OMG! Longer Car Loans - Is Affordability Still a Thing?

 I remember a time when you could purchase a decently equipped NEW car (1970’s definition) for right around $4,000 with a monthly payment spreading out over 36 months of about $140/month.  To be fair, decently equipped in the mid 1970’s was a three-speed automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, single speaker AM/FM radio and an electric rear window defogger.  Also worthy of note, build quality was spotty for EVERYBODY – even the Japanese at the time, and a vehicle with 100,000 miles on the odometer was overdue at the junkyard.  Today is very different all the way around.  The average transaction price is hovering around $50,000 with monthly payments and payment plans extending well into the future.  Is this the edge of vehicle affordability?