If I sell my gas-guzzler won't someone else be driving it?

[OnionPatch]

I drive a Cherokee. It's not really horrible on gas but not so good either. It's a '93, so it's pretty old. I bought it because I used to live in the mountains and the winter driving was extremely treacherous. Now I must commute 15 miles each way every day of the week. There is no bus or neighbor, etc. with my schedule that I can ride with. If I sell my Jeep and buy an old Geo Metro or something like this (which is all I can afford now) will it really do any good for the environment? Sure, it will help MY gas expenses, but won't someone else just be driving that Jeep and the car I will buy is probably already on the road, so what difference will it make? Anyone?

[MADem]

1. Give it to charity, maybe they will recycle it, ya never know nt

[OnionPatch]

2. If I do that

I won't have the money to buy another car.

[pitohui]

4. DON'T give it to charity

please don't do it anyway

charities use it to destroy the car & get pollution credits they can sell to corporations

your "gift" has just increased the amt of crap in the air for all of us because now the polluter is allowed to vent more into the air

don't give to charity unless they will sign a form asserting they won't sell it for pollution credits

they won't, and you will have yr eyes opened

[Tallison]

7. Please explain this

What are "pollution credits"? I've never heard of these. :dunce:

[SoCalDem]

3. or it may be bought by a family that needs a vehicle that will

transport 3 or 4 kids and their junk around..

We used to have a stretch Econoline van in the 80's, but we also had 3 labradors and 3 teenaged sons to haul around. Now it;s just the two of us, and we have an Accord..

It's about "scale".. a cherokee for one person is one thing..but a cherokee for a family is different.

The smaller SUV's are really just tall station wagons...Station wagons and then vans have always been almost necessary for families:)

[OnionPatch]

5. Hey, you have a point!

And maybe they won't drive it as far as I do! Thanks! Now I need to come up with a questionairre for potential buyers to fill out so I can make sure, lol. :D

[SlavesandBulldozers]

6. if everybody took the action you are, then nobody would drive them

in other words, you can only make YOU follow your own principles. you can only hope that others take similar actions - but you will always know that you did your part.

[OnionPatch]

9. You have a good point, too!

Thanks. You are so right. You guys are making me feel better about this.

[dcfirefighter]

8. you selling it reduces the demand for new gas guzzlers

such that manufacturers will build one less new gas guzzler

You could always donate it to a volunteer fire company, who will cut it up for training purposes.

[OnionPatch]

11. I wish I could donate it

to a worthy cause like you mention but I'm really not at the point where I can afford to donate entire automobiles to charity. You make a good point about lowering the demand, though, thanks.

[tulsakatz]

10. excuse me for saying this but........

......that's kind of a weak excuse. Yes someone else may buy it after you sell it and they probably would still drive it but they may or may not be making the same kind of commute you do.

To rationalize that the next buyer will be getting the same mileage is a weak excuse to me because you don't know their driving habits and the amount of driving they do.

[OnionPatch]

14. Well I'm not trying to make excuses

I really do want to sell it if nothing more than to lower my own gas expenses. I'm just trying to figure out whether I will actually be doing the environment any good or if it will only be a personal gain.

[omega minimo]

22. Another aspect (that is key to a lot of agonizing on DU)

Are you responsible for your actions/choices or those of others?

If you make choices/actions that are right for you, right for the impacts on the environment and others, is there a ripple effect?

If you take back your power to make informed and responsible choices, does that answer the question "But what can ya dooooooooooooo?"

If there is a ripple effect and you take charge of that power, is that power magnified by all the INDIVIDUALS who do it as well? Who may be inspired by your example?

:bounce:

[WhiteTara]

12. well, it will stop someone else from

buying a NEW gas guzzler. Count yourself lucky if you can sell it. I keep seeing dozens of gas guzzlers for sale where I live and they seem to be sitting there for long periods of time.

[petgoat]

13. What difference will it make?

Anybody buying a car right now is fully aware of the fuel prices.

Anybody buying a car right now has a range of choices, from your Cherokee to an old GEO, etc.

Anybody buying a car right now who buys your Cherokee over a Subaru or
a GEO either has 1) a major SUV fetish or 2) is more concerned about the
purchase price than the operating cost.

If you drive 10,000 miles a year, at 30 mpg you'll spend $1000 a year on
gas at $3 a gallon.

If you drive 5,000 miles a year you'll spend $500 on gas.

At 12 mpg, for 5000 miles you'll spend $1250 a year.

[maine_raptor]

15. Don't sell it or get rid of it

if you "live in the mountains and the winter driving was extremely treacherous", then you NEED a 4-wheel drive vehicle. No question about it, it's for PERSONAL safety.

The biggest problem with "SUV"'s is not that they exist and that use a lot of gas. It's that they are now used by a lot of folks in city/urban settings where such a large car is not necessary.

The Geo Metro is just that a METRO car, not well suited for back country driving in the winter.

You can save gas with a Cherokee:

1) Only use 4-wheel when the driving conditions call for it (snow, ice, mud, etc) and never go faster that 45 mph when in 4-wheel drive.

2) And this applies to all cars, MAKE SURE your tires are at the proper pressure before you start your trip. Keep a digital tire gage and air pump (small one powered by lighter plug in car) in the car and use them.

[OnionPatch]

17. I don't live in the mountains anymore

We moved a couple years ago and I live in the foothills of those same mountains now. We rarely get even a dusting of snow down here. My commute from here is 10% through semi-rural neighborhoods and 90% on the freeway.

I used to feel justified for driving it when I lived up there. It was one of the smallest vehicles among my mountain neighbors! A few had Subarus (which I must admit I coveted deeply.)

[maine_raptor]

21. Ok if it no longer fits your driving area

then sell it.

Where I live a 4-wheel drive vehicle is an necessity.

[crispini]

16. I'll bet you that...

you won't be able to sell it.

Trade-in, probably, but outright selling it? I kinda doubt it. Let me know if you find out otherwise, I'm curious.

[OnionPatch]

18. You're probably right

;(

[OnionPatch]

19. But after thinking on it

I realize my neighbors drive MONSTER vehicles. (I live in redneck land) so buying my Cherokee would probably mean big gas savings for any of them!

[crispini]

20. Good luck! Maybe you will be able to sell it!

I agree with the other posters. Maybe that's one less new vehicle that will get made.

[catmandu57]

23. I think you may be lucky to unload it

I hope you aren't in a big hurry to get rid of this, it may be sitting for a while, and you may have to drop your asking price.

This is starting to look just like 1979, when the second oil shock rolled through, people had become complacent, Detroit was selling the hell out of gas monsters again, then the price of fuel went up and people freaked.

Before long there were gas guzzlers all over you could buy them for a song, which is what many poor people did. A neighbor of mine bought a huge Mercury four door 460 engine for next to nothing. The trouble was he made minimum wage and couldn't afford to drive it anywhere, but it did look good in his driveway.