| After a temporary adjustment due to gas-price | | | | thousands of dollars during the contract-signing is |
| panic, Americans will return to buying the style of | | | | only an indication that folks are not getting the |
| vehicle that most suits their needs and their | | | | information they need in order to prioritize. And |
| desires. | | | | while it is certainly understandable when |
| For a family of four or more, anything less than a | | | | automakers advertise their vehicles as having the |
| decent-sized SUV will seem inadequate, because it | | | | 'best in class' fuel economy, buyers would do well |
| IS inadequate. Americans have a wide selection of | | | | to simply ignore most of this noise. 'Best in class' |
| leisure activities available to them, many of which | | | | simply means that they can show a one mile per |
| require a considerable amount of cargo space. | | | | gallon edge over the nearest competitor during |
| And how can time-strapped Moms and Dads | | | | testing. |
| ferry their kids in style without the occasional | | | | Anyone looking for a visual demonstration of the |
| ability to carry some of the other kids? Three | | | | term 'disclaimer' is invited to tour the EPA website. |
| boys in football gear is a full load, and four is | | | | They have discovered an impressive variety of |
| impossible without some extra room. | | | | ways to disclaim their results, leaving no question |
| We have become used to larger vehicles because | | | | as to what they think about them. It isn't as |
| many of us live so much of our lives on the road. | | | | though there isn't an impressive body of work |
| In addition to our leisure necessities, a larger | | | | there--there is, it is just that driving styles, |
| vehicle provides at least the illusion of greater | | | | weather, road conditions, seasonal changes, etc. all |
| safety, acting as a measure of self-defense | | | | play a hugely significant role in the actual mileage a |
| against all the other huge vehicles we are in | | | | vehicle will get. |
| constant near-contact with. Some of the happiest | | | | As more automakers roll out larger hybrids, any |
| women I have ever seen are behind the wheels | | | | residual guilt about the environment that might be |
| of Hummers. | | | | hanging around will soon dissipate. We are lucky to |
| The key issue for buyers should be the crushing | | | | have the options we do in our country--though |
| depreciation they suffer from many of these | | | | we certainly take them for granted--and this has |
| expensive vehicles. It is not unusual to lose $30k | | | | made of us a nation of optimists. We expect fuel |
| or more in actual value over the space of two | | | | prices to drop when they are squeezing us, and |
| years. When we are able to educate buyers on | | | | they generally do. |
| where the money actually goes in a car deal, we | | | | Absent a governmental decree that we are no |
| will be well on our way to pulling many families out | | | | longer allowed to drive the cars we want (not so |
| of the financial mire. | | | | far-fetched), stepping back from something we |
| The act of worrying over a couple of MPG (as | | | | enjoy is just not an American trait. |
| 'rated' by the EPA) while happily eating tens of | | | | Nor should it be. |