On Apr 19, 12:37 pm, OldRoads wrote:
I think the American auto consumer would 'accept' a smaller car if it
became more popular to drive a fuel efficient econobox.
Right now everybody still thinks they need to commute to work - one
person at a time - in a 4-door 1/2 ton pickup or SUV, but higher gas
prices may start to change our opinions. It might even be 'cool'
again to drive an efficient small car - look at the Beetle during the
musclecar years. Many people bought 'em and drove 'em while other
people were buying El Dorados and other gas hogs.

Wrong again. Even if the US consumer was willing to accept a small
euro-style econotrashbox as a _commute_ car, it would not prove so
economical considering the big picture. Many Americans still need a
powerful truck or SUV to carry their mountain bikes, surfboards, haul
a trailer on a weekend out-of-town trip, etc. Now, you might say that
I should have another vehicle, the econobox, and use it for commuting
and grocery shopping trips, while the truck is parked most of the
time, and only drive the truck when I really need it. Sure, that would
be more economical, but only from the fuel economy standpoint. But if
you consider the _total_cost_of_ownership_, it is actually cheaper
only own the big truck, even if you use it for oh-so-fuel-inefficient
commuting. It is more environment friendly, too. Notice that owning
the econobox in addition to the truck implies one additional vehicle
that needed to be manufactured -- additional burden on the
environment.