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The problem is that the whole truck and SUV thing has become an arms race. People fear getting hit by some idiot who is talking on their cell phone while smacking the kids, putting on makeup and text messaging so they go out and buy one too. I drive my Metro in fear of the morons but honestly can't in good conscience drive a 12 mpg vehicle. It's not out of wanting to save the planet. I really can't do that when countries like China continue to pollute at an alarming and ever-increasing rate. No, it's out of not wanting to part with huge sums of money at the gas station just to get around. I like my cars but I also like being able to afford to drive them as well. I also like the smug factor of knowing my vehicular choice is technically or financially superior to those of people commuting in a Ford Excursion or leasing a new Prius. My car cost less than 1 car payment for the normals to buy and will be less than less than 3 more payments to sort and that just makes me smile all the way to the bank.
If I really was concerned with going green I don't think I could have a more green choice than a restored Metro. At least my "new" car doesn't require more manufacturing pollution to replace an old car that was already built with a new one. I never understood the wastefulness of people who buy a new car every 3-5 years when the old one is still perfectly capable of doing the job.
(However, if someone wants to sell me a new Prius, Insight or Volt for $250 I am more than willing to jump on the bandwagon.)
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No green technology will ever make a substantive environmental impact until it is economically viable for most people to use it. This must be from a reduction in net cost of the new technology, not an increase in the cost of the old technology through taxation
(Note: the car sees 100% city driving and is EPA rated at 37 mpg city)
Last edited by Jim-Bob; 01-01-2011 at 06:06 AM..
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