How’d I miss this one? Geez, I love driving a nice car. Always thought of cars as being for
going places and trucks for
hauling. While I appreciate everyone’s desire to “sit higer” (than the other guy) and to come out better in a collision (than the other guy), I also consider most cars (1) easier to drive - thus less fatiguing on long trips, (2) more stable and maneuverable due to a lower center of gravity, (3) easier to stop - and thus avoid collisions, (4) generally less expensive to operate and insure. In short, I don’t get it.
Personally, I own a small car that I drive when weather permits (80% of the time) and an aging pickup that hauls everything from a load of top soil for the garden to a stack of 2x4s and plywood when needed. Recently, I tried to find / purchase a new pickup for my limited needs. When I looked online, the “standard” pickup (2 doors) is practically impossible to find. Few build it and fewer stock it. I was confronted with “extras” like 4-doors, collision avoidance radar, computer screens and
bells & whistles in the cab. So I’m continuing to pour money into the old one to see if it will last another 15 years.
Have to wonder if the fall in the price of gasoline to as low as 1-2 dollars fueled this transition and if the trend will backfire once gas gets back above 4 or 5 bucks a gallon? If you’re looking for justification for the approaching inverted yield curve ... a sharp spike in fuel costs and subsequent plunge in new vehicle sales could provide the spark for recession.
https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/25/ford-to-stop-selling-every-car-in-north-america-but-the-mustang-and-focus-active/Related: Consumers shift to larger vehicles:
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-auto-sales-rise-amid-shift-to-larger-vehicles-2018-04-03
Comments
So ... the fact that everybody is driving SUVs perhaps means I should buy an even bigger SUV so I can see over them? Or perhaps a tank? (Rhetorical)
I don’t buy that smaller is inherently dangerous. Much easier IMHO to get out of the way of danger by maneuvering around a bad situation. How can a tall heavy 4WD possibly be as nimble as a well equipped smaller car? I know the crash statistics favor bigger heavier vehicles. But I doubt there’s been a lot of study on whether in the hands of a proficient driver small cars aren’t less accident prone. Judging by the number of big SUVs that regularily pull right out in front of me when I’m driving 65, I think a lot of them are in the hands of some pretty poor drivers.
And prices! I bought a 71 Plymouth Fury new off the lot for $2,800. And a beautiful new 1990 Ford F-150 for $11,000. Than a new ‘05 Silverado, very well equipped, for $16,000. Now? A lower end F150 will probably run you $35,000 - 40,000. Add 4WD you’re looking at anywhere from $40,000-$80,000. Don’t know how people afford it. (Or why they think the price justifies it)
End of rant.