Quote:
Originally Posted by Wonderboy
F***ing finally! I went to europe this winter and saw all kinds of better-than-american cars let alone american car(s). The ford Ka was released in 1996... why wasn't it released in the U.S.? Sure there are assholes here who think SUVs and giant chevy impalas are oh so much safer, but considering all that I know, and all that everyone on this forum knows, there can't be THAT much of a minority in the US that knows well that the 30MPG mark is NOT a significant milestone in car mileage. I find it so hard to believe that american consumers PREFER an 11mpg piece of **** that is "safe" and huge to a 45mpg "dangerous" Ford Ka or Geo metro. To an extent I agree with the free market capitalism thing "hey, if people want to buy giant, irresponsibly inefficient vehicles, then let them have cake!", but I can't get on board with it when it comes to vehicles. I see a hummer and I always think "you're using up perfectly good gas that I could be using several factors more efficiently - you're wasting gas that I could be using more responsibly".
This argument that all the pundits are making about "well, these are the types of cars americans want to buy" is bollocks. I bet people would buy Ford if they released the Ka in the US, they would buy the diesel ford focus and the diesel audis, just as people buy the VW TDIs. I would have no problem supporting the domestic auto industry if they didn't make ****ty cars - the durability is NOT my issue here - who gives a **** if your vehicle is durable and lasts a long time if it weighs 98237 pounds and gets 8mpg? If I weren't a used car kind of guy, I would definitely buy a ford or GM car if it had better mileage than honda or toyota, etc.. This is not the case. Maybe this is not the attitude of the majority who "need" to cart their 2+ children around to karate, soccer practice, play dates, masturbation excercises, etc... All I have to say is that we're overpopulated anyway. We have many cultural problems, and entitlement and addiction to energy are just two of them.
I can tell I'm losing my coherence in my drunken rant here (it's my bday night  ), so here's the obligatory "I love you guys... seriously man" "This is such a good forum, and I'm glad not everyone out there is seriously uninformed or irresponsible"
f***  |
lol... hey I like my "large chevy Impala"... granted it is not the Caprice model lookalike, so I actually have a v-6 fwd instead of the v-8 rwd platform that I am thinking you are refering to...lol Seriously though, a neighbor of mine has an 03 Impala like mine, and was overheard bemoaning the fact that he was going to have to give it up for an "econobox" (almost fell over when I heard that term from someone like him) Anyway, I cornered him later, and took him out for a drive in mine, and made a few observations as I tenatively asked what he would sell his Impala for (possible parts car for mine?) Sadly he wants far toooooooo much for his Imp, and politely informed him that his driving style was to blame on his fuel usage. Showed him this site and my fuel logs, as well as pointing out the driving style I was using (a light acceleration and anticipating lights and stopsigns kinda deal) That sort of blew his mind away... he was figuring he was getting 15 mpg in town and barely 22 mpg on highway.
On the safe and huge issue... sadly the American mindset, in general, is Pavlovian (possible spelling error there) towards the bigger is better, and nicer, and probably safer issue. Sadly, watching most of those SUV's and un-eco-responsible vehicles you can see that they are not truely needed, as there is still only one occupant inside as they barrel along at unsafe, above posted speeds. Which nicely ties into the entitlement issue... MINE MINE MINE... lol
/rant
/laughter