What if you'd held CAR?
A $1,000 investment in Avis Budget Group, Inc. (CAR) at the month-end close of 1983-09 would be worth $109,404 at the close of 2026-08 — +10840.4% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $46,414.
Your scenario
Result
If you'd bought $1,000 at the start of each year
Value of $1,000 invested on January 1 of each year, held to 2026-08, dividends included.
Every year, $1,000 from 1983
| Year | Value of $1,000 | Year return |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | $1,000 | — |
| 1984 | $1,020 | +2.0% |
| 1985 | $1,304 | +27.9% |
| 1986 | $1,260 | -3.4% |
| 1987 | $1,755 | +39.3% |
| 1988 | $1,575 | -10.3% |
| 1989 | $1,747 | +10.9% |
| 1990 | $2,680 | +53.4% |
| 1991 | $5,602 | +109.0% |
| 1992 | $7,861 | +40.3% |
| 1993 | $14,638 | +86.2% |
| 1994 | $13,520 | -7.6% |
| 1995 | $20,814 | +53.9% |
| 1996 | $22,187 | +6.6% |
| 1997 | $31,450 | +41.8% |
| 1998 | $17,669 | -43.8% |
| 1999 | $24,302 | +37.5% |
| 2000 | $8,806 | -63.8% |
| 2001 | $17,941 | +103.7% |
| 2002 | $9,588 | -46.6% |
| 2003 | $20,375 | +112.5% |
| 2004 | $21,703 | +6.5% |
| 2005 | $17,118 | -21.1% |
| 2006 | $13,549 | -20.9% |
| 2007 | $8,120 | -40.1% |
| 2008 | $437 | -94.6% |
| 2009 | $8,195 | +1774.4% |
| 2010 | $9,720 | +18.6% |
| 2011 | $6,696 | -31.1% |
| 2012 | $12,381 | +84.9% |
| 2013 | $25,249 | +103.9% |
| 2014 | $41,434 | +64.1% |
| 2015 | $22,669 | -45.3% |
| 2016 | $22,913 | +1.1% |
| 2017 | $27,410 | +19.6% |
| 2018 | $14,042 | -48.8% |
| 2019 | $20,139 | +43.4% |
| 2020 | $23,300 | +15.7% |
| 2021 | $129,536 | +456.0% |
| 2022 | $102,400 | -20.9% |
| 2023 | $116,542 | +13.8% |
| 2024 | $52,998 | -54.5% |
| 2025 | $84,366 | +59.2% |
| 2026 | $93,005 | +10.2% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought CAR was 2009-02 ($0.38): $1,000 then is $372,263 today. The worst was 2021-11 ($261): $1,000 then is $542.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in CAR be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in Avis Budget Group, Inc. (CAR) at the start of 1983 would be worth about $109,404 today, a total return of +10840.4%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for CAR?
Avis Budget Group, Inc. (CAR)'s strongest calendar year since 1983 was 2009, a +1774.4% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $18,744 by year-end. Its weakest year was 2008, at -94.6%.
Does the calculator include dividends and splits?
Yes where available. Prices are adjusted for both stock splits and reinvested dividends (total return), the same measure brokerages use.
How much would $100 per month in CAR have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 1983-09 would have grown to about $1.01M on $51,600 invested.
Did CAR beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $46,414. CAR beat the S&P 500 by +135.7% in total return.
Is this investment advice?
No. Wall Street Regrets is an entertainment and education tool. Every number is a historical calculation, not a prediction, and past performance never guarantees future results.
Methodology
Avis Budget Group, Inc. (CAR) historical total-return data from 1983-09 to 2026-08, reduced to month-end closes for the tables above.
Returns use adjusted close prices from Yahoo Finance historical data — adjusted for stock splits and reinvested dividends — the same convention used by major brokerages. A "year" scenario invests $1,000 at the prior December's month-end close and values it at the latest available month-end close. Non-USD amounts are converted at historical month-end exchange rates (Yahoo Finance): to USD on the buy date and back to your currency at the latest rate, so the return reflects the currency move as well as the asset.
Month-end resolution means intra-month extremes are not captured in tables; the calculator uses exact trading-day closes where daily data is available. Figures ignore taxes, fees, and the currency effects of non-USD listings. History is not a forecast. Wall Street Regrets is entertainment, not investment advice.
What if you'd held…
Data: adjusted close prices via Yahoo Finance. As of 2026-08. Not financial advice.