Families 'cross over' to the smaller side of SUVs..The Obama plan is working

[Peacetrain]

The Obama plan to move auto workers into the green job revolution is working.. And people are responding not only to the cash for clunkers..but are planning to purchase these vehicles in the future (this is what I am so happy to see)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090919/ap_on_bi_ge/us_new_family_car

Families 'cross over' to the smaller side of SUVs
AP



By KIMBERLY S. JOHNSON, AP Auto Writer Kimberly S. Johnson, Ap Auto Writer – Sat Sep 19, 10:13 am ET

DETROIT – Suburban mom Shana Rampersad is looking for a new family car, and it's got to be fuel efficient, stylish and roomy.

That eliminates sedans, sport utility vehicles and even minivans such as the Nissan Quest that's been carrying the Rampersads around New Jersey for years.

Because of a tight household budget, Rampersad and her husband have decided to wait until next year to buy a new car. And it'll be a Ford Flex, a four-door that seats seven. The Flex's rectangular design has softened angles and blends the low length of a minivan with the sportier front-end of an SUV. Its second and third rows fold down flat, creating enough room for two adults to camp out.

General Motors Co. said its new vehicle lineup would include only cars and crossovers over the next several years. Sales of its Chevrolet Equinox crossover rose nearly 189 percent in August.

[Robb]

1. To be fair

...By that logic we could lay praise for this at the feet of GWB, since his policies help bankrupt a nation. Families are cutting back because they are less wealthy.

[Peacetrain]

2. How about this.. Bush forced Americans to look at how they were

spending their fuel dollar .. and President Obama gave them an option.. while keeping the American Auto Industry from completely collapsing..

[tridim]

3. Bush also gave us $4.50/gallon gas

I'm still amazed how many people forget about (or ignore) last summer's gouging.

[Township75]

4. Since when did the green revolution involve SUVs?

Small SUV's still get some pretty shitty gas mileage, and produce a hell of a lot of greenhouse gases.

[Peacetrain]

5. Well 27 MPG is a hell of a lot better than 12 MPG...

Its a HUGE jump in the right direction

[AndyA]

6. Of course, let's ignore the waste in this program.

Cars that were functional and safe were disabled, a process that caused them to spew pollutants into the atmosphere by the hundreds of thousands. Not environmentally friendly.

And now...because they've been disabled...they must be TOWED sometimes 25 or more miles to a salvage. Tow trucks DO NOT GET GOOD FUEL ECONOMY. How much wasted fuel do you suppose will be spent having tow trucks drive to and from dealerships to pick up and deliver disabled "clunkers"? 50 miles x 750,000...not very smart.

And the folks that are driving the REAL CLUNKERS--those smoking minivans and other old cars that they couldn't replace because they don't have the money due to layoffs or medical bills or whatever--a big "FUCK YOU" from the government. The intent wasn't to really help people who need help the most, it was to stick taxpayer money in big corporate bank accounts (like always).

The program would have been great if the vehicles weren't required to be disabled. They could have required they be dismantled, but to require them to be towed around was STUPID.

And...if the people who REALLY COULD HAVE USED A NEW CAR had been included, it would have been great. But no one seems to think about the people who need help the most.

[Township75]

7. Definitely is a move in the right direction,

but this is not about a green revolution (unless you mean dollars), this is about families downsizing to save money. As has been the case for, well, ever, they don't give a shat about the environment, otherwise they would be looking at small cars.

[ctaylors6]

8. I think many families buy something other than a small car but still care about environment

I agree that many families are downsizing to save money, especially to save money on fuel. But I know many families that cannot use small cars because of car seats for children. You need a larger car to fit 4 car seats in the back (it's highly recommended that small children don't ride in the front seat of a car). It's also very difficult to find a small car in which you can buckle up 3 car seats across the back seat (although it may be more accurate to say it's very difficult to find 3 car seats, esp booster seats, that fit across the back seat of a small car). Even if someone has only 2 children, you can't ever carpool if you need to put other car seats in the car.
When we bought our last car I looked very carefully at gas mileage, but it was secondary to the safety/car seat criterion for me. Five years ago, I opted for a minivan instead of an SUV for that reason. I think it's wonderful that there are more options for shoppers in this demographic, who do need a little more room but also care about environment.