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My Rant on OVERSIZED SUV'S!!!

4K views 62 replies 30 participants last post by  StormChaser404 
#1 ·
I think it's insane that auto manufacturers are making vehicles so DANG LARGE! Chevy's, Ford, Dodge, GMC, and even Cadillaces. Some of the trucks are outrageously large too! I think it's poses a safty concern for other drivers on the road. Imagine collinding your Passat with one of those monsters!

The fuel mileage on those suckers are horrible. They're oversized. They take up too much space on the roads AND the parking lot. Why do people keep buying them?

I was looking at the Ford Excursion. It holds 44 gallons of fuel. With prices in the mid $2 range, it'd cost over $100 to fuel up each time! Then I notice that Ford and Chevy's don't post the fuel efficiency of their vehicles (gee I wonder why?) but I can guess that they'll get no more than 13 mpg with both city/highway combined.

Anyone else feel the same about these oversized monsters on the road? When is it gonna be enough?
 
#3 ·
If you really hate those vehicles you listed then you must really hate these vehicles too since most have worse mileage and cast about the same size shadow:
Tahoe/Yukon 15-19 mpg city/hwy

Infiniti FX45 15-19
Range Rover 12-16
Lexus LX470 13-17
Mercedes M Class 14-17
Toyota Landcruiser 13-17
Nissan Armada 13-18
VW Touareg 14-18
Toyota Sequoia 14-17

(Courtesy of Edmunds.com)

Don't just single out the American makes. :suspicio:
 
#4 ·
OneGuyInCA said:
I think it's insane that auto manufacturers are making vehicles so DANG LARGE! When is it gonna be enough?
As long as the consumers out there feel the need for a false sense of security and MORE ROOM they will keep building them. Last week I believe, there was a post for a C class Mercedes for sale. The couple’s baby needed more room. Remember this post? How big did this baby get and why is it still called a baby. Someone else commented that people will use any excuse to get an SUV… How true it is! :roll:

Based on the $$$ investments from manufacturers and the warranty/insurance numbers that come across my desk, SUV sales will not dwindle any time soon as far as Im concerned. Note that there is more $$$ profit in SUV’s than in sedans. It will take many more years for the insurance industry to accept that these things cause more $$$ and occupant damage in accidents. I believe Pennsylvania already surcharges SUV’s…

As much as I don’t want to pay top dollar for fuel, I wonder if their popularity will go away once a gallon of gas reaches European prices… say 5.75 per gallon :nervous: . Or lets hope the auto industry will follow McDonalds and abandon their super size products. :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
#6 ·
ACE said:
If you really hate those vehicles you listed then you must really hate these vehicles too since most have worse mileage and cast about the same size shadow:
Tahoe/Yukon 15-19 mpg city/hwy

Infiniti FX45 15-19
Range Rover 12-16
Lexus LX470 13-17
Mercedes M Class 14-17
Toyota Landcruiser 13-17
Nissan Armada 13-18
VW Touareg 14-18
Toyota Sequoia 14-17

(Courtesy of Edmunds.com)

Don't just single out the American makes. :suspicio:
Dude take a chill pill! Courtesy of Edmunds:

http://www.edmunds.com/new/type/suv/large/index.html?tid=edmunds.n.typeindex.content.num3.1.*

Large SUV's include the following:

Cadillac Escalade (ESV)
Cadillac SRX
Chevrolet Suburban
Chevrolet Tahoe
Chevrolet TrailBlazer
Dodge Durango
Ford Excursion
Ford Expedition
GMC Envoy (XL/XUV)
GMC Yukon (XL)
HUMMER H1/H2
Infiniti QX56
Isuzu Ascender
Lincoln Navigator
Nissan Armada
Toyota Sequoia

Most as you can see are American made cars. Some Japanese. 4/16 are American made. The Toureg isn't even on the list since it's a midsize SUV.


Doesn't matter. The point is... they're all too F--KING BIG!! Takes up too much room everywhere. On the street, the highway, the parking lot!
 
#9 ·
Chill?
I don't mind big SUV's. I like and enjoy driving some of them. I believe anyone in this country can drive whatever they want, doesn't bother me one bit. Let the market forces determine their buying preference.
Hope you don't have an aneurysm following that Suburban next time.
Hasta.

Joe
 
#10 ·
OneGuyInCA said:
Stats said:
Don't ever move to Texas, you will lose your mind seeing how upset you are already.
Does everyone and their grand parents, uncles, sisters, aunts, cousins, friends, co-workers all drive large SUV's??
I dunno, but 15 years ago in the DFW area, it seemed like everyone was driving Buick Rivieras and Caddy Eldos.

Am I the only one that noticed that?

My Aunt had a GORGEOUS '84 Riv. I wish I had that car.
 
#11 ·
ACE said:
Chill?
I don't mind big SUV's. I like and enjoy driving some of them. I believe anyone in this country can drive whatever they want, doesn't bother me one bit. Let the market forces determine their buying preference.
Hope you don't have an aneurysm following that Suburban next time.
Hasta.

Joe
Did I say otherwise? NO! So :p . Still too big in the end. They need to make 'em smaller, if not for economical reasons... then for safety reasons.
 
#12 ·
I want to see gas prices to go above $3/gallon.
Why does someone need a 5,000 pound monstrouscity just to drive to the supermarket?

I have to put up with:
- SUV/truck sized speed bumps now.
- SUVs that almost take up two spaces at any parking lot.
- SUV drivers holding up traffic trying to parallel park on the street.
- the blinding glare of their oversized high headlights.
- SUV drivers who can't seem to stay in their lanes.
- SUV drivers who have huge blind spots (and let alone can't drive).
- a huge threat to drivers of smaller cars, cyclists, and pedestrians.
- some idiot SUV driver who slid through an intersection and plowed into my parked Passat, causing $15,000 damage to my rear end because it went over my bumper because it was so big.

I would like to see a special tax and insurance rates for SUV owners to cover the added burden to other drivers and streets, and a special drivers training courses on how to drive these beasts (after all, truck drivers need special training so why not SUV drivers?).
 
#13 ·
I am starting to have SUV's for two reasons.. One it seems there Limo tints or large size does not allow them to see me riding or something (or they are all just bad drivers) and they like changing lanes when i am NEXT TO THEM! Ugg.. Thank god my bike is faster then there SUV anyday. The next is when i do pass them up, some of them pick up so much wind its like being next to a semi! errr
 
#14 ·
OneGuyInCA said:
I think it's insane that auto manufacturers are making vehicles so DANG LARGE!

The fuel mileage on those suckers are horrible. They're oversized. They take up too much space on the roads AND the parking lot. Why do people keep buying them?
Because it's an American Tradition! 8)

I really think it's nothing new. The American culture has always been fixated on bigger = better. You get ppl wanting the biggest house they can afford (even if it means they don't need all the rooms, and have to commute a few extra hours). The restaurants serve huge portions of food, and even more grostesque servings of deserts (even though the majority of the pop is already overweight). Even before the 70's (or was it the 60's?) fuel crisis, ppl were driving big-ass luxobarges and 400hp muscle-cars around. It's not necessarily rational, but I just think that's the way things are in the US.

The whole SUV craze works because it feeds off the American fetish for the oversized. You could even say the recent craze for cars w/ absurd amounts of power (that the average person would never really use), and need for larger and larger dub wheels (which reminds me of the soaring popularity of 19" wheels in clubb5) is yet another manifestation of the same thing.

Unless gas prices get to about $3 a gallon, and the economy goes to hell, I don't see the SUV craze going away anytime soon.
 
#16 ·
Stats said:
OneGuyInCA said:
Stats said:
Don't ever move to Texas, you will lose your mind seeing how upset you are already.
Does everyone and their grand parents, uncles, sisters, aunts, cousins, friends, co-workers all drive large SUV's??
Just about. Seriously, if you say SUV's (not just large) and trucks, is seems about 50%.
:cry: :cry: I guess moving to Texas is out of the question!
 
#17 ·
I've seen accidents where little cars like Civis, Corollas, and Focuses get crushed really really bad by large SUV's. The SUV's sustained damages, but nothing close to what the smaller cars sustained. Just a bad bad crash. The smaller cars had no chance what so ever and I'm hoping the people in the smaller cars survived. That's scary.

When I think about the head on collision that my wife and I were in... we were fortunate that the other car was a Camry. It's a scary thought to think... what if it wasn't a Camry... but an Excursion or a Suburban?
 
#18 ·
Perhaps if the current rise in gas prices continues, the SUV fetish will become a thing of the past. But in reality, the vehicles will be a round a long time; even if their first owners see the wisdom of downsizing, the used market will see the influx. You could argue that the price will drop, but that just means people with less money will still buy'em. It's not like all of these vehicles will go to the knacker instantly.

Too bad, really. But a $100 fill up may help open some eyes.
 
#19 ·
aowhaus said:
I want to see gas prices to go above $3/gallon.
Why does someone need a 5,000 pound monstrouscity just to drive to the supermarket?
Exactly, I welcome $3 a gallon, hell make it $4 a gallon.

I think it would be cool if there was a steeper Gas Guzzler Tax (I know its based off of the average of the city and highway mileage)

Also make any vechicle over 4000, or 4500lbs be clasified as a truck, and have to follow truck lane restricitions.

ect....

-Nick
 
#20 ·
#22 ·
The average passat (W8 excluded) weighs in at 3300 lbs. That being said...I totally agree here, SUV's need to go away. I understand having one for a purpose... I have several friends that drive them because they use it to haul bikes, tools, ect., but when a 34 year old soccer mom is driving a Ford Excursion, that is rediculous. Yea yea... the cars of the 70's had 300 HP and got shitty gas milage too, but they didn't take up 2 parking spots, they didn't cut you off and think they own the road, they didn't cost 105 dollars to fill up (gas is $2.40 where I live) and they most certainly didn't total a passat in a 15 mph fender bender.
 
#23 ·
Oneguy - In your last two posts that you've made, you've essentially made the argument for why people want SUV's. Greater possibility of surviving an accident when in a collission with your average vehicle.

What about the big conversion vans of the 70's and 80's? Some of those were pretty damn big. I'm all for big SUV's/Trucks/etc., if their space is actually utilized. If you don't need the space, though, then obviously there's a problem. Like the soccer mom who has two kids to bring to practice and back. You obviously don't need an Excursion or Suburban for that. However, if you have a use for the space, like my uncle who uses his suburban to transport goods, I believe it's justified.
 
#24 ·
VWPassatGLX155 said:
The average passat (W8 excluded) weighs in at 3300 lbs. That being said...I totally agree here, SUV's need to go away. I understand having one for a purpose... I have several friends that drive them because they use it to haul bikes, tools, ect., but when a 34 year old soccer mom is driving a Ford Excursion, that is rediculous. Yea yea... the cars of the 70's had 300 HP and got shitty gas milage too, but they didn't take up 2 parking spots, they didn't cut you off and think they own the road, they didn't cost 105 dollars to fill up (gas is $2.40 where I live) and they most certainly didn't total a passat in a 15 mph fender bender.
VWPassatGLX155, until you trade down and get yourself a Toyota Prius, give it a break, you've no leg to stand on :roll: . SUV owner here, the wife loves it even though we are out growing this vehicle with our growing family. Probably will trade up for a larger 3-rows SUV soon. PM me if you want to talk me out of this montrosity.

FWIW, my niece & her husband tote around town in their Excursion. They only have 3 kids, but being a soccer mom that she is, she also was the designated driver to transport the team around. Understanding that ingorant is bliss for some folks, but let's try to look beyond the surface shall well :roll: .

Do a search on "anti suv" and you'll find plenty sites with alike mentality to chat with until blue in the face.

BTW, quick quiz for you.
Q: What would Jesus drive ?
A: More likely a truck (aka SUV without back cab), since he was a carpenter.
 
#25 ·
Let's not turn this thread into a religious argument. Besides.. they didn't have cars back then. They had donkeys and carts. An oversized donkey cart?

But here's my feel on it. Unless people have a REAL PURPOSE for owning an SUV (ie.. large family, etc) then a large SUV is suitable. But if it's a soccor mom with a couple kids, what's the point? It's a complete waste and it clogs the highway system.

The same applies for those OVERSIZED trucks that you see out there. If someone hauls a ton of stuff regularly or has a business and need to make use of the cargo space, then fine. But! I see a ton of people driving around huge trucks that from the looks of it... you're certain they don't haul things around. What's the point there?

The idea of feeling safer in a larger SUV is meritable... BUT... studies after studies have shown that large SUV's are prone to rollovers. Just check the stats on the NTHS site. So are they safer now? Not really. Safer in a collision with another passenger vehicle (where you stand a higher chance of killing the other driver) but you risk rolling over. Ouch.
 
#26 ·
I guess you missed the anti-suv band wagon using Jesus as their prop. Anyway, so I take it that you've traded in for a Prius. Takes you from point A to B just as well doesn't it ?

Now trade your Prius in for a motorcycle, what are you doing wasting petro with that Prius ? Come back when you trade down to a more fuel efficient mode of transportation.

The point is ... where does it stop ? Give it a break kiddo :roll:
 
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