Just saw this: Who says consumers aren't fickle? Over the past couple of years, as gasoline prices have hit record levels in the United States, the car-buying public has focused more of its attention on subcompacts, hybrids and other vehicles that sip, rather than chug, fuel. Now, come to find out, a little bit of a drop in gas prices has people not so hot on the trail of fuel-saving vehicles, and back to their old ways of hunting for SUVs. Full story: http://www.ajc.com/news/content/ajccars/co...argas_0831.html
This article is based on searches for used cars on cars.com. Yeah, I call that really scientific and statistically relevant. Not.
Actually, it's probably not a bad start, but add searches on AutoTrader.com, and Edmund's, and you'd probably have a good handle on what's going on. These cars do live and die on the sales floor on gas prices, though. I managed to buy mine when there was a lull in prices, and the car was one of two advertised specials. I find the continued fascination with SUVs irritating for a number of reasons, among them being that I don't like having to see around these fat, lumbering beasts, I don't like to be behind one on an off ramp because they are usually driven far too slowly through corners for my taste(I tend to double most off ramp speeds). SUV is little to me but a euphemism for station wagon, especially in the case of such things as the Suburban or Excursion. These things are simply boxes on wheels, in a nearly literal form, and I fail to see the fashion in that. I'll leave the environmental correctness to others but I'd likely never own a SUV because I don't like spending bags of money for gas.
When you look at the American hybrid sales, you will see a very distinct pattern that follows the American average gasoline price. This is the same phenomenon that gave us great headlines this time last year indicating that the hybrid fad was over, the Prius was losing steam, etc. For this reason, I've suggested to friends and family that they wait until the middle of winter to buy their Prius.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Sep 2 2007, 09:40 PM) [snapback]506119[/snapback]</div> Perhaps you will find this "scientific and statistically relevant:" http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/04/news/compa...dex.htm?cnn=yes So yes, idiots are still buying big trucks just because they can.
