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In the hierarchy of luxury-type cars of the pre-War era, which cars were comparable to Packard 120s? Buick Roadmaster? Cadillac?

kind regards
Garrett Meadows

HMM! In North America I would guess that the Cadillac-LaSalle, Lincoln Zephyr, Nash Ambassador, Studebaker President, Chrysler Windsor would qualify as lower end luxury cars....I am sure others with more knowledge than I will chime in with ideas. Several British, French and German cars come to mind off hand also.

Since my knowledge of pre-War cars is limited at best, you made mention of several cars that are new to me. I'm going to have an enjoyable time familiarizing myself with them. Thanks for response. I appreciate it.
kind regards
Garrett Meadows

Hi

The 120 had many worthy competitors. Taking the 5-passenger touring sedan as the common standard, here's what the potential 120 buyer also had to choose from.

1936: 120 at $1,115 versus Buick Century $1,090; Chrysler Deluxe Airstream Eight, $1,045; Hupmobile Eight 621N, $1075; Nash Ambassador Super Eight 3680, $995; Studebaker President Eight Custom Cruising Sedan, $1065.

1940: 120 at $1,166 against Buick Super, $1109; Buick Century, $1211; Chrysler Traveler Eight C-26, $1180; Hudson Country Club Eight, $1144; Nash Ambassador Eight 4080, $1195, Studebaker President Eight Delux-Tone Cruising Sedan, $1135.

As fine a car as the 120 is, one can see the buyer had a lot of good options, both sixes and eights. Some presented more modern styling or features but there really wasn't a lousy choice in the lot. For a good many buyers, it probably came down to whether there was a dealer for their preferred car available locally , what the dealer's reputation was, whether a deal could be made with trade-in, etc.

For the most part, Cadillacs, LaSalles, Buick Roadmasters, Lincoln-Zephyrs, Chrysler New Yorkers, were priced above the 120 range, more in the 120 Deluxe or 160 class, dependent upon model.

Steve

Thank you for your informative response. I appreciate it. Notwithstanding the viable choices and deciding factors, such as physical location, for an up-scale pre-War car, perhaps it was Packard's marketing that set it apart as "the car" of the era. Cadillac/LaSalle, Lincoln Zephyr, and Buick Roadmaster were extremely elegant and stylish-looking cars, in some respects more so than Packards. If I had $1500 in 1938 with which to buy a luxury car, I would have definitely been hard-pressed to make a choice.

take care
Garrett Meadows

Your choice would have most likely been settled by only a few factors. Nearest dealer, any family,church or civic club or similar association you mite have with sales staff or dealership owners also members. And that's IF u had CASH to buy the car.

In the case for loan qualification then add the bank politics to the choice decision. Take into account any and all of the "networking" and most likely it would be the nearest local dealer.

My paternal grandmother was a wealthy woman who employed a chauffer and maid up until WW II, including all of the Depression. Unlike one of her sons (my Chevrolet-driving father), all of her offspring drove Buicks while waiting for her cast-off Packards. From the late Teens, she'd have a Packard for four or five years, then go back (with chauffer...she did not drive, herself) to the same sales person at the same Packard dealership and get another to her liking. Since I was decades from being around, all of this was retold by my father and uncles. Grandma would return from the dealer with both the new and old Packards, and depending on which of the six children was currently most favored, give the keys to the older Packard to that favored adult child. My father refused to play this game and touted his practical Chevies as superior in the value category. Grandma also was somewhat unpredictable as to what the newer Packard would be. Once she returned with a yellow four door convertible sedan (possibly a 1936-37 120?) to replace an older black formal sedan.

My point is that brand loyalty, both in make of car, dealership involved, down to trusted salesperson was common in persons of means. This was also true with butchers, grocery stores (you'd never buy meat at a grocery store; only at a butcher shop), shoe stores and finally, undertakers. Shopping around for price was unheard of...trusted sources were valued in themselves.

All of this changed for my grandmother. With the war, the servants and chauffers went, and ultimately so did the Packards. Then, in her seventies, she got around in a cast-off Packard sedan (I don't know where that yellow convertible sedan ended up), driven by one of her children or their own succession of Buicks. The era ended by my father moving up to his own Buicks after she died.

One other story, per my father, was that she preferred going to the dealer to view and pick her new Packard from their selection. Many of her friends would just have something brought to their home by the dealer "for approval." Of course, all of this was done by cash or check, and in Grandma's game plan, any negotiations over a traded-in Packard was eliminated.

It sure was a different time back then! I never bought a vehicle at the same dealer twice! Coming to think of it, hardly in a State twice. Dealers are not loyal so why should I? One of my last trades saved me $7,500 for the exact same pickup. The local dealer lost my business when a dealer 200 miles up the road offered me $7500 more with 20,000 more miles on my old one and they shipped the truck I wanted from my home town dealer!

My late father echoed a tangential sentiment about Buicks being the "go to car" in the 1930s for those who didn't own a Packard, Cadillac, or similar car--for whatever reason.

BTW, great family story. Very fascinating. Thank you for sharing it.

take care
Garrett Meadows