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SUV trade-in - Page 4

post #61 of 81
6/11/08 at 4:19pm
[QUOTE=Boobs;11445531]I don't mean to sound snarky or anything, but what planet do you plan to live on? I mean, I can't believe the things I'm reading in this thread are in the GREEN LIVING FORUM.

QUOTE]

How is that NOT supposed to sound snarky??? And just b/c someone chooses to drive their larger car to be safe versus saving that 3 mpg in a smaller vehicle, doesn't mean they're not doing other Green Living things, kwim? I have my own vegetable garden, we use cloth wipes, I use cloth menstrual pads, we compost, we use paraben-free products, does that not count??

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post #62 of 81
6/11/08 at 7:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boobs View Post
I don't mean to sound snarky or anything, but what planet do you plan to live on? I mean, I can't believe the things I'm reading in this thread are in the GREEN LIVING FORUM.

I drive an SUV that gets 27 mpg. We're stuck with it for the long haul. If I could trade it in on a Prius or heck, a Corolla for that matter, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
We all have our own ways of living green. Maybe one person doesn't cloth diaper but the next does while driving her Tahoe. Or maybe I use a clothesline to dry my clothes....There are a thousand other ways to be green, not everyone is going to fit into a green box.
post #63 of 81
6/11/08 at 7:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by janasmama View Post
We all have our own ways of living green. Maybe one person doesn't cloth diaper but the next does while driving her Tahoe. Or maybe I use a clothesline to dry my clothes....There are a thousand other ways to be green, not everyone is going to fit into a green box.
[quote=oneotamama;11445598]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boobs View Post
I don't mean to sound snarky or anything, but what planet do you plan to live on? I mean, I can't believe the things I'm reading in this thread are in the GREEN LIVING FORUM.

QUOTE]

How is that NOT supposed to sound snarky??? And just b/c someone chooses to drive their larger car to be safe versus saving that 3 mpg in a smaller vehicle, doesn't mean they're not doing other Green Living things, kwim? I have my own vegetable garden, we use cloth wipes, I use cloth menstrual pads, we compost, we use paraben-free products, does that not count??
: to both

I was feeling a little guilty for driving two high performance sedans, but in green living you take some and lose some. Safety is #1 for me and I just don’t feel comfortable driving or riding in small sedans no matter how much gas it would save.

There are tons of other things DP and I do that would be considered “green living”. Our cars should not disqualify us.
post #64 of 81
6/11/08 at 7:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by barose View Post

There are tons of other things DP and I do that would be considered “green living”. Our cars should not disqualify us.
Word.
post #65 of 81
6/11/08 at 8:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by PassionateWriter View Post
when is bio diesel going to become available in my area?

how much are you paying for it? i want bio diesel!!
when i filled up last month it was $4.39. I'm not sure what's it's up to now, but it's comparable to reg diesel.
post #66 of 81
6/12/08 at 9:32am
I guess that did come across a little more harshly than I intended. Sorry. If you could hear the tone in my head you wouldn't be offended.

I have two concerns with the SUV for safety line of thinking. First, safer for who? Just you and your family. What about the cars you're sharing the road with? I also know that there are plenty of highly rated for safety cars. Consumer Reports is a good place to find the ratings.

Green living isn't something we're doing to earn some kind of bonus points and that's what it sounds like when people say things like "Well, I cloth diaper so it's okay if I buy a new Tahoe. I'm still doing my part." Really? It seems to me that a gas guzzling, pollutant fuming tanker nixes out all the other efforts. It also sends a message to oil companies and auto makers that we're still okay with destroying the planet. Are we? Are we really so elitist that we think we deserve to be safer than everybody else and use up more gas than everybody else?
Why can't we cloth diaper, line dry clothes, buy organic, AND drive a sensible vehicle?
I'm just saying, if you CAN buy a smaller car, especially a hybrid, for the love of life, DO IT. Very very few people really need SUVs. I certainly don't. Anybody want mine?
post #67 of 81
6/12/08 at 11:22am
I agree that the "safety" issue as a reason for driving an SUV is alot of the problem getting ppl out of them. I dont even know what to say to combat that argument though, b/c they will fare better in an accident and since most of the vehicles on the street are larger, a person in a small car is more likely to get really injured (although im biased and have seen some awesome accidents b/w small Mercedes and larger suv's where the Benz actually fared better). unfortunately, i dont think thats the "usual" circumstance.

i HATE having a larger vehicle (i love my car but i hate that its so big). i wish i could wait until new baby is born before using it but i had to sell my car and the gas mileage is about the same as my car was (b/c its diesel)....i just feel guilt driving it w just me and baby during the day but i dont have a 3d vehicle to drive and my partner commutes to boston and we dont want him using it as a commuting vehicle, since the diesel is more expensive than gas that his car uses.

my solution is that i cut down on the amount of driving i do. i consolidate everything i can. there is NO joy riding. and driving is at the speedlimit (ive increased a lot of mpg's due to that fact alone).
post #68 of 81
6/12/08 at 12:10pm
While this is better for the overall consumption of gasoline it hurts our economy greatly. The trickle down effect hurts employment, consumer purchases, luxery purchases, the trucking industry, housing market, food -- everything. It is not just one change for the better as it is all tied into one kitty.
Mornings @ WSJ have been reporting sales have dropped greatly and compacts have gained value.

The local Pittsburgh Financial programs are reporting an expected 7.00 a gallon before this is all said and done.

However,fresh water is going to be our worlds much MUCH bigger concern in the near future.
post #69 of 81
6/12/08 at 12:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boobs View Post
I have two concerns with the SUV for safety line of thinking. First, safer for who? Just you and your family. What about the cars you're sharing the road with? I also know that there are plenty of highly rated for safety cars. Consumer Reports is a good place to find the ratings.
I know this wasn’t directed at me (no SUVs in our family), but what you said is the reason why I don’t want a small sedan. Sure, we can save $$ and gas, but with all of the huge SUVs around, I want more protection. I admire the folks around here who drive those tiny two seater electric cars – just not for me.
post #70 of 81
6/12/08 at 12:56pm

We just bought our first SUV

It's a diesel 2000 Ford Excursion. We pull our 34 foot camper with it. We bought it because it's tow rating is 10,000 pounds. We are a family of six. We only drive the one vehicle and we drive 15,000 miles per year. Less than most two car families!

We've thought about converting it to SVO but have not heard much good news related to long term use. (Repairs, etc.)

We get 12 MPG pulling our camper. It we had a gas Excursion we'd get 5-7 MPG. When we don't have the camper we get 18MPG (16 city).

When we're done rving we'll sell our SUV. There is lots of interest in it since Ford doesn't make them anymore and it's diesel and can be converted to run on SVO.

That being said we still see tons of SUVs with only the driver in them and I can't help but feel they could be driving something more fuel effecient. I'm not sure what we'll get. We're six people so we need a larger vehicle. My neighbor has a Honda hybrid sedan but it won't hold us all.

Before rving my DH rode his bike 30 miles round trip to work - he only ran on natural gas then eh? LOL!
post #71 of 81
6/12/08 at 1:05pm
see, im one of those ppl you will see during teh day w/ only a baby in the car. and an SUV. but i have to pick up my 10 yo later and in oct. new baby will be here and then there is older teen and dp who like to attend things too.

but im getting 28/32 if i drive the right way.
post #72 of 81
6/12/08 at 1:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by barose View Post
I know this wasn’t directed at me (no SUVs in our family), but what you said is the reason why I don’t want a small sedan. Sure, we can save $$ and gas, but with all of the huge SUVs around, I want more protection. I admire the folks around here who drive those tiny two seater electric cars – just not for me.
I see your point. I do. But, it's this logic that is so harmful to the very air we breathe.
post #73 of 81
6/12/08 at 1:21pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by AuntLavender View Post

That being said we still see tons of SUVs with only the driver in them and I can't help but feel they could be driving something more fuel effecient.

Before rving my DH rode his bike 30 miles round trip to work - he only ran on natural gas then eh? LOL!

: and to the one passenger SUV


A HUGE for biking 30 miles to work and back!! Wohooo!!
post #74 of 81
6/12/08 at 1:40pm
An incredible alternative to the Prius is the VW Jetta TDI (diesel.) If you get a manual, add a performance chip and drive gently, you can get over 50 mpg consistently on the highway.

For lots of around-town, the Prius is great, but if you do more highway driving, check out the Jetta.

We avg 43 town and 54 highway. We've gotten a high as 59. That is way more than enough to offset the higher price tag on diesel fuel.

And, it runs like a dream on alternative fuels.

We drive an 01 Jetta. The fuel mileage varies by year, as they changed the hp/torque ratings a lot.
post #75 of 81
6/12/08 at 2:48pm
We bought a Saturn Outook and it gets aroudn 23 mpg. Not the best but it is super roomy and Saturn is a great company that even has plants with zero waste. The car isn't always the bottom line but the ethics of the company and how they run themselves also.
post #76 of 81
6/12/08 at 10:12pm
Kind of interesting--my SIL's work is switching their company cars to Ford Escape Hybrids. I thought that was kind of cool since it will replace the whole fleet--I hope other work places start looking at hybrids as company cars.
post #77 of 81
6/12/08 at 10:19pm
I think it's bad form to celebrate rising gas prices. The hardest hit are not the uber ruch. It's the people in the middle and near the bottom who must have a car to drive to work, especially those in rural areas where there is no public transport whatsoever.
post #78 of 81
6/14/08 at 11:56am
I'm wondering though...do safety standards and such take into account the fact that a smaller, lighter car can out maneuver a bigger car any day of the week, and thereby avoid a crash altogether? Or do they just focus on the survival rate once you've crashed?

I own a suv and it seemed to me that all the talk about safety seemed to be coming from the industry and their marketing hype, I'm not sure I buy that suvs are truly safer then smaller cars.
post #79 of 81
6/14/08 at 1:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by laketahoemama View Post
I'm wondering though...do safety standards and such take into account the fact that a smaller, lighter car can out maneuver a bigger car any day of the week, and thereby avoid a crash altogether? Or do they just focus on the survival rate once you've crashed?
It depends on the make/models of the cars. I'm not sure about SUVs because I have only driven an X3 when we needed a courtesy car/loaner from our dealership, but our mid size sedans have excellent handling as well as high crash test ratings. Better than any smaller cars (different makes though) that I tested.
post #80 of 81
6/14/08 at 2:24pm

natural disinfectants/sanitizers???

i have an isuzu trooper i can't seem to be rid of...........it just sits out there...ugh.

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