What do you think about SUV's...

[wyvrn]

For the 20th time

The more I think about it, the more I think I may not buy one as my next car. They do drink gas, and I do not see any relief in gas prices soon. Plus the insurance on them is very expensive, and I get pissed every time I see a million SUV's with one person in them during rush hour. No wonder it takes an hour and a half to trek across North Dallas. Makes me think we are really killing our environment, too. OTOH, I like them cause they can haul a mid size family just about anywhere, and I depise vans. Since I do not have kids I guess I am going to stick with a nice sedan for now, like a Mercedes

 

[ThisIsMatt]

SUVs = suck. Unless you have a real reason for having one (hauling a family isn't a legit reason IMNSHO), they are a joke. Too many middle aged women/men trying to look cool or whatever.

 

[NutBucket]

I have no problems with SUVs, save this one.
PEOPLE DRIVE THEM AS IF THEY ARE PORCHES
That's why they have so many freaking accident. That's also why my next car will be a Volvo. Gotta protect myself from these idiots.

 

[jsm]

I think SUVs are great. Since I drive a relatively sporty car, I can cut them off with ease. When they try to chase me, I just drive fast.. sometimes I let them catch up to me and then take turns REALLY hard. Then I get to watch them hit their brakes and shake their fist in anger at me.

Hah!

 

[ThisIsMatt]

jsm - yes! They are fun in that aspect

 

[Viperoni]

Frankly, why should anybody buy a SUV?
If you've ever seen the trunk on an Intrepid (example!), you'd be amazed.
No problem fitting 3 dead SUV driver's bodies in there

 

[BoberFett]

Does anybody else smell that? It smells like dead horse.

 

[Pastore]

You guys have no clue what your talking about... People see soccer moms riding around in one, so automatically every driver who has one drives like an inconsiderate asshole, always is talking on a cell phone, GETS IN MORE ACCIDENTS???? I would love to see that statistic... Anyways, people are stereotyping drivers of SUV's, and they can bl*w me...

And as I have said before, you find me a vehicle that can handle a family (Mom, Dad, 2 kids) COMFORTABLY, can haul a nice 20 foot boat or some jet skis, is luxurious (Escelade, Navigator, Bravada), and handles GOOD in > 3 inches of snow...
Thanks and have a nice day...

 

[TuffGuy]

SUVs are cool, but they're not for everyone. they have huge blindspots, and their drivers tend not to check them or to switch lanes without signalling. most of the vehicles that almost hit me are SUVs.

 

[warcleric]

Beast: I agree 100%, the SUV's have nothing to do with bad driving, that is the driver. It wouldnt matter if they were driving an SUV, a Chevette, or an 18 Wheeler, a bad driver is what I hate, not a choice of vehicle. The only legitimate grudge I have against SUV's is ones with any kind of tint on the windows, I should be able to see through the car in front of me in order to foresee obstacles.

 

[PCAddict]

I have no problem with people owning SUV's who actually need them. But, the people who buy them and don't even know where the button/shifter is to engage 4WD bug the hell out of me.

I drive a pickup and my parents own a full-size SUV (Toyota Sequoia). They use it to haul my sister and her crap back and forth between home and college a few times a year, to haul the family out to the western part of the state when we go visit my aunt, and to get my father to work in wintery weather when he has emergency calls. It's primarily my mother's vehicle, as she drives it every day. My old man also has a pickup that he runs around in locally.

No other vehicle would do it for them. They had a minivan, but it didn't cut the mustard, so to speak.

 

I think its funny, when you are going to work.
And you see like 4534543 people, sitting ALONE in their 7 passenger SUV.
Sucking gas like theres no tomarrow.

 

[junthin]

SUV's should be driven by people who are good drivers (i.e. clean record for 5 yrs +). Since they have huge blind spots, a lot of drivers tend to check them. But SUV's are versatile and good, only if the driver needs that type of vehicle.

Besides that, they waste a lot of gas. :|

(This coming from someone who used to drive an SUV, and then got a gas efficient japanese car. Wow, the money I saved. :Q )

 

[samarth]

I think the most important reason you need you need a SUV now is because there are a lot of them out there.
Imagine that you have an accident with a suburban or excursion or any other big SUV, and you were driving a car, doesnt matter which one but suppose a normal sedan (camry, accord, maxima etc), who do you think has a better chance of survival, the person in the SUV or you in the car.
They are alomost twice as heavy as a car, wchich means twice as much momentum, which means that a car is just going to go flying in the opposite direction in case of an accident.
Therefore, to live in this traffic, specially LA traffic, where courtsey on the road is non-existant, you need to have a SUV.

 

[urameatball]

well, I'm 21 and I predict my future cars would be a sportsbike and an SUV.

sports bike is for good weather and those days you're driving alone or with gf

SUV for bad weather and/or driving other people around, plus large comfortable backseat !!!
don't want those BIG suv's though, cuz I don't wanna be paying $1M/year just for gas, but something mediocre. Maybe like a Toyota 4-runner or something along that size.

 

[Muadib]

Nice post Beast1284!!!

Since I drive a relatively sporty car, I can cut them off with ease
And you wonder why your insurance rate is so high......

SUVs are cool, but they're not for everyone. they have huge blindspots
Have you ever drove a vette, trans-am, Camaro or Mustang? If I had a dime for everytime I saw one of these cut over without looking....

No problem fitting 3 dead SUV driver's bodies in there
I can fit at least 10 dead sport car drivers in the back of my SUV, and still have room for groceries!!

SUV's should be driven by people who are good drivers
Shouldn't all vehicles????????????????????????????????

 

[ToBeMe]

Well, I've said it before, and I'll say it again........I love my little Excursion, my wife drives it daily and shuttles my kids and several neighborhood kids to and from school. She also uses it at least once a week for Cub Scout meetings, Groceries, and assorted ball practices......ussually there are at least 6 kids riding in it including my 3 and it's the best choice for what she does as she has never been slowed down this winter by snow while others were stuck in their drives! Now, why did I say "little"? Because I drive a 2000 Ford F350 Super Duty 4X4 Crew Cab with an 8' bed! This truck makes that Excursion look small! I bought this truck before the Excursion but my wife didn't like it because it was to long.......I use it on my "farm" mostly and it works great to haul stuff around in the back but keep it dry while also carrying a large load of wood, gravel, whatever in the bed! My Excursion actually does great on gas mileage comparably as my truck has a V10 and the Excursion only a measly V8! As for the post up above about trunk space.......well, I think a LOT of people would frown about carrying kids around in the trunk of a car........

 

[cxim]

I have driven a SUV since long before they were called SUVs, Bronco for years.

Nothing like a heavy bumper & 4x4 to clean the road of little sports cars. Good thing there are lots of deep canals around here to hide the little buggers.

It's a practical vehicle for a lot of us, more room for people when towing a boat.

 

[Raspewtin]

i love my SUV. taking the dog around in my old car was so difficult.

 

[Gorgonzola]

in response to whoever was talking about the safety of the cars. i have read many reports stating that you are far more likely to be injured if you are the person in the big 4x4 vehicle. why? because those big vehicles are not designed to absorb shock. incase you didn't realise, cars are designed to crumple up under heavy impact (they dont just crumple because they are weak-which most of you probably assume). this is to absorb the shock, rather than make the human body absorb it (which is what will happen in a big vehicle). you are far less likely to be injured/killed if the car absorbs the shock instead of you.

 

[ToBeMe]

A Little FYI.....ALL new vehicles must have the crumple zones by law as of '02.....thus the new designs for the trucks & SUV's...........

 

[SuperSix]

My only beef with them is that they block my view when they're in front of me.
:|

For all you that think they are more dangerous due to their weight, that is rapidly becoming a wife's tale. There is an amazing column the March 2001 CarAndDriver, shooting down the ridiculous weight argument. Read it
here.

 

[Viperoni]

<< I love my little Excursion >>



Wait till you see a Geo Metro/Pontiac Firefly :Q :Q :Q :Q :Q :Q

 

[ToBeMe]

Ya' know.......I think I went right over one of those in my truck the other day..........Thought it was roadkill or something........LOL!

 

[dwil]

I wonder why SUV gets the bad rap?
Around here there as many or more trucks. They get about 1-2 mpg more than the SUV.
You can't fit as many people in there. Unless you count the dog in the bed. They are just as high, and higher than the SUV. I can't tell you the number of times I have seen one person in a truck going to work.

Basicly, I think that you will give yourself an ulcer worrying about what other people do.
These things are nice to drive, the fit lots of people. And People gave the mini-van soccer mom thing such a bad rap, why drive a stinking little mini-van?
Of course the stigma of driving an SUV is better than an economical mini-van for you to make fun of.

Imagine them at the dealership getting public approval for the next car they buy?

And what if they came down and said &quot;No&quot; to the fast little number you wanted. Because you keep changing lanes without signaling, or unsafe driving, cutting them off, and ALL the GAS that a Camaro or Mustang drinks.

Let's all just ignore one another on the freeway