Detroit: Suddenly, Small Is Beautiful

[Amused]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus


85-90% of the people I see in fullsize SUVs are driving around by themselves. That's a waste of space and resources. Clearly many people don't NEED these vehicles, if they did then the used car lots wouldn't be full of them now would they? I was merely stating a fact.

This makes me laugh.

Say a large family buys an SUV as one of their primary cars. Even when regularly used for it's capacity, it will be driven by a single driver better than 60% of the time.

Return trips from dropping the kids off, rides to work and back and Errands make up better than 60% of it's use. Mor like 70%.

Does that mean they need it any less? Of course not. They still have 5 kids and a boat to haul around. Just because you happen to see them when they aren't doing to you ignorantly jump to conclusions.

Gladys Kravitz, folks. That's all it's about here.

Walk by any used car lot and tell me what you see there. Then go look at the big 3's sales numbers for September and tell me what conclusions you can draw from that. It's pretty clear to me. Many people have decided that they don't need a fullsize SUV. If they did they'd be buying them or keeping the ones they already have. I don't know about you but that's pretty much the only conclusion I can draw from this recent trend.

Clearly, many people don't NEED them. That's all I'm saying. Want and need are two completely different things and I think most people who drive fullsize SUVs are driving them out of want and not need.

Who the fvck is gladys krackzitz anyway?

Many people don't NEED a car at all. But it sure is nice. Just because SUV sales are down doesn't mean the people who would have previously considered them wouldn't have made good use of them.

Hell, we don't NEED 90% of the crap we have. But most of it sure is convenient.

In fact, I bet you waste far more energy on crap you don't need, than a person wastes driving an SUV vs a fullsize car.

Never watched Bewitched, huh? Gladys Kravitz was their busybody neighbor.

I don't see that the two are comparable quite frankly. I know a guy who used to drive from Garden Grove to Carlsbad every day in a Suburban. He has a wife and 2 kids and spent 90% of his time hauling nothing but himself around in that thing spending $150/week in gas. Now it would probably cost him $200/week or $800 a month!!! That's a lot of money to be throwing away just for the "convenience" of driving a suburban...whatever that means. :roll:

My point is that people who REALLY NEED a vehicle like that will keep them but those who just wanted it are discovering that the trade off isn't worth the "convenience" and they are switching to smaller more economical cars. I'm happy about that. I don't know why you people defend the SUV and the "right to drive" whatever the hell you want attitude like cheap gasoline is a god given right as an American.

Fine then. I think Internet service should be $500 a month because that will weed out the people who really NEED it verses those who just find it convenient.

Funny how that argument only works for you when it comes to luxuries you don't "approve" of, isn't it?

A luxury or convenience is just that, and you use plenty yourself.

Why on earth would rising gasoline prices and people switching to smaller vehicles make you "happy?" Why would you care?

And yes, the two are very comparable. You waste a LOT of energy on heating and cooling, and all your various gadgets that you do not NEED, but are convenient for you.

Yet, instead of worrying about yourself, you're too busy worrying about what other people are doing.

Why do I defend the right for others to drive large vehicles? Why not? They aren't bothering me. I'm not some busybody elitist who feels the need to dictate how other people spend their money.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Amused
Why do I defend the right for others to drive large vehicles? Why not? They aren't bothering me. I'm not some busybody elitist who feels the need to dictate how other people spend their money.

I am not a busy body elitist. You have me all wrong brother!

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Yeah, but unless you have 4 or more kids you really don't need a fullsize SUV.

I welcome the small car trend! Die SUVs!!! DIE!!!

Is that like saying unless you're running from the cops or need to get to a hospital, you really don't need a sports car ?

Damn those people for buying them !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why are we arguing need yet again ?

 

[Ktulu]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Yeah, but unless you have 4 or more kids you really don't need a fullsize SUV.

I welcome the small car trend! Die SUVs!!! DIE!!!

Is that like saying unless you're running from the cops or need to get to a hospital, you really don't need a sports car ?

Damn those people for buying them !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why are we arguing need yet again ?

Arguing about the need of a car is stupid since public transportation should suit most just fine, people just refuse to use it.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Yeah, but unless you have 4 or more kids you really don't need a fullsize SUV.

I welcome the small car trend! Die SUVs!!! DIE!!!

Is that like saying unless you're running from the cops or need to get to a hospital, you really don't need a sports car ?

Damn those people for buying them !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why are we arguing need yet again ?

Look, I wasn't trying to tell people what they should or shouldn't buy with their money when I said that. I was really trying to point out that there are many people who are abandoning their gas guzzling SUVs for smaller more economical cars (which was the point of the article). Obviously, these people decided that they didn't really need a fullsize SUV. I was merely stating that I'm happy about that trend. I'm happy about it for purely selfish reasons.

I'm happy about it because I drive a smaller car and don't relish the thought of some soccer Mom plowing into my car because she's yaking on the cell phone and trying to keep her 2.5 kids from fighting with each other. I am also happy about it because I am a cyclist and I ride on the same roads with these vehicles every other day or so and I don't want to breathe the pollution spewing out of the tailpipes of these vehicles.

Gas prices are high now and people are changing their preferences because of that. Why it bothers you that I'm happy about it is a mystery to me.

 

[archcommus]

To me, the exterior look of my car is more important than it's fun factor to drive, and I think large cars just have a much nicer presense both on the road and sitting somewhere parked than small cars do. Thus, I love large cars, even if I rarely have passengers. If I could afford it I'd probably always buys a relatively big sedan.

 

[Ornery]

"...fresh crop of little cars is making small cool again."

"...smart designs and youthful, edgy marketing."

"Now the push is on to add splashy styling and make downsized cars roomier and more fun to drive."


Is Apple marketing cars now? I'm losing my dinner here... :disgust:

 

[Overkiller]

H2's , H3's, and how can we forget,

ESCALADES/Lexus/FX's/etc sure are common sights off-roading...right.

Not to forget about lifted trucks, or Dualie trucks with SPINNAS or CHROME WHEELS.

Give me a friggen break. Mom does not NEED an EXCURSION XLT SPECIAL EDITION that is 2 times my vehicles length and twice its width for a commute down a major highway every morning...i see the same one every morning on the way to the office.

The MAJORITY of SUV buyers ARE WOMEN who feel SAFER in their vehicles due to their SIZE. They know and quickly reqlized that if they get into an accident they will DESTROY the other vehicle hence = safety.

Go read up on the SUV demographic and how it has been exploited by the car companies.


For those that use SUv's / Trucks for work, do a lot of lifting/carrying/towing with it. Good for you; carry on. But for commuting on the highway every day...give me a break. Those people need to be shot. I dont know about your area but " SUV/car accident. Car driver DEAD. SUV owner was on cell phone when swerved into oncoming lane" is a common sight around here.

 

[Overkiller]

The entire problem is that the SUV generation and low gas prices of about 5 years ago essentially has kept us in a state of limbo.

Why do our vehicles nowadays have less MPG than vehicles of 20 years ago? There has been almost no effort until very recently to propel hybrid & better environmental engineering forward.

Also, the methods (READ: HYDROGEN) going about tackling the oil/natural resource problem is idiotic at best. Hydrogen vehicles will actually use just as much, if not more, fossil fuels as current vehicles do now. INstead of you seeing it on the car level it will be at the factory level. But i digress; everyone can spend their money as they wish...

until one of them will decapitate me with their 8" lifted Escalade that lost control and a spinna flew through the air

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Overkiller[/i
For those that use SUv's / Trucks for work, do a lot of lifting/carrying/towing with it. Good for you; carry on. But for commuting on the highway every day...give me a break. Those people need to be shot. I dont know about your area but " SUV/car accident. Car driver DEAD. SUV owner was on cell phone when swerved into oncoming lane" is a common sight around here.

My Jeep has never towed anything, but it gets a lot of groceries. It's a daily driver, gets less than 12MPG, and is lifted

Oh yeah, I haven't filled up in 3 weeks

 

[holden j caufield]

Originally posted by: ThaPerculator
Small economy rides suck. Chrysler should look at it's tremendous success with the 300 and run with radically designed cars with fuction/form/luxury & economy.

Actually, you know what.. screw you guys... buy your small civics and scions and I'll take my American sled anyday of the week. You gotta love it when you can be driving luxury-style with a packed car, everyone comfy, great sound system, responsive handling, great safety features and still be able to smoke all of the idiot ricer kids in a race. That's where it's at.

uh cuz you have a small penis? Even girls around here laugh at guys in the big lifted trucks. oh and the 300 is a freakin designed like a box, if you can't see it you're blind and probably think a Honda Element is stylish. I see the 300s around here with these extra large wheels, even the wanna be gangstas are driving them and those guys have zero taste. I mean they drive around in these like 70's Oldsmobiles with wheels that are extra wide and protrude, weird old caddilacs and now the Chrys 300. bleh at least it's got some HP going for it

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: mugs
I suppose there are some, just like there are people who dislike BMWs (although those same people don't seem to hate Lexus or Mercedes or Infiniti, so maybe they're right and BMW drivers do tend to be pricks ).

It's true, every word...
<--used to drive a BMW

In my opinion, since this is after all America and the used-car market is flooded, this is a great time to get a small car for daily driving (I think they're more fun to drive, and they're a lot cheaper), and then buy that used SUV at rock-bottom prices if you need to haul stuff or fit the whole family. Economical and not as wasteful.

I understand that modern life is always "needlessly wasteful." I just don't want to cross the line into "appallingly wasteful". For example, sometimes I can't finish my meal, but I don't always order five times what I can eat and throw away the rest. Similarly, I see nothing wrong with driving an SUV every once in a while--going off-roading for fun, taking a trip with the family, going boating--but I don't see the point of using one for a daily driver. They suck to drive and suck even worse to park! So, get two cars...a second car can be very cheap if bought used, is always available if you need the towing capacity, and consumes no fuel when parked.

Then again, for those of you who always insist on buying everything brand-new, I can see how it would be expensive...
I love buying used.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Yeah, but unless you have 4 or more kids you really don't need a fullsize SUV.

I welcome the small car trend! Die SUVs!!! DIE!!!

Is that like saying unless you're running from the cops or need to get to a hospital, you really don't need a sports car ?

Damn those people for buying them !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why are we arguing need yet again ?

Look, I wasn't trying to tell people what they should or shouldn't buy with their money when I said that. I was really trying to point out that there are many people who are abandoning their gas guzzling SUVs for smaller more economical cars (which was the point of the article). Obviously, these people decided that they didn't really need a fullsize SUV. I was merely stating that I'm happy about that trend. I'm happy about it for purely selfish reasons.

I'm happy about it because I drive a smaller car and don't relish the thought of some soccer Mom plowing into my car because she's yaking on the cell phone and trying to keep her 2.5 kids from fighting with each other. I am also happy about it because I am a cyclist and I ride on the same roads with these vehicles every other day or so and I don't want to breathe the pollution spewing out of the tailpipes of these vehicles.

Gas prices are high now and people are changing their preferences because of that. Why it bothers you that I'm happy about it is a mystery to me.

Well if you're willing to admit you're being selfish about it then I have nothing further.

 

[MustangSVT]

Jazz is coming

and civics are costing 20k..

 

[randomlinh]

i've always liked smaller cars. hence the mazda3 for me, i'm in that 45% would have been a cooper s if 1) it didn't take premium.. and 2) if i wasn't so lazy, as i'd have to find a used one. I think insurance may have been a bit more too... sorta regretting it.