My first real job paid $ 2.50/hr in '73 or a hundred a week. I paid my parents room and board $ 20.00 per week. I was responsible for my clothes, meals away from home and the care and feeding of my '62 Impala SS 327/250 4 speed. Thankfully it got around 18mpg on highway trips thanks to a 3.08...
For '58 I think GM was top of the heap with Chevrolet and Pontiac. The rest of the General's line-up, not so much. Ford was a real dog and the only looker Chrysler had was the big Chryslers themselves.
My opinion only, yours may differ.
Wow. I grew up in Rochelle Park until I was 7 years old and my Dad came home from work one day and told my Mom to pack up the 4 of us kids, we're moving South. His big beef was how excruciating his daily work commute had become.