Quote:
Originally Posted by 1carnut
Software Engineer specializing in PeopleSoft. Have owned way too many cars (32) thus my alias. I have worked on cars off and on over the years and the tests I took in grade school said I was mechanically inclined. Not sure how I wound up slinging code for a living. I have always had some interest in fuel economy so this site is a great fit. I actually ran across the Aerocivic years ago and spent some time checking out the site then but am just now getting serious about things. I am very frustrated by several things auto related.
1. Why aren't most of the fuel efficient cars in the world available in the US?
2. Who keeps deciding that the US won't buy diesel cars? (See gripe #1)
3. Why does every car website have a car configurator/pricer but you have to go the local lot to buy what they have? Why not let us configure and then build it? How much money would that save an ailing industry?
End rant.
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1. Because Big Money will suffer a big $$$$$$ loss by having more efficient cars.
2. Big Money. He's a Big *******.
3. Once again, BM.
I am not trying to be facetious, but the way things are structured right now, everyone pays roughly the same for fuel as a proportion of income. So even though there are cars that get double the mpg in other markets, they are paying double for fuel. You put those high mpg vehicles in the North American markets, then the balance ( for them ) is upset. Even though the excuses have been emissions and safety, the reality is $$$$$$$$$.
Think about it, what's the difference between a Frenchman, a Brit and an American that it warrants a whole slew of mechanical reconfigurations so that they can be sold in their respective markets? What makes us so special that we have to have extra bracing, bigger bumpers, less efficient engine calibrations, etc?
I guess we drive so poorly we need saving from ourselves, so fat we need the extra bracing and bumpers, and so apathetic we could care less about getting the highest mpg vehicles available wherever.