SUV Sales Decline–Apparently, the Party’s Over
OK, even I had one, and I enjoyed it when I had it, but now, those of us that gave up our SUVs for more sensible cars are laughing our asses off.
It was reported today on most major news services that sales of SUVs took a sharp dip after gas prices got into the $3.00 per gallon range. Well, no shit, Sherlock. I remember this happening in the 70’s right after the muscle car bubble burst. People were buying cars that could only run on premium gas and only got single digits per gallon.
Then, the Arab oil embargo hit.
Then the folks that invested in Datsun 510s, Toyota Corollas, Honda Civics, Subaru standards and the venerable VW Beetle were laughing their asses off. Cars that could get 20 miles to the gallon on the hiway were passing people in gas lines sitting in Chevy Caprices, Ford LTDs and Plymouth New Yorkers.
I found out something very interesting today; the Hummer H2 is such a big ponderous truck that it’s impossible for the EPA to put a mileage estimate on the window sticker. ‘Nuff Sed.
OK guys, time to zip up your flies, suck it up and get a mini-van.
Filed under: Stupidity
Exactly. SUVs used to have a very narrow purpose, now they are today’s station wagon.
S.
What I’m really tired of is the standard portrayal of the male aversion to “the Minivan”, whereas if a guy is driving one, he’s obviously “whipped”, and never considered “practical”.
Get real, people! I see absolutely nothing wrong with being practical, ie: not wanting to have to take out a damn mortgage on your house every time you need to fill up the tank; having lots of space to comfortably pack stuff for the occasional “away mission”; AND I like to be able to get in and out of it without having to wait for an “airport stair-truck” to be brought to the door.
It’s one thing if your going off-road and you need the higher ground clearance, but you sure as hell don’t need that for city driving. So, again… “Dudes, just how small is it?” And why advertise?
This is exactly my point. The Windstar (now Freestar) is built on the same chasis as the Taurus, or was. It is basically like buying a car. I am wondering how many SUVs were purchased by people listening to the salesman’s line, and getting oversold on features they were never, ever going to use, like towing, self leveling, four wheel drive, etc.
A psychologist put it best. He said family men drive SUVs because they don’t want to advertise the fact that they are family men. Soccer moms drive them because they want to tell the world they have kids.
S.
Been there, done that. On 09/23/03, we bought an ‘03 Ford Windstar LX at Citrus Ford in Ontario. As we live in the San Fernando valley, it’s a bit of a drive. After looking through numerous ads, driving to just about every Ford dealer in So Cal, and coming so close to finding one on several occasions, we finally found what we were looking for - a Windstar with ALL the (sadly) absolutely necessary features we needed, and with less than 25,000 on it (it was a former Hertz rental).
The only drawback is, it has a 26 gallon tank, and only averages about 10-12 mpg (city), and about 14-16 mpg (highway), although on a run to Sacramento and back. it did about 22 mpg.
But as we tend to pack alot of crap for conventions and trips, we really need the space, and with my bad back, it’s alot easier for me to get in and out of. And since I’m basically an “L-1011 Widebody”, it’s the only thing that I can actually get behind the wheel of.
But I think Catherine Bell (JAG) said it best, when in an interview for FHM, she was asked what she thought of guys who drive those “monster” trucks and SUVs, she said her first thought is “Dude, just how small is it?”
Although I really wish we could afford to get a new hybrid car, as Ford has yet to come out with a Windstar (now Freestar) Hybrid, which I hope they will, we’re basically happy with what we have.