[ellenor2000]

Originally Posted by niky

Oh, I completely agree.

The problem is getting the market to see that.

People got mo' money, they want mo' mo' mo'.

This is why the Tata Nano failed.

This is why Indians are starting to get into bigger-than-Kei cars.

This is why affluent Asians are going straight from 40 km/l scooters (40 in traffic) STRAIGHT into brand spaning new 1.5 ton MPVs and pick-up trucks.

The perception of utility trumps all common sense.

Me, I could get by with a two wheeler for 90% of my own needs. Even taking the kids to school can be done via bike, as their schools are relatively close (or go via busing service. Same cost per kilometer as driving, but no vehicular ownership overhead). Other times, I drive a Mirage (usually four or five up) But try convincing other parents here that they don't need a V6 Ford Explorer to send a single child to school...

My mum thinks she needs a 3.6 V6 front-wheel drive Dodge Caravan to send two children excluding me to school down a slippery hill. She manages just fine but gets pathetic fuel economy.

*****. You don't. You need a 3.0 Accord with a stick and 4 doors. Like you used to do in the old days with your beloved Biemers.

Hell, I want to reupholster my dad's engineless Beetle, get it worth using and put an engine in it. But first I need to rebuild my automatic Hyundai Accent's engine, since that's the engine (and transmission if the Autostick Beetle is a 3 speed) I'd be using.