More fuel to the SUV debate

Jaakko · January 20, 2003, 18:50

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/...hummer17.shtml

Now you're subsidising Hummers.

I especially like the bit where someone says he's sad that the loophole might be closed.

chequita guevara · January 20, 2003, 18:52

You should get a deduction for buying a hybrid.

cavebear · January 20, 2003, 18:57

That does it... I'm going to buy a semi-trailer cab to drive around in. I won't have the trailer part, just the cab. I'll put a snowplow blade on the front of it., just to intimidate SUV people. And I'll have superbright headlights so the SUV people are blinded, too. Maybe I'll even jack up the body so I can see even better over the SUV's.

jdd2007 · January 20, 2003, 18:59

i like the 'fuel' pun in the title

"Her group estimates that the tax incentive's application to SUVs cost the federal treasury $840 million to $987 million last year."

holy ****, there are children starving in africa while we hand out nearly a billion dollars to people who can afford a $60,000 vehicle

Jaakko · January 20, 2003, 19:05

That's communism for you. They're loyal supporters of the Party and get rewarded for it.

Sorry Che...

JohnT · January 20, 2003, 19:06

<--- Loves his SUV. It just pisses off the do-gooders so!

JohnT · January 20, 2003, 19:08

Actually, this is why lawyers need less representation on the Congressional rolls, if you ask me. And smaller, less-intrusive government.

But no - people will whine about banning the SUV's instead of seeing the real problem here.

Jaakko · January 20, 2003, 19:08

But are you getting government subsidies for it?

cavebear · January 20, 2003, 19:10

Originally posted by JohnT
<--- Loves his SUV. It just pisses off the do-gooders so!

*cavebear discovers a great desire to see SUV's crunched under Monster Trucks (unoccupied SUV's of course, but I can imagine unhappy owners).*

Now is that PC or what?

Urban Ranger · January 20, 2003, 21:21

Originally posted by cavebear
That does it... I'm going to buy a semi-trailer cab to drive around in. I won't have the trailer part, just the cab. I'll put a snowplow blade on the front of it., just to intimidate SUV people. And I'll have superbright headlights so the SUV people are blinded, too. Maybe I'll even jack up the body so I can see even better over the SUV's.

That sounds like fun, except I don't have a license to drive those things.

Zero · January 20, 2003, 21:30

I dont mind SUVs at all. People have free choice. I'd rather take it up to car makers to solve fuel inefficiency or not make it at all, if I am concerned about enviornment. I understand that businesses respond to sales, but its still not a good reason to blindly hate people who buy them.

SUV's have actually a legitimate reason if you are an outdoors person. I have 2 friends who own Nissan XTerra. One's SUV is totally f**ked up. It has dents and scratches all over it and accumulates dirt and mud all over if he doesnt carwash often. The other one uses it to pick up his girlfriend to goto the movies within town and would probably die if I even farted inside the car, let alone imagine getting a scratch on it....

Urban Ranger · January 20, 2003, 21:35

Yeah, my other car is a T-55.

Alexander's Horse · January 20, 2003, 22:30

SUV - is that a 4WD?

I love my 4WD. So useful when your whole valley burns down.

Fiera · January 20, 2003, 23:00

Sports Utility Vehicle.

Is that name only used in America?

Máximo Décimo · January 20, 2003, 23:15

Hey Fiera! Don't forget to visit the (growing) Gang!

Nice to see you

Check your PM inbox.

Alexander's Horse · January 20, 2003, 23:48

This is my 4wd. I suppose its an SUV. I use it for SUV.

JohnT · January 20, 2003, 23:53

Yup. That's an SUV. You evil bastard, you.

Alexander's Horse · January 20, 2003, 23:57

At least I take my SUV off road regularly and actually know how to engage 4wd - unlike a lot of SUV owners.

But Humvees - Jeez, driving those around the burbs is just ridiculous. I don't think they are very practical for off road either - wheel base is way, way too wide.

Dis · January 21, 2003, 00:08

hummer here I come. Where is the nearest dealer...

Dis · January 21, 2003, 00:11

the wheel base is wide for better stability. It just doesn't allow you to go through thick bushes or trees. Great in the desert I'm sure

We have many, many humvees in Las Vegas. Including the stretch humvees. I have yet to see one off road

I have a 4 X 4, but it is a pickup, not a SUV. Dodge Ram to be specific.

Imran Siddiqui · January 21, 2003, 00:18

But Humvees - Jeez, driving those around the burbs is just ridiculous. I don't think they are very practical for off road either - wheel base is way, way too wide.

The H2 is actually similar to more common SUVs. The H1 was basically only useful for military uses

.

Alexander's Horse · January 21, 2003, 00:24

Originally posted by Dissident
the wheel base is wide for better stability. It just doesn't allow you to go through thick bushes or trees. Great in the desert I'm sure

What about in the mountains and forests? The dirt roads around here are basically the width of a bull dozer blade. You couldn't get a humvee down those roads and even if you did noone could pass you from the other way. It would be the same in most parts of the world. You couldn't use a humvee in many kinds of terrain.

In the burbs, how do you park the damn thing? A humvee would take 2 normal parking spots. Imagine trying to drive one around in the mall parking lot

I'd like to know the logic of the humvee design.

Imran Siddiqui · January 21, 2003, 00:35

I think that is the reason the H1 didn't sell very well.

Dis · January 21, 2003, 01:04

The H2 is selling real well in Vegas. But even the H1 sold fairl well here. But that is because we our a town of decadence and indulgence.

And we also have many stretch humvees. There are also strectch Ford Excursions here.

Jaakko · January 21, 2003, 01:05

And the military Hummer looks vertically quite cramped as well. I suppose it's the combination of high clearance and low profile that does it.

But why is no one interested in the 30k tax refund on a "business" Hummer (ie. mr. lawyer drives it to work)?

Dis · January 21, 2003, 01:06

But AH you misrepresent how wide the H1 is. It still fits within a traffic lane. And can fit in parking spots (leavine no room to spare like most vehicle though).

I'm certain it can fit in the width of a bulldoze blade. Or the military made a stupid mistake buying the things! They couldn't be used in combat zones with narrow roads!. But like I said, they aren't that wide.

Dis · January 21, 2003, 01:07

and the logic of the humvee design is simple physics really.

you think these jackasss with jacked up trucks have a good 4 X 4? No, they are pieces of ****. They are so high they would probably fall over if you subjected it to too much lean. Humvees are designed to drive on the sides of hills without rolling over. I'm not sure what is the pitch it can be subjected to, but it is a good % I'm sure.

Urban Ranger · January 21, 2003, 01:52

The H1's are awesome, scare the hell out of these other SUV pissies. Too bad it has the fuel efficiency of a, um, well, very low anyway.

JohnT · January 21, 2003, 09:16

Personally, I think the government is subsidizing the wrong kind of hummers...

Jac de Molay · January 21, 2003, 09:25

amen, brother.

I wouldn't mind seeing the Big Three actually build a decent sedan again. Thanks to the SUV frenzy, they've pretty much conceded the sedan and roadster markets to the foreign companies. The new Mustang looks good, but that's about it.