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About 7-8 years ago people wanted nice small cars and hybrids (Fit/Prius, etc). The value of trucks and SUVs sank like rocks. Over the last couple years however people have forgot about the past and went heavily toward SUVs/trucks. Are we simply in a good economic period that will eventually pull the rug out from under people and have them wishing they would’ve bought something smaller/better on gas?
Haven’t we seen this scenario play out multiple times in the past? Maybe every 10-15 years? Are most folks just too short sighted to think farther out than the next 2-3 years?
No. The vast majority of SUV and pickups are vanity purchases, not the result of carefully assessing one's needs and buying the appropriate vehicle. Fuel prices alone won't stop people from making vanity purchases, but high fuel costs and a poor economy will.
And how many of those actually evaluated the economics of their purchase, versus the emotions of it?
I needed something to tow with. An expedition wasn't enough vehicle so I bought my F350 used for 16 grand. It doesn't have all the smog crap, will pull anything I want and get good mileage for a big rig. 20 mpg highway.
I always check autotrader and I can sell it right now for more than I bought it. I can fit my side by side in the back and hook up my travel trailer and it doesn't even know it's loaded. I also drive around town with it but if we go eat out we take my wife's nissan because of small parking spaces.
I can't imagine ever buying an SUV for myself, but do I think those who favor them will regret buying them? Uh, no.
SUVs have been around long enough for people to know what they're getting, what costs will be, how they drive, what they're good for, what kind of driving they might not be best for....so I don't see that many people buying one who don't prefer it.
[quote=YourWakeUpCall;52696601]No. The vast majority of SUV and pickups are vanity purchases, not the result of carefully assessing one's needs and buying the appropriate vehicle. Fuel prices alone won't stop people from making vanity purchases, but high fuel costs and a poor economy will.[/Quote
No. The vast majority of SUV and pickups are vanity purchases, not the result of carefully assessing one's needs and buying the appropriate vehicle. Fuel prices alone won't stop people from making vanity purchases, but high fuel costs and a poor economy will.[/Quote
Pretty wrong here I'd say.
Please explain why. Obviously, I can't predict with absolute certainty that high fuel costs and a poor economy will slow truck/SUV sales, but it's not an outrageous position. Why do you disagree?
My original premise has already been proven several times in the past when buyers flocked to more efficient vehicles and shunned trucks/SUVs. It was only about 8 years ago when people were paying markups for the Prius.
Actually it's been disproven several times, but you've ignored those posts.
I needed something to tow with. An expedition wasn't enough vehicle so I bought my F350 used for 16 grand. It doesn't have all the smog crap, will pull anything I want and get good mileage for a big rig. 20 mpg highway.
I always check autotrader and I can sell it right now for more than I bought it. I can fit my side by side in the back and hook up my travel trailer and it doesn't even know it's loaded. I also drive around town with it but if we go eat out we take my wife's nissan because of small parking spaces.
You're the exception, not the rule. Obviously, a pickup is absolutely the correct choice for some people. My best friend's wife drives an F150. She uses it to tow a horse trailer nearly every weekend and her daily work commute is only a couple of miles to and from a nearby park & ride. A car would make no sense in her case, especially since her husband has a 4 door sedan already. On the flip side, my brother drives a Silverado crew cab 3500 with an 8ft bed, 4-wheel drive, and powered by a diesel. He lives in an apartment in an urban area and bought it new in 2011. It has never had anything in the bed that wouldn't have easily fit in the trunk of a car. Every outing is a drama filled debacle because finding a parking spot for the beast is problematic. In his case, it would be impossible to think of a worse vehicle choice. He jokes that he bought it so he'll be prepared for the impending zombie apocalypse, but he really just likes the image it projects. He's recently admitted that he's tired of all of the downsides and inconveniences associated with a truck and is passively starting to look at cars.
Then you have folks that fall somewhere in the middle, like me. I have a 2018 Silverado Z71 LT, double cab, 6.5 foot bed, 4-wheel drive, and powered by a 5.3 V8. I use it most weekends to haul my dirtbike around, go to the dump, pick up building supplies, tow a trailer with my loader/backhoe on it, etc. What I don't use it for is commuting or other none truck use. I have the right tool for that: a car. The parking spots where I work a very small and getting a full-size truck into one is laborious. Plus, a car is much, much more pleasurable to drive than a truck.
My observation as that most trucks never get used as trucks. Instead, they're driven around with an empty bed an no passengers. The rest of us have to wait patiently while their drivers try to dock these monstrosities, we are forced to go unnecessarily slow as the lumber around corners at walking speeds, and accelerate at a glacial pace while merging onto highways. And that's the key: People who drive pickups who don't need one have made a choice that negatively impacts everyone else. My car doesn't negatively impact any one.
You're the exception, not the rule. Obviously, a pickup is absolutely the correct choice for some people. My best friend's wife drives an F150. She uses it to tow a horse trailer nearly every weekend and her daily work commute is only a couple of miles to and from a nearby park & ride. A car would make no sense in her case, especially since her husband has a 4 door sedan already. On the flip side, my brother drives a Silverado crew cab 3500 with an 8ft bed, 4-wheel drive, and powered by a diesel. He lives in an apartment in an urban area and bought it new in 2011. It has never had anything in the bed that wouldn't have easily fit in the trunk of a car. Every outing is a drama filled debacle because finding a parking spot for the beast is problematic. In his case, it would be impossible to think of a worse vehicle choice. He jokes that he bought it so he'll be prepared for the impending zombie apocalypse, but he really just likes the image it projects. He's recently admitted that he's tired of all of the downsides and inconveniences associated with a truck and is passively starting to look at cars.
Then you have folks that fall somewhere in the middle, like me. I have a 2018 Silverado Z71 LT, double cab, 6.5 foot bed, 4-wheel drive, and powered by a 5.3 V8. I use it most weekends to haul my dirtbike around, go to the dump, pick up building supplies, tow a trailer with my loader/backhoe on it, etc. What I don't use it for is commuting or other none truck use. I have the right tool for that: a car. The parking spots where I work a very small and getting a full-size truck into one is laborious. Plus, a car is much, much more pleasurable to drive than a truck.
My observation as that most trucks never get used as trucks. Instead, they're driven around with an empty bed an no passengers. The rest of us have to wait patiently while their drivers try to dock these monstrosities, we are forced to go unnecessarily slow as the lumber around corners at walking speeds, and accelerate at a glacial pace while merging onto highways. And that's the key: People who drive pickups who don't need one have made a choice that negatively impacts everyone else. My car doesn't negatively impact any one.
My truck goes 0-60 in about 6 seconds, faster than many mainstream sedans, including my wife’s Hyundai. And who cares if they don’t need one. Nobody really needs anything except food and water. I don’t see you limiting yourself to that
Besides while you enjoy sedans, many find trucks more favorable to drive. I like a good normal displacement engine with lots of low end torque. It makes driving in traffic easier because you don’t have to wind up the RPM and can stay in one gear on the freeway
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