Gas Prices -- What would it take to get you out of your SUV?

[Exterous]

Good mileage vehicle + cheap pickup seems more like what you need then. You might not be able to do that for various reasons though.

Pretty much - which is why we do the SUV/civic combo

I decided against a pickup because of snow/weather considerations (yes I know I can add weight) and passenger considerations (extended cab wont fit in my garage)

 

[thegimp03]

I'm still driving the same V8 SUV I was driving 4 years ago when this thread was made. My parents gave it to me, it doesn't have any problems, and maintenance is cheap, so it's hard to rationalize getting rid of it at this point and getting a new car. It's a 2001 with 110k miles on it and gas mileage has always been horrible on it. I know the next car I get will be a sedan or coupe of some kind, but I don't think it will be a hybrid. Even something that gets 25 mpg would be significantly better than what I'm use to.

 

[chin311]

I've never driven an SUV, worst mileage i ever got was about 8 years ago when I drove a F150. Since then everything I've owned has gotten at least 22mpg or so. My current car gets about 23 city and 28 hwy. It takes premium so that sucks but I figure this will be my last car with any sort of performance, after this its going to be city transit when I move or a cheap 4 cylinder/hybrid.

 

[JSt0rm]

I drive a volvo sedan like a good liberal.

 

[Throckmorton]

I drive a Jeep Cherokee that gets 16mpg and gas was $4.49 the last time I filled up. Back when gas was cheap I had a Miata for commuting, but I sold it when I moved to Hawaii because the Jeep is more practical. I can't afford to trade it for a car with unknown maintenance history and problems, nor would I want to.
My commute is only 10 miles each way though.

When I first moved here I was walking to work, which is ideal, but I couldn't afford the high rent so I had to move to the other side of the island. And that BTW is what pisses me off about the command and control mentality that assumes everyone can and should live close to work. It's not possible in the real world.

 

[werepossum]

I drive a Jeep Cherokee that gets 16mpg and gas was $4.49 the last time I filled up. Back when gas was cheap I had a Miata for commuting, but I sold it when I moved to Hawaii because the Jeep is more practical. I can't afford to trade it for a car with unknown maintenance history and problems, nor would I want to.
My commute is only 10 miles each way though.

This shows the fallacy of looking only at mileage figures. A large number of rich liberals make a fetish of owning the Prius, but also travel great distances by jets - often private jets - as well as logging miles in limos and maintaining multiple extravagant residences. Lots of people make a big deal of their mileage yet consume much more than others driving SUVs.

Personally I'd love to have a Jeep, just couldn't accept something so small with such sucky mileage. I've actually gone down in gas mileage though. When we replaced our '85 Nissan pickup with a new Ranger in 2004, we went from around 28 mpg to 19/22 mpg. Luckily that's the wife's ride and it's driven only 4,000 - 5,000 miles per year. When I replaced my '97 Tracker 4X4 convertible with my 2003 Tracker 4X4 convertible, I went from 30 - 32 mpg to 26 mpg, which is truly horrible for a tiny four cylinder, four passenger vehicle. Thankfully my Ninja gets 45 - 48 mpg.

 

[Throckmorton]

BTW I think SUVs should be able to get much better city mileage because aero doesn't matter much-- yet they don't. Why is that? My Jeep weighs 3180lb according to my shipping documentation, a little more than a hatchback Ford Focus and less than a Focus wagon. Yet it gets half the city mileage, even without big tires. Surely the 4.0L I6 can't be that bad an engine. Yes it's big, but RPMs are also much lower than a little 4 cylinder.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Back when gas was cheap I had a Miata for commuting, but I sold it when I moved to Hawaii because the Jeep is more practical.

It's Hawaii! Why would you want to sell the convertible and give up fun in the sun like that? I drove around Maui for a week a couple years back in a Sebring convertible and loved it. Couldn't you have taken them both? I'm sure having to give up the Miata must have sucked.

 

[Zebo]

More expensive it gets more I can afford it. O&G is my main investment not stock market which I dont even understand and lose most of the time.

I drive a F350 (8000lbs) and a towncar (5500lbs) both get over 20MPG tho.

You think cars are bad? Try boats. My pontoon boat gets about 3MPG

 

[ericlp]

I drive a Jeep Cherokee that gets 16mpg and gas was $4.49 the last time I filled up. Back when gas was cheap I had a Miata for commuting, but I sold it when I moved to Hawaii because the Jeep is more practical. I can't afford to trade it for a car with unknown maintenance history and problems, nor would I want to.
My commute is only 10 miles each way though.

When I first moved here I was walking to work, which is ideal, but I couldn't afford the high rent so I had to move to the other side of the island. And that BTW is what pisses me off about the command and control mentality that assumes everyone can and should live close to work. It's not possible in the real world.

Shit dude, ever hear of a 50CC scooter? Fucking things get 144MPG!!! :whiste:

Hawaii is IDEAL for scooter .. Weather wise. It never freezes and can ride year around PLUS!!! You don't even need insurance or a motor cycle license for it! WHAT a frigen deal!

CRY CRY CRY!!! 10 miles on a scooter??? That is ported out to 72CC and has a new third party exhaust will go 50 easy. And still get over 100MPG easy.

Can do a whole week for a gallon of gas! Sheesh, and no registration, no safety, no insurance. NO BRAINER! I'm sure Maui has a bus system. Big island does and it's free. Second choice if you can't ride a scooter. Wow...all I can say is WOW.... There are so many options it's unreal yet you choose to drive a POS! your choice... Deal with it...

I plan to buy a scooter when I get to the big island and will be commuting more then 10 mile to hilo from pahoa. I also plan to use passive slolar my carbon foot print is gonna be tiny compared to the mainland.

I hope gas goes up to 20 a gallon! Bring it! Maybe next year it will be pushing at least 7 a gallon. Whooohooo!

 

[blackangst1]

I agree, the problem is the gas guzzlers drive up the prices for everyone. I think they should slap a tax on vehicles that get bad mileage. The worse MPG a vehicle gets, the bigger the tax.

Just to point out the obvious...they DO pay more in taxes

 

[Zebo]

Just to point out the obvious...they DO pay more in taxes

He's wrong. conservation never slows consumtion rate. You save more, which invests more - into oil consuming stuff which everything is. And with power of fractional reserve lending world will use much much more by saving. See Jevons Paradox.

Only on individual level does conservation help you by adding more money to your savings account.

 

[werepossum]

BTW I think SUVs should be able to get much better city mileage because aero doesn't matter much-- yet they don't. Why is that? My Jeep weighs 3180lb according to my shipping documentation, a little more than a hatchback Ford Focus and less than a Focus wagon. Yet it gets half the city mileage, even without big tires. Surely the 4.0L I6 can't be that bad an engine. Yes it's big, but RPMs are also much lower than a little 4 cylinder.

SUVs are typically geared lower, are designed (& cammed & timed) to have more torque, are typically much heavier (killer for in-town mileage), and have significant losses in the two-speed transfer case. I too have wondered though why they don't get better mileage, especially small American models. Jeep four cylinders get lousy mileage too BTW; when I bought my '97 Tracker the Jeep four cylinder model was rated at 17/19 versus 15/18 for the six. My Tracker on the other hand got 30 mpg or better in any conditions as long as you didn't go 70 mph or better, as its dump truck aerodynamics hurt it a lot. I suspect that being classified as light trucks makes a lot of difference too, as for decades the government did not apply CAFE standards to light trucks. Since market forces set the price, SUV shoppers are not typically mileage sensitive, and no one is forcing manufacturers to get better mileage, they simply didn't build in the more expensive mileage boosting technology. Japanese SUVs got better mileage, and recent American models (except for Jeep) get much better as well.

 

[werepossum]

Shit dude, ever hear of a 50CC scooter? Fucking things get 144MPG!!! :whiste:

Hawaii is IDEAL for scooter .. Weather wise. It never freezes and can ride year around PLUS!!! You don't even need insurance or a motor cycle license for it! WHAT a frigen deal!

CRY CRY CRY!!! 10 miles on a scooter??? That is ported out to 72CC and has a new third party exhaust will go 50 easy. And still get over 100MPG easy.

Can do a whole week for a gallon of gas! Sheesh, and no registration, no safety, no insurance. NO BRAINER! I'm sure Maui has a bus system. Big island does and it's free. Second choice if you can't ride a scooter. Wow...all I can say is WOW.... There are so many options it's unreal yet you choose to drive a POS! your choice... Deal with it...

I plan to buy a scooter when I get to the big island and will be commuting more then 10 mile to hilo from pahoa. I also plan to use passive slolar my carbon foot print is gonna be tiny compared to the mainland.

I hope gas goes up to 20 a gallon! Bring it! Maybe next year it will be pushing at least 7 a gallon. Whooohooo!

To hell with a scooter, buy a motorcycle. A 500cc to 650cc motorcycle typically gets 45 - 50 mpg, is seriously fun, and won't prevent you from getting laid if a woman sees you riding it.

 

[blackangst1]

He's wrong. conservation never slows consumtion rate. You save more, which invests more - into oil consuming stuff which everything is. And with power of fractional reserve lending world will use much much more by saving. See Jevons Paradox.

Only on individual level does conservation help you by adding more money to your savings account.

That...has absolutely nothing to do with what I commented on. But thanks for yours

 

[Throckmorton]

It's Hawaii! Why would you want to sell the convertible and give up fun in the sun like that? I drove around Maui for a week a couple years back in a Sebring convertible and loved it. Couldn't you have taken them both? I'm sure having to give up the Miata must have sucked.

Shipping cost about $1800. The Miata was in pretty rough shape anyway. I need the Jeep for carrying capacity... buying furniture, rugs, etc. Turns out I get to use it for work too, GPSing trails.

 

[Throckmorton]

Shit dude, ever hear of a 50CC scooter? Fucking things get 144MPG!!! :whiste:

Hawaii is IDEAL for scooter .. Weather wise. It never freezes and can ride year around PLUS!!! You don't even need insurance or a motor cycle license for it! WHAT a frigen deal!

CRY CRY CRY!!! 10 miles on a scooter??? That is ported out to 72CC and has a new third party exhaust will go 50 easy. And still get over 100MPG easy.

Can do a whole week for a gallon of gas! Sheesh, and no registration, no safety, no insurance. NO BRAINER! I'm sure Maui has a bus system. Big island does and it's free. Second choice if you can't ride a scooter. Wow...all I can say is WOW.... There are so many options it's unreal yet you choose to drive a POS! your choice... Deal with it...

I plan to buy a scooter when I get to the big island and will be commuting more then 10 mile to hilo from pahoa. I also plan to use passive slolar my carbon foot print is gonna be tiny compared to the mainland.

I hope gas goes up to 20 a gallon! Bring it! Maybe next year it will be pushing at least 7 a gallon. Whooohooo!

I'm not crying about my gas mileage, I'm saying I live with it.

I don't want to ride the bus with the weirdos and bums-- I'm a germophobe. Scooters can't drive on the 45mph "highway"

 

[Zebo]

Shit dude, ever hear of a 50CC scooter? Fucking things get 144MPG!!! :whiste:

Hawaii is IDEAL for scooter .. Weather wise. It never freezes and can ride year around PLUS!!! You don't even need insurance or a motor cycle license for it! WHAT a frigen deal!

CRY CRY CRY!!! 10 miles on a scooter??? That is ported out to 72CC and has a new third party exhaust will go 50 easy. And still get over 100MPG easy.

Can do a whole week for a gallon of gas! Sheesh, and no registration, no safety, no insurance. NO BRAINER! I'm sure Maui has a bus system. Big island does and it's free. Second choice if you can't ride a scooter. Wow...all I can say is WOW.... There are so many options it's unreal yet you choose to drive a POS! your choice... Deal with it...

I plan to buy a scooter when I get to the big island and will be commuting more then 10 mile to hilo from pahoa. I also plan to use passive slolar my carbon foot print is gonna be tiny compared to the mainland.

I hope gas goes up to 20 a gallon! Bring it! Maybe next year it will be pushing at least 7 a gallon. Whooohooo!

Me too. But it will erase middle class since whole economy is a derivative of oil.

Food and everything else would skyrocket. Housing prices crash because people buy on payment with less to pay.

 

[Zebo]

That...has absolutely nothing to do with what I commented on. But thanks for yours

He said people driving gas guzzlers were driving up prices when it's just the opposite.

 

[blackangst1]

He said people driving gas guzzlers were driving up prices when it's just the opposite.

Fair enough. I was commenting on his comments about tax

 

[JS80]

I will never give up my SUV if only to piss off loliberals.

 

[Doppel]

Entirely due to limited availability.

Total 2011 production was originally supposed to be 10K but it's getting pushed to 25K due to demand.

I guess we'll find out when/if GM can ever get producing these in big numbers. I think the Volt is highly overpriced for what it offers when compared to a Prius, and I'm positive that at its current price point it will never sell well.

I will never give up my SUV if only to piss off loliberals.

They don't care as much as your wallet.

Reality is that most people who have an SUV would find better utility (larger) from a minivan and it's better on gas. The majority of any suburban SUV's miles are driving the family to school and work and the mall. Easily served in a sedan. For the few times stuff needs to be carted rent a truck, have it delivered, or a $500 trailer on a hitch. But people are in denial. Gas will eventually make them see the error in their ways.

 

[Throckmorton]

I guess we'll find out when/if GM can ever get producing these in big numbers. I think the Volt is highly overpriced for what it offers when compared to a Prius, and I'm positive that at its current price point it will never sell well.They don't care as much as your wallet.

Reality is that most people who have an SUV would find better utility (larger) from a minivan and it's better on gas. The majority of any suburban SUV's miles are driving the family to school and work and the mall. Easily served in a sedan. For the few times stuff needs to be carted rent a truck, have it delivered, or a $500 trailer on a hitch. But people are in denial. Gas will eventually make them see the error in their ways.

Minivans get terrible gas mileage. The modern minivan weighs 5000lb and has 300hp.

 

[ericlp]

To hell with a scooter, buy a motorcycle. A 500cc to 650cc motorcycle typically gets 45 - 50 mpg, is seriously fun, and won't prevent you from getting laid if a woman sees you riding it.

Yamaha Majesty 400/ Suzuki Burgman 650



scooters that go the extra mile tho you'll need to register them and buy insurance.

Screw a motorcycle!

 

[Zebo]

Yamaha Majesty 400/ Suzuki Burgman 650



scooters that go the extra mile tho you'll need to register them and buy insurance.

Screw a motorcycle!

Problem is physics of elastic collisions. If I had a red headed step son I'd get a scooter for them tho.