SUVs, for real?

Jon Sagara

* Hauling Loads * Pulling a boat or other heavy trailer * Offroading (yes, some of us actually do enjoy that activity) * Hauling the kids around * Hauling clients around comfortably (lots of room) * Hunting trips * Generally safer due to simple matters of physics (more weight, bigger vehicle - however, most are easier to roll) * Power of a 4x4 with versatility of an automobile. Of course, I would never buy one. For roughly the same price, I can buy a *real* truck. :) Jon Sagara Help me out here, Spock. I don't speak stupid.

Lost User

As far as I can tell, the main reason people drive them is so they can look down on you when stuck in traffic - giving them a false sense of superiority! :laugh: :laugh: I mean, how many people actually off-road in the things? Very few. However, a friend of mine used to own a old Mahindra jeep, and boy, was that fun off-road!!! :-D :-D

Faith. Believing in something you *know* isn't true.

Paul Watson

Andreas Saurwein wrote: I've seen the Toyota RAV4 climbing over rocks big as a Mini Cooper and yet you cant drive it on the highway. I can make my Toyota Tazz climb over a rock the size of a Mini Cooper. Tests outside of a real environment are worthless. Saying that though the Rav 4 is regarded as quite good offroad, though mainly because it is relatively small and lightweight. Andreas Saurwein wrote: The Landrover has just a higher ground distance, so it clearly wins on any very rough ground where the others get stuck. Errr, isn't that the point? Especially for down south here where offroad equals really offroad. Plus once again the tests mentioned probably were out of a real environment and maximised the chances of the ML looking good by choosing things it was good at. I have heard some horror stories about the ML in muddy or sandy ground (apparently it has no manual diff lock or something (I am no expert.)) Really if the ML, X5 etc. were as good as they say then the Camel Trophy would be the BMW Camel Trophy and we would be watching X5s ploughing through the countryside (more money that way.) But we don't, because a Landy just goes where they cannot. Hell even the promotional material downplays the SUVs offroad capability and even the manufacturers recommend not taking them anywhere too hectic. Sure most people don't go hectic places, but then a simple Subaru Forrester or Toyota RAV 4 would do rather than a half a million Rand SUV. As for the comfort speed thing. In the conditions that most SUVs go an Audi Allroader will do just brilliantly and onroad rides exceptionally well, yet it costs far less than an SUV (plus suped up Forresters are quite wicked onroad apparently.) Andreas Saurwein wrote: Personally, I like the design of the Volvo XC90 I agree it looks great.

Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South Africa

Paul Watson

Robert Edward Caldecott wrote: However, a friend of mine used to own a old Mahindra jeep Yeah well that is not an SUV IMO. That is a serious offroad tool :-D Robert Edward Caldecott wrote: giving them a false sense of superiority! I can just imagine Robert, all furtive loik, giggling insanely as he drives his Mini under an SUV to get into a parking bay before the SUV. False sense indeed :-D

Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South Africa

Brian Delahunty

I saw a documentary on Discovery about them before and I remember that they did have some cool features.. self-inflating tyers and stuff like that but personally I think it's for image. Regards, Brian Dela :-)

brianwelsch

I don't get it either. I'm sure it makes plenty of sense for some people, but many people I know who have an SUV do not have kids that need hauling, boats to pull, offroading to do, clients to impress, or most of the things anyone has been coming up with. Generally, people like the look and image, and don't care about gas mileage, insurance, or driving experience. I love hearing some people bitch about an extra 5-10 cents per gallon of gas, and then turn around and hop into their SUV. :laugh: BW The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to talk, mad to live, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding. - Jack Kerouac

Paul Watson

brianwelsch wrote: I love hearing some people bitch about an extra 5-10 cents per gallon of gas, and then turn around and hop into their SUV LOL! How typical, happens all around the world. The latest bitching fad here involves "Damn but food has gone up!" and then reaching for a packect of crisps and a chocolate :-D brianwelsch wrote: The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to talk, mad to live, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding. - Jack Kerouac :) (I say far too many commonplace things... ahh well, wheres that lighter then?)

Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South Africa

Chris Losinger

friends of friends of our's just got a new Hummer. these people live in the center of the city; there's not a serious dirt road or even a respectable hill for probably 60 miles around. why? because they can. -c

Alcohol is the anesthesia by which we endure the operation of life. -- George Bernard Shaw

Smaller Animals Software

brianwelsch

Paul Watson wrote: I say far too many commonplace things Not a problem so long as its really what you want to say. ;) BW The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to talk, mad to live, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding. - Jack Kerouac

Stuart van Weele

Around here most of the SUV drivers are women. They drive either too fast or much too slow, are driving while on the phone, and think nothing of shoehorning a full sized SUV into a parking space designed for a compact car. What I don't understand is why people just don't buy full sized vans. A conversion van is about 1/2 the cost of a SUV, roomier, has more hauling capacity, and costs less to insure. Most SUVs, vans and trucks are built on the same frame and with the same components. About the only thing most vans lack are 4 wheel drive, and to be honest how often do you really need that? One other thing for SUV owners. How do you (or your wife) plan on changing a tire in event of a flat, especially off road. A full sized SUV tire weighs about 80 pounds, and the lug nuts are tourqued up to a good 200+ ft-lb.

Brit

I read a study a while ago that showed that SUV drivers and minivan drivers were basically the same demographic. But, SUV drivers were less comfortable with the image of being settled down, in a family, and tended to regard minivans almost as a sellout of their masculinity. ------------------------------------------ "Isn't it funny how people say they'll never grow up to be their parents, then one day they look in the mirror and they're moving aircraft carriers into the Gulf region?" - The Onion

Ray Cassick

Paul Watson wrote: just for image sake Nuff said :-D If you are going to get a SUV, GET AN SUV! Go HUMMER!

Paul Watson

Stuart van Weele wrote: One other thing for SUV owners. How do you (or your wife) plan on changing a tire in event of a flat, especially off road. A full sized SUV tire weighs about 80 pounds, and the lug nuts are tourqued up to a good 200+ ft-lb. Good bloody point. Though I must warn anyone with mags (magnesium alloy wheels) to ensure they place a pad of some sort inbetween the wheel and the wheel hub. My damned mags corroded (as all mags are wont to do) and bonded with the wheel hub. Come my first puncture and for the life of me (and three guys from the side of the road tugging, kicking and cursing) we could not get the wheel off to replace it. Had to drive it to the garage where they used a pneumatic hammer to get it off! Apparently a good garage will put these pads in place when they fit your mags.

Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South Africa

Shog9 0

Of the people i know who own SUVs, they can be grouped roughly like this: +I frequently haul around a large family, with lots of gear stuffed into the back and tied to the roof, maybe towing a boat. :| +I wish i had a reason to haul around a lot of gear, and didn't get seasick. :( +It's big. That means it's invincible, right? 'Cause i don't want to have to fix it... :~

Shog9 ------

No one's immune now, from a world of problems No one's exempt now, from a world of pain That's the way that it goes when you're down here with the rest of us...

natalie morales

I'm getting tired of hearing this argument. I drive a Chevrolet Tahoe SUV. It's Huge and I love it. It's a 5.3L V8 engine with 285 horsepower. Why do I drive it? Incredibly comfortable, drives smoothly, size, storage, and looks. I live in Jacksonville,FL where at least half the vehicles on the road are trucks and SUV. My husband drives a BMW Z3 roadster (a new 2002, beautiful car). His car looks so tiny parked next to my truck. I would never buy a luxury model SUV (BMW, Lexus, Mercedes, etc.). I can't see spending $60-70 grand or more on any type of vehicle. I'd be afraid to take it out of my garage. Oddly enough, every SUV driver I know (with only a couple exceptions) is a woman. My husband says its a chick thing : "Little chicks, big cars". I just know that I don't ever want to drive a car again.

Christopher Duncan

Chris Richardson wrote: :drool: M3. The new M3's are so cool. Heeey, maybe I could tow an M3! :HomerDrool: Mmmmmm... Chistopher Duncan Author - The Career Programmer: Guerilla Tactics for an Imperfect World (Apress)

Christopher Duncan

Chris Losinger wrote: why? because they can. No, because they look so cool in rush hour traffic with a 50 caliber mounted on the hood! :-) Chistopher Duncan Author - The Career Programmer: Guerilla Tactics for an Imperfect World (Apress)

Chris Richardson

Or better yet, hand over your Toyota and trailer to me, buy an M3, and I'll tow it. Straight to my house. ;) Chris Richardson

natalie morales

I think I read the same study. From what I remember, SUV drivers were also more likely to describe themselves as introverted (while minivan drivers were the opposite). Couldn't find a link to the actual study but this article talks about it: http://www.bebeyond.com/LearnEnglish/BeAD/Readings/AutoFreud.htm[^]

Richard Stringer

Christopher Duncan wrote: Unfortunately, a Corvette ain't gonna tow the trailer I need. Bummer... As a past owner of a Corvette I can assure you that they can pull a trailer. I was in a jazz band and we had a total of three vehicles carring 6 people - two guitars - one bass - one synth system - three saxes, one clarinet, one complete drum set with pedal bass - 5 instrument amps and a PA amp with acoutrements - clothes - etc.. We rigged a boat trailer with a floor and some sides and a plastic cover and I pulled that sucker for many many miles in my 65 Vette. BTW the other two cars a VW bug and a Chevy Impala. Now I own a SUV ( Hyundai Santa Fe ) and while I have decent reasons for buying it I must admit that I would not be caught dead driving a minivan. I do however need something that can haul around the occasional piece of furniture or garden equipment without any contortions or nylon rope being involved. It gets over 20 MPG in the city and goes fast enough to get on and off the freeway without killing myself. It is built on a car chassis and has a nice quite comfortable ride and cost about 21000.00 . Not a hell of a lot these days. Has a 100000 mile/10 year power train warranty and 0% interest. I rest my case :) Richard When I reflect upon the number of disagreeable people who I know have gone to better world, I am moved to lead a different life. Mark Twain- Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar