Why Gas Guzzlers Are Still Going Strong

[Loren49]

Did anyone see this article in Aug/Sep 2014 Mother Earth News?

What I took from their response to a letter was Mother telling readers to lobby for pick-ups and the like to be regulated using the same rules and MPG restrictions as passenger cars.

I don't get it. Most of the advertisers in the magazine need a large vehicle to move their tractor, attachment or similar heavy equipment. Why would Mother encourage large price increases and performance decreases in the vehicles required for their advertisers to sell their products?

Is Mother moving so much into the urban market they are forgetting the homesteader and small farmer? Does their staff only write, so they don't know what it takes to farm?

Just don't get it.

Most readers of Mother Earth News do not farm for a living. It would be interesting to see data on the number of hours/minutes per year that truck owners haul cargo that wouldn't fit in a car. Trucks I observe carry a driver and a nearly empty box a high percentage of the time. A cost benefit analysis would show that for many truck owners paying for delivery when needed would make better financial sense. I ran a dairy farm for 5 years and my only vehicle was a VW bug. I paid for delivery occasionally and borrowed an uncles truck now and then. I also made a profit. Not many farmers transport tractors/equipment with their truck.

Currently I own a Toyota Corolla and a small trailer. It can carry up to 1500 lbs. though I seldom haul more than 500. When not needed (99% or time) I get 36 mpg or so.

Owning a truck is a choice for most and a Big One is another choice for most. There are some who can easily justify the truck for business reasons. I'm not criticizing truck owners but stating that for many its just what you want to drive.:thumbsup:

Loren

 

[MacLawn]

Well, MEN (how ye like that acronym?!), keep ye smooth, manicured hands off'n me truck, I'll keep me rough, dirty hands off'n ye magazine. Done.

 

[CobyRupert]

Gas Guzzlers of today burn about 1/3 of the fuel the same sized gas guzzler did 30 years ago. For somebody driving 5-10 thousand miles a year it doesn't amount to much.
It's also sometimes cheaper and has less environmental impact.to have one multi purpose gas guzzler instead of two vehicles.

- I don't get this. This was also the argument on another thread where someone wanted to use a 3/4 or 1 ton truck as a commuter but wanted commuter car mileage. Let's say someone drives 200,000 miles over ten years and only owns their vehicles for 100,000 miles before they trade. How is it more expensive to own two vehicles simultaneously for 10 years than to purchase two vehicles consecutively (one after the other) and own for 5 years each? In the end you've bought 2 vehicles and drove 200,000 miles, but in one scenario you've spent a lot less on fuel and are probably going to replace the "cheap commuter vehicle" more than the expensive one you drive less.

Currently I own a Toyota Corolla and a small trailer. It can carry up to 1500 lbs. though I seldom haul more than 500. When not needed (99% or time) I get 36 mpg or so.

Owning a truck is a choice for most and a Big One is another choice for most. There are some who can easily justify the truck for business reasons. I'm not criticizing truck owners but stating that for many its just what you want to drive.:thumbsup:

Loren

:thumbsup: A small car that can tow a utility trailer when needed could probably satisfies 95% of what these road queen commuter pick-ups are used for.

 

[wawajake]

- I don't get this. This was also the argument on another thread where someone wanted to use a 3/4 or 1 ton truck as a commuter but wanted commuter car mileage. Let's say someone drives 200,000 miles over ten years and only owns their vehicles for 100,000 miles before they trade. How is it more expensive to own two vehicles simultaneously for 10 years than to purchase two vehicles consecutively (one after the other) and own for 5 years each? In the end you've bought 2 vehicles and drove 200,000 miles,

Except there are other costs for that second vehicle.........probably $500 a year for insurance , and then there is licensing and other misc issues

 

[MossRoad]

The wife says we have to have a car that is respectable enough for funerals and weddings..... and the second vehicle can be whatever I want! :laughing: So, we've always had a decent looking car in good condition, and then a pickup truck. However, once we had kids, a pickup wasn't practicle any more, so we bought a 3/4 ton van conversion and a car hauler trailer. Car for daily use (we were fortunate enough to be able to ride together every day for about 20 years!) take the kids to school and us to work, reverse order at end of day. Van for weekend chores, vacations with extended family, haul the trailer with tractor to farm, ball diamond maintenance, pick up landscaping, appliances, etc...... When the van gave up the ghost, we bought a Suburban. Seats 7 if needed, hauls the trailer if needed. Can haul 4x8 sheets inside if needed.

Now that I've changed jobs, we no longer ride together, so I must drive the Suburban to work and back daily, intead of just on weekends, and also haul the kid around to events, school, job, etc... and guess what???.... that thing sucks gas compared to the car. :laughing: It puts a noticable dent in the wallet, even with my very short commute.

When putting pencil to the spreadsheet, and being honest with yourself, and letting your inner miser come out, its rarely financially responsible to own a truck if using it primarily as a commuter. However, that's why some of us work for the money we get.... to afford luxuries and convenience, and comfort. Nothing wrong with that.... except for the whole 'consume what ever we want' VS 'what's really best for mankind' argument.

So, I'm not going back to using an outhouse and I'm not giving up the tractor. :laughing: But I do shut it off when I'm not using it to conserve fuel, and I do shut off lights and appliances, and I heat the house with wood and I combine as many trips as possible not because I can't afford them, but because its the right thing to do. :thumbsup:

 

[DeereMann]

If only the EPA hadn't messed around with the compression ignition (read: diesel) engine emissions so much. *sigh*

thermal efficiency and energy-dense fuel is the name of the game. And some other tricks like CVT trannys, etc.

Time for BuickandDeere and DiamondPilot to chime in how Ford has the answer.........

 

[westcliffe01]

Over $1000 a year for insurance on a car in Michigan. Mostly due to mandated no fault insurance, personal injury protection and the like. Insurance can easily cost more per year than what I paid for the car. My latest Suzuki Forenza was only $1000 and insurance per year is more than that. It only has a bit more than 80k miles and has a lot of life left in it. No rust. Has a few dings from the previous owner, but fulfills my commuting needs.

Except there are other costs for that second vehicle.........probably $500 a year for insurance , and then there is licensing and other misc issues

 

[SirReal63]

Fortunately, we still live in a country that allows us to make a choice on what vehicle we need or want. Unfortunately I can see the day when govt. has grown too much and removes our right to choose, for the good of the people. I suspect there are some in this thread who would like to see it mandated now that you must provide proof of need to drive a vehicle that uses extra gas or fuel, before you will be granted the right to pay extra taxes for the need of such a vehicle.

When that day comes, Ayn Rand's fear will have come to fruition.

 

[Citydude]

Is love to get better gas milage with my guzzler. But, If it means driving frigging Prissy cars like a Prius, no thanks.

 

[buickanddeere]

If only the EPA hadn't messed around with the compression ignition (read: diesel) engine emissions so much. *sigh*

thermal efficiency and energy-dense fuel is the name of the game. And some other tricks like CVT trannys, etc.

Time for BuickandDeere and DiamondPilot to chime in how Ford has the answer.........

What answer ?