| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/14/2008 7:56:34 PM |
What kind of mileage did the old station wagons get? I didn't have a litter of kids so I don't know.
Station wagons were usually a bit heavier than the sedans they were based on, and often came with larger engines and heavier suspensions, because until about 20-25 years ago, they were the trailer-towing vehicle of choice. It's hard to compare mileage stats between a present-day SUV and a 20-30 year old station wagon, but I seem to recall they had about a 5-10% fuel economy penalty over a comparably equipped sedan from the same model series because of the added weight.
The last GM full-size station wagons were discontinued in 1996, as GM decided to build more profitable SUVs instead, but they still command a premium price on the used car market. | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/14/2008 8:18:34 PM | | for those of us in the dj business we rely on suvs for our sound equipment, i mean i can load 4 speakers, my power unit and all related stuff and 2 people in the backseat and get 21mpg with a 4.0 5 spd | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/20/2008 11:50:06 AM | | ....Ottawa Chicklet...Alcoholism and drug abuse is often spurred by trauma and depression, its a reaction to unbearable feelings and pain, not simply because a person makes "bad decisions" or is simply impulsive...That simplifies a pretty complicated situation...Get rid of child abuse, teach people tolerance for frustration and how to manage their emotions, get their needs met in healthy ways, and teach people how to communicate with each other and parent children and treat each other with respect, THEN we will have less alcohol and drug abuse..Alot of people really miss the boat on this | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/20/2008 2:35:51 PM |
"....Ottawa Chicklet...Alcoholism and drug abuse is often spurred by trauma and depression, its a reaction to unbearable feelings and pain, not simply because a person makes "bad decisions" or is simply impulsive..."
????
This has to do with the "big SUV" thread because...? | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/20/2008 2:45:24 PM |
I really hope the fuel crisis in American brings an end to huge SUVs. Meeting a gentleman years ago who owned a Escalade or Explorer--I don't know, some beast with a running board to launch into it--I stated, "this thing is just a penis extension". "Yes, it is", he said.
So there we go. The "hats & horns" parties are over in America
Not quite clear if it's the gas consumption that bothers you or the propensity of men to don penis extenders.
Mini - van owner. | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/20/2008 3:20:43 PM | For alot of people it's just envy,others shouldn't have what they themselves acannot afford,it's not....."fair" | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/20/2008 3:53:15 PM | 
I have an SUV and a pick-up.
I need both of them for my work.
I keep both tuned up and the mileage is not bad.
The pick-up I use when we demo houses/buildings and with the hauling and transporting wood/blocks/bricks and other things off the property.
Besides I keep my tools in it.
The SUV has three seats and I have 5 grandchildren or more to transport.
Besides my mom and her being comfortable.
And I use it for my other jobs........and recreation.
All my camping equipment will fit into it and I still have room.
I'm starting a farm.......I do have a victory garden.
I understand gas is expensive.........however I will not let society dictate to me as to what I drive.
I buy my gas and I choose what I drive.
Funny how it's the liberals/greenness, type people who start the name calling, to those who don't conform to their way of thinking.
I live in the country and there is no public transportation.
Not everyone can bike to work or to the grocery.
Not everyone works in an office.
I did happen to check out one of the hybrids and the Tahoe, which gets 21 to 22 miles per gallon (hwy driving); to the tune of $51,500.
My Expedition gets more than that.
In those tiny little cars, how many people survive a serious crash?
There's nothing hardly left of them.
I do not plan on driving one of those roller skates......
Those Titian trucks are very good looking and gutsy.
If I change my mode of transportation it would be a wagon and horse.
ceeceekitty | |
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jdb57
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Joined: 6/20/2007
Msg: 83 | |
| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/20/2008 8:13:46 PM | These idiots driving Hummers around when they first came out made me disgusted because it was the very epitome of why other countries hate Americans. Are these people Are these people using their Hummers off road? No. Are they utilizing the big space by hauling big equipment? Rarely. Are they just joy riding? YES!
My disgust has slowly turned into laughter as the gas prices have been creeping up more and more. I predict that 20 years from now the government will have strict limitations on who can own large vehicles such as that and we will be seeing far less of them on the roads. | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/20/2008 10:26:35 PM | The roomiest vehicle I've driven in the past 20 years was my 1985 Nissan Sentra 2-door sedan, although admittedly, I had to slide the seat back all the way (I'm 6'3" and, um, "over 250" lbs), effectively making it a 2- or 3-seater. Also great on gas, 1200cc 4-banger with 5-speed stick, 40 mpg highway consistently, even with 135,000 miles on the clock; if it hadn't disintegrated due to rust, and I hadn't gotten a great deal on another (sadly, less-efficient) car, I'd still be driving it. It suited my needs for commuting to work.
Think SUVs are safer? 60% of fatalities in SUV crashes involve rollovers, vs 22% in sedans.
A fellow I knew personally was "thrown clear" of his boat-hauling Suburban because he didn't believe he needed a seat belt ("Suburbans are so much safer"); he was crushed when the vehicle rolled over him.
They do make "large lightweight" vehicles for hauling- they call them "minivans," I have one in the driveway.
We need to convince GM to make a minivan-based, 30 mpg pickup, for hauling those sheets of plywood, they don't quite fit in the Trans Sport... | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/21/2008 3:30:10 AM | | jdb57,why are you so resentful of people making their own choices in life and crave government control so much...who knows..they may even control you some day. | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/21/2008 6:26:45 AM |
jdb57,why are you so resentful of people making their own choices in life and crave government control so much...who knows..they may even control you some day.
How often must this be reiterated in this thread? Those who drive gas-guzzling cars are part of the problem when it comes to the high gas prices we're experiencing right now. | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/21/2008 6:35:28 AM | I used to drive a Montero SUV. But I used it for hauling a trailor, moving and camping. Yes, it was a 4x4. But I live in a semi-rural area near mountains and desert. When I go camping I need that capability.
What really gets me are those that buy the large vehicles and then don't let a single drop of mud get on them. You've seen some of them with Huge rims and skinny tires. You know full well that that vehicle will never see dirt. Disgusting!!!
Funny thing was, a client of mine was giving me crap about my SUV one day. She drove a Mercedes. I had to politely remind her that her car, yes her CAR, was just as heavy as my truck and had a larger engine. All she hauled around were clients. At least my car had a function that it was used for.
SO...
Don't just get mad at SUV people that never really need an SUV. There are plenty of CARS out there that are as bad as an SUV. | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/21/2008 10:52:42 AM | "This has to do with the SUV thread because..?"
Agreed but that needed to be pointed out since it was used as an example as someone simply having poor decision making regarding the mentality of the culture today...The problem is much more complicated than that...Rather its often about trauma and people never having their needs met rather than having too many needs met...The opposite of what was inferred.....Too many people are ignorant about substance abuse and the origins of it...That makes my job alot harder because of that | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/21/2008 10:56:51 AM | | If ceeceekitty lived in a country with superior public transportation, she might not need that SUV....Millions of English, French, European farmers and ranchers and independent workers live in the countryside miles away from any city yet maintain thriving businesses just fine without the use of any gas guzzling SUV....They also live in countries where the public transportion is much better than the USA and the greater good is considered more important that isolated, individual needs....Wish more people would vote proactively on demanding superior public transportation in their states rather than just assume an SUV is the answer to their long distance commute to cities....Why make the automobile manufacterers even richer while they pay those auto workers a sorry pittance for their labors?...Meanwhile the air gets dirtier with bigger cars on the road and more of them, suburban sprawl pushes native animals and plants out their homes,we have less green space and trees, and roads get more clogged with more road rage......Some "high quality" of life that is...A very high price to pay in order for some invididuals to get their own way | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/21/2008 11:11:14 AM | Many wealthy people don't concern themselves with the price of Gas!
They have company credit cards or expense it through their businesses.
Even at $4.00/litre it would still be chicken shit to them!
So maybe these land yachts will become even more prestigious!
There won't be as many built. Maybe only the high end ones to
cater to this market. | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/21/2008 12:31:49 PM | If ceeceekitty lived in a country with superior public transportation, she might not need that SUV....Millions of English, French, European farmers and ranchers and independent workers live in the countryside miles away from any city yet maintain thriving businesses just fine without the use of any gas guzzling SUV....They also live in countries where the public transportion is much better than the USA and the greater good is considered more important that isolated, individual needs....Wish more people would vote proactively on demanding superior public transportation in their states rather than just assume an SUV is the answer to their long distance commute to cities....Why make the automobile manufacterers even richer while they pay those auto workers a sorry pittance for their labors?...Meanwhile the air gets dirtier with bigger cars on the road and more of them, suburban sprawl pushes native animals and plants out their homes,we have less green space and trees, and roads get more clogged with more road rage......Some "high quality" of life that is...A very high price to pay in order for some invididuals to get their own way
capegardengirl,
The lifestyles of the people in those countries that you have mentioned are different than the American lifestyle. For example......in those countries there are a LOT less camper trailers or boats that are pulled with SUVs and pickup trucks. I use to have a little Nissan truck. It got 35 miles to the gallon when I pulled my boat. That is until I blew up the engine. Too much stress from pulling a boat.
Also, many people in other states don't have this problem. In California there is so much added to our gas that the gas milage is reduced by at least 25%...at least in my trucks case. It's a Chevy 1500 with a 350 in it. I use to get 25 miles to the gallon in it with a load in the bed and pulling my boat.
As I said in an earlier post, I don't have an SUV but there really isn't much difference between a pick up and an SUV. They are built on the same chasis with the same motor and trany for the most part.
As long as people have boats and trailers and the desire to spend their free time outdoors there will always be the need for the SUV.
If you don't like it.....take the bus.
I enjoy fishing...I need to tow my boat to get to the lake. And trust me.......if I don't get to go fishing, I would not be a very nice person.
I do agree that some people don't need a big car like an SUV. However, you should not deprive the people that do need them of owning one just because you don't like them.
If I had my choice........I would have my truck and a smaller car. However......would I really be saving anything? | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/21/2008 12:45:45 PM | Not as long as there are soccer moms and guys with small penises and big bank accounts. I don't see Tony Soprano trading in his Escalade for a Prius anytime soon.  | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/21/2008 1:02:18 PM |
I, for one, would be happy to see them off the roads. I don't have any stats to back me up, but I would venture to guess that the percentage of traffic accidents would go down with less big vehicules on the road. The size of the vehicle is not responsible for accidents, but rather the incompetence of the individual driving it. | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/21/2008 1:14:23 PM | Yes, if we had public transportation I would certainly use it during my off time.
Couldn't do any of my jobs but one if I could take public transportation.
Don't think there would be room on the bus when I left the stock barn or being able to demolish a building..........
And renting a cattle mover from Co op is more expensive than the gas it takes to get to and from the stock barn (17 miles round trip).
Not counting the gas to get to the Co op (10 miles one way).
I don't have a lot of "free" driving time.
I do estimates, mapped out, on my way to or from a different job site.
I also make lists of what I need, so when I am in town, I pick up and do as many errands as possible.
And no extra trips..........
Since gas has gotten so expensive my neighbors and I always call to see if there's something that someone needs while we're in town.
I call from the shop on the two days I'm there or I get called since the neighborhood knows I'm there or call my cell.
One of my son-in-laws................. got behind the wheel and said how smooth and nice the SUV was to drive..........I looked and he was going over 80 MPH.
Since I was sitting in the back seat, a good whack in the back of his huge head, did the trick.
He has a mini van and now he hates it after driving my truck.
 I have never cared for mini vans.......they are not tuff enough.
Both my vehicles are v-8's.
If I have to take off fast, for what ever reason, I want it too move out.
I have been known to hot rod the truck in the past, or on occasion, just to blow the coal out of it.
Love the 351 Cleveland engine............have one that's got less than 5000 miles on it. Looking for something to drop it into.........
Anybody ever thought about making their own fuel?
There are two brothers, in a near town, who are doing exactly that.
ceeceekitty | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/21/2008 1:42:42 PM | | bassman...Europeans are often the biggest supporters of being outdoors and nature....Their environmental laws are often far more progressive than in the USA..They hike and camp and boat and fish often more than Americans do and they have been doing it CENTURIES before any Americans have...Many American buys SUVs yet never set foot hiking or camping or boating...I believe that "lifestyle choice" has more to do with Americans being entitled and spoiled and selfish and ignorant and looking out for "me" rather than any true lifestyle difference...My comments were to make people think about that and the bigger picture here, not to deprive them of their "rights".. | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/21/2008 2:02:47 PM | Europeans are often the biggest supporters of being outdoors and nature....Their environmental laws are often far more progressive than in the USA..They hike and camp and boat and fish often more than Americans
capegarden,
This is very wrong. 80% of the worlds outdoor sportspeople are Americans. I don't have any stats on public land but I would be willing to bet that America has a LOT more land availible for sportsmen to play on than any European country. As far as being progressive.....most of those countries wiped out most of there wild game so long ago that only the rich people in those countries can go fishing or hunting.
Are American spoiled? Sure they are. Selfish? Some are. But I hardly think that owning a SUV for the purpose of enjoy hunting or fishing is being selfish. Some people relax through playing soccor. Others relax through fishing, hunting and camping. What the people that expect others to give up SUVs are saying is since they don't have a need for one than no one does.
Heck, I don't need a skate board..........but I don't expect anyone to give theirs up. Also for many.......fishing or hunting isn't just a choice. For many of us it's a way to stay mentaly healthy. For those the SUV is just a tool. If they didn't have an SUV they would still have a big truck are Van of some sort that burns just as much gas.
As I said before......the small truck or cars won't work for what we need. | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/21/2008 2:13:00 PM | | Ottwa,suv's are a problem for those who wish they could affaord them but can't ...they have nothing to do with gas prices. | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/21/2008 2:36:46 PM |
The size of the vehicle is not responsible for accidents, but rather the incompetence of the individual driving it.
Is this convincing enough, or do you want more?
Sports Utility Vehicle Accident Statistics
Sports utility vehicle accident statistics provide very valuable information to consumers who are concerned about the safety of SUV vehicles. Sports utility vehicle accident statistics are provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which is responsible for testing the safety of SUVs and enforcing applicable laws and safety regulations. In order to put sports utility vehicle accident statistics into context, it may be beneficial to understand some general transportation accident statistics.
Motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death and disability for people aged five to twenty seven in the United States. Ninety-nine percent of all transportation injuries are the result of motor vehicle accidents. Despite this high percentage, the Department of Transportation only allocates one percent of its resources to traffic safety.
Sports utility vehicle accident statistics are also better understood when looking at recent SUV purchasing trends. One of every four automobiles sold in the United States is a sports utility vehicle. Every SUV purchase produces $15,000 in revenue for the vehicle''s maker. With high consumer demand and lucrative sales potential, the makers of SUVs have been accused of allowing safety to take the back seat when it comes to the design and production of their products.
Sports utility vehicle accident statistics show that SUVs are three times more likely to rollover in a single vehicle accident than any other car on the road. Of all vehicle accidents, rollover crashes are among the most fatal. Sports utility vehicle accident statistics comprise only three percent of the total number of accidents, yet three times that number of SUVs is involved in fatal rollover accidents. Sixty three percent of all SUV deaths and 46 percent of all SUV injuries are the result of rollover every year.
In 2003, sports utility vehicle accident statistics indicated that 4,451 people died in SUV accidents. This is an eleven percent increase from 2002. The increase in these sports utility vehicle accident statistics is alarming because the dangers of SUV rollover have been known for decades, yet SUV manufacturers have taken no effective steps to make their products safe for consumer use.
The government and other consumer advocacy groups have made numerous efforts to prompt an increase in SUV safety. Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group, has exposed sports utility vehicle accident statistics urging lawmakers and vehicle manufacturers to mandate and supply safer automobiles. In 2000, the federal government began a program that evaluates SUV rollover safety ratings as part of the New Car Assessment Program.
Sports utility vehicle accident statistics and government ratings indicate which SUVs on the market are safest and most dangerous (in terms of rollover). When consumers are armed with SUV safety information and sports utility vehicle accident statistics, they are better equipped to choose a safer vehicle and more apt to demand that vehicle manufacturers make changes in SUV design in order to make a safer vehicle.
http://www.onlinelawyersource.com/suv/accident-statistics.html | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/21/2008 2:42:28 PM |
Ottwa,suv's are a problem for those who wish they could affaord them but can't ...they have nothing to do with gas prices.
Huh? I don't know what to say here. If you don't understand the concept of supply and demand, then I can see why you don't understand my point. It's simple... the more gas we use, the more we're going to pay. At the rate it's going, we will have no choice but to change our habits since oil is finite. If you want an example of that, take a look at Europe as a model. We could probably count the number of SUVs there on one hand. ;-) | |
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| Are big SUV dying their last gasp?
Posted: 5/21/2008 2:43:11 PM | How often must this be reiterated in this thread? Those who drive gas-guzzling cars are part of the problem when it comes to the high gas prices we're experiencing right now.
Alrighty then. So you must be all in favor of the government tracking your odometer mileage, evaluating how much of a "problem" you are, and taxing you on the conclusions that they find about you because it's the total amount of consumption that we're talking about and where all this is leading to.
I drive 35 miles a week. Are you "less of a problem" than me?
(do you think the OP read my post at # 80?). | |
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