We guess the sort of person who wants a luxury SUV isn’t too concerned about the idea of gas approaching $3.50 a gallon in the coming months, because sales have only dropped 0.9% over the past year, reports BusinessWeek. “‘For a high-dollar car, people with that level of discretionary income can absorb gas fluctuations,’ says Brinley of AutoData.” But it’s not just the filthy rich who have SUV-fever: sales of small SUVs have increased by 22.7%.
“There are buyers for whom, that’s the vehicle they still want, for what their needs are, and gas prices won’t deter everyone,” says Stephanie Brinley, senior manager for product analysis at Tustin (Calif.)-based AutoPacific.
“Surprisingly Strong SUV Sales” [BusinessWeek]
(Photo: Getty)
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@Buran: Then stop complaining about SUV waste.@Buran: Actually, I do not own an SUV. I use my bike for most trips, and I’m getting more mileage than you are in your car. Even if it is a prius.
Until you get better than 55 MPG your part of the problem.
@Nemesis_Enforcer: Now, you see? Even in your explanation you can’t resist a derogatory word making fun of anyone who doesn’t ride a bike by calling their car a cage. See the problem?
Now, my ex-father-in-law rides, and he’s very conscientous, but in my experience there need to be a lot more people like him (and you).
Unfortunately, the strobing headlights I mentioned most definitely weren’t vibrations but were definitely caused by some gizmo that the guy had installed on the bike. He couldn’t understand why I high-beamed him as a warning that he was blinding me and flipped me off.
Excuse me? Blame anyone but yourself, ya jerk … (not you, the guy with the strobing light).
@sonichghog: I’m going to complain when it’s warranted. And why don’t you stop calling those of us who do a hell of a lot more than most “part of the problem”. I do a hell of a lot to live cleanly, and you’re still blaming me? Ridiculous.
@chouchou:
Can you show me some facts to back up your assertions? See thats the problem with this site, people spout of alleged facts and provide no back up. I lived in SoCal for 30 years before moving to NOLA. I’ve had to file reports with the SCAQMD. and monitor and control the pollution from facilities I’ve worked in.
Can you give me some statistics that show A/C systems are a major polluter? How do they pollute? They run off of electricity, they operate within a closed system. They only way the “pollute” is if they leak. So how many PPM of HCFC or HFC do leaky A/C systems emit on a yearly basis?
And what industries are you referring to when you state that “Industry” is one of the major polluters? Is it an “Industry” that we can do without? Do you have statistics to back up that statement as well? How much CO is generated by Stationary Sources in the State of California? How much by Mobile Sources?
Can you tell me how many more cars than light trucks/SUV’s there are on the road in the state? You see then we could figure out how much more the trucks/SUV”s are polluting by unit.
You see, with that information we could start a dialogue. But you don’t provide any facts, just assertions. I guess I’m just supposed to assume that since you post on the Consumerist that you know what your talking about?
@cerbie:
So instead of banning the vehicle, we make more drivers education a requirement to get a license?
@Buran:
Dude, one day when you have at least 2 kids under the age of 6 who BY LAW must be in a car seat or booster seat (under 60 lbs) and need to lug the world around to comport them uhh SAFELY along w/other household needs, you’ll have the right to talk smack to me. Because if you DID have that in your life NOW, you’d realize that w/2 kids, the two rear passenger seats are completely taken up by carseats, which means if you want to lug other people around in addition to say a spouse or sig other even if your kids aren’t in the car with you….And if you have 3 kids forget it. Where the hell is the 3rd booster or carseat going? It can’t go in the rear passenger seat, there’s just no room. Better yet, I am not even sure that a carseat can safely be installed onto one of those flipdown ‘seat’ thingies that station wagons sometimes have. So then what is your suggestion now?
Oh wait you don’t have kids but still recall the carefree seatbelt optional, carseat free days of the 70s…that explains your bias. If you’d like feel free to lobby for getting rid of all of that crap so we can go back to cramming 6 adults 4 toddlers and an infant into a Ford King station wagon for a NY-FL road trip just like we did growing up.
@greatgoogly: 8C, or do you live in Argentina? If it’s 8C, that’s about 48F, which is NOT too cold to bike. Since we’ve got mid-80s sticky mugginess here in Upstate NY, I gotta wonder where you are. Iceland?
Anyway, 12 miles one way is really pushing it. It wouldn’t be so bad if the terrain was nice and flat, but we have hills, hills, and more hills in central New York. Not too nice for bikes.
@arirang: A Honda Accord (or a Camry) can hold up to THREE carseats, and it gets 30+ highway. And it’s comfortable.
@HurtsSoGood: Since I can’t edit my comments, I would also point out that once upon a time, Lee Iococca had a brilliant idea. He would produce a passenger van that was downsized enough to deliver decent mileage while maintaining high utility. I parked next to a first-generation Dodge minivan the other day, and marveled at how wonderfully compact it was, not like the bloated beast Chrysler currently sells. IIRC, the mileage on those ran in the mid to high 20s.