Move over gas guzzlers, small cars are coming

usa today ^ | 1/8/06 | na

[Flavius]

USA Today articles are link only

[uglybiker]

I'll stick with my GMC truck.

GMC -- Gay Man's Cadillac ;-)

I'll stick with my Dodge.
(And yes, I know that Mopar stands for 'Mostly Old Parts And Rust')

[HairOfTheDog]

Dude... why don't you stick to giving advice on the virtues of little cars in your life and leave others to decide which vehicle works for them.

I want and need a full sized truck. And a 4-wheel drive one at that. You don't. Good for you, it opens up a spot in your garage for something you do want.

[Nalu]

Cars and trucks are Cheap.
There are many good ones that can be bought for $2k. so owning a used truck to haul stuff or a van to move people isnt going to break the bank.
The fuel savings will pay for that truck or van.

12000 miles at 12mpg = 1000 gal @ $2.00 = $2000
12000 miles at 35 mpg = 342 gal $ $2.00 = $684.

That is $1300 a year in gas savings, in 2 years that old pick up is paid for its self.

[iPod Shuffle]

My favorite is the Yuppie driving a giant SUV, while yapping on her cell phone... with a cute little "Greenpeace" bumpersticker on the back.

[iPod Shuffle]

Forget the dog food... put down a nice fluffy pillow, and that's the dog's bed.

[mewzilla]

Where do you put the 50lb bag of dogfood?

Buy one of these :)

[The Great RJ]

I recently returned from Paris and saw lots of the so-called Smart cars...glorified golf carts. While they might be OK for strictly driving in large cities, the prospect of driving one of these at anything approaching highway speeds is scary. Again, no one with kids could possibly use one and even carrying more than a few sacks of groceries would be impossible.

[brownsfan]

"Anything alse is iresponsible specially if you have kids."

That is, quite possibly, one of the most moronic rationalizations I've read here, (and there have been quite a few).

You find it funny that you can crush others to death. Not concern, not anxiety, humor. If I can beat you to a pulp with my bare hands, you need to carry a gun? If I get a gun, and it's possible I can shoot first, do you need to pre-emptively shoot me? If I'm smarter than you, and can take your living because of my superior skills, should you kill me?

Most of us would like to live in civilization. It appears that the law of the jungle works for you. And you think you're conservative. No wonder this country is in the shape it's in.

[MediaAnalyst]

"Do you live in the northeast?"

Nope, in the South. But I do go to the Northeast frequently, and you raise an interesting point in that small cars are great for navigating the narrow, often snow clogged streets in that part of the country.

I just find it remarkable that only an accident of marketing (in Eastern Europe, prior post) showed the idiots who run the automobile companies that some people simply want to buy reliable cars to get from Point A to Point B (to get to work or buy a few items), and not to:

a) Feel like they are King of the World
b) Make a fashion statement
c) Show that they are rich (or in deep debt)
d) Have 250 gadgets around them
e) Be able to carry an elephant in the back
f) Be able to ford the Mississippi
g) Be able to drive the Pacific Crest Trail
h) Be competitive if they stumble into a NASCAR race


Meanwhile, you have the president of Ford more interested in Global Warming than getting his cars to reach 100k. You have the other car companies designing automatic door lock systems that you have to unswitch to get out of the car. You have billions pushed for these GPS-tracked psycho cars, with on-board data collection, that have steering and braking by wire.

All I want is a simple, reliable, car with air conditioning. A little gas engine that doesn't burn much fuel will do just fine for me.

For once I don't blame the MSM - it is the dingbats running the car companies that cannot see a decent sized market.

[poobear]

Provided there are no major injuries I particularly like the scene when the scooters wreck up under those big four wheel drives! ;D! Just hilarious. Anything small enough to align my head with another vehicles bumper will never be parked in my garage.

[pissant]

I hear ya. Don't want anyone hurt, especially ME!

[Hank Rearden]

Where do you put the 50lb bag of dogfood?

Or two kayaks? Or three trapped, caged, live, pissed-off raccoons? (Yes, I've done that too.)

[VanDeKoik]

People just need to be careful in the manner that they drive. It doesn't matter how big you car is or how rugged it makes you feel. If it's hit at the right speed and angle, you are in for a world of hurt. I've seen plenty of news footage that shows no car short of a dump truck is a magic shield.

[Warren_Piece]

I LOVE my xB!!!

[Irene Adler]

"And I can never, ever imagine SUV owners giggling and laughing about what fun it is to crush and kill other human beings in vehicles smaller than their own."

Why are you blaming Mama B for what another poster said? You made your points in previous posts, already. Grow up.

[television is just wrong]

those cars only sit two. they can be parked like motorcycles. Just weird...

[OldFriend]

Small cars are useless in getting thru snow clogged streets.

[1Old Pro]

All Chryslers look the same. Do they all have HEMI written on their sides in 2 foot letters as well?

[1Old Pro]

Where do you put the 50lb bag of dogfood?

You'll need a trailer for that.