Re: Gasoline Prices
 

If you look at accident data from NHTSA, you will see that large SUV's produce more fatalities than do large and even mid-sized cars. The alleged safety benefit provided to their occupants and the genuine hazard to others created by their mass and weight is offset by their propensity to roll over more than do other vehicle types. Nobody in Detroit changed the laws of physics -- something with a high center of gravity is more likely to tip over than something that doesn't.

Actually, as posted above with a link to match, I based it upon market research that indicates the demographic characteristics of buyers inclined to purchase such vehicles. Those demographics impacted vehicle designs, as the automakers modified their product to serve this urban warrior demographic.

The SUV diehards are a defensive lot, but the point is increasingly moot. The vehicles have declined in value, as owners flee them for more efficient alternatives. Combine that with the economic downturn, and the future for their sales is continuing to dim.

SUV's serve certain people with specific needs, but many of those who bought them as of late had other motivations. The fact that they are now figuring out how to make do with less confirms that.

Re: Gasoline Prices
 

Re: Gasoline Prices
 

Depends on how you look at it. A UK gallon in UK fluid oz is 160 but in US fluid oz it 153. Likewise a US gallon in US fl oz is 128 but 133 in UK fl oz. Probably best to do the comparisons based on liters since that's a constant.

Re: Gasoline Prices
 

Maybe you misread the post but it didn't say that SUVs are unsafe rollover risks. It said that compared to a station wagon they have a higher rollover risk. That's just science and is the same for anything when comparing center of gravity.

Re: Gasoline Prices
 

The options are out there.

1) drive less
2) drive smaller
3) drive more economical
4) bike / walk
5) live nearer to work
6) get a woodstove for the house

if you refuse to do any of the above have fun being gouged everytime, as cheap gas isn't coming back.

Re: Gasoline Prices
 

I do 1, 2, 3, and 6. Although for #1, less for me is still more than a lot of people. We just limit trips to town and try to do more in one trip instead of making multiple trips. Chocolate chip please.

Manc, have you slowed down and how much has it affected your mpg? Also, I've been noticing trucks lately with wide single tires on the driving axles instead of narrow duals, is this for milage or tire wear/expense, looks or what?

Re: Gasoline Prices
 

for my private car......
I really only get 2 tanks of gas a month as I only do 4000 miles or so a year in my car now as I am hardly ever home.


Freight is definately down, so I'm doing approx 2000 miles a week instead of an average of 2800 miles a week. So I am getting hit in the pocketbook there........
but JB Hunt pays for my diesel instead of me as I am a company driver.

don't know about the single axel drive tires if they're any better fuel wise or not, I've seen a lot more of them too.

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I meant slowed down literally, speed wise. And I haven't been able to find anyone who can answer my tire question. I need to know!:lol:

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are these the "fat tires" that stick out from the side of the trucks? Looking too small to be on them?
If yes, then they're simply for looks. All the mexican gangs have them in phx on their cars and trucks. They look ridiculously stupid imho :)

Re: Gasoline Prices
 

No, I'm talking about road tractor tires.

Actually, it looks like this might answer it, if I was smart enough to figure out what it says. http://www.epa.gov/smartway/document...045-110105.pdf

Another intersting one... http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_vehicles...tions-for.html



AHA! From the second link:

Single Wide Tires
The most common configuration for tractor-trailers is to have dual (side-by-side) tires on each axle, except for the steering tires in front. Single wide tires are designed to replace each set of dual tires with one extra wide “super single” tire. Super singles offer both aerodynamic benefits as well as improved rolling resistance. Super singles also offer weight reduction advantages, as the super single tire and rim weigh less than the two tires and rims that they are replacing. Aluminum rims can also be utilized to further reduce weight. Reducing weight offers improved fuel efficiency, or alternatively, allows a heavy load to be carried while continuing to meet highway weight restrictions.

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Valid point - although have umbrella policy too.

I shouldn't tempt fate I know - but if I hit a Jumbo jet and its my fault then I'm thinking the insurance wouldnt pay out as I would be driving on an airport!:lol:

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Plus the U.S. is much more spread out....people live farther away from each other. In the "old days" this was probably due to everyone having their own piece of land to farm. It would be an extremely expensive and endless task to get decent rail to everyone. The people that need it most are the ones that would probably not be able to take advantage of it. They would probably still have to drive to a depot

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DH and recently bought gas guzzlers, but we knew what we were getting into and do not complain about the gas prices....we knew it was coming. But we do all but #2 with a modification to #6. I converted both my wood fireplaces to natural gas and use ventless logs. We filled up our 300 gal oil tank last summer and still haven't run out (we have 1800 sq ft of living space).

I fill up once a month (16 gal tank) during the school year and less in the summer.

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Hi:

I'm wondering if you have driven any European built SUV's -- if so which ones? I can't say that I've been impressed with a Range Rover or a BMW X3 [one on a trip with a friend, the other as a loaner from BMW dealer when the computer which manages everything remembered that it has MicroSoft sofware based on WinCE and misbehaved]. How did the European build SUV you drove compare to the X5? Curious minds would like to know.

The funny thing that I remember is that the original US truck based "SUV" [as a marketing ploy] was the first generation Explorer which the size of today's Ford Escape. IOW, they were smaller.

What I think is irritating is that SUV pretty much killed off the mini-van which is a much more reasonable solution to having something with a lot of space. Of course, in a way of things coming full circle, there are the new generation of "cross-overs" which are better than the truck based stuff. The reason that SUV's were manufactured was that the truck based ones are a lot cheaper to manufacture.

I'd been thinking of getting a diesel when they become available again, but that 25% price differential is something else. The hybrid burns less GASOLINE, but the diesel cars now seem to negate the difference in economic terms -- the "MPG" is just fine, but a dollar more a US gallon?

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I used to drive a Ford Expedition but have now got a Land Rover and I've also had a Merc SUV. The Land Rover has a more refined ride...it is less truck like. The suspension is less harsh than US trucks. The Ford is built on a truck platform and tends to be more skittish when lightly loaded.

Well that's what my husband said...I'm only interested in the bells and whistles...oh and the colour. :p