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Topic: Is it my imagination?
| Author | Message |
| UGoGirl | Posted – 4/3/2007 9:17:11 PM | show profile ...Or are there a lot more small cars on the road these days. For the last couple of months as I've been looking around I notice there are a lot more small/mid-sized cars driving around. At least I remember a few years ago it seemed we were the only ones not in a mini-van or SUV, and it seems much less so today. |
| seeattleme | Posted – 4/3/2007 11:04:06 PM | show profile No it's not your imagination, I don't think. It's one reason Ford is broke, the SUVs on the road are a lot smaller (seat four instead of 8 or 9)...although I, with my Honda, am still feeling the pain. Forty bucks to fill it up this past weekend. Since when do you pay forty friggin bucks to fill up a Civic? That horse & buggy are looking cheaper. Despite everything my dad always tried to tell me about how expensive it is to keep a horse... |
| mailbag | Posted – 4/4/2007 8:50:37 AM | show profile | email poster not here that I can tell Ugo I was thinking the other day after spotting a HumV parked outside that I actually hadn't seen one in a while... I think in '04 not a day went by that I didn't see one pass by (always flipped them the bird.) That said, I have not noticed any smaller cars here. 80% of autos are cabs of course, most of the autos I do see are parked most are ordinary passenger cars and the occaisional Beetle. NYC though is not the place you see a lot of new cars. |
| Mag Girl | Posted – 4/4/2007 10:29:48 AM | show profile Even here in the South- land 'o' big trucks - I am seeing it too. I too used to see those god-awful Hummers all the time a few years ago and am seeing fewer of them now. i see a lot more compacts these days. My hope is that this trend will continue. What do you guys think about the new model of the Smart car that will debut here in the US? I am a bit disappointed at the entry price for it considering the size- I think the ONLY way US consumers would go for it is if it were to be outrageously cheap- think Kia prices or lower. |
| UGoGirl | Posted – 4/4/2007 10:41:01 AM | show profile A friend who worked at one of Detroit's big auto companies was telling me how much vastly more the companies make off of SUVs compared to small cars. THIS is why detroit is reluctant to go small, but the're going under instead. I don't know what the smart car is going for, but I posted this before -- you CAN buy a cheap fuel-efficient car. Not as high fuel economy as I'd like to see (there's a european mercedes, small diesel, that gets like 48 mpg, but expensive). All foreign-made, of course. Toyota Yaris, up to 40 miles per gallon, base cost: -$11,150 for 3-door -$12,025 for 4-door Honda Fit, up to 38 mpg -$13,850 Toyota Corolla, up to 41 miles per gallon -$14,350 MINI Cooper, up to 40 miles per gallon -$18,700 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid - base price $22,600 2007 Toyota Prius - base price $22,175 The fuel economy of the cheaper cars aren't as good as the Prius (which can get up to 55 mpg), but these are about the same as some other hybrids (for example better gas mileage than the Honda Accord Hybrid, which costs over $30K, although not quite as good as the Honda Civic Hybrid at about $22K). |
| Mag Girl | Posted – 4/4/2007 11:01:29 AM | show profile UGO, I'm definitely not denying that you can buy a fuel-efficient car for cheap- I myself drive a Honda :) I'm just saying that given the Smart car's size, I don't think anyone will pay even 13-14K for it. It's just SO small and there are other fuel-efficient vehicles that are larger that you can get for similar pricing. That was my intended point. Anyway, I haven't read an update on the US version of the Smart car for a while- I hope things have changed. |
| Nikongirl | Posted – 4/4/2007 11:03:14 AM | show profile Urban cyclist has a new bike. My sweetheart surprised me with a brand new bike - a TREK. 17" frame, black, comfy seat and adjustable handle bars. Oh yeah, riding this baby is going to be SWEET! Inherit the wind.....giving old Gary Fisher tank to friend in need. No traffic, no gas, no problem......... |
| Mag Girl | Posted – 4/4/2007 11:03:35 AM | show profile And random aside- yaris means "speed" in Turkish :) |
| j.hodl | Posted – 4/6/2007 5:23:06 PM | show profile More trivia. Fans of old Japanese zipper-back monster flicks will note that Yaris also was the name of some huge bird-like critter in one of the later Godzilla escapades. Thank Toyota for downsizing Yaris. |
| keltoi2 | Posted – 4/6/2007 5:31:01 PM | show profile Figure Smart Cars will show up in the cities where parking is at a premium. Out on the highways, those little guys with the big semis? I dunno. |
| UGoGirl | Posted – 4/6/2007 6:00:31 PM | show profile The smart cars, at least the ones I've seen, also only carry two people. Even people who usually drive alone would usually, in theory at least, like the idea of being able to bring a couple of other people along from time to time. Plus where are you going to throw your trash? |
