That's what I've been saying about the RBV's (Ridiculously Big Vehicles - ah, SUV's) for MANY years. Another question I've been asking for AT LEAST 15 years as I drive past so many McMansions all through the countryside, "Where are all these 30-year-old people getting all the money to build these big houses?"
Wilton ----- Original Message ----- From: "Curt Raymond" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Diesel List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com> Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2008 8:32 AM Subject: Re: [MBZ] Cerberus wants money back Most SUVs are bought as a status symbol. I even at one point thought I "HAD TO HAVE" an SUV. Now I like having a pickup truck, but when I went back for a newer one I bought smaller... I'd wager that 90% of SUVs will NEVER tow anything and never go off pavement unless the owner has to use a dirt parking lot at a festival or something... 75% will never use 4wd (except for awd vehicles that don't get much choice) and most families would be better served with a minivan or station wagon and good snow tires. People are amazed when I tell them my 240D is the best snow car ever. They're shocked when I say I've bought my 240D to drive in the snow instead of my pickup. Most people I learned have never had good snow tires... -Curt Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 16:04:11 -0600 From: "R A Bennell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [MBZ] Cerberus wants money back To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com> Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Maybe, but . . . do you remember the early Japanese cars? I had relatives that bought Datsun 510's. Nice engine and tranny etc but no body. One of my cousins was teasing an uncle about how small and light his car was. Grabbed the front fender and tried to lift the car. Bent the fender! I recall very rusty Toyotas running around that were not very old. Their early cars had really ugly interiors too with wrinkled plastic floor mats instead of carpet. They made good engines but not much else in those days. On the other hand, the Chevette was hardly an exciting car, but if you took care of it, I don't know if you could wear it out. Crappy but cheap and reliable. For whatever reason people like Consumer Reports always has nothing but good things to say about Honda and Toyota etc and almost nothing good to say about domestic vehicles. They love the Tundra and hate the F150. I like my F150's and have no desire to have a Toyota truck. I have had a couple and they were no better than the domestic stuff and more expensive to repair. I still have my 95 4Runner but the body is so rusty I don't know if I can fix it and no one else could licence it as it is for safety reasons. We had a Toyota Avalon and although it was a nice car, it certainly had its share of issues and Toyota did not stand behind it. I could have bought a domestic for less money and probably should have. I sometimes wonder if people have been brainwashed over the years to believe that Asian cars are wonderful and US cars are garbage by the auto media. There is also a constant media drivel objecting to SUV's. It makes no sense to me. They are wonderful "utility" vehicles. That is why people buy them. They are for the most part small 4 wheel drive trucks that replaced the family station wagon as a vehicle that could do it all - haul people or goods or tow a boat or a trailer etc. I don't want a Prius. It wouldn't do me much good. I don't commute far in the city and I need something capable of hauling on the highway. A Volt won't work either. So, count me as unconvinced despite the fact that we just bought a Honda Accord to replace the Avalon. Randy _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
