25 and 40 bucks for a car? Do they still have that?

Excellent question, jgroub. I've wondered about that for years. I thought the auctioneer may have been using some sort of shorthand, but I dare say those junk cars cost about the same price as Charnier's meal at Copain.

I also laugh (very quietly to myself) when I hear Doyle say Sal "throws money around like the Russians were in Jersey" while "runnin' up hundred dollar tabs at the Chez." In today's economy, Sal could almost run through that hundred paying for valet parking, coat check and tipping the maitre'd before sitting at his table.

I'll hazard a guess. I think it was the actual amount.

My reasoning: It couldn't have been 100X that amount ($35 = $3500) because that would be today's prices. It couldn't have been 10X because that's just weird, and I read an article from around 10 years ago that mentioned $500. It turns out it can be so cheap because many of the cars require extra work, from re-making the keys to cleaning out the blood and bullets. Hey police have better things to do like prosecuting the people who actually put the blood and bullets in the car!

To answer your question, cars bought at auction back then, whether it was '62 as in the real case, or a few years later as depicted in the movie, were accurate. Keep in mind you bought the cars as is, they were often lacking keys, had major damage or were junkers that had been abandoned on the street and impounded. I remember one time as a kid my barber was talking to the other barber, and mentioned the car he had just bought for $5. I remember telling my mom to buy me a car for $5 too, which got a laugh. I myself bought a Pinto in '75 for $100, so those prices were not too far fetched.

You could buy a top of the line new car for between $3,000 to $5,000 back then.

And to answer the key question, a locksmith can easily cut a replacement key in minutes from a VIN based mfr. code corresponding to the pin depths. Many, likely most, can even come to you and do it on the spot. An RFID chip or similar based ignition-disabling system would add time and cost, and maybe require a trip to a dealership. No idea about today's BT-based keys, but the more one learns about locks and security, the more one realizes they exist solely to keep honest people honest. Anyone with a little knowledge, the right tool, and ill intent can get past almost anything.

In 1969 I got my first car, a 1958 Studebaker, for $75.00. I bought it from its owner, but at a cop auction it would've been even cheaper.