Ban SUV's NOW!

[Cybrvanr]

I can't see how anybody would honestly LIKE driving around such slow, sloppy sluggish vehicles! Yes, I've got a chevy astro-van, but it's small compared to some of the behemouths out there, and it's designed to handle better on the road (it promply gets stuck as soon as you drive it off of the pavement tho!). Those Explorers you have Chad are considered compact SUV's by today's standards. It's amazing, I remember when those came out in 1992, and they were considered big.

The thing about station wagons however is that they were designed to handle good on the road and be easy to drive. Station wagons have a much lower center of gravity than an SUV. I'm like Eric tho. Why is it if you take a station wagon, jack it up and put oversized tires on it, and a bunch of tacky, drag producing "rugged" fibreglass and other appointments on the outside, that it's suddenly a "cool" vehicle!

One car I've totally fallen in love with is the Dodge Magnum, and it's really tempting me out of my astro-van! They are a classic station wagon that handles great (mercedes suspension) and the engine can even shut off cylinders when they aren't needed. They get much better mileage than an SUV, and are much more fun to drive too. Dunno if one could get a washer in the back tho. Anybody got one that could measure the cargo area?

 

[washertalk]

I wouldn't think of Dissing Winnie

not especially since you are on edge today Jason. Just put down the gun and the knife and lets talk about this calmly.

Its my opinion that:
RVs are cool. and I say this because most are only driven occasionally. And they serve a purpose much more than just a mode of transport. In my mind they are an exception, like a school bus or UPS truck.

I kind of draw the line though at $300,000 "tour" buses with hardwood floors and granite bathrooms. Come on. When getting 1/2 mile per gallon fuel economy is considered good compared to the use of an on board nuclear reacator as a source of fuel...? I don't think so.

These Winnie groups? Are they like AW.org here or are you talking about camping groups?

 

[washertalk]

oh, Astro Van

so cute. I had 2- a gray 95' chevy and a '98 white GMC Safari.
I liked the '98 best.
I took the seats out and covered the carpeted area in back with cardboard and used them for moving things. I needed each for about a year but even though they are GM, I never had a problem. They made them for quite awhile. but I think 04 was the last year.
cool

 

[jasonl]

Classic Winnies

They collect/restore/use 1966-1982 Winnebago RV's and they have their get togethers called "Jams".

 

[petek]

I grew up loving big luxo cruisers and my dream car in the late 60's early 70's was a Lincoln Mark whatever, if not that I'd have taken the Town Coupe or Town Car. I ended up with a 75 Electra 225 Coupe, it was beautiful but eventually the escalating cost of gas and it had to go. I wished I still had it now. I moved on though to smaller cars like an 82 Volvo GL, a 93 Camry XLE and my current little buzz bomb 99 MB and most certainly my last of that marque. I would have loved if dad had bought a Colony Park back in the late 60's or early 70's. Now my other half was a little more down to earth and drove a 70's Civic when we met, that got traded on a little Nissan p/u which was wonderful and never had a problem. That he traded in on a 99 Ford Ranger which had never ending problems and then I sort of talked him into buying the current 2006 Dodge Ram 1500, yes with Hemi LOL. He didn't really want such a big truck and it is big, goes like snot and drives like a cream puff on wheels. As much as I don't like it I do sort of. Very comfy and you don't feel like you're driving a truck at all. Mileage sucks though even with the MDS cutting down to 4 cylinders we're lucky to get 16 US mi per gallon. So the little computer in it sez.

 

[exploder321]

My ranger is a pain to a point... More so than my explorer... But, it was abused prior to my owner ship...But most of what i;ve fixed has been brakes tires suspenisonand a couple sensors and a new clutch..
If you get one thats equipped right (2.5 4 cyl w/ 5-speed manual) it'll last forever..I have put 22K on mine since May.. My step dad had a 1998 similar to mine that had 224K before he ditched it(i drive about 40 thousand miles a year thanks to my real estate job)

My mom had a smaller version, she had a 1980 Mercury Zepher Wagon She had that dumb thing for 13 years... Then she got a Taurus Wagon and she had that for 11 years... Now she's got a Focus Wagon...
Grams always drove Cutlass Wagons until her 1987..She also said she had a 65ish Chevy 2 that my one of my aunts wrecked and she had a 72 Vista Cruiser that my step grandpa bought her as an anniversery gift...

I think my explorer is gimongus.. I have a little gilt complex at times for driving it, but i love it...
Btw they came out in California in October 1989, East coast, March of 1990.... My Grams traded her Cutlass in for a Shiney new one July 3rd 1990...... The start of my other love affair

 

[dalangdon]

While I know this totally feeds into the stereotype of a latte sipping, tree-hugging liberal (which of course I am), I love my 1989 Volvo Wagon. It's big and boxy and ridiculously dependable.

 

[rickr]

no need to ban the suv...

Jason, you just need to get something in the same size and weight class. Trade that VW in on a 55 Caddy! You and Helen could be the King and Queen of the road.

 

[rickr]

.

And by the looks under here, I think you could take most any suv out with this baby. Cadillac made tanks during WW-11 and the engineers that designed this car were the same ones that designed the tanks. Lots of heavy gauge steel in this old girl...

 

[exploder321]

I love the Volvo Wagon.... Haven't seen one in years.. My very first car was a 1985 740 with 240K.... Thats what i sold when i got my infiniti

 

[perc-o-prince]

It irritates me when people go 55 mph in a 70 or something l

Exploder321; I've got to ask...does your state have a minimum speed on these 70mph highways? If they do, I'll bet it's 40 or 45. The fact that someone doing 55 really irritates you and you'll "talgate their butt," but then turn around and say, in the same post, that "I do hate people who have no repsect for others whent they drive them" is so-o-o contradictory. It's like saying, "I'll disrespect you, but I really hate it when others are disrespectful."

Just my thoughts.

Chuck

 

[jonv112]

Isn't that the same kind of Volvo that the founder of IKEA drives?

I ride in a 2005 Montana SV6. It's a nice minivan, but it could get a little better mileage, and I don't think the weekly trips to Costco help either! I could never go back to riding in anything but a minivan or SUV because the ride height is really appealing. You have to step UP to get in instead of stepping DOWN!

 

[exploder321]

True.. I do contradict my self there.. I guess what bothers me is Elderly drivers who drive entirley to slow.... I know i shouldn't let them annoy me... Bad bad me... But yeesh, when the speed limit says 65, i set the cruise at about 65 and wanna stay in the left lane singing to the likes of Dave Matthews Band, The Supreams, and other assorted music.. We have *alot* of thse $2500 amana microwave canadians here and floridits as well... GRRRRRRRRRRRRR.... Thats the only time i get mad.. They go 55 on the interstate and gawk like a buch of F'n damn old birds at the mountains.... Some can't even see over the wheel... And in traffic, omg... No i shouldn't be disrepectful by tailgating..Bad.. But they don't know how to drive..... They just move to damn slow......
Ok breathe......
Chuck,
I will *try* to be better and drive nicer... I will.. Just let me have a left lane and my cruise and i am happy.. Just so long as they learn how to Fuc**in drive and keep a steady pace......

 

[swestoyz]

Ban SUV's?

But I love using them to move around the good stuff! It isn't always the choice of vehicle but more of the false security within the driver.

Ben

 

[wcd63]

Suv's the worst

Hi
I agree with you all they are a pain in the ass. nearly every day I have the same problem. I have a trick up my sleeve you all might like and it works every time. I carry marbles in my ash tray. you all can guess the rest!!! never any damage but sure makes one pay attention real quick and gets the asses off your bumper right away or I just stomp on the brakes and that really throws a scare in to them. the drivers hear are just plain RUDE!!

 

[oxydolfan1]

Love the '55 Caddy, AND the old-school wagons (my favorites were the early-seventies Bonneville wagons!

That said, the latest "extended-SUV" craze is ABSOLUTELY a case of penis envy being acted out on the asphalt, totally CORRECT...this is across the board (although here in NY, the Koreans and Hasidim I single out for politically-incorrect SPECIAL condemnation)....it's as if you never even existed!

The "commercial" vans packed with passengers, I can do without as well....

What folks tend to forget is that their "swollen" front hoods also extend that much further out and higher, when I'm trying to inch out and see past them, when they overshoot the red light, and I have the right...

You're also taking your life into your hands on the back roads between Montreal and St-Saveur, so it's not just an American thing either....

I sense an end of patience building to the perpetual cell-phone talker as well, although that's not dangerous, but adds to the general high level of tension in the air as well.

But, I confess, I once owned an International Scout and one of those AMC Eagle wagons, so I know it increases your visual ability and gives you additional traction in certain weather conditions, and understand that reasoning.

What I DON'T get is, why are SUVs considered attractive?

(Jason, I like the Bug too!)

 

[kenwashesmonday]

People drive like garbage because the laws are not enforced. This is not only a safely issue, it's a quality of life issue for those of us that drive correctly. These laws and many states point systems are designed to get the lousy drivers off the road, but this cannot work if the laws are not enforced. I suppose the first step is to teach the cops to drive correctly. How can they enforce, for example, turn-signal rules, if the cops themselves don't seem to know how to use them correctly.

A large heavy vehicle can get decent gas mileage if it's driven right, but you won't get it by using the gas,brake,gas,brake,gas,brake,gas,brake,gas,brake,gas,brake, Eee Gads, let the thing coast, the light is red!

Ken

 

[appnut]

OK, well here goes. I am supposed to not drive faster than 45 mph due to restrictions, but I don't go much faster than 58 when those few times I get on the interstate to go 3 miles occurs. And yes, the minimum speed on I35 is 45 mph.

Here in Bubbaville, but oh Bubba Bears are grrr, the majority of vehicles are eitehr SUVs or Pick-up trucks, mstly extended cap. Me, I drive a Mazda 626 LX. It can be unnerving when you look to your right, left, ahead, and behind you and it's only THOSE vehicles. One good thing I can say for high gs prices is some of these bozos couldn't afford the gas anymore. Which makes me happy. so they get smaller cars. I can't tell you how refreshing it was to go to Omaha in 2005 and hardly see ONE bubba vehicle for quite a stretch of an avenue or the expressway when we were estate saling. To me, it was a civilized moment

There are a lot of the small SUVs (like Veg's--which is so cuuute VEG), but they can be just as much a pain in the patute. A case in point. This morning I was leaving for work. A small SUV comes careening out of an apartment complex parking lot, doesn't even slow down for the cross street, she just kept on rolling. I was glad i wasn't 20 further. And she sopts at the traffic light at the front of my subdivision. She gets ALL THE WAY up to the edge of the cross street with her hood. Mind u, here in bubbavile state, we can turn right on red. I was turning right. I couldn't see through the hussies front end so I could turn right. After saying quite a few choice words in her direction, to cap it off, she was yammering on that phone.

I have one rule, do not talk on the phone while behind the wheel!! It's getting to the point where I'm tired of people walking and talking on the phone, is your life so frickin messed up u HAVE to be yammeering on the phone all the time? It's getting now where I'm tired of seeing fellow employees walking through the hospital yapping away (officially NO cells r 2 be used in the building, technicall they can't be on when within 300 ft. of patient care devices). I am tiring of the crazy life all the technology has created. And let's not forget forget all those in the grocery store yapping away while selecting items off shelves or even bette, have the phone in one hand, pushing the cart with your body, and teh 4 or 5 y/o is wandering up & down/across the aisle. I personally, if my phone rings while I'm shopping, I find an out-of-the way locale in the store where I won't be disturbing people.

OK, 'nuf of my rant!!

 

[kenwashesmonday]

We don't need cell phone laws either. Enforce the stop line, proper right on red, etc. and these people will drive right or loose their licence. The cops must do their job, that's all there is to it. We pay the county engineers good money to decide where to paint the stop lines and crosswalks, then we ignore them!

Ken

 

[alr2903]

JasonL I hear ya

Not just loons in the traffic, it seems like we are having a week around here like the post from about a month ago. It was the week from *ell, maybe its just the holiday stress, but it's industrial strength, this week.