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Gas still expensive and yet large vehicles still preferred.

Posted: Aug 27, 2014

I don't know about you guys, but where I am the economy is stagnant. Every day in our local paper jobs are being lost to mill closures and manufacturing work going overseas, supposedly more additions to the people on welfare, and yet every day in the news are oodles of accidents where vehicles are "crossing the center line" which I place 85% of the blame on smart phones, and those vehicle always seem to be really big, like late-model pickup trucks and SUVs.

Anyway, I was just wondering why that is? Those payments have to be huge and the fuel to fill them not cheap, and I'm rural where everything is really spread out. Are they really getting that more economical to drive as far as MPG wise? I was looking at pickup trucks a while back and some of them were over $50,000! Holy crap! We bought our house for a little over that 10 years ago! Am I really that out of touch with reality?!

;

I agree with you! - NYMT

[ In Reply To ..]
If you are out of touch with reality, then so am I. I'll pull up to a pump to put $8.00 in my tank and see the last person put in $65.00. Of course, a lot of people where I live commute to a city about 30 miles away, but you'd think they'd drive little economy cars for the commute. No, every time I head out it's all SUVs and luxury cars on the freeway. I wonder where they're getting all that money?!

I agree with you but for commuting see the appeal of - big vehicles despite the cost

[ In Reply To ..]
I drive a smallish car, but I think if I had to commute on highways every day to get to work, I would rather do it in a large vehicle than something like a Smart Car or another small vehicle. I just figure if I'm going to have an accident, I want as much mass around me as possible. Plus, a bigger vehicle puts you up higher so you have better vision.

It's a tradeoff, though. You pay $65 or $100 a pop to fill your tank every 2 weeks so you better hope you make good money for that commute or you like Ramen noodles every day for dinner.

I always wonder the same thing - Not understand

[ In Reply To ..]
Even if I was making a lot more money than I am now, why would I want to put it into gas money? What a waste of money, but I still don't understand where all the money comes from. I agree with NYMT, I go to the gas pump and put in 7-8 dollars and the person in front of me puts in 80 dollars. What the heck is that? WOWIE.

Usually, on the used car lots these days, the - (sm)- Lotus

[ In Reply To ..]
cheapest cars are the big gas-guzzlers, because those who can afford them are getting the more expensive hybrids.

If my current car (an old SUV) died, was totaled, or were stolen and stripped, I would likely have to be a big guzzler too, because I'd need the cheapest still-working car I could find - preferably something under $3,000. That leaves one with the choice of old Lincolns, Cadillacs, Buicks, Ford Crown Vics and Chevys, or old pickups.

So for those of us who desperately need a running vehicle to get us from point-A to point-B, we're likely to shop for the cheapest purchase price, rather than the best gas mileage.

Some of us need the big vehicles - TrampledUnderfoot

[ In Reply To ..]
RVers, for one, need the large vehicles. You can't pull a trailer with some little Jap scrap. Also, while I agree some people with pick-up trucks never put anything in the back, all the people I know haul things with their pick-ups, again something you can't do with some little economy car.

Definte late model--sm - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
I have an F150, 2001 so it is not a late model. We bought it used. We use the truck to do things with, haul rocks, compost, etc. The gas is expensive but it is still cheaper than buying a new vehicle. Being rural, I like the 4WD too, great when the roads are muddy or icy. The cost of new trucks is ridiculous but that is for people with money and some day, somebody like me will buy that truck used.

When looking at cars, I am not all that impressed with their gas mileage either. DH drives a 92 miata and gets better gas mileage than the newer ones. He technically has a long commute but he just drives the car to the bus stop and takes the bus to the city. Although, you would be hard pressed to buy a house for $50K here.

Ditto here with the home prices! - TrampledUnderfoot

[ In Reply To ..]
And when they said people spend $80 to fill up, I WISH I could fill my tank for $80.

I love the IDEA of hybrids and electric cars, - but have you seen the PRICES? Aack!

[ In Reply To ..]
I could continue to drive my 1997 4WD SUV (that I got for ski-trips, back when I could afford skiing), which doesn't get the best mileage, but which I bought used, paid cash for, and rarely requires repairs. I just got my DMV registration notice, and it's gotten really cheap to register & insure.

OR, I could fork out $$$$$ (if I had any money) for a Prius or a Ford Escape Hybrid, or a Nissan Leaf (ha-ha... or Tesla), and any savings in fuel costs would be eaten up tenfold by the cost of the payments, the insurance, and the likely higher cost of repairs. Until they become more common, I don't think you'll be able to limp into a rural gas station/repair shop in Middle-of-Nowhere, Nevada and be able to get parts for it that day. Or even that week.

Leave my SUV alone!!...sm - Tanya

[ In Reply To ..]
I wish all you people dissing SUVs would quit. I have a 2012 Chevy Equinox, 4 cyl, auto, and I get 26 mpg in town, Ocala, land of stop and go traffic, and 32+ on the open road. I have horses and need it to haul hay, but even if I didn't I'd have an SUV. I can haul 4 bales of hay in it. I feel safe in my car and it doesn't look like an egg. I bought it new and paid $26K for it. It's not a base model, either, lots of options. So just leave my SUV alone, please!!

Another SUV defense: They don't make - station wagons anymore. (sm)

[ In Reply To ..]
My parents had five of us kids. We always had a humongous station wagon. It was the only thing that would fit 5 kids (one in a crib in the car, since they didn't make car-seats yet), and two adults, plus all our stuff in the very back. It was also essential for hauling all the groceries required to feed five kids. If car-seat rules had been in effect back in those days, it would've taken my mom half an hour just to get us all loaded and buckled in, every time we got in the car!

Now, the only cars that resemble station wagons, such as Subaru Outbacks or other crossover SUVs, are great (I wish I had an Outback!), but would have been too small for my family.

Everything is a trade-off - and if you need a vehicle that will do a job (carry 8 passengers; haul 6 dogs to the dog park; pull a camping trailer, boat or horse trailer; carry band instruments (or the band members!); or any number of tasks that requires more room than your average sedan, then yes, you need a full-sized SUV because they don't make station wagons anymore.

I only want an SUV and my husband has a - pickup truck-before I had BMWs

[ In Reply To ..]
I was in Tennessee yesterday traveling and the gas there was $3.17 for regular. About a month ago in South Carolina and the gas there was $3.11. Where I live gas is about $3.31. No smart phone here but I love my SUV, don't know the cost because my husband buys and makes the payments on it. I would think, however, my previous cars were even more because for years he has bought me BMWs, more than one. I asked him not to buy another BMW because frankly I hate the paint jobs on those!

Huge SUVs - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
I have a young relative(25 years old) who just had her fourth baby. She and her husband want to buy a home. Meanwhile, her hubby bought a HUMMER. I could not believe it! Yes, yes, I know it is none of my business and I am not going to say anything to her, but this is a family that struggles, and he buys a HUMMER? Geez, Louise.

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