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Random stuff

2005-04-22 14:16:56.385301+00 by Dan Lyke 4 comments

A few quick ones I don't have a chance to do the background on to back up:

Finally, a question that I think may have an analog to other issues: It seems like the SUV has peaked. But whether or not it has, do you think that the social shunning from a small minority of the SUV over the past decade or so helped, hurt, or had no effect on the sales of that class of car?

[ related topics: Drugs History Net Culture Automobiles Mark Morford ]

comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):

#Comment Re: made: 2005-04-22 16:14:23.808937+00 by: Mars Saxman

I suspect that it had no effect. In the end, my mockery of SUVs and scorn for those who owned them didn't even stop me from getting one. Of course, I have my justifications (I actually use the four-wheel drive, and the whole point of buying the thing was so that I could haul large quantities of people and stuff out to remote locations), but I'm sure Ms. Bellevue Soccer Mom in her gleaming new Expedition has her own reasons, too.

#Comment Re: made: 2005-04-22 17:19:59.44868+00 by: Larry Burton

I don't think the bulk of SUV owners ever even noticed the shunning and mockery.

#Comment Re: made: 2005-04-24 03:21:58.859736+00 by: Diane Reese

I can't imagine they missed it, and a whole lot of 'em were self-righteous and testy about it, too. I was attacked then shunned from a parenting mailing list I'd been on for over 10 years after I inadvertently OOPS-mailed an anti-SUV rant to the list. Who knew my "friends" were such jerks?

I heard recently that J.D. Power and Associates found that once gas gets to $4 a gallon, 75% of the US population will be willing to consider buying a hybrid. I'm not sure what to make of that, but it sounds as if auto makers have a year or so to get all those options ready for eager buyers.

#Comment Re: made: 2005-04-24 12:33:22.657216+00 by: meuon

Yeah, I'm keeping my big truck, it's useful and paid for. Nancy's been driving the Subaru, which only get's 28-30mpg but is awesome to drive. If I start driving a lot for work related things, I'll be buying another something small and efficient.