What Owning a Car Meant in 1985 vs. 2026 — Let’s Break Down the Costs
Written by
Nicholas Morine
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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While 1985 might seem like yesterday to some of us — glam rock blasting over the radio, hair spray lingering in the air and an Atari 2600 (or a Nintendo, if Christmas was coming and you were lucky) beeping and blooping away on a floor-model TV nearby — it’s been nearly a half-century since those heady days.
Having a totally rad ride was also something to be proud of back in the ’80s, and that’s as true in 2026 as it ever was, even if the language has changed. But as with anything worthwhile, the costs are worth consideration.
How much did it cost to own and operate a car in the mid-’80s versus today? Let’s take a look.
How Much Did It Cost To Own a Car in 1985 vs. Today?
As for sources, we’ll be consulting AAA’s “Your Driving Costs” manual from 1985 for one side of the comparison, and the equivalent from 2025 (the latest release), with Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) inflation data for February 2026 being adjusted and applied along the interim to make the figures more solid.
The answer might surprise you: In 1985, the annual cost of operating a car over 15,000 miles was pegged at $3,484 — or $10,565 in 2026 dollars. By contrast, a new car would cost the driver only slightly more in a fair comparison in 2026, at $11,577.
And despite gas prices taking a bit of a surge as of late, prices were actually higher in 1985 when adjusted for inflation. It cost approximately 16.9 cents per mile to run a vehicle in 1985 (again, when inflation is applied) as opposed to 13 cents a mile as of February 2026 — and even if the recent surge in oil, and thus gas, prices is taken into account for March, the olden-days fuel prices still come out as more expensive.
Depreciation hits a bit harder on today’s rides, though. New vehicles can expect to lose an average of $4,334 in depreciation annually against yesteryear’s figure of $3,833 per year. As well, contemporary drivers are shelling out more in terms of yearly insurance ($1,694 today versus $1,412) and licensing, registration and tax-associated fees ($813 today versus just $334 in inflation-adjusted 1985 dollars) on average.
Older Cars, Trucks and SUVs Were Significantly Cheaper To Repair or Maintain Compared to Today’s Vehicles
Part of the gulf also comes due to a significant difference in the maintenance, repair and tire replacement costs associated with today’s cars, trucks and SUVs — which may jive with most lay opinions given the relative complexity of 2026’s model lineup.
That 1985 Chevy only cost about 5.6 cents per mile to maintain, repair and fit with tires in today’s currency, while the average cost per mile for 2026’s vehicles comes in at nearly double the price — at 11.04 cents per mile.
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