Why Drive an SUV in Los Angeles (Merced, Brea: lease, purchase)

[CLQ]

They should convert all but one lane on every freeway into railroads. That way we can avoid driving altogether.

BTW, all this talk about small cars being able to maneuver better leads me to believe these are the weavers that cause the accidents in the first place.

[UB50]

Originally Posted by greggd

My parents both had cadillacs from the 70s & 80s. They were used as family cars back then and had huge trunks space. Now the convertible cadillacs are very popular in Italy. A hot item with some 20-30 year olds.

I love the big old Cadillacs. They feel like you are floating when you drive them on the road. You can't feel any of the bumps or potholes. It's amazing. If you keep the engine in good condition and do a lot of freeway driving, you get good gas mileage too.

[greggd]

Originally Posted by CLQ

They should convert all but one lane on every freeway into railroads. That way we can avoid driving altogether.

BTW, all this talk about small cars being able to maneuver better leads me to believe these are the weavers that cause the accidents in the first place.

What will you do when you need to travel 5 miles in any direction where there is no freeway? One lane with a rail and plenty of parking at railstops would be a start.


A weaver will weave around an suv or any other car... and some weavers are suvs. I generally don't weave, but will pass slow traffic and will pass larger vehicles so i have a good view of traffic ahead.

[mbd723]

I got rid of my pathfinder and got a Volvo V40 turbo. Yea, it's a wagon (I like to call it a 'euro hatch' or a 'sport hatch'), but I saves gas, is zippy, and is unique looking. I actually can haul the same amount, if not more stuff, than my pathfinder.

[JCheng91]

who cares, as long they make the money and buy one it's their business. plus some suv's look nice.

[tuscanigirl]

I bought an SUV for comfort, because of the amount of time I have to spend in traffic. Plus, if someone hits me, I am safer than I would be in a car.

[stephbsee]

Originally Posted by rickers

Calling all suvs gas hogs is silly these days. There are lots of big pick ups and large sedans that are worse than many suv type of vehicles. And why is L.A. any different than anywhere else for that matter. Driving is driving, if you don't like folks polluting and wasting fuel, you should be criticising the size and weight of a vehicle not the style. There are many efficient smaller suvs now and this type of vehicle is a very useful tool any place.

SUVs are a valid target because many people buy them soley for the looks and the status. Start there and you make the biggest impact.

There is no hard and fast rule for anything these days. But doesn't mean we can't make generalizations for discussion purposes.

Steph

[Charles]

Originally Posted by stephbsee

SUVs are a valid target because many people buy them soley for the looks and the status. Start there and you make the biggest impact.

There is no hard and fast rule for anything these days. But doesn't mean we can't make generalizations for discussion purposes.

Steph

I have driven all over California, Denver-Colorado Springs, Huntsville, AL, Buffalo, Ohio, PA, and VA. The wealthier areas of LA/OC (and wealthier areas of anywhere) have more MB & BMW, rural areas Colorado (and rural areas anywhere) seems to have more pickups but probably 70%-80% of the vehicles are about the same everywhere. Suburbs (anywhere) have more (hot soccer moms driving) SUVs and minivans. Urban areas have more coupes and/or high performance sedans.

[Jakehorror]

My Mom has a 2006 Honda CRV and that thing is awesome! She had a 2001 CRV and was broadsided by an F-150 going 45mph through a traffic light. The CRV was totalled. The impact threw my Moms glasses out her window 40 yards away! Her CRV then got rammed into a light post to top it off. My Mom was 57 when that happened a couple years ago. She is fragile from her 12 year battle with cancer. She was treated and released the same day.
The CRV has a 5 star crash rating. Better than ANY other SUV big or small. The half blind old man in the truck broke his arm, truck was totalled.

The CRV took ALL of the impact. It looked terrible, like someone died...but thats what these newer Hondas are made to do, absorb impact and crush to keep the occupants from taking the hit.

We're gonna trade this POS pt cruiser (junk wagon) in on a Honda next time we go car shopping.

[LaoTzuMindFu]

I drive a Range Rover and I love it. The fact that I know my family will be safe if in an accident far outweighs the enormous fuel costs. I considered getting a Prius but decided against it after a friend was killed in her Prius when she was hit by a Lexus. If she had been driver her SUV instead of the Prius, she would still be here today.

My families safety, especially with a daughter on the way makes an SUV a no brainer for me.