What was the #1 accessory that people wanted in their car in 1954? A heater.
It's quite surprising what was new in 1954 on automobiles. And what people wanted most and least. But first the new...
Mercury (a make long gone) and Ford had a hardtop with a transparent plastic roof section. Sort of a sun roof that didn't open.
Chrysler had a new instrument panel with red indicator lights for oil pressure and battery warnings. Before long people called them "idiot" lights in derogation of people who couldn't understand how to read the gauges and just wanted something simple. Then again, it is possible that Ford and GM owners called them that more as a descriptive term for the people who bought the brand.
Nash Rambler came out with front seats that would swing down to make a comfortable bed. They were apparently so far ahead of the reclining seat idea that the company went out of business later.
The February 1954 issue of Popular Mechanics also reported the results of their survey on what the average driver wanted.
First the averages. In 1954 the average car was driven 15,480 miles a year (just about the same as now, over 50 years later). The average family kept their car 3 years, mostly trading it off due to declining mechanical condition. Less than 10% said they traded in their old car because of new styles. Nowadays people trade a little more often, on average, but the style issue is a much bigger percentage of the cited reasons for getting a new car. But what did the average buyer want in a new car?
53% wanted economy. 47% wanted power.
76% thought comfort was more important than style while 24% went the other way.
58% wanted a big 8 cylinder engine under the hood. 42% wanted a small engine.
61% wanted a car that would seat 6 or more people. There was a hunger for SUVs even then, I guess.
45% of drivers said they would never use a seat belt. Little did they know that seat belts would become mandatory for all drivers 20 some years later.
You can bet those numbers have changed over the years, but one thing hasn't. They still make lemon cars.
And as long as they do, we'll be here to help you get rid of them.
If you've got a lemon, contact us or call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. Squashing lemons and returning them to the factory is what we do. It's what we've done for 30 years, long before there was a Lemon Law. And we'll keep right on doing it too.
www. Burdge Law .com
Helping Consumers Get Rid of Lemons Since 1978.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Known nationwide as a leading Lemon Law attorney, Ronald L. Burdge has represented literally thousands of consumers in "lemon" lawsuits and actively co-counsels and coaches other Consumer Law attorneys. From 2005 through 2018, attorney Ronald L. Burdge has been named as the only Lemon Law Ohio Super Lawyer by Law and Politics magazine and Thomson Reuters Corp., Professional Division. Burdge restricts his practice to Lemon Law and Consumer Law cases. The Ohio Super Lawyer results are published annually in the January issue of Cincinnati Magazine. Ronald L. Burdge was named Consumer Law Trial Lawyer of the Year 2004 by the National Association of Consumer Advocates, the nation's largest organization of consumer law private and government attorneys. "Your impact on the auto industry has been magnified many times over because of the trail you blazed for others," stated NACA's Executive Director, Will Ogburn. Burdge has represented thousands of consumers in Ohio, Kentucky and elsewhere since 1978 and is a frequent lecturer to national, state and local Bar Associations and Judicial organizations. Burdge is admitted to Ohio's state and federal courts, Kentucky's state courts, and Indiana's federal courts. Other court admissions are on a "pro hac" temporary, case by cases basis.