We have road rage in Europe, yet few(er) people feel the need to buy a tank like vehicle.Originally Posted by PerfAdv
Again, not the case in Europe.
'64
We have road rage in Europe, yet few(er) people feel the need to buy a tank like vehicle.
Again, not the case in Europe.
Thanks for all the fish
Enthusiast
A lot of people in the States pick smaller cars. Just the spectrum here ranges from med. to XXXL. Cheaper gas makes the tanks viable for many more than anywhere else. Because of the possibility of being able to afford a gas guzzler, people choose being cat rather than mouse. Quick! choose: cat or mouse, a lot Americans choose cat because gas is not prohibitive or an issue worth factoring into the equation. Personally, I prefer smaller machines for their handling and better mileage.
Anything you could do in a Fiat Multipla you could accomplish in a stationwagon yet lots to Europeans choose the bigger. Same thing here, however, the big can get hideously gigantic for a daily driver.
Raise the price of fuel to $4/gal and only the truly hardcore size junkies will keep their thirsty habits.
"Racing improves the breed" ~Sochiro Honda
Novice
extra leg room needed for our third legs.....
Space Modulator
I saw an interview with Hillary Duff who apparently has just got her licence (which is quite disturbing in a number of ways). She has an SUV although I doubt she knows what it is. She said she was driving, forward mind you, into her driveway. Now Im thinking HER driveway would have ample room for even a Hummer. She said she heard a crunch and thought she had run over something. She kept driving, obviously doesnt own a dog, and proceeded to remodel the entire side of her truck on the side of her house. She was like sooooooooo embarrased because all her girly mall rat friends were watching, doubtless all expert drivers to a one. The next day she reversed out, backwards gotta be way outside her comfort zone, and ripped off the mirror that was admittedly only just hanging on anyway.
Still I cant fault the instructor for passing her on her licence. She is very cute.
"A string is approximately nine long."
Egg Nogg 02-04-2005, 05:07 AM
'64
Sounds about right.
Thanks for all the fish
Novice
Oh come on this was stupid anyway.... it was obviously a ploy to poke fun of american cars witch turned slightly intellectual (still tryin' to figure that out).....
The reason americans have big cars is because they can. period.
with the 50's and 60's road trip thing going on and the vast highway system it was a natural occurance. what europeans call streets in many places americans call alleys.
and the gas thing ?????
"Under the so-called gas guzzler law passed by U.S. Congress in 1978 to encourage production of fuel-efficient vehicles, U.S. and foreign auto manufacturers must pay taxes ranging from $1,000 to $7,700 for each new car that fails to surpass the 22.5 miles per gallon threshold.
While sport utility vehicles have been blasted by environmental groups for their fuel consumption, and are often labeled "gas guzzlers" by the press, SUVs, pickup trucks, and minivans are not subject to the "gas guzzler" tax because they are classified as light trucks instead of cars.
The taxes and the negative publicity had discouraged Ford, and particularly GM, from selling gas guzzler cars most years. The list of cars charged the tax is almost entirely European sports and luxury models, including models from Volkswagen AG's Lamborghini, BMW AG, DaimlerChrysler AG's Mercedes brand and Ford's Jaguar and Aston Martin divisions."
(RNS 1/6/03
so there you go SUVs aren't cars...
Novice
watching this discussion for some time in amazement. This is a car forum where people discuss every type of car they are excited about, their interest, and what they have done with them. Suddenly these people decide it's not ok for American women with 3 kids to want a Van or SUV (even a small Honda SUV). Blasphemy! If this is the case then no one here should be driving their cars or motorcycles for anything other than required transportation. You better not be racing cars or motorcycles for fun because that does nothing but waste our precious recourses for our children! To think that any car that gets less than 40MPG is no longer acceptable in this forum. And to think that some ones interest in a car different from yours is not right.
I had a european neighbor growing up. Just like the europeans, set in their way from old established countries. If anyone does anything different, they are wrong. He was into all types of performance cars, Jags, Lotus, etc (non with exceptional gas economy) and he would not even let his wife get a drivers license. Dissowned a neigbor for putting an american V8 in a Jag (just so he could drive it). Wife finally divorced him. She was Canadian and would not put up with it. Talk about old school! I wonder if he even let her vote. That kind of attitude is why we left europe and started our own country. Don't get me wrong we like most of Europe (except France, they are just too rude to step foot in their country and we just have too many "yellow" jokes about them). Europe is old school, small roads, etc. It's their way or the highway. They are just jealous because they are being left behind in this world because they are too stupid to change. You all can have your stupid little cars!
Last edited by rx7fun; 10-27-2004 at 08:04 AM. Reason: fix
Super Moderator
welcome rx7fun, you just gave me the biggest laugh of the day.
better than my joke ...
"A woman without curves is like a road without bends, you might get to your destination quicker but the ride is boring as hell'
Enthusiast
Haha. Before i came to this forum i had great respect for europeans, but now im sorry to say i dont feel the same way. Just about everyone on here (european mostly) are extremely biased, to the point that its a joke now. To top that off their not exactly pleasing to talk to, being stuck up and seeming to be constatly angry at the world.
Enthusiast
I rest my case...welcome rx7fun, you just gave me the biggest laugh of the day.
better than my joke ...
'64
Nice to see you coming to the debate with some intelligent and well-thought out arguments, and not making generalisations about the entire population of Europe becasue of one person.
My issue is not with economy, or size in particular.
There are valid reasons why some folk need a large vehicle. You don't think there is an equal percentage of mothers with 3 children in Europe?
Do they buy am SUV the size of Ascension Island? No. They buy a Renault Scenic.
Do you think that no one in Europe ever needs to tow anything, or carry large items about?
Do they get the Ford F5000 Super Deluxe King Size XL Edition Superhuge?
No they get a decent tow car, or a pickup, or if they are really desperate - hire a van for a few days, and everyone seems to ge by just fine.
There is an argument for big vehicles, but in America it seems that they are just big for the sake of being big, when the job could be competantly achieved by something much smaller.
It completely wastes materials and resources.
Yes a McLaren F1 isn't going to achieve 42mpg, but they aren't selling 16 million of them a year. "Wasteful" sports cars make up a tiny percentage of the market place, wheras in the US wasteful SUVs etc are the majority.
How is it that 16 million Americans who make the Ford F150, Cheverolet Silverado and Dodge Ram America's best selling vehicles "need" to do so much towing, and carrying, and what-have you, where most people in Europe can cope with a Ford Focus?
Thanks for all the fish
Super Moderator
yeah, shame you've let your humour atrophy !!
Man you guys are so insecure it's unbelievable
oh and don't I just know THAT's going to raise some hackles !!!!
"A woman without curves is like a road without bends, you might get to your destination quicker but the ride is boring as hell'
'64
Thanks for all the fish
Enthusiast
Speak for yourself...
Remember roads are different there from here. It most likely would be more difficult to travel in an SUV in a small town, or just small roads over there. Whereas over hear our roads are more than big enough (even in towns) to comfortably fit SUVs and other large vehicles.My issue is not with economy, or size in particular.
There are valid reasons why some folk need a large vehicle. You don't think there is an equal percentage of mothers with 3 children in Europe?
Do they buy am SUV the size of Ascension Island? No. They buy a Renault Scenic.
I could bet not as many as here. As stated before, were still a growing nation, and in growing nations people build things, to build things you need construction workers(who use trucks). On top of that there are farmers, and many many people who live out in the country, where it is preferable to have a truck rather than a small car.Do you think that no one in Europe ever needs to tow anything, or carry large items about?
One of my bosses for example uses a Ford superduty truck for work, and works daily. He tows a large trailer with a few riding lawnmowers, could he do that in a car, let alone a small car?Do they get the Ford F5000 Super Deluxe King Size XL Edition Superhuge?
No they get a decent tow car, or a pickup, or if they are really desperate - hire a van for a few days, and everyone seems to ge by just fine.
Hardly, usually the bigger the truck, the more capable of doing things it is.There is an argument for big vehicles, but in America it seems that they are just big for the sake of being big, when the job could be competantly achieved by something much smaller.
Alright think of this, how many people all together buy/have performance cars in the US? Ok, not as many as SUVs/Trucks, but now understand this. HOw often do you think that they drive them like normal cars, getting the actual EPA numbers listed? Most people who have performance cars use them they way they were intended, and that means eating alot of gas too. Now think about how many people drive their SUVs like that, not very many... No one in the right mind is going to act like their SUV is a performance car and get on it everywhere.It completely wastes materials and resources.
Yes a McLaren F1 isn't going to achieve 42mpg, but they aren't selling 16 million of them a year. "Wasteful" sports cars make up a tiny percentage of the market place, wheras in the US wasteful SUVs etc are the majority.
I just quickly looked up employment numbers for construction workers in the US and found that over 6 million are employed workers. I still think that number is too small, but ill go with it. Now lets say that the 6mil people buy 1 truck for work, thats already 6 million trucks, now what about peolpe who regularly tow, farmers, people who live out in the country. It all adds up, most people buy trucks to use them, not just to drive.How is it that 16 million Americans who make the Ford F150, Cheverolet Silverado and Dodge Ram America's best selling vehicles "need" to do so much towing, and carrying, and what-have you, where most people in Europe can cope with a Ford Focus?
If you guys are going to bitch about the saftey and gas milage of SUVs, then you have to talk about the saftey and milage of performance cars too, face it.
Enthusiast
that's not the point though
around here alot of people who DO have suvs and trucks dont use them for what they're "intended" for
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