Fat People, taxes, Government
- Thread starter USWWarrior
- Start date
ylexot
Super Genius
Wrong. If you increase efficiency, people will just use more and the price will not change. People can currently save money. They just don't want to.
aps45819
24/7 Single Dad
better than what?The ONLY way to add more space to the interior of a car is to make it bigger
mAlice
professional daydreamer
That's all they're giving us. :shrug:
AndyMarquisLIVE
New Member
The Prius has more interior space than my mom's Grand Am. I, too, thought the Prius was a piece of junk.
The ONLY way to add more space to the interior of a car is to make it bigger
Test drove one; I like it. I've never really liked how newer cars just JUMP and go 0-60 in 3 seconds when you push the gas. I also felt very comfortable driving the Prius, and lots of interior space, moreso than most sedans.
It may be ugly, but it's a sweet ride. Plus, it's really quiet, great for sneaking up on people. See Video.
The ONLY way to add more space to the interior of a car is to make it bigger
There has been a movement away from the old "econobox" small car the past few years.
Notice there hasn't been anything exciting in the family size car market in a while? It's because SUVs and minivans are marketed to families, even if they have 1 kid still in a car seat.
AndyMarquisLIVE
New Member
MMDad
Lem Putt
Quick, riddle me this Batman:
What is more efficient?
a. 50 people, all driving efficient small cars that get 50 MPG
b. 50 people all riding in a bus that gets 6 MPG
Small efficient cars are a feel good bandaid that has nothing to do with reducing our dependence on oil.
ylexot
Super Genius
They'll just raise the price of the big cars till you're forced to buy a Honda Civic and the Corporate Average for the cars sold will be 30+
They're working on it and they could probably do it if they didn't care about the towing capacity.
GMC - 2008 Yukon Hybrid | World's First Hybrid SUV
Or they need to create a vehicle like I'm designing for my grad project...
I'll take mass transit any day, especially if it means not having to deal with the Beltway or DC traffic.
ylexot
Super Genius
Yeah, I realized that when I was riding with a group of motorcycles. Each one gets ~50 mpg, but each one only carries one person. So, in a group of five people/bikes, we have the same efficiency as the five of us in a massive SUV that gets 10 mpg.
AndyMarquisLIVE
New Member
In some areas, public transportation isn't an option. Especially if it means walking two and a half miles in temperatures well over 100° to get there.
And my massive SUV gets close to 20 on the open road and 16+ around town, V-8 and all.
Unfortunatly we don't seem to have 5 people at a time riding in massive SUVs around here. It's usually solo drivers. You pretty much have to have your own vehicle to get along down here and not many folks carpool.
AndyMarquisLIVE
New Member
I can make it to Richmond International Raceway and back on 9 gallons. :shrug:
aps45819
24/7 Single Dad
But people don't ride the bus, they drive their SUV and get 15 mpg
AndyMarquisLIVE
New Member
Again, I repeat, if it was an option for everyone, more people would.
I have a question. So they are gonna require the cars to average 35mpg. Who enforces it? Does it mention what the punishment will be? As Congress tinkers with future mileage standards, bear in mind that the existing standards contain a large portion of hokum. On paper, federal law requires that new cars average 27.5 miles per gallon and that, by next year, new SUVs and pickups average 22.4 mpg. Annually, the Environmental Protection Agency certifies these targets are met. But do you know anyone except a hybrid owner whose new car actually gets 27.5 mpg in real-world use or whose new SUV actually records 22.4 mpg?
Here is the EPA's fuel economy guide to 2008 models. Search by MPG
Search vehicle categories for "combined mpg," which equates to the 27.5 mpg legal standard. For the 2008 model year, there is not one single vehicle in the categories "large sedans," "luxury sedans," "minivans," "vans," "upscale sedans," "sporty cars," "convertibles" or "coupes" with an EPA combined mileage score of 27.5 or above. These categories are about half of the car market -- which the EPA certifies as averaging 27.5 mpg, though there is not any vehicle in the listed groups that actually meets that average! A dozen or so models in the "small cars," "family sedans" and "hatchbacks" categories do have a combined mileage score above 27.5 mpg, but little cars are a small segment of the auto market.
Then check the categories "pickup trucks" and "SUVs," where an average performance of 22.4 mpg is next year's theoretical legal minimum. Only two pickup trucks, the Ford Ranger two-wheel-drive model and the Mazda B2300, actually offer the combined mileage the government sets as the average for all new 2008 pickup trucks. In the SUVs category, several new hybrid models do better than 22.4 mpg, but hybrid SUVs are quite rare. Of regular-drive models, only the small "crossover" SUVs, led by the Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot, actually offer the mpg performance the government says should be the average of all SUVs. No full-sized nonhybrid sport-utility vehicle -- the full-sized nonhybrids are the core of the SUV market -- actually records 22.4 mpg.
So yeah, this new law is pretty much all talk. Oh yeah, the carmakers won't have to do anything for 13 more years anyways!!!
Here is the EPA's fuel economy guide to 2008 models. Search by MPG
Search vehicle categories for "combined mpg," which equates to the 27.5 mpg legal standard. For the 2008 model year, there is not one single vehicle in the categories "large sedans," "luxury sedans," "minivans," "vans," "upscale sedans," "sporty cars," "convertibles" or "coupes" with an EPA combined mileage score of 27.5 or above. These categories are about half of the car market -- which the EPA certifies as averaging 27.5 mpg, though there is not any vehicle in the listed groups that actually meets that average! A dozen or so models in the "small cars," "family sedans" and "hatchbacks" categories do have a combined mileage score above 27.5 mpg, but little cars are a small segment of the auto market.
Then check the categories "pickup trucks" and "SUVs," where an average performance of 22.4 mpg is next year's theoretical legal minimum. Only two pickup trucks, the Ford Ranger two-wheel-drive model and the Mazda B2300, actually offer the combined mileage the government sets as the average for all new 2008 pickup trucks. In the SUVs category, several new hybrid models do better than 22.4 mpg, but hybrid SUVs are quite rare. Of regular-drive models, only the small "crossover" SUVs, led by the Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot, actually offer the mpg performance the government says should be the average of all SUVs. No full-sized nonhybrid sport-utility vehicle -- the full-sized nonhybrids are the core of the SUV market -- actually records 22.4 mpg.
So yeah, this new law is pretty much all talk. Oh yeah, the carmakers won't have to do anything for 13 more years anyways!!!
ylexot
Super Genius
My current SUV typically gets 23-24 mpg and my old pickup typically got 25-27 mpg (even got 30 mpg once) :shrug:
AndyMarquisLIVE
New Member
If I could afford it, I'd get a Prius. :shrug:
But, I can't. So, I drive my gas-hungry SUV. I know it offends liberals but I can't do anything about it. :shrug:
Maybe one of their "Charity" groups should donate a new, more fuel efficent car to me.
Think I haven't thought about it?Anonymous said:
I have bills to pay. I have to pay for college. I can't just drop the cash and buy a new car.