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Here's a question. Why do Americans drive stupidly oversized cars? Why does the average person need anything bigger than a ford focus or say BMW 3 series? If you live on a farm fair enough, but otherwise....
Here's a question. Why do Americans drive stupidly oversized cars? Why does the average person need anything bigger than a ford focus or say BMW 3 series? If you live on a farm fair enough, but otherwise....
Well... First of all, look at the sheer size of the USA (3.8 million square miles) as opposed to the UK (94,000 square miles). Right or wrong, Americans are accustomed to driving 10-12 hours to get from one location to the next. Our sons live in a city 400 miles from my wife & me - and we all live in "the Midwest."
The bottom line is that it is FAR more comfortable to travel for 10-12 hours in a large car as opposed to a tiny little one.
Second, look at the price of gas. In the United States, it's roughly one-third what it is in the UK. Honestly, we can afford to drive larger cars - even though a lot of larger cars get almost the same mileage as smaller cars (my father-in-law has a full-sized Buick that gets better mileage than my Ford Focus).
*Note: Last summer, when gas was well over $4.00 per gallon in the US, there was a major shift in car-buying habits of Americans. The big old Suburbans & Excursions were sitting in garages, while Americans flocked to dealers to buy tiny little fuel-efficient cars. It's hard to miss the meaning of that!
Third, consider safety. Most Americans are aware of simple physics. We know that you're more apt to survive a crash if you're driving a large vehicle. Consequently, we tend to gravitate toward large vehicles.
Well... First of all, look at the sheer size of the USA (3.8 million square miles) as opposed to the UK (94,000 square miles). Right or wrong, Americans are accustomed to driving 10-12 hours to get from one location to the next. Our sons live in a city 400 miles from my wife & me - and we all live in "the Midwest."
The bottom line is that it is FAR more comfortable to travel for 10-12 hours in a large car as opposed to a tiny little one.
Second, look at the price of gas. In the United States, it's roughly one-third what it is in the UK. Honestly, we can afford to drive larger cars - even though a lot of larger cars get almost the same mileage as smaller cars (my father-in-law has a full-sized Buick that gets better mileage than my Ford Focus).
*Note: Last summer, when gas was well over $4.00 per gallon in the US, there was a major shift in car-buying habits of Americans. The big old Suburbans & Excursions were sitting in garages, while Americans flocked to dealers to buy tiny little fuel-efficient cars. It's hard to miss the meaning of that!
Third, consider safety. Most Americans are aware of simple physics. We know that you're more apt to survive a crash if you're driving a large vehicle. Consequently, we tend to gravitate toward large vehicles.
That's my initial observation.
$4 a gallon will look pretty cheap as soon as we come out of this recession...
$4 a gallon will look pretty cheap as soon as we come out of this recession...
I absolutely hate high-priced fuel. And I know that it really hits some people/industries hard.
But in weird kind of way, high-priced gas can have its benefits. People have been talking for years about more efficient vehicles, but nothing is done about it. Oddly, when gas went over $4.00 per gallon, people find fuel-efficient cars everywhere - and they start driving them. Amazing!
By the way, have you noticed that nobody is talking about the hundreds of billions of dollars of profit Big Oil is making anymore? What do you make of that?
I absolutely hate high-priced fuel. And I know that it really hits some people/industries hard.
But in weird kind of way, high-priced gas can have its benefits. People have been talking for years about more efficient vehicles, but nothing is done about it. Oddly, when gas went over $4.00 per gallon, people find fuel-efficient cars everywhere - and they start driving them. Amazing!
By the way, have you noticed that nobody is talking about the hundreds of billions of dollars of profit Big Oil is making anymore? What do you make of that?
Well, i'd say its because people don't feel the need to find scapegoats now fuel prices are (temporarily) back down to more normal levels. Same thing goes with 'speculators' granted they had their role but fundamentaly it was down to supply shortage (production being 4 million barrells per day below demand). Certainly big oil makes big profits, but upcoming projects are going to be difficult to develop, low in production volumes (far below what is needed to keep supply flat), low net energy return and hence- expensive. Besides profit margins are only 3% and oil companies are price takers, not price makers- i'm no fan of oil companies but its fundamentaly wrong to lay the blame at them.
Last edited by archineer; 07-28-2009 at 08:54 AM..
We have a 2004 TDI Jetta automatic. We can only get about 38MPG out of it. But that is pretty much under any circumstance. This is also with a roof rack.
I had a 2002 Golf TDI manual, and easily got over 50mpg. Ironically they changed it to meet the new emissions standards. So stricter emissions = WORSE mileage????? Don't get me started.
Diesel price fluctuates, but in the end you are always better off with the diesel.
We drive a lot because our public transportation sucks once you leave the city.
Why do I drive a huge '92 Buick Roadmaster Station Wagon that gets 13 mpg around town and 20+ on the highway instead if a Prius thatgets 40 mpg? Simple: because the diference in cost betwen a $2,500 Buick and a new Prius at $25,000 can buy a lot of $3.00 per gallon gas. I bought the Buick with 100k miles and now have 180k and it is still casting a shadow. Might keep it another 3 years or so.
Then I plan on moving to the desert and buying a 60's Chevy pick up truck and a VW bug. Might also buy a street/dirt bike.
I would prefer a hybrid but they are hard to find used around here and we won't buy 'new' cars so, what is the next best option? Which car gets the best mileage after they hybrids, Corolla maybe?
Here's a question. Why do Americans drive stupidly oversized cars? Why does the average person need anything bigger than a ford focus or say BMW 3 series? If you live on a farm fair enough, but otherwise....
Because they think they need them, gas is cheap and there are hardly any decent small european cars available.The Japanese cars aren't the same in the US.
Hardly any diesels either.
I will be sad to leave my car in the UK-not much else mind.
We have a 2004 TDI Jetta automatic. We can only get about 38MPG out of it. But that is pretty much under any circumstance. This is also with a roof rack.
I had a 2002 Golf TDI manual, and easily got over 50mpg. Ironically they changed it to meet the new emissions standards. So stricter emissions = WORSE mileage????? Don't get me started.
Diesel price fluctuates, but in the end you are always better off with the diesel.
We drive a lot because our public transportation sucks once you leave the city.
My Seat Leon FR does 55mpg at 70mph.
0-60 in 7 secs.
I hate automatic cars.
Diesel engines last longer.
Why do you think we have a wonderful public transport system in the UK?
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