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I hope so. Most people who drive these guzzling SUVs and pickups do not need them. They are just making our enemies in the middle east rich to stroke their egos. The rest of the world hasn't fallen for the fad. They already have high gas prices. The streets in the US are overloaded with vehicles and traffic just about everywhere is getting worse every day. If people drove vehicles in sizes they need, gasoline would be less expensive because it would be more plentiful. supply and demand is why our gasoline is so expensive.
i think gasoline could really go up in price in the next 5 years if the stock market dont crash.However oil could be 20 bucks a barrel in 5 years too.I am a oilman and one thing ive learned is that nobody can predict the price of West Texas Intermediate long-term on a reliable and accurate basis.There will always be oil booms and oil busts....times where gas is so pricey and times when its dirt cheap.I am for sure that most SUV drivers will regret it at some point in the future.Saudi Arabia is on track for record production so thats good news for drivers around the nation.
Even during the highest gas prices, people here were still buying pickups and SUVs, it didn’t deter them one bit.
Around here I distinctly remember dealers marking up the Prius by $2-5k. SUVs could be had with huge discounts. GM even decided to make the Tahoe and Yukon with hybrid options.
During the last gas crisis I got many calls for my little Mitsubishi that I had for sale.
From folks with pickup trucks and large SUV's.
Some with stories of poor gas mileage driving to work and back in the big vehicles.
Engine and transmission efficiencies are improved from year to year, along aerodynamics and lighter bodies. For example a new F-150 truck with room for 6 people, burns somewhere around 18MPG of fuel in the city, and around 24MPG of fuel on the open road. My old carbureted '81 F-150 with a 300 inline V6 motor, burns more fuel than my 2001 Silverado 1500 truck, and this one has a 350 Vortex 8-cylinder motor.
My wife's 2010 RAV4 has a V6 motor that produces nearly 270HP, coupled to a 5-speed fully automatic transmission. It does around 20MPG in the city, and around 29MPG on the open road. At 70MPH the tachometer is on 2,000 RPM. Take the same motor and couple it to a 6-8 fully automatic transmission, and you will be amazed at how much fuel it saves.
On long drives there is not comparison relating to a comfortable ride between a small vehicle versus a large one such as truck or SUV. Ride a large size Cadillac a few hundred miles and you will notice the difference. I drive to work on a 2012 Corolla.
No, I think most of us realize that in the big scheme of things gas is a very minor expense, even at $4. When a starter house is $600k, utility bills can be $400/month in winter, $1-2 more per gallon is only $20-40 more for an average tank. I just drove my V8 truck with 385 horsepower about 900 miles on vacation, got average 21 mpg, and with the 36 gallon tank can go over 750 miles before filling up. At home that was $3.03/gallon, Oregon was about $3.59, and California at or just above $4.00. I still saw many, many travel trailers and RVs on the highway.
So you think history is destined to never repeat itself? If gas goes to $4-5/gallon again for an extended period of time, I bet automakers will scramble to import more of their smaller cars sold in other countries. At $5 gallon and driving say 17k miles/year, the 20 mpg combined SUV will cost nearly $2k/year extra compared to something like a Fit. That’s huge considering the spending habits (and savings) of many people.
So you think history is destined to never repeat itself? If gas goes to $4-5/gallon again for an extended period of time, I bet automakers will scramble to import more of their smaller cars sold in other countries.
History doesn’t necessarily repeat itself and there’s no such thing as destiny. I doubt gasoline will get much more expensive, fracking and increased American production has lowered the price and decreased the influence of the OPEC countries. The oil game has changed in a fundamental manner. And the price of gasoline has recently declined.
The glee some take in hoping some people will have to give up things they enjoy is unseemly.
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