I was looking at used cars the other day. Well, actually, it was this morning… and the day before. And the day before that. Basically, every day. What I’ve found, and I’m sure you’ve all noticed as well, is that the idea of a $5,000 project car is much harder to come by. I picked $5,000 because even though that’s still a non-inconsequential amount of money, it feels like where you need to start to have anything halfway decent upon which to repair and make better. So I’m curious what the idea of an expensive car is to you all these days?

It seems like not that long ago, the realm of the six-figure space for a modern car meant you were dealing with something particularly special. Today, you could simply be spec-ing a top-tier half-ton pickup truck. I don’t mean an electric truck either, I’m talking about something that still burns fuel. There’s a version of the Jeep Wrangler that’s easily over $100k. Lots of crossovers and SUVs are up there. It’s wild. But maybe it makes sense since the average transaction price is still hovering around the $48k mark. Prices are finally dropping but they’re still so much higher compared to even just two years ago.

Back to the older stuff, though, because that’s where I started this thought. I remember when $2,500 could get you into something running that needed work. Today, a busted, rusty, first-gen six-cylinder Mustang coupe starts at $6,500 here in California. That’s why I jumped at the chance to buy my busted, rusty first-gen coupe for under a grand when I had the chance. Sure, it’s currently a garage ornament at the moment, but I’m working on it.

With every car now more expensive, be it a potential project or a brand-new vehicle, what does the term expensive even mean anymore? What price point marks expensive? I know it’s different for everyone, but I’m curious to hear what those different price points mean to different people.