Grandmas Yugo

QUINNSCOMMENTARY · Post by **QUINNSCOMMENTARY** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 4:46 am

Grandma Pelosi while giving ground still insists that the auto makers get $25 billion of your money to help them build green, fuel efficient cars. :yh_rotfl

Well Grandma it doesn’t work like that, helping the manufacturer build something does not mean people will buy it. For example, what better incentive could there be than high gas prices and a poor economy for people to buy a fuel efficient car and yet in the last few months sales of the Toyota Prius have decline 50% while sales of the monster Sequoia SUV have grown 50%. Should it matter that there are financial incentives now available to buy the 6030 LB Sequoia that gets 14/17 mpg? Not logically if you are a long term thinker it shouldn’t.

The Prius gets 48/45 mpg with a starting price of $22,000 so why wouldn’t you want this car, why indeed, perhaps because Americans for whatever reason want big monster cars. Possibly they think ordering the car in the color green gets the job done and removes the guilt.

But the real point is that Grandma doesn’t get it and simply ignoring the realities of the marketplace, wants more of your tax money used to encourage building cars you apparently don’t want. :-5 One would think that the Prius would be flying off the lots, here is a car maker that didn’t want or need our money to build a good fuel efficient car and guess what, it didn’t make a difference.

Where is a good Yugo when you need one? Not in Grandmas driveway I bet. :driving:

Kindle · Post by **Kindle** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 7:40 am

Going green cost more money than leaving a footprint. From cars to food, it all is more costly. When money is an issue, you weigh what bang you can get for your buck. Unless you are truly committed to being green, hybrids and organic foods will stay on the shelf.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 1:56 pm

I would imagine there is a happy medium between a 6-litre monster truck and a prius. One of the cars my research organization makes available to us to travel is a 2 litre turbo-diesel 2008 Ford Mondeo, its probably about $25,000 dollars worth of a car. It is plenty big, can easily do 120 mph, has fantastic acceleration, and can manage between 40-50 mpg in normal driving.

It also looks all nice and has lots of buttons inside; why do people insist on driving around in these behemoth trucks in urban areas in the US? Its just plain stupidity and is more to do with fashion and status than any other reason. We have these people as well of course, but there are less of them, and its less socially and economically acceptable over here to drive around in these rather pointless vehicles. People driving around Britain and Ireland in Humvees are generally considered to be pathetic but a great source of comedy.

The trend for having these ever more outlandish vehicles was growing though, as we seem incapable of not blindly copying whatever trends US society throws at us, no matter how inappropriate, but over here the credit crunch is well and truly decimating the supersized BMW X5 and Range Rover brigade and they are having to trade down to "normal" luxury cars. I did see one crazy one though in Dublin airport, it was some kind of Mercedes SUV, and it was absolutely gigantic, it was totally ridiculous, and must have taken hours to park, but at least everyone knows that its driver has an inadequate penis but a large cheque book.

Like you said, I am sure they are throwing every financial incentive under the sun to get people to buy these things and get rid of them off the forecourt; but a car you use for everyday urban driving that can only manage 10-20 mpg is a nonsense, and it may have been the fashion to have them, but its still a nonsense, just a waste of resources in terms of petrol, metal, and public space on vulgar status vehicles for the chronically immature. Super-luxury cars have always been a technology designed specifically for a certain type of human being, scientifically know as "wankers", but it used to always be a minority interest; like polo, and having a yacht.

I'm not against utility vehicles in general, they serve a purpose, but they were never designed as a mode of mass transport, they were originally intended for specific tasks as a working vehicle, and designers and marketers turned them into a fashion accessory, a perfect example of wasteful consumerist nonsense.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 2:45 pm

Galbally;1082093 wrote: I would imagine there is a happy medium between a 6-litre monster truck and a prius. One of the cars my research organization makes available to us to travel is a 2 litre turbo-diesel 2008 Ford Mondeo, its probably about $25,000 dollars worth of a car. It is plenty big, can easily do 120 mph, has fantastic acceleration, and can manage between 40-50 mpg in normal driving.

It also looks all nice and has lots of buttons inside; why do people insist on driving around in these behemoth trucks in urban areas in the US? Its just plain stupidity and is more to do with fashion and status than any other reason. We have these people as well of course, but there are less of them, and its less socially and economically acceptable over here to drive around in these rather pointless vehicles. People driving around Britain and Ireland in Humvees are generally considered to be pathetic but a great source of comedy.

The trend for having these ever more outlandish vehicles was growing though, as we seem incapable of not blindly copying whatever trends US society throws at us, no matter how inappropriate, but over here the credit crunch is well and truly decimating the supersized BMW X5 and Range Rover brigade and they are having to trade down to "normal" luxury cars. I did see one crazy one though in Dublin airport, it was some kind of Mercedes SUV, and it was absolutely gigantic, it was totally ridiculous, and must have taken hours to park, but at least everyone knows that its driver has an inadequate penis but a large cheque book.

Like you said, I am sure they are throwing every financial incentive under the sun to get people to buy these things and get rid of them off the forecourt; but a car you use for everyday urban driving that can only manage 10-20 mpg is a nonsense, and it may have been the fashion to have them, but its still a nonsense, just a waste of resources in terms of petrol, metal, and public space on vulgar status vehicles for the chronically immature. Super-luxury cars have always been a technology designed specifically for a certain type of human being, scientifically know as "wankers", but it used to always be a minority interest; like polo, and having a yacht.

I'm not against utility vehicles in general, they serve a purpose, but they were never designed as a mode of mass transport, they were originally intended for specific tasks as a working vehicle, and designers and marketers turned them into a fashion accessory, a perfect example of wasteful consumerist nonsense.

:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl

We have white Limo's round here alot. not because we are a wealthy village, no, it's the customary mode of transport to take a bunch of old slappers round hen nights.

QUINNSCOMMENTARY · Post by **QUINNSCOMMENTARY** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 7:19 pm

Galbally;1082093 wrote: I would imagine there is a happy medium between a 6-litre monster truck and a prius. One of the cars my research organization makes available to us to travel is a 2 litre turbo-diesel 2008 Ford Mondeo, its probably about $25,000 dollars worth of a car. It is plenty big, can easily do 120 mph, has fantastic acceleration, and can manage between 40-50 mpg in normal driving.

It also looks all nice and has lots of buttons inside; why do people insist on driving around in these behemoth trucks in urban areas in the US? Its just plain stupidity and is more to do with fashion and status than any other reason. We have these people as well of course, but there are less of them, and its less socially and economically acceptable over here to drive around in these rather pointless vehicles. People driving around Britain and Ireland in Humvees are generally considered to be pathetic but a great source of comedy.

The trend for having these ever more outlandish vehicles was growing though, as we seem incapable of not blindly copying whatever trends US society throws at us, no matter how inappropriate, but over here the credit crunch is well and truly decimating the supersized BMW X5 and Range Rover brigade and they are having to trade down to "normal" luxury cars. I did see one crazy one though in Dublin airport, it was some kind of Mercedes SUV, and it was absolutely gigantic, it was totally ridiculous, and must have taken hours to park, but at least everyone knows that its driver has an inadequate penis but a large cheque book.

Like you said, I am sure they are throwing every financial incentive under the sun to get people to buy these things and get rid of them off the forecourt; but a car you use for everyday urban driving that can only manage 10-20 mpg is a nonsense, and it may have been the fashion to have them, but its still a nonsense, just a waste of resources in terms of petrol, metal, and public space on vulgar status vehicles for the chronically immature. Super-luxury cars have always been a technology designed specifically for a certain type of human being, scientifically know as "wankers", but it used to always be a minority interest; like polo, and having a yacht.

I'm not against utility vehicles in general, they serve a purpose, but they were never designed as a mode of mass transport, they were originally intended for specific tasks as a working vehicle, and designers and marketers turned them into a fashion accessory, a perfect example of wasteful consumerist nonsense.

As I recall many Irish roads I don't see how they could drive one of the monsters and be able to pass an oncoming car. And you're right, there is no reason for those SUVs it is pure status just like a 5,000 sf house with 4 bathrooms for two people.

DominoDeja · Post by **DominoDeja** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 2:43 am

How old is Pelosi now. She doesn't look too bad for her age I think.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 3:29 am

QUINNSCOMMENTARY;1082247 wrote: As I recall many Irish roads I don't see how they could drive one of the monsters and be able to pass an oncoming car. And you're right, there is no reason for those SUVs it is pure status just like a 5,000 sf house with 4 bathrooms for two people.

We've probably upgraded them a fair bit since you were here, and we have motorways (freeways) and all that modern malarky now; but we do still have the small narrow country roads as well, and our towns and cities were designed essentially for people walking about and horses.

Which may be the way things are headed again anyway.

Our towns and cities are already clogged with just the ordinary sized smallish European cars, never mind the big SUV jobs, which you are quite right about, they just are way to big for the scale of our built environment here. :driving:

Arrah sure, all of this credit crunch its just gods way of telling us we're just eegits and its all about time we just got over ourselves and calmed down! :rolleyes:

QUINNSCOMMENTARY · Post by **QUINNSCOMMENTARY** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:46 am

DominoDeja;1082376 wrote: How old is Pelosi now. She doesn't look too bad for her age I think.

66 or 67

QUINNSCOMMENTARY · Post by **QUINNSCOMMENTARY** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:51 am

Galbally;1082394 wrote: We've probably upgraded them a fair bit since you were here, and we have motorways (freeways) and all that modern malarky now; but we do still have the small narrow country roads as well, and our towns and cities were designed essentially for people walking about and horses.

Which may be the way things are headed again anyway.

Our towns and cities are already clogged with just the ordinary sized smallish European cars, never mind the big SUV jobs, which you are quite right about, they just are way to big for the scale of our built environment here. :driving:

Arrah sure, all of this credit crunch its just gods way of telling us we're just eegits and its all about time we just got over ourselves and calmed down! :rolleyes:

I was only there a couple of years ago, but I was referring to the roads around Dingle and up the West coast. I do recall the highways as well, but most of all trying to figure out how to pass someone without scratching the car on the brush right along side of the road.

hoppy · Post by **hoppy** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 8:53 am

DominoDeja;1082376 wrote: How old is Pelosi now. She doesn't look too bad for her age I think.

If Nancy hadn't gotten a face lift or two, her boobs would bang her knees when she walks. :yh_rotfl

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:48 am

posted by quinns commentary

For example, what better incentive could there be than high gas prices and a poor economy for people to buy a fuel efficient car and yet in the last few months sales of the Toyota Prius have decline 50% while sales of the monster Sequoia SUV have grown 50%. Should it matter that there are financial incentives now available to buy the 6030 LB Sequoia that gets 14/17 mpg? Not logically if you are a long term thinker it shouldn’t.

Don't know about the states but here they don't really sell because they are way too expensive and not actually that economical. There are plenty of cheaper, similar sized alternatives that get the same or better fuel consumption.

wildhorses · Post by **wildhorses** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 8:07 pm

Scrat;1082641 wrote: I don't know if it's market forces or people inability to learn. Gas is going down but it isn't going to be there forever.

What I dont get is why anyone would want to spend more on gas than they have to. Even if the price would stay down, why spend more? Why have a car that is bigger than necessary? It really makes no sense. I dont get why they do it. I know single people with no kids who have an SUV....go figure.

QUINNSCOMMENTARY · Post by **QUINNSCOMMENTARY** » Fri Dec 19, 2008 1:46 pm

Scrat;1089854 wrote: It's ego, it's the "I deserve this" mentality and just about everything else in between.

In recent weeks sales of SUVs have increased, will people never learn? No they won't.

The worst thing to happen in the long term is declining oil and gas prices. When that happens the short memory takes over and we rapidly return to our inefficient ways.

Never fear, Congress will spend billions of our tax dollars and force auto makers to make what we don't (but should) want.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Sat Dec 20, 2008 10:06 am

QUINNSCOMMENTARY;1089926 wrote: In recent weeks sales of SUVs have increased, will people never learn? No they won't.

The worst thing to happen in the long term is declining oil and gas prices. When that happens the short memory takes over and we rapidly return to our inefficient ways.

Never fear, Congress will spend billions of our tax dollars and force auto makers to make what we don't (but should) want.

Car sales are way down here. Combination of harder to get credit and people worried about their jobs. Great time to buy though if you have the cash.