Posted on 07/17/2005 1:25:15 PM PDT by grey_whiskers
Let me be the first to predict the imminent death of the SUV's as a preferred form of transportation. This is not because the drivers are Starbucks-sipping yuppie scum, nor because they are chain-smoking over-the-hill-trophy wives, nor because they are preoccupied with their cell phones (though these are all true).
It is because the SUV's, despite their name, are not SPORT utility vehicles, but specialty UTILITY vehicles, good for ferrying half of a boy scout troop, or hauling home several months' salary worth of goods from Best Buy or from Home Depot in a single trip. In other words, they are large, lumbering, and specialized. Just like the dinosaurs. And like the dinosaurs, when the environment to which they have laboriously adapted changes--when their ecosystem changes—they will go extinct.
Just what is it that will spell the end of these suburban monsters? I used to think it was a spike in gas prices: surely no one can continue driving an 8- or 12- mpg beast in the face of $2.00+ per gallon charges at the pump. But I was wrong. These vehicles are status symbols. They are not Babe Mobiles, like a BMW roadster; these are what you buy after you have landed the babe and she has domesticated you, when you want to impress other couples. I have heard a yuppie explain this very point, when asked why he didn't abandon his new Durango, even though he was burning two gallons of gas a day, just commuting to work. "That's not the statement I'm trying to make." The automakers (even with 0% financing) must need supercomputers just to count their lease payments. And the “now all customers can have the employee discount” sales aren’t helping either.
Well, if it isn't gas, what will spell the end of the SUV? I think the answer is, when they outlive their natural utility (no pun intended). What are the SUV's used for, really? Certainly not (except maybe the Xterra or Hummer) for serious off-road work. They cost too much to buy, and you don't want to damage a leased vehicle! As noted earlier, SUV's excel at hauling around small people, buying stuff at Home Depot, and impressing the neighbors. When will these functions die off?
Let us remember that ever since the 60's, the vanguard of every cultural movement has been the baby boomers--from rock 'n roll, through Doonesbury, to career women, and SUV's. Boomers have delayed parenthood until late in their lives; now they have children at the same time as they have money. Boomers like a large house, they want a large vehicle to carry the furniture and hardware; they use the SUV for soccer practice, piano practice, singing lessons, birthdays, you name it.
But children grow older; they want their own cars. (How many people really let a 16-year old drive a $40,000 vehicle that they don't even own? And how much is the insurance?) Finally, the children move out. Now there is no need at all for ferrying the children; and the large house out in the 'burbs begins to feel 'empty'…”Honey, maybe we should look into a condominium, or a townhouse?” And as the large house is downsized, there too goes the need for a wheeled dinosaur to haul lumber, furniture, plumbing. The day of the dinosaurs is done. And (by the way) the automakers will have to turn to another guaranteed profit center. Caveat emptor.
(Full disclosure: SUV's are also good for mashing subcompacts under their tires like a dinosaur stomping a frightened rabbit. The author drives a Nissan Sentra. This fact has nothing whatsoever to do with the contents of this article.)
Outstanding!
If GM could make an Envoy or a Trailblazer that gets 26-30 on the highway, they would sell so many it would just be crazy.
I know I'd buy one.
I need a 4WD for getting to work in the winter that gets decent gas mileage, and that I don't have to bend myself like a pretzel to get into.
I drive a Jeep Cherokee limited with a V-8 which in the winter is VERY beneficial in getting from point A to point B.
I don't have anyone to haul around being single, but I'll be GD if I'm going to follow the trumpeting of labeling in reference to the SUV being the scourge of the roadways and concern myself with increasing my mileage from 21mph to something else that will only decrease my ability to get to where I want to go. (in comfort I might add)
Wow, so many false preconceptions about SUVs, so little time...
It's an interesting stat. There's a reason SUVs are marketed to the lizard-brained.
Let's see if I can figure it out.
First, the word 'dinsaur' consists of two components, din and saur.
Din comes from the word dingo, a wild dog.
Saur comes from the word sauerkraut, no explanation needed there.
Therefore the only conclusion I can draw is that dinsaur is a wild sauerkraut eating dog ;-)
It becomes even more complicated with the required infant seats and booster seats. Two infants, one double stroller leave no room and wouldn't fit in a medium size car.
Yea, thank gawd for the "lizard brains" in our Republic....
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
I can't fit 7 people in the bed of a pickup truck?
Our son and his wife, our DIL, had a Ford Taurus with the first grandchild and with all of the gear needed for her, there was very little room.
So they went to an Explorer before their second child was born. My wife and I wondered why until we saw the infant seat, the toddler seat, the two baby carriage, the diaper bags and all the other stuff. Also the back end of the Explorer is a great place to change Pampers on a child. Throw a towel to cover the mat. Put the baby on the towel and change them standing up and not hunkered over like in a car.
I'm sure the auto manfacturers and car dealers do on a daily basis. FWIW, in addition to other concerns I have with SUVs, I'd never fork out my hard-earned cash for a vehicle that generated at least four figs of pure profit for the maker. I'm too cheap :)
I wreckon you're wright. ;~)
I just love when I'm trying to make right turn out of a parking lot, and an SUV driver pulls wayyyy up to make a left thus blocking my vision. Inconsiderate bastards...
That's funny . . . I don't care who y'are!
The caravan has way more room than the durango. Hard to be believe, but it's true. The caravans are way more practical unless you're going to be pulling something.
Come over here and try to make me shut up, old man. ;)
That should be 1978 Camaro, bonehead.
Air induction, T-tops, and zero ability to take on a tree.
this really is a vanity. and what is up with dinsaurs and career women? geesh. there have always been "career women" since the dinsaur age......i am one of them and I DRIVE AN SUV. because there will always be career women, kids, and their crap, i doubt we will see an end to the SUV. some people (including me) will never own a van. i would imagine their fuel efficiency will increase and hopefully the starbuck swilling left will allow OUR country to drill OUR OWN oil.
"What is a dinsaur?"
Could if be an as yet undescribed variety of dim sum?
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