If you’re shopping for a new or used vehicle today, you’ve probably seen your share of high prices, difficult negotiations, and hard times finding the right color and options for the vehicle you want. All of that, and we haven’t even touched the world of collectors cars, auctions, or the ever-raging RAD-era vehicle prices.
This 9,000-mile 1993 Jeep Wrangler Sahara touches all three marks, so it’s not surprising to see its Bring a Trailer auction price climbing. The $30,000-plus closing price is hard to swallow, but to be fair, the Jeep looks new in all the ways that count, and its tan-on-green color scheme is an attractive one for such a boxy vehicle.
If you didn’t believe that people buy cars with their hearts instead of their brains, this is your proof. NADA says that the 1993 Jeep Wrangler’s MSRP was just shy of $14,000. Even if we take a generous estimate that someone paid $15,000 for a 1993 Wrangler with options, that’s still just $28,475 in today’s money. It’s also almost $4,000 less after inflation than the auction’s closing price of $32,250. Bidding heated up in the closing moments, driving the price up by around $2,000.
It’d be unfair to poo-poo people for spending their money on what they want, but it’s clear that the average enthusiast is priced out of the market for many vehicles. There are gems and junkyard-restoration opportunities, but the days of picking up a cheap car to beat on and enjoy are numbered. The pandemic and microchip shortages are partly to blame and are both temporary problems – hopefully – so there’s a chance we could return to a normal state at some point. For now, let’s just hope that the people buying these low-mileage vehicles get them out and drive then.
