[Chemist_Geek]

Do you live in California, or somewhere there's never any snow? Vans and station wagons are useless in areas where snow removal is inefficient or non-existant.

I live in Michigan, sir, where we regularly have plenty of bad driving weather. Snow removal or the lack thereof is not an issue for the well-trained or experienced driver. As I wrote, if one isn't going to go off-road, as most of the yuppie SUV owners will not, then they ought to have bought a minivan or station wagon.

Of course, CAFE killed the staton wagon, and the government won't let us drill in ANWR and in the Gulf of Mexico, and minivans aren't "stylish." I suppose sending an unnecessary excess of money to the Oil Sheiks is stylish.

[meyer]

I live in Michigan, sir, where we regularly have plenty of bad driving weather. Snow removal or the lack thereof is not an issue for the well-trained or experienced driver. As I wrote, if one isn't going to go off-road, as most of the yuppie SUV owners will not, then they ought to have bought a minivan or station wagon.

I used to live in NE Ohio. Same issue, snow. I got around just fine without 4wd. I got around even better with it. Nevertheless, I bought mine for my own purposes, as do most SUV owners. Hey, its their money - let them do what they want with it.

And, forget the minivan - nothing shouts "henpecked" more than a minivan. :^) Seriously, for towing, most minivans just don't cut it.

Of course, CAFE killed the staton wagon, and the government won't let us drill in ANWR and in the Gulf of Mexico, and minivans aren't "stylish." I suppose sending an unnecessary excess of money to the Oil Sheiks is stylish.

Yes, CAFE did kill the wagon. Look, economics drives people's decisions about what they buy and drive. If oil becomes scarce due to middle east turmoil, people will buy smaller cars. But, its a market decision, not subject to coercion from an already overbearing government.

I think the original article is quite a stretch - its the equivalent of blaming the gun for murder. I give my money to the kid at the gas station. What he does with it falls on him, and so on down the line. Neither he nor I am responsible for where the money ends up. Blame those who are causing trouble for the trouble they cause.

[Darnright]

>>I live in Michigan, sir, where we regularly have plenty of bad driving weather. Snow removal or the lack thereof is not an issue for the well-trained or experienced driver. As I wrote, if one isn't going to go off-road, as most of the yuppie SUV owners will not, then they ought to have bought a minivan or station wagon.<<

Where I live (and you don't have to call me sir, but ma'am might be nice), we may get a 2 foot snow every 3-4 years or so, but we do get numerous smaller ones. I am sorry, but getting a 2WD up a steep gravel incline in the snow gives me the willies (so sue me), therefore I drive a 6 cylinder AWD vehicle. My AWD gets the same milage as the AWD Aerostar van available that year (1995). I don't need that big a van for a daily driver, so why buy one? Simply to appease SUV bigots?

>>Of course, CAFE killed the staton wagon, and the government won't let us drill in ANWR and in the Gulf of Mexico, and minivans aren't "stylish." I suppose sending an unnecessary excess of money to the Oil Sheiks is stylish.<<

I agree with you on ANWR, and since I dislike sending money to Moose-limbs, I pay a few cents more per gallon to purchase from oil companies that do not sell middle east petroleum.