Comments on: Auto Industry Desperation: “Small Cars Are Disposable and Bad for the Environment” http://ecomodder.com/blog/auto-industry-desparation-small-cars-disposable-bad-environment/ Wrench smart - driver smarter - save fuel Fri, 18 Nov 2011 08:51:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Rob http://ecomodder.com/blog/auto-industry-desparation-small-cars-disposable-bad-environment/comment-page-1/#comment-3558 Rob Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:25:36 +0000 http://ecomodder.com/blog/?p=408#comment-3558 While he does make some ridiculous claims, I don't think it's as bad as your review implies. First, he recommends buying a mid-size car a couple of years old and keeping it. Of course, the case could be made that creating market demand for two year old mid-size cars enables the current owners of such cars to trade up more easily but I think, on balance, that the "buy used" mentality does not especially help automobile manufacturers. Second, it is certainly true that one would have to save an awful lot of fuel to offset the embedded energy (and carbon footprint) of any new vehicle purchase. For example, I calculate that I can save $1100/year in gas (at $2.50/gallon) by trading in my 2006 LR3 HSE for a Ford Focus (a relatively small car that can be upgraded to have the features I want). Further, I could make a profit by selling the Land Rover and buying the Focus. But the net embedded energy in the new car would offset much, if not all, of the fuel savings. If I buy a late model Focus, I'm likely enabling the seller to buy something new. In the end, for most people I suspect the greenest thing to do is to keep and maintain whatever they have, drive it as little as possible, and drive when necessary using the techniques so thoroughly detailed elsewhere in this site. Finally, the second page of the article is unavailable, a least to me. While he does make some ridiculous claims, I don’t think it’s as bad as your review implies. First, he recommends buying a mid-size car a couple of years old and keeping it. Of course, the case could be made that creating market demand for two year old mid-size cars enables the current owners of such cars to trade up more easily but I think, on balance, that the “buy used” mentality does not especially help automobile manufacturers.

Second, it is certainly true that one would have to save an awful lot of fuel to offset the embedded energy (and carbon footprint) of any new vehicle purchase. For example, I calculate that I can save $1100/year in gas (at $2.50/gallon) by trading in my 2006 LR3 HSE for a Ford Focus (a relatively small car that can be upgraded to have the features I want). Further, I could make a profit by selling the Land Rover and buying the Focus. But the net embedded energy in the new car would offset much, if not all, of the fuel savings. If I buy a late model Focus, I’m likely enabling the seller to buy something new.

In the end, for most people I suspect the greenest thing to do is to keep and maintain whatever they have, drive it as little as possible, and drive when necessary using the techniques so thoroughly detailed elsewhere in this site.

Finally, the second page of the article is unavailable, a least to me.

]]> By: Weekly Link Roundup V | Hypermiling, Fuel Economy, and EcoModding News - EcoModder.com http://ecomodder.com/blog/auto-industry-desparation-small-cars-disposable-bad-environment/comment-page-1/#comment-3129 Weekly Link Roundup V | Hypermiling, Fuel Economy, and EcoModding News - EcoModder.com Sat, 11 Oct 2008 16:57:45 +0000 http://ecomodder.com/blog/?p=408#comment-3129 [...] Small Cars Are Bad for the Environment?: Some industry mouthpiece wants us to believe that small cars are bad for the environment, but I show you in this article why that’s just a ridiculous claim. [...] [...] Small Cars Are Bad for the Environment?: Some industry mouthpiece wants us to believe that small cars are bad for the environment, but I show you in this article why that’s just a ridiculous claim. [...]

]]> By: Jmo http://ecomodder.com/blog/auto-industry-desparation-small-cars-disposable-bad-environment/comment-page-1/#comment-3126 Jmo Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:27:39 +0000 http://ecomodder.com/blog/?p=408#comment-3126 My Civic sold for $14000 in 1997, and is still worth $4200 according to KBB.com; a Land Rover Discovery, a much larger, heavier, and supposedly more rugged vehicle, which sold for $45,000 in 1997 is now only worth $2400, and that's for excellent condition and still running... very rare, unlike those flimsy '97 Civics. Oh, and I only average 45 MPG, just a tad higher than the Rovers 13 MPG. My Civic sold for $14000 in 1997, and is still worth $4200 according to KBB.com; a Land Rover Discovery, a much larger, heavier, and supposedly more rugged vehicle, which sold for $45,000 in 1997 is now only worth $2400, and that’s for excellent condition and still running… very rare, unlike those flimsy ’97 Civics. Oh, and I only average 45 MPG, just a tad higher than the Rovers 13 MPG.

]]> By: jim http://ecomodder.com/blog/auto-industry-desparation-small-cars-disposable-bad-environment/comment-page-1/#comment-3093 jim Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:58:08 +0000 http://ecomodder.com/blog/?p=408#comment-3093 That's comedy... I can't believe they'd stoop to that level of lying. That’s comedy… I can’t believe they’d stoop to that level of lying.

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