Prices have changed since Gil’s Auto Sales began 30 years ago!

What was the cost of living in 1986?

Has it really been that long? 1986 never looked like a terribly long time ago, but now it has been thirty years since those digits graced our calendars, and in today’s fast-paced world, it feels like many lifetimes ago. 1986 also happens to be when Gil’s Auto Sales started selling cars, and we have been happy to serve the communities that have welcomed our six locations: Phenix City, AL; Columbus, GA; and Opelika, AL. We thought it might be fun to see how the world has changed in those thirty years by taking a look back at what was going on in 1986. The first question we wanted to ask was, What was the cost of living in 1986? So we did a little digging, and here is what we found.

The cost of a gallon of gasoline has changed since 1986.What was the economy like in 1986?

Ronald Reagan and George Bush presided over a country with a population of over 240 million people. The working population was dealing with a 7.2 percent unemployment rate. Inflation was at 1.9 percent, and the Consumer Price Index was 109.6.

But what about everyday items and everyday costs? In 1986, the average cost of a new home was $111,900. Driving your car to and from that home would cost you an average of $0.93 for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline, and if you were looking to pick up some groceries, you’d be spending $0.87 for a dozen eggs and $2.22 for a gallon of milk. What a difference thirty years makes!

Gil’s Auto Sales in business since 1986

We’ve been in this business for those thirty years, and you don’t reach that kind of longevity without doing something right. That is where our customers come in. As a buy here pay here dealership, we do our own financing and don’t have to rely on banks. This makes it easier for you if you are looking to buy a used car while having bad credit. Our used car inventory has changed a lot since 1986, but our practices remain customer-focused.

Read about our $299 Down Payment Program.

Keep in touch with the Gil’s Auto Sales blog for information and updates on our dealership, our communities, and for more looks at what the world was like when we started in 1986!