Autoblog: REPORT: Consumers increasingly shying away from small cars; owners unhappy

I can understand all of the points made by the US survey save this one:

"22% would like a softer ride"

Ooh wallowy. They have to be joking?

I guess that means 22% of the population don't care about lateral G's and nurburgring times.

I would have expected more people in america to not care about those things honestly, lol
 
It's not food packaging waste that's generating the garbage difference. :p

From what I saw with my own eyes, it is. Either that or your waste bins are still too small :p

Do you know the rather curious sport of dumpster diving? A friend of mine from Madison/Wisconsin told me about it: Each year when the students move out of their rooms at university, they throw everything away. Everything. They don't take it with them, they don't sell it. No. With the room also goes the interior. My friend has about 5 complete and intact PC's, 2 laptops and 3 TV sets due to dumpster diving.

Okay, let's compare basics. How much is four liters of milk there?

A bit less then 3 Euros. Frankly I do not buy milk so often and if I buy it, I go for the premium stuff, which is nearly 1 Euro per liter.

However, the reason why I responded with irony to this topic, is that I simply cannot read or hear those compulsive justifications for buying big cars/trucks anymore. Because that's what it is: Not reasons but justifications. There is no practical reason whatsoever in buying them for a private person who lives in a city. None. Zip. All those "reasons" are in fact justifications, almost apologies for having an unnecessarily huge car. I'm sick of hearing that they need those machines to carry stuff around.

Why can't they simply admit, that the one and only reason is that they love BIG, that they have a fondness for big V8 gas guzzlers with the weight and air drag of a bomb shelter? End of story. No justification needed. There is no shame in admitting that one loves trucks or SUV's or big sedans. I also love big cars (with the exception of pickup trucks), at least as long as they are fast, too.

So come on. Have the courage to say: "No, I don't really need it but I love it".
 
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Then how do you explain that the average American produces about two times the amount of garbage, than the average German?

Because, oh I don't know, I'm just shooting in the dark here, not sure but I'm going to take a stab at it, perhaps maybe because America has two-hundred and twenty-two million more people?

Population of Germany

Population of America

Like I said, just a conjecture. :bangin:

Edit: ok, jeez, I forgot the word "average." Mea culpa.
 
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The garbage of an average American is (mostly) unrelated to the population. One average American, not America.
 
Because, oh I don't know, I'm just shooting in the dark here, not sure but I'm going to take a stab at it, perhaps maybe because America has two-hundred and twenty-two million more people?

Population of Germany

Population of America

Like I said, just a conjecture. :bangin:

I take your reply as a funny remark but just in case it isn't: It is of course meant per head.
 
So what this report is actually saying is that, of those surveyed:
70% of small vehicle buyers would not like more power with their next new car or truck, but wouldn't necessarily want less.

75% do not want more cargo room, but wouldn't necessarily want less.

75% do not want more technology, but wouldn't necessarily want less.

82% of those surveyed would not like more safety, but wouldn't necessarily want less.

78% would not like a softer ride, but wouldn't necessarily want harder.
 
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First of all, I don't for one second believe that you can't fit all that in a prius.
Second of all, the article isn't about driving a hybrid and being green because of it. Its about small cars. I'm pretty sure that you don't need a Pathfinder. And those people that do need an SUV, can probably do without a Suburban. And way to be a smug douche.

The Prius qualifies as a small car. In fact, it was one of the most popular 'small cars' from last year, so it's perfectly germane to discuss here.

Next, try fitting it all in with the rear seats upright and containing passengers. And remember that the computer gear was all in its original (quite large) boxes.

I'm pretty sure I do need a Pathfinder or something truck/SUV-ish. One of my largest clients has a concrete plant with rutted, potholed, unpaved roads that damage or destroy most car suspensions and I have to conduct site visits. Add to that the fact that I have to carry large amounts of computer gear on occasion for business reasons, and yeah, I pretty much do need something. Recreationally, I haul around Jaguar engines, motorcycles, motorcycle engines.... the list of things goes on and on.

A big heavy luxury sedan is more fun to drive than a nimble little mini? Oh wait, all roads in texas are straight :p

READING COMPREHENSION FAIL.
READING THE THREAD FAIL.
AUTOMOTIVE KNOWLEDGE FAIL.

1. I said the Genesis Coupe. The Coupe is an almost completely different car from the sedan.
2. The Coupe is not a luxury car.
3. The Coupe is a RWD sports car.
2010_Hyundai_Genesis_Coupe.jpg

4. The Genesis Sedan starts at ~$30K. The Coupe starts at $22K.
5. RWD is more fun than FWD.
 
Why can't they simply admit, that the one and only reason is that they love BIG, that they have a fondness for big V8 gas guzzlers with the weight and air drag of a bomb shelter? End of story. No justification needed. There is no shame in admitting that one loves trucks or SUV's or big sedans. I also love big cars (with the excepotion of pickup trucks), at least as long as they are fast, too.

So come on. Have the courage to say: "No, I don't really need it but I love it".

Ok. Americans love big cars to haul their big asses around. The rumble of a big V8 is Pavlovian in its fetishtic appeal. Big cars are a Freudian metaphor for repressed sexual urges, and even the women who drive Suburbans have huge penises. Small cars and Europe are both flamboyantly homosexual and if any Euro-weenies ever show up to America (even Portland, Oregon or Hell's Kitchen, NY) they'll get their wimpy asses kicked.

MOZ_SharksMinnows_800.jpg


:|
 
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So what this report is actually saying is that, of those surveyed:
70% of small vehicle buyers would not like more power with their next new car or truck
75% do not want more cargo room
75% do not want more technology
82% of those surveyed would not like more safety
78% would not like a softer ride

Goes to show why the cheap low quality stuff ( Impala?) sells in such large numbers. 70-80% of people just don't care and get the biggest car for the smallest money.
 
The Prius qualifies as a small car. In fact, it was one of the most popular 'small cars' from last year, so it's perfectly germane to discuss here.

Next, try fitting it all in with the rear seats upright and containing passengers. And remember that the computer gear was all in its original (quite large) boxes.

I've fit my Honda motorcycle in the back of my Civic coupe: frame, tires, boxes upon boxes of parts, and even the motor. That woman just sucks at packing things.

And just because Europe doesn't have the infrastructure for larger cars doesn't mean Europeans wouldn't want them. They've only grown accustomed to small cars because it's the only thing they can get. ;)
 
Goes to show why the cheap low quality stuff ( Impala?) sells in such large numbers. 70-80% of people just don't care and get the biggest car for the smallest money.

I don't think you are reading that right...the vast majority are NOT saying they want a big car...they DON'T want bigger, more powerful cars with soft rides...
 
I've fit my Honda motorcycle in the back of my Civic coupe: frame, tires, boxes upon boxes of parts, and even the motor. That woman just sucks at packing things.

And just because Europe doesn't have the infrastructure for larger cars doesn't mean Europeans wouldn't want them. They've only grown accustomed to small cars because it's the only thing they can get. ;)

Funny thing about big U.S. cars always was, that there was no relation between outer dimensions and inner space :D
 
From what I saw with my own eyes, it is. Either that or your waste bins are still too small :p

Do you know the rather curious sport of dumpster diving? A friend of mine from Madison/Wisconsin told me about it: Each year when the students move out of their rooms at university, they throw everything away. Everything. They don't take it with them, they don't sell it. No. With the room also goes the interior. My friend has about 5 complete and intact PC's and 3 TV sets due to dumpster diving.

I'm familiar with the sport. And yes, we do generate more waste that way. Like I said, it's not food packaging that's generating the garbage.


A bit less then 3 Euros. Frankly I do not buy milk so often and if I buy it, I go for the premium stuff, which is nearly 1 Euro per liter.

About the same here, if bought by the liter/quart - but if bought in the 4 liter/gallon size, about half the price. More volume = less cost.

However, the reason why I responded with irony to this topic, is that I simply cannot read or hear those compulsive justifications for buying big cars/trucks anymore. Because that's what it is: Not reasons but justifications. There is no practical reason whatsoever in buying them for a private person who lives in a city. None. Zip. All those "reasons" are in fact justifications, almost apologies for having an unnecessarily huge car. I'm sick of hearing that they need those machines to carry stuff around.

Why can't they simply admit, that the one and only reason is that they love BIG, that they have a fondness for big V8 gas guzzlers with the weight and air drag of a bomb shelter? End of story. No justification needed. There is no shame in admitting that one loves trucks or SUV's or big sedans. I also love big cars (with the excepotion of pickup trucks), at least as long as they are fast, too.

So come on. Have the courage to say: "No, I don't really need it but I love it".

Pray tell me what "small car" can do this:
IMG_3988.JPG


Note that that is a 500lb/226kg tongue weight load.

I've fit my Honda motorcycle in the back of my Civic coupe: frame, tires, boxes upon boxes of parts, and even the motor. That woman just sucks at packing things.

And just because Europe doesn't have the infrastructure for larger cars doesn't mean Europeans wouldn't want them. They've only grown accustomed to small cars because it's the only thing they can get. ;)

Yes, but you had to fold the rear seats down, no?

Remember, this woman was trying to load all of that into the Prius with the seats in the upright position, because she had three passengers!
 
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The prius can hold lots of stuff. It's a hatchback. I fit a tall 4-drawer file cabinet IN ITS BOX in the back of my Cougar because of it's large opening, and the door closed fine. However, that was with the seats folded down.

The Prius, due to it's shape, has a not-very-deep trunk (from bumper to back of the seats) and due to the sloping back, it edge of the decklid is fairly low, so you don't have much height. Most other hatchbacks are boxier in shape, and have a much more capacious cargo area because of the height. I'm not surprised at all that they couldn't fit those new computer components in the trunk, in their boxes. Leave the kids behind, and you've got a fairly large area, however...great for those flatpack Ikea trips.

My last sedan, I could fit 2"x4"x8' boards in there, no problem. But give me a 15" cube box, though, and I'd be stuck. It would have to go in the lap of the person in the front seat. Because of the sloping back window, the decklid was more like a mail slot. The trunk was very large, but you had to sort of play a ship-in-a-bottle trick to get anything large in it...flatten the box, slide it in, and then build the box and load it up in the car, and then slide it towards the front in the trunk.
 
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Pray tell me what "small car" can do this:
IMG_3988.JPG

We use something called "a trailer" and it can carry even two motorbikes at a time:

33516544.jpg
 
We use something called "a trailer" and it can carry even two motorbikes at a time:

33516544.jpg

Yes, and in your 'wonderful' little compact Euroland, where you don't have room for larger cars, where do you store your trailer so that it won't be stolen?
 
Well, if you have space for one car and two motorbikes, you usually also have space for a trailer. And since you mention it: My neighbor has a trailer and it is parked on the shoulder next to his car. It hasn't been stolen yet because trailer theft is rather uncommon here and the neighbourhood is rather safe anyway.
 
Well, if you have space for one car and two motorbikes, you usually also have space for a trailer. And since you mention it: My neighbor has a trailer and it is parked on the shoulder next to his car. It hasn't been stolen yet because trailer theft is rather uncommon here.

Ah, but it's not secured then. Which means that someone could come steal it and the next you know it's on its way to Poland. Minus the German owner.

Trailer theft is and has always been common here in the US - and I have nowhere to put a trailer of any size. That said, a trailer involves additional cost in licensing, inspection and insurance. Wasn't the point to keep costs down?
 
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