SUVs justified...

[DirtyHobo]

So there is kind of a general anti-SUV feeling on this forum. Here is my attempt to start a movement towards fewer haters. Why? because I love them and have had them for years now and want others to see the light.

1. "You don't need an SUV for just one person."
SUV is the jack of all trades car, you don't need a daily driver and a weekend car, or a truck, or ever have to rent Uhauls. What do people with little cars do when they buy a TV or outdoor furniture? They call those of us with trucks or SUVs to bail them out. Plus try putting a family of three, a stroller, a german shepherd and a dachsund in a Prius.

2. "They burn so much gas! It's bad for the environment!"
Instead of commuting 2 hours a day and sitting in traffic developing high blood pressure, we (SUVers) are forced by lower mileage to live closer to work and spend less time driving ie less miles/fuel etc. We probably burn less gas overall. Plus less sitting in traffic leaves us more time to exersize and spend with family. Which is healthier.

Prius drivers and hypermilers can afford to commute for hours thus leading to obesity, bloodclots and become an unfair drain on our medical system.

3. "SUV drivers are all terrible drivers."
What's that quote? "Ever notice how anyone going slower than you is an idiot and everyone going faster is a jerk?" Everyone else you see on the road all day is thinking the same thing about you. So now who's the bad driver buddy?

4. "They are dangerous."
They are actually very safe, though much like Death Proof, you have to be on the inside to really see the full benefit of that. I say that as a rule SUV drivers are far safer than say drunks or tired people. That's about 80% of all drivers out there. Where do you want to be sitting during the ensuing collision? I'll go with the Land Cruiser any day of the week.

A few of my arguments...anyone got any more? We won't convince the economasses, but if we can reach just one kid

 

[brblx]

sorry, they're stupid.

if you want a jack of all trades car, you're looking for a wagon. and #2 in your argument uses some of the silliest rationalizations i've ever heard.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

sorry, they're stupid.

if you want a jack of all trades car, you're looking for a wagon. and #2 in your argument uses some of the silliest rationalizations i've ever heard.

+1

I love driving my Tahoe but these are all stupid

 

[woodie1]

So there is kind of a general anti-SUV feeling on this forum. Here is my attempt to start a movement towards fewer haters. Why? because I love them and have had them for years now and want others to see the light.

1. "You don't need an SUV for just one person."
SUV is the jack of all trades car, you don't need a daily driver and a weekend car, or a truck, or ever have to rent Uhauls. What do people with little cars do when they buy a TV or outdoor furniture? They call those of us with trucks or SUVs to bail them out. Plus try putting a family of three, a stroller, a german shepherd and a dachsund in a Prius.

2. "They burn so much gas! It's bad for the environment!"
Instead of commuting 2 hours a day and sitting in traffic developing high blood pressure, we (SUVers) are forced by lower mileage to live closer to work and spend less time driving ie less miles/fuel etc. We probably burn less gas overall. Plus less sitting in traffic leaves us more time to exersize and spend with family. Which is healthier.

Prius drivers and hypermilers can afford to commute for hours thus leading to obesity, bloodclots and become an unfair drain on our medical system.

3. "SUV drivers are all terrible drivers."
What's that quote? "Ever notice how anyone going slower than you is an idiot and everyone going faster is a jerk?" Everyone else you see on the road all day is thinking the same thing about you. So now who's the bad driver buddy?

4. "They are dangerous."
They are actually very safe, though much like Death Proof, you have to be on the inside to really see the full benefit of that. I say that as a rule SUV drivers are far safer than say drunks or tired people. That's about 80% of all drivers out there. Where do you want to be sitting during the ensuing collision? I'll go with the Land Cruiser any day of the week.

A few of my arguments...anyone got any more? We won't convince the economasses, but if we can reach just one kid

You did a good job of explaining why SUV values plunged when gas prices were over $4/gal.
Keep up the good work.

 

[MotF Bane]

The only decent point you had was #1. The rest failed.

 

[TraumaRN]

Alot of your rationalizations are silly, sure it's a people hauler car. driving my Fusion Hybrid from metro Detroit to Washington DC I averaged 42mpg driving with my cruise set at 67mph and have a quarter tank of gas left try that in an SUV.

 

[coxmaster]

I say that as a rule SUV drivers are far safer than say drunks or tired people. That's about 80% of all drivers out there

Yes.. 80% of people are either tired or drunk when driving..

 

[fleabag]

You did a good job of explaining why SUV values plunged when gas prices were over $4/gal.
Keep up the good work.

Not to mention why death rates on highways/roads for 2008 and 2009 are at all time lows.

 

[angry hampster]

The only decent point you had was #1. The rest failed.

Actually no, not even with that. My GTI would easily hold a stroller, 3 people, and a large dog. It is a 3-door hatchback. Would it be cramped? Yeah. Would it get ~30mpg highway? Absolutely. I'd much rather spend half the price on gas and be slightly discomforted.


If you need the extra room to haul a big appliance/TV/superobese Texan, you can rent pickup trucks from Uhaul or the Home Depot for about $20 per day.


Mind you the two cars that I've owned before this were a mid-size 4x4 SUV and a 1/2-ton 4x4 pickup truck.


The only reason I could possibly see and SUV being justified is if you have a family of 5+ and tow a heavy trailer on a very regular basis.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

Not to mention why death rates on highways/roads for 2008 and 2009 are at all time lows.

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssssss bbbbbbbbbbbbaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaccccccccccccccckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

 

[bruceb]

They are good for large (over 4) familes, good if you carry a lot of large items, do camping or need to tow a boat or trailer on a regular basis. They are also good contractor work vehicles. They are not suited for commuting to work with only 1 or 2 persons in them. They also have enormous blind spots (been cut off by idiots in them many times) and they also block my view of vehicles / traffic flow in front of them, if I get stuck behind one.

 

[MotF Bane]

Actually no, not even with that. My GTI would easily hold a stroller, 3 people, and a large dog. It is a 3-door hatchback. Would it be cramped? Yeah. Would it get ~30mpg highway? Absolutely. I'd much rather spend half the price on gas and be slightly discomforted.


If you need the extra room to haul a big appliance/TV/superobese Texan, you can rent pickup trucks from Uhaul or the Home Depot for about $20 per day.


Mind you the two cars that I've owned before this were a mid-size 4x4 SUV and a 1/2-ton 4x4 pickup truck.


The only reason I could possibly see and SUV being justified is if you have a family of 5+ and tow a heavy trailer on a very regular basis.

I'm in a family of four, and we do pull a trailer every other week, in addition to loading the back of a Yukon XL with tools and supplies.

You definitely win in MPG though.

 

[MotF Bane]

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssssss bbbbbbbbbbbbaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaccccccccccccccckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

Fuck.

 

[RKS]

I don't have to justify my car choices or 5.6 V8 to anyone, plus I can blind the shit out of smaller cars at night.

 

[CurseTheSky]

1. "You don't need an SUV for just one person."
SUV is the jack of all trades car, you don't need a daily driver and a weekend car, or a truck, or ever have to rent Uhauls. What do people with little cars do when they buy a TV or outdoor furniture? They call those of us with trucks or SUVs to bail them out. Plus try putting a family of three, a stroller, a german shepherd and a dachsund in a Prius.
I use my 1995 F-150, extended cab, 8ft bed. It can fit a lot more than anyone can fit in their SUV, and I rarely drive it so I have no need to worry about the fuel economy.

2. "They burn so much gas! It's bad for the environment!"
Instead of commuting 2 hours a day and sitting in traffic developing high blood pressure, we (SUVers) are forced by lower mileage to live closer to work and spend less time driving ie less miles/fuel etc. We probably burn less gas overall. Plus less sitting in traffic leaves us more time to exersize and spend with family. Which is healthier.
...Wait, what? Are you saying SUV owners as a whole live closer to work, and spend more time exercising than a "normal" car driver? Most of the SUV owners I know commute roughly the same distance as people with other vehicle choices. If I can buy a SUV and magically need to commute less, find more time to exercise, and lower my blood pressure (none of which are currently a problem for me, but hey...) please let me know which make / model and sign me up. In the mean time, I'll sit here and attempt to enjoy reality.

Prius drivers and hypermilers can afford to commute for hours thus leading to obesity, bloodclots and become an unfair drain on our medical system.
That's the stupidest generalization I've read in a long, long time. I could just as easily say that all van drivers are pedophiles.

3. "SUV drivers are all terrible drivers."
What's that quote? "Ever notice how anyone going slower than you is an idiot and everyone going faster is a jerk?" Everyone else you see on the road all day is thinking the same thing about you. So now who's the bad driver buddy?
There are stupid drivers in all vehicle types. The generalization that "SUV drivers are terrible" probably stems from the late 90s - early 2000s SUV craze, in which a good chunk of the population (terrible drivers included) were buying and driving SUVs. I personally know both very good drivers who drive SUVs, and very bad drivers who drive SUVs.

4. "They are dangerous."
They are actually very safe, though much like Death Proof, you have to be on the inside to really see the full benefit of that. I say that as a rule SUV drivers are far safer than say drunks or tired people. That's about 80% of all drivers out there. Where do you want to be sitting during the ensuing collision? I'll go with the Land Cruiser any day of the week.
Are you really comparing an "average" person driving an SUV to a fatigued driver, or especially a drunk driver? Of COURSE driving an SUV is more safe that driving drunk. Guess what? Riding a motorcycle is safer than driving drunk, too. And you're stating that 80% of drivers are either tired or drunk? I'd hate to live where you do. Come to think of it, if I did, I'd probably drive an SUV too. With steel plating welded all over it, and memory foam and gel padding attached to every surface on the interior. Well, that or an M1 Abrams tank.

The safety of a vehicle has much more to do with it's design than it's body style. I'd much rather be in an accident in my 2008 Fusion than in a mid 90s Explorer.

A few of my arguments...anyone got any more? We won't convince the economasses, but if we can reach just one kid
Reach one kid... for what reason? Does it REALLY matter that much what people choose to drive? Until rocket cars that do 0-250 in 5 seconds become street legal, I don't really feel the need to actively promote or condone someone's vehicle choice, as long as it's not harming others.

 

[Arkaign]

I don't have to justify my car choices or 5.6 V8 to anyone, plus I can blind the shit out of smaller cars at night.

Nissan Titan/Armada?

I think the majority of SUV's are owned by people who just got them due to the trendiness of them, and a huge majority of SUV owners would be better served by a decent sedan or Minivan (better fuel economy, safer, more interior room, easier access, etc, etc). There are exceptions that prove the rule though.

 

[CurseTheSky]

I think the majority of SUV's are owned by people who just got them due to the trendiness of them, and a huge majority of SUV owners would be better served by a decent sedan or Minivan (better fuel economy, safer, more interior room, easier access, etc, etc). There are exceptions that prove the rule though.

Well said. These are my thoughts exactly.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

Nissan Titan/Armada?

I think the majority of SUV's are owned by people who just got them due to the trendiness of them, and a huge majority of SUV owners would be better served by a decent sedan or Minivan (better fuel economy, safer, more interior room, easier access, etc, etc). There are exceptions that prove the rule though.

What did you end up getting to replace your focus?

 

[Bignate603]

Actually no, not even with that. My GTI would easily hold a stroller, 3 people, and a large dog. It is a 3-door hatchback. Would it be cramped? Yeah. Would it get ~30mpg highway? Absolutely. I'd much rather spend half the price on gas and be slightly discomforted.


If you need the extra room to haul a big appliance/TV/superobese Texan, you can rent pickup trucks from Uhaul or the Home Depot for about $20 per day.


Mind you the two cars that I've owned before this were a mid-size 4x4 SUV and a 1/2-ton 4x4 pickup truck.


The only reason I could possibly see and SUV being justified is if you have a family of 5+ and tow a heavy trailer on a very regular basis.

I doubt you can get your GTI places I take my cherokee. The thing is though I got my cherokee because it was the smallest vehicle I could find that could do what I wanted. It can get myself, my wife and a pair of friends and our gear out to campsites around where we live. I didn't need anything larger so I didn't get anything larger.

 

[Arkaign]

What did you end up getting to replace your focus?

Right now I'm in a rental Malibu, which is nice but I don't think I'd buy one (just not my type of car, ditto Accord/Camry/etc). The Focus, believe it or not, is being fixed! I'll post pics once it's out of the shop

 

[Arkaign]

I doubt you can get your GTI places I take my cherokee. The thing is though I got my cherokee because it was the smallest vehicle I could find that could do what I wanted. It can get myself, my wife and a pair of friends and our gear out to campsites around where we live. I didn't need anything larger so I didn't get anything larger.

Sounds like a good fit for you Sadly, almost all SUV owners I've known have seldom or never used them for anything other than commuting and grocery-getting.

 

[zmatt]

Nissan Titan/Armada?

I think the majority of SUV's are owned by people who just got them due to the trendiness of them, and a huge majority of SUV owners would be better served by a decent sedan or Minivan (better fuel economy, safer, more interior room, easier access, etc, etc). There are exceptions that prove the rule though.

That and SUVs aren't worth crap nowadays. I have a buddy whose family owns a 2004 explorer, it's the top trim, I forgot what its call though. Anyways it has 90k miles on it and they are about to move and want to sell it. Nobody wants it, not even dealerships. That, and weird things are starting to break on the car.

 

[JulesMaximus]

So there is kind of a general anti-SUV feeling on this forum. Here is my attempt to start a movement towards fewer haters. Why? because I love them and have had them for years now and want others to see the light.

1. "You don't need an SUV for just one person."
SUV is the jack of all trades car, you don't need a daily driver and a weekend car, or a truck, or ever have to rent Uhauls. What do people with little cars do when they buy a TV or outdoor furniture? They call those of us with trucks or SUVs to bail them out. Plus try putting a family of three, a stroller, a german shepherd and a dachsund in a Prius.

2. "They burn so much gas! It's bad for the environment!"
Instead of commuting 2 hours a day and sitting in traffic developing high blood pressure, we (SUVers) are forced by lower mileage to live closer to work and spend less time driving ie less miles/fuel etc. We probably burn less gas overall. Plus less sitting in traffic leaves us more time to exersize and spend with family. Which is healthier.

Prius drivers and hypermilers can afford to commute for hours thus leading to obesity, bloodclots and become an unfair drain on our medical system.

3. "SUV drivers are all terrible drivers."
What's that quote? "Ever notice how anyone going slower than you is an idiot and everyone going faster is a jerk?" Everyone else you see on the road all day is thinking the same thing about you. So now who's the bad driver buddy?

4. "They are dangerous."
They are actually very safe, though much like Death Proof, you have to be on the inside to really see the full benefit of that. I say that as a rule SUV drivers are far safer than say drunks or tired people. That's about 80% of all drivers out there. Where do you want to be sitting during the ensuing collision? I'll go with the Land Cruiser any day of the week.

A few of my arguments...anyone got any more? We won't convince the economasses, but if we can reach just one kid

You're out of your mind. I know plenty of people who drive these behemoths 70+ miles every day...and surprise, they're all fat.

 

[Arkaign]

That and SUVs aren't worth crap nowadays. I have a buddy whose family owns a 2004 explorer, it's the top trim, I forgot what its call though. Anyways it has 90k miles on it and they are about to move and want to sell it. Nobody wants it, not even dealerships. That, and weird things are starting to break on the car.

The Explorer really made me scratch my head. I remember looking at them with a buddy back in the '90s., and we looked at them back to back with the Ranger. Aside from the rear enclosure and rear doors, the thing was just a Ranger at double the price. What a bargain, lol.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

I'm a single guy who is a do-it-yourselfer. My Dodge Dakota is absolutely the perfect vehicle for me. The only vehicle I'd trade it for would be a G8-ST (god dammit GM!). I have a very short commute, so gas mileage isn't an issue. I spec'ed it out to be a simple, easy to maintain vehicle. I can haul most everything I need to in the 6.5' bed. I can haul extra people in the back in a pinch. It's not so big that it's hard to park. It's fun to drive (V8+manual+LSD FTW!)

My family grew up with SUVs since '84. We needed 4WD for the whole mountain+snow thing. They were great. We had an '84 S10 Jimmy until it was totalled in a hit and run in '92 then had a '90 Cherokee. For a family that hauls a lot of things, a smaller SUV is actually a great vehicle. As you go larger, the usefulness actually kinda decreases. The size becomes a hindrance. You can't get into places that the smaller SUVs could. You have to worry about more things that smaller SUVs don't. The whole "third row seating" phenomenon is something that is a completely and utterly useless thing for most people.

What people really wanted was a minivan that wasn't a minivan. So after a number of generations, that's what CUVs became. Minivans, that weren't minivans. I support the CUV movement if it means that SUVs can get back to being simple capable vehicles and not mobile living rooms.