its base MSRP was $36,800. I’ve heard they could be optioned up to around $40K, and I think mine was pretty fully-loaded. So, inflation-adjusted, that range would be $70,568-$76,704.
A distant second would be my ’79 New Yorker 5th Ave. I’ve heard that the typical ’79 5th Ave was around $12K. Or around $54,581 inflation-adjusted.
FWIW, I paid $7500 for the Park Ave in 2009, and $900 for the 5th Ave in 2001.
That which I am now driving which is a 2024 GMC Acadia Denali. I also purchased the 8-yeear, 150,000-mile extended warranty.
This was a fun exercise – and a way to look at car prices that I’d never considered before.
I’ve owned 9 cars, and it turns out that the MSRPs of 7 of them are within a relatively narrow “current value” of between $35,000 and $45,000. Interesting, because these 9 cars range in model years from 1981 to 2018.
I have two outliers:
#1: 1988 Saab 900 Turbo: I bought this car used in 1993 for about $6,000. But it had an original MSRP of about $22,000 – they depreciated like mad, which at the time I thought was awesome. Incidentally, this was a terrible purchase for me, and I learned the lesson that a high-mileage used Saab Turbo is not a good investment for a cash-strapped young adult. Anyway, the Current Value of that MSRP is $62,700. Wow.
#2: 2007 Ford Crown Victoria LX Sport: My wife and I bought this car new, as a year-old leftover in 2008. The LX Sport had a ridiculously high MSRP – I’m guessing somewhere around $33,000, though it may have been higher since ours had every option. No one wanted these cars when new, so we bought it for $23,000. But that MSRP is what we’re measuring here, so that comes out to $55,500.
This is the list of my 9 vehicles. It amuses me that the two European cars I’ve owned (my first two cars) are the most and least expensive in current-dollar terms. The 1981 Audi was made before the brand became very expensive – bought it in 1989.
Interesting. My 1981 BMW 528i which I bought for about $6000 in 1992, had an MSRP in the low 20’s which equates to about $83k today. My 1993 Land Cruiser, which I bought in 1995 for about $32000, and had an MSRP around $40k, which is a bit more than the BMW, around $90k in 2026 dollars. My first car, a 1965 Volvo 122S which I bought for $500 in 1975, retailed for $2600 when new which is about $26000 today. Volvo’s were cheap 60 years ago!
‘00 Saab 9-5 Aero. Original MSRP of $81k… it was nicely built and loaded with features, but that’s certainly overpriced for what it was. No wonder the first owner leased.
No wonder GM couldn’t keep SAAB afloat. They still turn heads today with those disappearing A pillars.
I figured it would be true that my 1998 Toyota Sienna XLE would be the most expensive car I’ve owned, and it’s true: inflation-adjusted MSRP of 55,376.
My current car is #2, my 2024 VW Jetta GLI at $29,310.
I have overwhelmingly favored inexpensive small cars in my adult life, like my 2006 Ford Focus and 2003 Toyota Matrix.
I’ve mused about this—-thanks a bunch for the post (including the very useful Michigan Secretary of State website).
Our fancy first new car, a 1990 Ford Taurus wagon, was a princely $17,771. That comes in at $46K in today-dollars—wow!
My most expensive car, by far, was the 1964 Lincoln Continental sedan. The July 1964 Car Life Road test car had a price as tested of $7033, equating to $75,158.19 today.
I paid $2250 for it in early 1989, or $6135.25 today.
1986 Mercedes 300E $36k = $108k
1992 Grand Caravan $22k = $51.4k
1985 Jeep Cherokee $16k = $50.4k
2013 Acura TSX $35k = $50k
2017 Promaster $38k = $49k
2000 Subaru Forester $20k = $38K
2005 Scion xB $13k = $22k
FWIW, I only paid $30k for the Promaster, which equals $39k. But I get your point about using MSRP, since we got a good deal on the TSX and Forester too.
All of these were bought new except for the xB, although technically the Mercedes was a company lease but I bought it out after 5 years.
Next QOTD should be what is the most expensive car (or truck) you have driven, but NOT owned. 🙂
That was a lot of fun!
#1 = 1998 Volvo V70 AWD. I was surprised to find that my #1 was a car that I totally forgot about even putting on the list at first…as we had it for only about 2 years before getting rid of it due to a broken transmission that Volvo fixed once under warranty but refused to do it again.
This was replaced with #2 = 2000 Chrysler T&C AWD Limited.
When that became a bio-hazard (these cars were all purchased as kid-mobiles during the first 6 years of child-raising, it was replaced with #3 = 2006 Highlander Hybrid Limited. We had that car (from 2006 until just last December, when it was replaced with #4, the 2009 Highlander Hybrid Limited.
A theme here is that all of these cars were/are the cars that my wife drove/drives…and except for the current Highlander, all were purchased brand new. My cars occupy the lower 3/4 of the list (see attached photo for the whole list) and most were purchased used.
Not surprisingly (to me), my Rabbit Diesel bottoms out the list.
Also, as others here are noting, this exercise doesn’t reflect what one actually paid for these cars. In most cases, I managed to buy them origially at some discount from MSRP. But it’s a good comparison nevertheless.
The Trooper stands out as the real value for a decent-sized SUV. Like the adjusted cost of my 122S, it reflects the much lower standard of equipment 40 – let alone 60 – years ago. Of course a lot of that is safety and emissions, but who would buy an SUV or a Volvo today with stick shift, no power steering or AC, wind-up windows, etc.? Well, some of us but not many other people. Let’s see how Slate does.
Mine had power steering, and a 5speed. The rest of that stuff? Who needs it! 😉
Yes, this is fun!
I was a bit surprised, my 1991 MR2 which would have been about $28K then / $67K now vs. my 1966 New Yorker $4233 MSRP then / $44K now. I would have expected the numbers to be closer together; the Yen was very strong in the 90’s though….
‘79 Opel Rekord 2.0, 19000 msrp in Uruguay, bought for 15k in 9/81, would be 86k today. You can get great cars for that money now even here.
1997 Mercedes SL500 40th Anniv. Edition MSRP $91,795 = $190,500.
That was fun. Here’s some from my world of regrets.
1994 Volvo 940 Turbo, purchased for $1600 on October 16, 2009.
MSRP $26,720.00. Inflation adjusted, $60,353.83.
I have some weird ones that might be hard to find accurate numbers for like the Honda S600 or Reliant Scimitar so out of the mainstream stuff its probably the:
1989 Cadillac Brougham $25,699 -> $70,075.51.
1984 Volvo 240 $11,960.00 -> $38,757.09
2004 Nissan Fairlady Z (used the US 350Z) $26370 -> $47,017.91
Even before clicking on the link I knew it’d be about an old Mercedes =8-) .
The single most expensive car anyone will ever own is a “cheap” Mercedes .
The only reason they’re so popular is they’re simply wonderful to drive .
Even with the $ being in the initial cost long ago, my most expensive cars have been old Mercedes’ .
I don’t regret any of them but have scaled back to only two as it’s physically difficult for me to do the maintenance they all need, ever when in *perfect* condition ~ this is true of all German cars so beware .
I’ve never bought a new car or truck, it seems wasteful to this old farm boy .
-Nate
’71 BMW 2800 about 85k today.
’68 Jag E-Type fhc about 75k today
’57 Chrysler 300C convertible about 67k today.
’60 M-B 220 SE about 63k today.
Paid 4k or less for all of them.
’71 BMW 2800 about 85k today
CS or Sedan/Bavaria?
This was a cool thing to do. I never thought about doing something like this before. I assume these cars didn’t have to be purchased brand new? That would certainly change my list for sure. My top 3:
1986 Cadillac Seville with MSRP of $31,000 = $93,500.
1979 Cadillac Seville Elegante MSRP of $19,000 = $91,800.
1985 Cadillac Seville with special top MSRP of $24,500 = $77,000
Since all my top three were Cadillac’s and my 4th would have been a 1967 Cadillac, I decided to put my 5th place:
1969 Mercedes Benz 230S MSRP of around $4,800 = $45,000 today.
If this was just for cars we purchased brand new:
2001 Lincoln Continental MSRP of $41,000 = $77,400.
1983 SAAB 900 Turbo was $55,600 in todays dollars. Bought it new and I quit expensive European cars ever since. Besides a bad marriage it was one of the worst decisions I ever made buying that thing.
A whole string of Toyota’s ever since, Camry’s and pickups. I’m not independently wealthy.
Mine was definitely my 1988 560SEL.
Original MSRP / Base Price: ~$68,660 – $70,160 according to Google AI which seems right. At $68k that’s $190k today. It’s also the least amount of money I’ve ever paid for a car, my uncle sold it to me for $1.
Also, did you attend malaise days in wisconsin in 2018?
I bought my 2000 Acura TL in 2011. Prices are in Canadian dollars.
MSRP $36,000 in 2000.
Adjusted for inflation: $63,400.
I paid $9000 for it and sold it six years later for $4000.
Bought used, estimating original MSRP on 1989 560 sl: $70000 – $190,874.57
My 68 Cougar at roughly $3500 in April 1968 and now $33,597 and insured for $25,000. Followed close behind by my 04 Focus at today’s 31,035. I don’t spend big bucks for new cars.
No matter how you figure it the ’18 Ram 2500 I bought new for 36000 would be worth 45000 today. The ’56 Olds S88 and the ’79 F150 would be worth about 33000 each. All that being said the most I ever paid for a vehicle was 2500 for the 7 year old F150, about 7500 today and I don’t think you could buy a 7 year old truck today for 7500.
I just recently picked up a used 2005 Lexus ES 330. I still have the MSRP sticker. Total MSRP was around 36,000 dollars. Adjusted for inflation, today the same car is around 61,000 dollars. A most interesting and fascinating question indeed.
I received my new 1976 Eldorado convertible at age 24 or 25. Looking up the price of available options the MSRP would have been about $13,000.
$13,000 = $77,208 today.
The most expensive vehicles I’ve owned were all bought used. The Seville was only three years old, while the others were approx. twenty or more years old when purchased.
1989 Jaguar XJS convertible MSRP approx. 56,000.00 inflation adjusted; 149,128.00 Bought for 1,200.
1997 Jaguar XJ6L MSRP approx. 59,000.00 inflation adjusted; 117,272 Bought for 2,800.
1994 Cadillac Seville STS MSRP approx. 45,000.00 inflation adjusted; 100,267.00. Bought for approx. 30,000.
2006 Lincoln Navigator MSRP approx. 50,000.00 inflation adjusted; 81,898.00 Bought for 4,200.00
The Seville remains the most expensive vehicle that I have ever bought, up to now. I don’t see myself ever buying another “expensive” car again. Well, the price is relative, I suppose that I might buy another used car for around 35K if I decide to treat myself to something nice in the next few years. Expensive cars are such a bad idea, they lose so much value in depreciation after the first few years. I will be looking for something around three years old, which is a good age for a used car.
What a fun game! And out of curiosity, I did this a few years ago when Inflation Calculators became all the rage on the Internet. At the time though, I only based it on what I paid, vs. the actual MSRP as new. The clear winner then was my ex-wife’s 1994 Thunderbird which we bought brand new. While it had a V8, it only had a cloth interior, and less options than my ’88 which I bought as a 2-year-old ‘pre-owned’ with about 42K on the clock. This car had every available option….
The clear winner on my list of cars:
1988 Ford Thunderbird LX-V8 $19K = $54.2K
The wife’s T-Birds – I forget what we paid for her ’88 Turbo Coupe, but it was less optioned, although a higher base MSRP than my LX, it was 1991 or 92 when we bought it. We traded it for this:
1994 Ford Thunderbird LX-V8 $17.5K = ~$39.5K
My current wife’s Mazda CX-5 might have it beat though…
2019 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD Non-Turbo 2.5L in Soul Red ($595 option) and Nav… Anyway: ~$32K = $42K
Those are probably my top three. The Retro-Stang may be a close 4th at ~$22K = ~$36K, although my ’83 & ‘97 T-Birds, both Essex V6 powered and little else options-wise, both clock in around $37K adjusted.
A T-Bird like my beloved 5.0LX is pictured below:
Actually, it was THIS car that would have probably grabbed second place…
1997 Grand Prix GTP Coupe @ ~$21.3K MSRP = ~ $44K today.
I only paid $16K for it in 2000 when it had 25K on the clock.
My 2012 Mustang Shelby GT500 convertible, sticker new (when I bought it in ’12) was $56,945 equal to $81,796 today. I still own and enjoy it. Second place is my 2025 Genesis GV70 at $71,571 also purchased new and 3rd place is my 1975 Lincoln Town Car at $59,192, purchased very used in 1983. I didn’t have a lot of money in 1983!
First place 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT $28,390 originally now $40,946 in 2026 dollars (US)
Close 2nd 2009 Mustang Convertible comes in at $40,019 today.
1962 Triumph TR4 $2,849 is $31,152 today
I think I’m going to have a stiff drink and consider my life choices :/
Wait a minute Doug, isn’t your Mustang a 2007 like mine? Or did you trade it for a newer one? That might bring you closer to $41K by today’s rules for calculation. ;o)
Yep, my mistake it’s a 2007. I haven’t seen it for 6 months since it’s been stored elsewhere for the winter.
Whew, that comes in at $44,584 for 2007 Convertible with Pony Package. What a relief.
As a daily driver, a 2017 in 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulietta JTDM 2-120 – equivalent to £29500. Still with mke at 133000 but it needed a new number light bulb in February
As a CC, a 1996 Alfa Romeo Spyder TS16V, equivalent to £47500 – yikes. An MX-5 is less than £30k still….
The 2017 GS350 AWD we bought 2 years ago had an original MSRP of $51,000, equivalent to $69,000 today.
It’s a nice car but I struggle to see $69K worth of nice. However, for the price of a new Chevy Trax, it’s an absolute gem.
1967 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow – $200,737
2012 Jaguar XJL Portfolio – $117,566
1978 Jaguar XJ12L – $110,952
1990 Mercedes W126 S Klasse 3.0 litre.
Cost £26000 new , which is about £65K in modern money – I paid 800 quid and got two years out of it before the salt on our Scottish roads ate the arse out of it. It’s interior and engine were still almost perfect when I drove it to the scrappers.
I generally avoid expensive vehicles although I was surprised at the numbers for my truck
2002 Ford F150 XLT $26,950, $50,249 now. I paid $3000 for it in 2020.
2016 Mazda CX-5 Sport AWD $24,895, $34,968, leased new
The effect of inflation is astonishing, my truck’s price doubled in a little over 20 years, and mine was probably more since it has leather upholstery and some other options. I guess it does explain why a relatively basic pickup is $50,000
2016 Jaguar XJL Portfolio. It was black with polished silver rims and a black quilted leather interior. It was simply sensational!!
1992 BMW 325i sedan
Purchased used in 1999
$27,990 list new
$66,927.31 current value
Interesting thread and great links! I’m going to have to save some of that for future reference.
My high would be an ’87 BMW 635csi, 47K then, well when new, not when I bought it, a staggering 139K today.
Wow cool idea! Thanks for providing resources to make this easy & consistent as well.
I won’t give away what mine are since I’ll write them up as a COAL one day but my 2 favorite cars, and I’m sure the most expensive, were the same class type, both bought new:
Year. MSRP. Today. Value in 2007. MSRP of 2026 Equivalent
1998 $21,425 $43,780 ($26,836.40). $54,795
2007 $32,765 $53,451 $67,980
Interesting. Cars are much better equipped nowadays, but I had to B&P the 2026 equivalent of the 2007 a bit to get it the same, inflating the price. The modern equivalent of the 1998 is so much better equipped it’s almost an unfair comparison. Surprisingly though the price spread remains approximately the same for 2026 versions as the inflation adjusted numbers indicate, obviously a larger spread than the numbers showed in 2007.
The 2007 car was a fancier version of the 98, appropriately reflected in price then & now. I’d love to replace it with the 2026 equivalent. The 2026 version of my current car is $42,135 (again as close as I can get it in B&P). That car feels like a massive downgrade from this pair, which perhaps based on price, nevermind 2 decades of inflated expectations, it is.
My 1967 MBZ 300 SEL, a W109 with air suspension and the abysmal M189 slant six, was ~$12,500 delivered and would be about $119K today. I bought it for around $3K in the early 80s, when I was way too poor to own it, but it was a profoundly great thing to have had around for a while. Easily the most elegant interior I’ve ever experienced, in a car of mine, or in anyone else’s.
My most currently valuable is the ’63 Split Window Corvette, as it’s a rare fuelie with an even rarer color combination.
My most expensive when new, however, has to be our current UK family truckster. Maserati Levante with all boxes on the spec sheet ticked – luckily with taste. Special Nobile Blue paint and Zegna silk interior, 21″ wheels, Bowers and Wilkins sound system, carbon interior package, etc. etc. It really is a great spec – these cars are very color and wheel choice sensitive – and still feels special, it’s twin turbo Ferrari built motor getting wife, son and 2 dogs everywhere quickly and elegantly. It really handles in a rear drive manner, unlike most SUVs and will even go off road if needed. It’s really rather good and actually has character, unlike most moderns.Has the approval of car guru Harry Metcalfe too.
Bought off lease with very few miles, it was expensive, but not the equivalent of $151,500 in British Pounds it originally cost.
My 911s may have been equivalent to a bit more or less, as they were very heavily optioned, but leased.
Of course the car I drive daily in the USA cost less than 1/60th of the Maser…
Priorities, priorities…
2015 Hellcat Challenger
$58,295 MSRP
$81,030 today which I think is about what the last batch of Hellcats were stickered at in 2023
1987 Audi 4000 CS quattro – $20,185=$58,673.85
2008 Honda Accord EX-L 4-cyl sedan – $26,530=$40,689.40
2003 Saturn L200 sedan – $19,040.00=$34,169.87
1971 Peugeot 504 – $3,478= $28,357.55
Actual money spent, easily the 2021 Supra I bought new.
Going by MSRP of vehicles I bought used, but nice, probly the 750Li or XJ8 or current XJR.
Our current electric Audi carried an insane MSRP but I got it “nearly new” from the Audi dealer at a fat discount.
Candy apple red 2003 Buick LeSabre Limited Celebration Edition. $58,342
All hail the 3800!
For me, that would be a Mercedes 280 S, 1978.
145.000 dollars in 2026 money.
I got that car around 1989, traded it for a Opel Kadett. The 280 had electrical gremlins that I traced down to be a bad ground connection somewhere in the back of the car, as I remember correctly.
The owner was so mad he could not find the problem he preffered the humble Opel.
I searched two days and fixed the problem, kept the car for a few months then sold it.
In terms of price-as-new? I’ve got three:
– 1996 Jaguar XJ12 — $79,990 (equates to about $168,000 today)
– 2015 Mercedes-Benz S 550 4MATIC Coupe — $129,000 (equates to about $180,000 today)
– 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Autobiography LWB — $141,000 (equates to about $180,000 today)
I’d guess it would be my 1978 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham d’Elegance.
The base price was $12,580 and mine has every option except the Thermometer on the mirror. so I’m guessing at a retail of
$15,000=$75,969!
Fun game indeed! Making adjustments for being in the Euro zone and using a local CPI, my top 3:
1. 2018 Alpine A110. Sold new for 66k€, adjusted that’s about 90k€
2. 2001 Lotus Elise. Sold new for around 47.5k€, adjusted that’s about 80k€
3. 1990 Alfa 75 3.0 V6 (aka Milano Verde). Sold new for around 28k€, adjusted that’s around 66-ish k€
Looks like inflation over the past 8 or so years has been pretty bad.
One of my current cars is a 1988 560 SEC, which had a starting MSRP of $75,850 in 1988, which is the equivalent of a whopping $216,479 today! Holy Crap! The second most expensive was a 2006 Cayman S Launch Edition, which had an MSRP on the window sticker of $60,XXX so at $60k flat, that would still come to $99,913!
Such a fun idea!!!!
It was actually very surprising because the results differed than what I thought. Note all prices in Canadian dollars and using the Bank of Canada CPI calculator.
1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera S – MRSP $14500 CDN – 2026 = $28489 CDN
2005 Pontiac Sunfire GT coupe – MSRP @ $19500 – 2026 = $30787
2014 Ford Mustang – My Purchase Price brand new $35000 – 2026 = $46947
I was a bit surprised the Cutlass was the lowest in 2026 dollars as I half expected it to be the most expensive.
It also reminded me how much I miss my Sunfire!
I’m really on the low side, as i don’t buy cars very often and buy economy cars mostly.
My most expensive one is not surprisingly the one I’m currently driving (my only car) a 2000 VW Golf. bought new for around $16k
I bought an ’86 GTi, probably about 10K
’78 Scirocco (used) for about $5000
’74 Datsun 710 about $3500
So $34,500 for 50 years of driving cars….not even the average price for one new car now. Man,
I’m going to have sticker shock when I buy just about any car new.
So yeah,