suvs wasteful, yes?

[spidergoolash]

bwah. time for yet another healthy debate http://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/supergrin.gif

lately, when i step into mine, i think -- "what a waste" -- do we really *need* to drive these monsters? imo, no.

i do love driving it tho and i feel better that the lings have more car around them -- but are they necessary safer? i would think not.

can you tell i wasn't responsible for purchasing ours? if i had my way, i'd be driving a honda civic right now :\

opinions ??

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"There is just one reality left: We are here and it is now. You get hold of that and hang on to it or you might as well be dead."

[Finity]

i hate SUVs. they are loud, they tip over, the eat gas, and you cant see around them if you are behind one which makes for some very unsafe driving.

IMO get rid of em. the world would be a better place

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If I had some wings, I'd fly you all around;
If I had some money, I'd buy you the goddam town;
If I had the strength, then maybe I coulda pulled you through;
If I had a lantern, I'd light the way for you,
If I had a lantern, I'd light the way for you.
-Michael Mcdermott
"Lantern"

[Alyth]

I like SUVs personally but they are not safer. I do, however, feel safer in a larger car, so I got a minivan. It's high up and roomier than both a regular car and an SUV with the safety ratings of a regular car!!! They are so nice to drive!

I used to have a saturn and I felt so claustrophbic in it. That car was too low to the ground and too small inside with two medium sized dogs to drive around in.

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Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength;
while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
--Lao Tzu

"Whatever tomorrow brings I'll be there with open arms and open eyes." --Incubus 'Drive'

[MO]

Oh well I guess it's running for you nicely at least. I don't like them myself- they need a lot of gas. I guess they come in handy on certain occasions (ie. moving?)


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"The more I know, the less I understand."

[Wangel]

I drive the expedition. There are few vehicles larger than this. It makes me feel like a king when I drive this. Most smaller cars get out of my way. I feel I can trample most anything and anyone. Don't get in my way, be it a dog, deer, cow, old lady crossing the street, or stroller.

Somehow the phrase - "Crush, Kill, Destroy" (From Lost in Space) comes to mind when I drive my Expedition!

[jourgenson]

I hate the whole SUV thing. I grew up driving suburbans, pickups, broncos and full-sized vans not to mention minivans. Those are the cars my parents had. We used them pulling campers, boats, lawn mowers, canoes, and carrying lumber. Boats and camping were always big in my family and without a vehicle that can pull a 3-5,000 lb boat you end up being stuck taking the Erie Canal to go places, which is fun, but quite slow. Not to mention the fact that we had a very long driveway with a steep hill that turned a bit. Many light cars have had to make more than one attempt to get up the hill during the winter months. The key is 4-wheel drive or posi with studded snow tires, at least for a pickup.

My family would drive to Florida at least once a year to see the Grandmas, who have now both moved to cooler areas (SF and Buffalo). Out typical traveling vehicle was a fullsized van that my dad built a dinette set in and added a port-o-potty. Or maybe a Chevy Suburban.

So I guess my complaint is that we have this new term for this new vehicle that lumps everything in with it and that it is the trending thing to hate people who have these vehicles. I can at least respect the real SUV trucks, like the Expedition, that are still trucks but have leather and other niceties. I have no real respect for those made by BMW, Lexus and infiniti etc. Especially when you could spend the same amount and get a Range Rover which at least has real world cred.

Around here it seems like saying you would like a Jeep or a Blazer will get noses thrown up in your face.

As far as wastefulness, yes they are if you use them to drive around cities and have few if any kids. There are certainly a lot of single people in Boston with them who wouldn't even drive in snow anyway. But even more so in warm climates. I can only assume that in a place like LA, or other warm trendy place, there are quite a few that aren't used to their potential.

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Leonard Nimoy: Do you even know who I am?
Mayor Quimby: Aren't you one of the Little Rascals?

<FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">[This message has been edited by jourgenson on August 23, 2001 at 09:58 AM]</font>

[Alyth]

Originally posted by Lil' Mo:
Oh well I guess it's running for you nicely at least. I don't like them myself- they need a lot of gas. I guess they come in handy on certain occasions (ie. moving?)




Well actually my mother's volvo sedan uses more gas and has a bigger tank than my minivan. SUV's use tons of gas but Minivans' tanks are smaller than an SUV's tank. They have a car's engine as opposed to an SUV. Suv's are considered mini-trucks and use a truck's engine, therefore using a bigger tank and more gas.

...and yes, they are handy during moving http://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/wink.gif

But everyone has their taste and I am not one to tell others what to like or buy. Minivans work for me though through trial and error. They may be a bit much for some people just based on size, but for me, I needed the room. Big cars aren't for everyone; they are big, costly, intimidating on the road, and dangerous to drive around in. If anyone is considering buying an SUV, please consider the risks involved. Minivans may be the better alternative. They are cheaper in gas and safer than SUVs. SUV's have shown in road tests they crumble like paper and they bend often where the passenger and driver sits!! Those were older tests, and I would assume they have improved since then, but their road safety tests still are a bit shakey on some required tests. Minivans have shown to have the wrinkle zones where they should be, in front while protecting the passengers and driver. Not all minivans and SUVs have the same test results but those are average. Here's one site I can think of that might show some test results and comparisons.

Edmunds (http://www.edmunds.com)

On a brighter side of SUV's, they must be fun to drive in though. I personally have only driven one one time during a brief test drive. It was fun! I'm short so it was nice to feel higher and be able to see through the other large cars' windows, however it was still difficult to see over the hood and onto the road. Minivans gave me a much larger view. I can't even see the hood of my car!

Well, I suppose it's obvious which car I like best.

Spider&gt; Think of it this way, you will be able to see through most cars that you wouldn't normally be able to see through with a smaller car. I think if you feel safe enough in that car then you should be fine. A lot of people drive those cars and do just fine in them. They handle better in the snow and carry a lot more stuff around. With kids, the room makes things easier to move around, go camping or whatever the vacation may be. I may not have kids to drive around but having two dogs is just like having kids to me, except I would assume that kids don't drool as much.

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Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength;
while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
--Lao Tzu

"Whatever tomorrow brings I'll be there with open arms and open eyes." --Incubus 'Drive'

[Prox]

Originally posted by jourgenson:

As far as wastefulness, yes they are if you use them to drive around cities and have few if any kids. There are certainly a lot of single people in Boston with them who wouldn't even drive in snow anyway. But even more so in warm climates. I can only assume that in a place like LA, or other warm trendy place, there are quite a few that aren't used to their potential.



Unfortunatly this is about all that they are used for in a large part of california. I have absolutly no problem what so ever with people who drive suv's and actually use them to haul stuff (kids, boats, wood etc) but the people who drive them just to drive them . . . well I just dont get it. I mean I guess they have plenty of money to throw away on gas, not to mention that my theory is that the suv craze is causing yes causing gas prices to rise because of the increased demand for gas. My parents drive one of those explorer things, but they really use it. It hauled me and my sister all over the place with all our stuff, and a large boat. And I never found them that fun to drive. I actually dont like driving my parents car. It tends to rattle a lot and generaly isnt a nice smooth ride like my car is. Anyway I just dont like the things the way they are being used and like Finnie said IMO get rid of em. the world would be a better place
http://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/supergrin.gif



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Mother Should I Trust The Government - Pink Floyd

Everything under the sun is in tune but the sun is eclipsed by the moon - Pink Floyd

Those times I burned my guitar it was like a sacrafice. You sacrafice the things you love. I love my guitar - Jimi Hendrix

[KNSinatra]

Face it guys -- Lysi, you could proclaim all of the pro-minivan stats that you could, but one thing remains. Many of the people who drive the SUVs do so out of image. Especially the newest breed of 30-somethings and soccer moms. The Hollywood contingent too -- none of the aforementioned care to be seen driving a mini-van, and I have a feeling that that alone is the main priority fueling their purchase of a SUV.

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In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man;
if you want anything done, ask a woman. -Margaret Thatcher

"Holy dung!" -- Monsiuerjohn
"Wooostah!" -- Anonymous Morrismen

En fuego, bebé.

<FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">[This message has been edited by KNSinatra on August 23, 2001 at 05:46 PM]</font>

[maniati727]

i used to drive a suv... but i was payin about 40-50 dollers every 2 weeks for gas... that got to be redicolus so i sold it a bought a small volvo. i liked the suv just because i live in mass, so in the summer the snow gets really bad and my volvo cant even get up my plowed driveway, or half the strets around... so the suc was very good then.. but it was way to expensive for an 18 year old who only makes about 200 a week cuz of going to school

[jourgenson]

originally posted by Prox.

I actually dont like driving my parents car. It tends to rattle a lot and generaly isnt a nice smooth ride like my car is.


That's actually really funny because it's so true. I have friends who complain about how the SUV buyers are making the car companies soften up the suspensions on trucks and how even pickups are now available with fairly fancy interiors, not to mention the fact they are being priced out of the vehicles. You used to be able to buy a Bronco for a reasonable price, but now it's an Expedition which is all SUV'd out.

But I also know a woman who bought a Grand Cherokee, but constantly complained about how crappy it was since it didn't ride as nice as the Lincoln Towncars she had previously.

Hopefully people will realize that trucks are noisy and bumpy and that shouldn't be messed with. SO if you want a smooth SUV, go with one of the Japanese ones that have been built since the the SUV craze began and not one based on a frame that's been around for years. Those are basically big cars anyway.

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Leonard Nimoy: Do you even know who I am?
Mayor Quimby: Aren't you one of the Little Rascals?

[Prox]

Originally posted by jourgenson:

Hopefully people will realize that trucks are noisy and bumpy and that shouldn't be messed with. SO if you want a smooth SUV, go with one of the Japanese ones that have been built since the the SUV craze began and not one based on a frame that's been around for years. Those are basically big cars anyway.



oops, I didnt mean that I wanted to drive a smooth SUV. I was just commenting on how Lys said that they were fun to drive.



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Mother Should I Trust The Government - Pink Floyd

Everything under the sun is in tune but the sun is eclipsed by the moon - Pink Floyd

Those times I burned my guitar it was like a sacrafice. You sacrafice the things you love. I love my guitar - Jimi Hendrix

[meezercat]

Originally posted by maniati727:
in the summer the snow gets really bad

http://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/rotflmao.gif

Originally posted by maniati727:
the snow gets really bad and my volvo cant even get up my plowed driveway, or half the strets around...

And a Volvo should be excellent in the snow unless it's super deep. Sounds to me like what you need is a good set of tires for that car.


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"I suspect that many an ailurophobe hates cats only because he feels they are better people than he is; more honest, more secure, more loved, more whatever he is not."

--Winifred Carriere

[SwissSmiss]

ok, so i didnt take the effort to read everyone else's posts. i just wanted to post my opinion http://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/smile.gif
i don't necessarily care one way or the other. although i personally like cars. i think the only suv i really like anymore is the jeep wrangler, and in that lovely burnt orange! oh, and i like isuzi troopers.
but these new-fangled pieces of crap that they are calling suvs, those are crap. who the f*** needs a LEXUS SUV!? first of all, if i am paying that much for a vehicle, i am not going romping and stomping in it. http://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/smile.gif and if you are not romping and stomping in it, what good is it to have an suv? no fun, no fun, no fun.
i will say i think my least favorite is that new buick rendevouz. i think i hate it more than the aztec. but i hate them both for the same reason: they have no real bumpers. sure, the have bumpers. but the rest of the car goes out further than them. what the hell is the point of bumpers!? this is my pet peeve. why the hell dont they just make the big black rubber bumpers? sure, they aren't as pretty, but they WORK, and that is what i am looking for. i dont want to pay $1,000 to replace a cracked bumper cause i hit a pole a 5 mph.
ok, i went of topic. sorry...

[jourgenson]

Prox&gt; I didn't specifically mean you. I was just commenting on the clueless people out there who trade in a towncar on a Grand Cherokee or even a Navigator and than think they have a lemon because it doesn't feel the same as a towncar or a mercedes or crown vic or whatever.

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Leonard Nimoy: Do you even know who I am?
Mayor Quimby: Aren't you one of the Little Rascals?

[maniati727]

ok i meant winter.

and yes it dose get bad here... and we are in a very small town and i live on a very small road so the plows dont come untill late.. and by then i got to leve and then i get stuck

[spidergoolash]

Originally posted by Wangel:
Don't get in my way, be it a dog, deer, cow, old lady crossing the street, or stroller.

Somehow the phrase - "Crush, Kill, Destroy" (From Lost in Space) comes to mind when I drive my Expedition!

http://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/rotflmao.gif

not me; i drive like a slug.

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"There is just one reality left: We are here and it is now. You get hold of that and hang on to it or you might as well be dead."

[ukliam]

I can't really say much having driven a Jeep for over a year, but I have to say one of the main reasons for selling it was the amount of fuel it dreank..... but if I had it as a choice for a company car I would get it again... I felt safer in it, I felt I had a better view of the road and better awareness of what was going on around me. I have absolutely no problem with them on the roads, if that is the vehicle of your choice then good luck to you. It is a bit of a pain if u are in a car behind one, but only if you are driving too close, in which case... you should not be doing that in the first place, and u are putting yourself at risk if you do so.

[spidergoolash]

don't even get me started on gas mileage, or complete lack thereof http://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/frown.gif

you know who i admire? people who take the bus. once i get on the day shift i'm going to partake in the mass transit mode of transportation more often http://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/supergrin.gif

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"There is just one reality left: We are here and it is now. You get hold of that and hang on to it or you might as well be dead."

[ukliam]

Or the train as well, I have to say using the trains and bus's in the week and having the car only for the weekends or for personal use was better than I ever thought.... and I am looking to get back to that situation again.

Thought of the day = forget about the roads in rush hour and get the train, although the train might be packed, there are never as many delays as there are on the roads... some drivers are stupid, train drivers rarely go wrong on the tracks.

[JHowse]

I'm a car person, myself. I see no point in having an SUV, personally. IMHO, I think they are glamourous trucks. If you need a large vehicle with room, get a mini-van. If you need something more rugged for hauling materials, a truck is perfect, else get a car. Again, just my opinion. http://www.aliensoup.com/ubb/smilies/wink.gif

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Does driving a car from Saturn make me an alien?

That which does not make me barf, makes me stronger - possum37, fugly.net guru.