Re: Which one to buy: 110 Six or 120 Eight?

Posted by fred kanter On 2011/6/11 21:51:46

Since 1899 Packard was an aspirational car, the one many desired but few could afford. When the 120 was introduced in 1935 it was an instant success and by 1937 over 100,000 junior cars were sold. More six cylinder cars (115C) were sold than 8's (120C's). This indicates to me that buyers were either cross shopping with "lesser" cars of equal price like Buicks to get the prestige of a Packard as Packard ads told them to or moving up from lower priced cars
to show they had "arrived".

The speculation of how many 110 buyers could have easily afforded the 120 can be looking at the negatives of buying a 120 if one could easily afford it.

1.Won't fit in the garage. Few cars were garaged, 5" difference
2.Too flashy in hard times. Hard to distinguish from a 120
3.Too expensive to repair. Hard pressed 6 vs loafing but more to repair 8. A draw.
4. 120 included more std equipment. NO , equally equipped
5. 120 used more gas. Yes, a negative to some but surely not to the ones who could "easily " afford a 120.

The six sold better because for 20% less you got 95% as much car. My conclusion is that nearly everyone who could have afforded a 120 would have bought one instead of a 110.