Survey: Sharply rising gas prices may accelerate sales of smaller vehicles | detnews.com | The Detroit News "Nine out of 10 new car shoppers expect gas prices to rise sharply over the next month, and two-thirds of them say that's influencing their thoughts on what to buy, according to a new survey. Kelley Blue Book's Market Intelligence Study found that consumers' expectations of higher gas prices are creeping higher, with 87 percent anticipating sharp rises in a May survey, up from 66 percent in April. The findings suggest that the U.S. auto market's recent shift toward cars and away from trucks will accelerate this summer..." We'll have to see. It usually makes me laugh to see what surveys say vs. actual US auto buyer behavior.
I'll see your article of optimism for fuel conservation and right-sized consumption and raise one article of consumer short-sightedness and really bad memory. Truck and SUV sales rising as gas prices drop - Dec. 22, 2008 NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- After nearly a year of flagging sales, low gas prices and fat incentives are reigniting America's taste for big vehicles. "Despite all the public discussion of fuel efficiency, SUVs and trucks are the industry's biggest sellers right now as a remarkable number of buyers seem to be compelled by three factors: great deals, low gas prices and winter weather," commented Michelle Krebs, Senior Editor of Edmunds' AutoObserver.com.
