Boomhauer

I drove through Wyoming a few months back; seemed like 80-90% of the non commerical vehicles on the road were pickups, even the police vehicles were pickups.

scrubbedexpat099

Husky sounds a bit wimpy.

Steerpike

The biggest appeal by far for any SUV / Crossover is the seating position. I have a bad back, and I blame that in part on the Acura TL I had for some time - low slung. I got a Honda CR-V and my back has never been better. The more upright seating position is wonderful. When I see these old geezers now in their low sports cars, all I can think of is back-ache!

The other 'use' for these cars is simple - an easy-to-access, cavernous cargo space. I used to dread trips to Home Depot; virtually nothing would ever fit without folding down the passenger seat, hanging things out the window, driving with the trunk open, etc. Now I just buy stuff and it fits.

I test-drove an RX 350 last month, thinking it would be my ideal next car, but - while quiet and smooth - the seat just did not work for me, despite 10-way adjustment. So I'm looking now at a replacement CR-V; boring but practical.

dc koop

It's something to do with the Wyoming climate, the great outdoors, 4 x 4s and a somewhat feeling of disdain for Americans elsewhere who've taken to driving Jap and Euro gear, especially Soccer Mom Volvo station wagons

dc koop

A Husky wimpy? Try wrestling one and on top of that a Husky will run you into the ground if you try to keep up with it's daily exercise needs. Not a dog for the wimpy either.

scrubbedexpat091

My wife has a friend with a Subaru, the thing is 5 or 6 and so much rust, and we have milder winters with less salt used compared to places with real winters.

If they can't stand up to our winters, I'd hate to have one anywhere with a real winter, snow and regular use of salt/chemicals whatever it is they use.

Boomhauer

It's cowboy country, large open expanses, lots of farming and ranching, resource extraction, sparsely populated, winters can be harsh, Western free spirit ethic (as opposed to cosmopolitan North East or Coastal California)

dc koop

Also they still don't hate cars with California license plates....not yet anyway. Californians haven't begun to arrive in Wyoming and drive up property prices.

We're not much loved in Oregon or Washington for that reason

Pulaski

My father used to drive with the seat bizarrely upright, now my wife sets the driving seat in a similar position - and driving like that gives me backache if I forget to recline it slightly, and in the case of the Mustang, I really do recline it slightly. Even in my truck I have a somewhat "laid back" driving position. Maybe I was born to drive sportscars.

Nutek

Or Pimp Mobiles.

/helpful

Philk

Lots of Subarus' in Michigan and I've heard they are almost the state car of Colorado. I had a '98 one and am thinking of getting one as a second car this year ( I have a Tuscon which has been great )

scrubbedexpat099

They can be had for cheap in Texas.

PS anybody know anything about replacing U Joints on a F150.

dj6372

So I bought the Altima

I have ok credit (been here 4 months), down of 5k, drove a brand new car off the lot same day, all cleaned, polished and a full tank of gas

Try doing that in the UK

I give full credit to my OH, she is a Director of Sales

She tore the finance man a new arsehole, verbally killed the Sales Manager, filed a complaint against the dealership

I have a lot to learn about Cali ways!

But extremely happy with my new toy

Philk

2009 Chevy Malibu smashes up 59 Chevy Bel Air in crash test

Pulaski

There has almost certainly been significant degradation in the welds in the 1959 car, and given its apparently very good condition, at least one major renovation, which may well have involved the addition of much filler in bodywork. That said, I can't help but wonder if the Bel Air was hauled out of a scrap yard, given a respray and thrust in front of the camera to meet its doom? In other words, little more than a heap of rust.

A series of crash tests was done a few years ago (late 1990's?) in the UK on cars built in the UK in the 70's and early 80's, and it could be seen not only that crash standards had increased, but that the structural integrity of a car inevitably declines over time. I certainly expect that the greater change is improved design standards and build quality, but the degradation of the older vehicle can't be entirely overlooked.