Newsflash: American car buyers still stupid

[theclencher]

http://www.startribune.com/535/story/833602.html

[onegammyleg]

Newsflash: American car buyers still stupid

is this something new ?

[FormulaTwo]

Peoples interest in fuel economy depends on the price of gas.
If gas stayed up at $3 + then people would be pushing for more fuel effecient cars.
But the price has come down so people "forget".
Gas prices follow the "boiling frog" idea.
If gas prices shot up to $10 tomorrow, everyone would run away and find other means of transportation.
But, the oil companies slowly increase it, over years.
$1.60 around 2001, up to $3 last year, then back to $2.20 now.
the price doesnt slide down to where it was. just slowly gets higher.


I am sure that eventually the oil companies will push electric/alternative fueled cars. When they actually become competition for them.
Most likely buying controlling shares of electric vehicle companies.

Then jacking the price of gas up to $5 or more. To push everyone into these other cars.
Meanwhile making money off of everyone switching, AND making money off of those who do not.

Then eventually when they feel they have made enough. (if that would ever happen) then they will lower the price of gas just enough to keep it "competitive". and sell their shares in electric companies.

it is all about making money.
Sorry for rambling

[red91sit]

They already are fighting electric cars, they own the ivonic or whatever it is that's in the EV-1, basically the best NiMH battery made so far?

[Spule 4]

1973 and 1981 all over again.....

[Compaq888]

Newsflash: American car buyers still stupid

is this something new ?

ROFL, people will always be stupid.

My decision guide was it had to be reliable, gas saver, import, manual transmission and had to be good looking.

99-00 civic fit that description perfect.

[Ted Hart]

Al said..."Two things are infinite, the universe and stupidity. I have my doubts about the former." :D

[Silveredwings]

"Despite the high cost of gasoline, Americans are not shunning large sport-utility vehicles. Auto industry figures show that after a two-year slump, sales of the gas guzzlers are up over 2006 -- in some cases, way up."

What I want to know is how much did they drop prices to be able to say that sales units are up? Even if overall sales $ are up, how's their ROI these days? Still losing money?

[Bill in Houston]

Absolutely shocking. I'm not being sarcastic. I am really shocked. Sigh.

[caprice]

So it wasn't just my imagination... I thought I've been seeing an awful lot of the new Silverados and Subdivisions.

There is this one street near by that has 5 new body style chevys, a Tahoe, an Avalanche, and three half-ton pickups!:rolleyes:

[rh77]

During the $3+ fuel prices, it seems that the mid-sized sedan get hit the hardest. SUVs sell for reasons we've figured-out, and Hybrids/small cars sell like mad. But the all-around compromise: the mid-size sedan, takes the hit.

Bummer.

RH77

[ELF]

I was watching cbs news tonight and they claimed that suv sales were lower in april, by some small% less than 20% , small car sales were up about the same % but hybreds were up 300% ............ so there might be some people changing, certainly not the wealthy, I don't think the price of gas has any effect on them.