Backyard Mechanic

Well, I'm getting REAL confused here.

Just what IS your POINT!

Here's mine. The car makers uh, ,Chrysler.. once had a really GREAT
idea, they called it a minivan.

The capacity of a small truck, the economy and comfort of a station
wagon.

What was wrong with that?!!

!!!!ONLY the driving of the people who bought them!!!!

And THAT is, to a great extent, WHY people bought SUV's instead.

They were a 'cooler' ride.

Dont get all hissy about a car based SUV... it's a 'cooler' minivan, aint
it..or really a station wagon?



"oceansixtyone" <oceansixtyone@hotmail.com> wrote:

\
> And anyone out there if you are going to get an SUV, please get the
> truck based ones, not the car based "crossover". Lets not support
> this crap. they are starting to cross SUVs with cars. If you are going
> to get an SUV at least get the real thing, not some ugly ass 4X4
> station wagon.
>
> They said "Pontiac Aztec" and I said "Oh shit".
>
>



--
Yeh, I'm a Krusty old Geezer, putting up with my 'smartass' is the price
you pay..DEAL with it!

 

DH

"joe schmoe" <me@virgin.not> wrote in message
news:3jeps1h4dg8t64ts7f2leojl5uu0uioms8@4ax.com...
> On 16 Jan 2006 19:58:02 -0800, oceansixtyone@hotmail.com wrote:
> ><snip>
> > So why do people buy them?
>
> Perception of safety.
>

But no one bothers to buckle up. Many SUV drivers don't bother to buckle
up. The "perception" of safety is entirely at odds with the realities of
safety.

> Safety trumps all other costs. If you save $500 per mile driven but
> become a paraplegics in a car wreck what have you saved.??

Sure. Far better to kill the driver of the smaller car. It's like an arms
race. I was driving a Ford Aspire regularly but bought a bigger vehicle
after two SUVs blew through stop signs in front of me.

I keep hearing that we live in a "Christian" country but I see very little
evidence of that.

Mike Hunter

You HAVE been out of the US for quite some time. The US is the largest
vehicle market in the world and the US has the most robust economy in the
world. that is why so many foreign manufactures have entered the US market.
Those Americans, that dot need a vehicle that can haul more than four people
and can not afford to by the larger safer more expensive vehicles, tend to
buy small cars or CUVs. CUVs re the SUV types that are built on car chassis
rather than a sturdier truck chasses as are SUVs. Those buyer that require
larger more powerful vehicles, to haul their family and all of their
'stuff,' tend to buy larger safer cars SUVs and CUVs. Many American that
can afford to buy both a small car, to use when they do not require the
abilities of the other type of vehicles, as well as the other type of
vehicle for when the do need that type of vehicle. Over the past five years
or so light trucks, including SUVs etc have sold at a rate greater than
cars, as high as 55% in 2004. In 2005 however cars accounted for just over
50% of the 18,000,000 new vehicles sold in the US. The number of new
vehicles sold in the US today is more than twice what it was just twenty
years ago. According to the US census the average American family owns three
vehicles, not one

mike hunt


<oceansixtyone@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1137470282.044836.137600@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
> I have been away from the United States for a number of years and when
> I returned I found many more utility type vehicles on the road. This
> includes SUV, station wagons and minivans. Sport Utility Vehicles as
> the most popular of these utility vehicles. It looks to me that the
> SUV has become the family car of choice these days in the US. By sales
> numbers and the general view on the streets. I want to get some
> opinions on why people are choosing these as a family car, especially
> SUV. I am vary curious about the vastly increased market share of
> SUVs, in the US so please tell me something if you bought one. I am a
> 34 year old male and I would not be caught dead in one and would never
> buy one. Long ago when I was in the US and in high school during the
> late 1980's most of us drove older used cars. However when someone
> got to buy something new they often got Mustangs, Camaros, Firebirds
> etc,..or imports like the Honda CRX , Nissan 240, or small pickup
> trucks. . No one would get an SUV if they had a choice in the matter.
> Now it seems that SUVs are fashionable even in the eyes of younger
> people. Considering that most families are 2 children or less in the
> developed world, all that is needed is a 4 door sedan. In places like
> Asia and Europe, a small 4 door sedan like Honda Civic is what is used
> for a family of 4. A soccer mom would have to pop out many more babies
> to need a bigger car. Even a 2 door car would work well if it has 4
> seats. It is strange to see people with only 2 children driving a
> minivan or SUV with seating for a dozen people. My Honda civic 4 door
> can comfortably transport 4 full size adults and their scuba diving
> gear vary well. Also an SUV would not work for the farm. Lots of
> things and equipment need to be hauled that would damage the interior
> of an SUV. Farmers and ranchers need full size trucks, not SUVs. The
> average car can turn faster on a twisty road and can avoid accidents
> when compared to an SUV. You don't need a Corvette for good
> handling, as even my Honda Civic can handle quite well on roads that
> make SUVs wobble around or tip over. About efficiency, the 300+ hp v8
> in a Ford Mustang can actually be put to use for acceleration instead
> of pulling the big jacked-up station wagon body of an SUV. This
> concept also applies to gas mileage. I noticed that SUVs I have driven
> always got low gas mileage even on the highway. Cars like Corvette
> will get close to 28 miles per gallon on the highway, and these have 6
> liter engines with lighter overall car weight. So big engine size is
> not the most important factor in miles per gallon. If you want to
> haul cargo then you can always rent a truck or van for a few days and
> this would be cheaper than driving an SUV all the time. About space, a
> mobile DJ said to me that his cargo van holds over double the amount of
> equipment than the SUV he drove earlier. And finally about driving.
> SUVs to me are work to park in the city and no fun to drive on paved
> roads. They are not a pleasure to drive as I have noticed. So why do
> people buy them?
>

joe schmoe

On Tue, 17 Jan 2006 08:22:32 -0600, "DH" <dh@stargate.com> wrote:

>"joe schmoe" <me@virgin.not> wrote in message
>news:3jeps1h4dg8t64ts7f2leojl5uu0uioms8@4ax.com...
>> On 16 Jan 2006 19:58:02 -0800, oceansixtyone@hotmail.com wrote:
>> ><snip>
>> > So why do people buy them?
>>
>> Perception of safety.
>>
>
>But no one bothers to buckle up. Many SUV drivers don't bother to buckle
>up. The "perception" of safety is entirely at odds with the realities of
>safety.
Well "perception" never had any basis in reality in any of it's
permutations.
>
>> Safety trumps all other costs. If you save $500 per mile driven but
>> become a paraplegics in a car wreck what have you saved.??
>
>Sure. Far better to kill the driver of the smaller car. It's like an arms
>race. I was driving a Ford Aspire regularly but bought a bigger vehicle
>after two SUVs blew through stop signs in front of me.
If you were the husband of the woman "blowing through" the stop sign
with your children would you rather she be in a huge SUV or in a
Sprint. Arm's races are only disadvantageous to the poor and unarmed.
>
>I keep hearing that we live in a "Christian" country but I see very little
>evidence of that.
>
Oh contraire~ Quite the opposite, you have even described above how
Christian American's are. They are not only confident in the belief
of an afterlife (not wearing safety belts themselves) but are also
generous to a fault (offering to help free you from the earthly
shackles of your body and your Ford Aspire).

Not limiting the generosity to America they also share their material
wealth (Lead, High Explosives) with people's of different faiths in
different parts of the world.

Name one other country that gives the Middle East as much money as the
US? Or a country that gives the Middle East as much Lead ? (well
aside from England 100 years ago) or their local governments presently

Thankfully I have access to Newsgroups and in the past few years I
have learned that All Americans are Pentecostal Christian Bush
Supporters, All Europeans are Roman Catholic Chirac Supporters, All
Russians are Atheists, All "AaaRabs" are generic "Muslim Fanatical"
all Africans are VooDoo believers, all "East Indians are Hindu's and
all Oriental's are Buddhists

In a few more months I will fully understand SUV drivers, Corvette
Drivers, Jap car drivers (including those designed and built in the
US) and all aspects of Geopolitics.

scott21230@gmail.com

For one thing, tha automakers have practically stopped marketing wagons
and hatchbacks in the US. Presumably this is to force people to buy
more expensive SUV's. And a lot of people are really "sheeple". That
and a lot fo people will but something and hardly ever use it. By that
I mean if they need to haul something big enough to require a truck
once or twice over the life of their next vehicle, they will buy the
truck or SUV instead of doing something smarter like buying a car and
renting the truck on the rare freak occasion that they actually need
one.

Mike Hunter

If the American buyers would buy station wagons and hatchback cars, the
manufacture would still be building them. The fact is both were
discontinued because of lack of sales, period. Both were offer by domestic
along side SUVs, Mini vans but they did not sell and were dropped generally
when new models came onto the market.

mike hunt


<scott21230@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1137521708.096627.277770@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> For one thing, tha automakers have practically stopped marketing wagons
> and hatchbacks in the US. Presumably this is to force people to buy
> more expensive SUV's. And a lot of people are really "sheeple". That
> and a lot fo people will but something and hardly ever use it. By that
> I mean if they need to haul something big enough to require a truck
> once or twice over the life of their next vehicle, they will buy the
> truck or SUV instead of doing something smarter like buying a car and
> renting the truck on the rare freak occasion that they actually need
> one.
>

Gomer Einstein

I think station wagons will come back into vogue in a big way. They
kind of are already (certain ones, anyway).
As for minivans and SUV's--I think people like sitting up higher. And
a minivan will get almost as good fuel economy as a passenger car, so
why not? They are easier to get in & out of for elderly and otherwise
physically challenged.
I was looking for another Chevy S-10 pickup when I stumbled upon a
Dodge Caravan c/v (cargo van).
I decided I could haul anything in that van that I could in a pickup,
with the exception of a refrigerator standing up.
Plus it gets as good of gas mileage, and it's front wheel drive, which
I like in winter time.
Anyway--I never bought another S-10; and have had 6 Caravans.
I don't have SUV's because I drive so much that fuel economy is of
high concern.

James Goforth

I've also heard Americans aren't exactly geting smaller.

oceansixtyone

>> "joe schmoe" <me@virgin.not> wrote in message:
> > Perception of safety.
> >
> > Safety trumps all other costs. If you save $500 per mile driven but
> > become a paraplegics in a car wreck what have you saved.??

DH wrote:
> Sure. Far better to kill the driver of the smaller car. It's like an arms
> race. I was driving a Ford Aspire regularly but bought a bigger vehicle
> after two SUVs blew through stop signs in front of me.
>
> I keep hearing that we live in a "Christian" country but I see very little
> evidence of that.

If the population of SUVs becomes over 65% of all cars on the road, it
will become a safety issue for those that don't drive one.

To stay safe and one step ahead of everyone else I will be forced to
get
a Kenworth tractor trailer. Without the trailer it would make the
ultimate
commuter vehicle. I like the dump truck version with 18 wheels even
better.
I will consider this as my daily driver. In fact Kenworth has one
of the highest ratings in the world for quality. The 16 liter engine
provides plenty of torque.

http://www.kenworth.com/2100_vir_c500.asp

http://www.kenworth.com/

Here is my favorite quote on the website about the Kenworth heavy dump
truck:

"The C500 cab is heavily reinforced to withstand rugged environments
and the optional cab air suspension smoothes out rough terrain. The
optional sheet-metal hood and fenders shrugs off branches, choke
chains, or whatever comes its way.
But this rugged durability doesn't mean you have to give up driver
comfort. Regardless of what is going on around the truck, inside the
cab it is quiet and comfortable."

Berkshire Bill

"oceansixtyone" <oceansixtyone@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1137748570.182239.158540@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>>> "joe schmoe" <me@virgin.not> wrote in message:
>> > Perception of safety.
>> >
>> > Safety trumps all other costs. If you save $500 per mile driven but
>> > become a paraplegics in a car wreck what have you saved.??
>
> DH wrote:
>> Sure. Far better to kill the driver of the smaller car. It's like an
>> arms
>> race. I was driving a Ford Aspire regularly but bought a bigger vehicle
>> after two SUVs blew through stop signs in front of me.
>>
>> I keep hearing that we live in a "Christian" country but I see very
>> little
>> evidence of that.
>
> If the population of SUVs becomes over 65% of all cars on the road, it
> will become a safety issue for those that don't drive one.
>
> To stay safe and one step ahead of everyone else I will be forced to
> get
> a Kenworth tractor trailer. Without the trailer it would make the
> ultimate
> commuter vehicle. I like the dump truck version with 18 wheels even
> better.
> I will consider this as my daily driver. In fact Kenworth has one
> of the highest ratings in the world for quality. The 16 liter engine
> provides plenty of torque.
>
> http://www.kenworth.com/2100_vir_c500.asp
>
> http://www.kenworth.com/
>
> Here is my favorite quote on the website about the Kenworth heavy dump
> truck:
>
> "The C500 cab is heavily reinforced to withstand rugged environments
> and the optional cab air suspension smoothes out rough terrain. The
> optional sheet-metal hood and fenders shrugs off branches, choke
> chains, or whatever comes its way.
> But this rugged durability doesn't mean you have to give up driver
> comfort. Regardless of what is going on around the truck, inside the
> cab it is quiet and comfortable."
>

I just grabbed the quickest link I could find, but I'm sure these are being
built in the States also.
http://www.campersite.be/verdelers/rv/class-C.htm
Your Family or co-workers are entitled to comfort during the commute.

Happy modeming,
Bill