...my wife came home with a brand new Toyota Sequoia.

Luckily she brought it back...they only loaned it to her for the night.

She is looking for a new SUV (yes, she is one of those SUV driving soccer moms). I have to admit...the Japanese vehicles have very very good reliability track records...

 

Yep...the big three are usually a good bet in my humble experience...personally Ive had bad luck with the Isuzu and susuki suvs...Ill stick with my 79 and the scooter, that way I dont have to fork out more cash for metric tools 'cept my 8mm for the batteries and the one for the screw on the fork tubes...

 

I love "American Made" Vehicles, but Ive been in a sequioa (I know im mispelling this) and It seems to be a pretty solid vehicle.

 

I would like to comment on the SUV trend. These are great vehicles. They are basically automobile bodies on truck frames. I guess they are great for a family but I don't understand the need for the high clearance, maybe to go over parking curbs at the mall?

I don't get with the four wheel drive. Good in snow but many operators get over confident and end up in the ditch anyway.

I guess these vehicles have replaced the family wagon but they were originally designed for work. It is a interesting indeed that I usually see them on the interstate, at the malls, and in restaurant parking lots.

I remember some of the first SUV type vehicles. I drove a 2 door jeep station wagon type vehicle. It probably was the precursor of the Bronco. I remember the international travellall. It probably was the precursor of the Chevy Suburban. I remember the first Toyota Land Cruisers, more like a jeep than what it resembles today. Anyway, my point is that these vehicles were all reserved for work, not recreation. It seems we have come full circle.

Besides the obvious travel, what else do these SUV owners do to make use of the extras that they carry, like the four wheel drive, the high clearance, and the brush guards. Oh, the brush guards over the lights, they really crack me up. Where are these people going, to Victoria Falls?? Where are these people coming from, the Austrailian bush? More than likely, it is the Rosebush next to their garden fountain in their front yard.

Really, I just don't get what some of these SUV owners think, and more importantly, how they see themselves.

I don't care what someone drives, I just don't see the need that applies to most people who drive them.

 

Brien, not trying to pick on ya, but this button's been pushed one too many times. Why the heck do people care if truck/suv owners use them for work or pleasure. I have an explorer because I like to drive a bigger vehicle, I like to have 4WD and I like to have decent cargo space. I know a lot of people get over confident in the snow but I'm not that stupid. I take my time going slower than usual and know that I can get through w/o a problem. I bet most of the people on this site (or at least a good number of them) don't use their trucks/suvs for work. This is America (and Canada ), we can buy what we want. Is it so wrong to want something that's Built Ford Tough ?

JMHO

 

Hmm...if your wife doesn't need the clearance or the 4 wheel drive, save some money and just get a mini-van.
My mom just bought a new Chrysler Mini-Van - and I must admit it handled nicely when I borrowed it for a northern 3-hour run in a slight blizzard.
I know she should have a Ford right? Well, she does, her old van is a 92 AeroStar - it is now the second vehicle. She kept it over a 92 Lumina 3.4. She had a Maverick back in the day, and she has missed it everyday since she sold it.

My two cents!

 

They are called "badges". People like to display thier badges as a way to show what they have acheived. There are very very few cultures in our society that don't do this. I bet I could go through your house (please- take no personal offense('') and question a lot of the things you own. Do you really use them for what they were intended?

Alternatly- what is the true "intent" of all the things on SUVs that people do not use? What is the "intent" of 4x4?

 

I for one like the FREEDOM to drive what I want, and can aFORD (pun). What I dont like is the way other people are treated, may it be on the road or just walking through a mall.
It's my opinion, once we as people are able to respect each other we shall all be driving the same safe vehicle, not because we're told, but as a respectful people it's the right thing to do.

We're not there yet.

Thank you

yes my wife drives an SUV (98 landrover disco1, safe car)

 

Hey Folks: I am not slamming SUV owners. I am just poking some honest fun through my daily observations. I am a firm believer in free market and in giving the public what they want. Hey, I think they are good for the economy. More parts, more sophistication, and more fuel. Keeps people employed. Sorry if you all got the wrong impression.

The Hummer is the one that gets me. Where do these people live? Maybe in the Allegash Wilderness of Maine. It seems funny to me to see them parked in Surburban Tract Row Housing. But hey, buy whatever you can afford and whatever fits your self image. Like a previous poster added, it is a badge. My images are Ford Ranger and 1951 Ford F-3. I suppose we could make fun of that somehow.

 

I understand! No offense taken.

I think a lot of them live in Scottsdale AZ! They are parked next to the Jag and the Mercedes S-600.

JKW

 

Well, since I am one of the one's that topics like this focus on, I guess I will chime in also. I, like brienobrien, think its funny to see a soccer mom get out of an Expedition at the mall and the Expedition be 4x4, front grille guards, steel taillight guards, and enough Armor All on all the tires to make them glitter and shine. There is usually 4 coats of wax applied to make sure the light is beaming off bright enough you can't see what color the thing actually is. You can tell that vehicle won't hit a dirt road, much less go play in the woods.

Many look at my X the same - why lower it, build the suspenson, build the engine and put a supercharger, etc, etc, on something like that?!?! Best answer I can give is because I wanted to, its mine, and I like it. They pick on mine, but I could care less because I am happy with what I am doing. I may pick on someone else, or joke about what they do to their wheels, but it is their vehicle and I will aplaud them for doing what they want.

I guess it takes all kinds to make the world go round...

 

It is my personal opinion that these vehicles were made to please a consumer, since the outrage over the small,dangerous, plastic cars that were made in the 80's.

I seemed to hear all the time that people felt unsafe in them and wanted something larger since Heavy Boats were long gone.

The automotive industry heard this call for larger,safer,truck type vehicles they The Public) would feel safer in and fulfilled this need.

After this happened it became:

Keep up with the Jones',Johnson's,Smith's,Anderson's,& Rockerfeller's.

The Rest is History !!!!

Badges !!....... YES, We need stinkin' Badges !

 

"Hey Folks: I am not slamming SUV owners. I am just poking some honest fun through my daily observations."

Brien, no offense taken. I just had to speak my mind. I agree some may buy them as a badge, but not everyone including me. I'm far from being a stylish person. I have to like it to listen to it, wear it, drive it, etc. I don't do things because they're cool (like many in our society), I do them because I like them.

 

I think SUV's are cool. My wife has an Expedition. It's comfortable, the whole family fits in it. the dog fits in the back and the 4X4 comes in handy in the winter.

What I don't get is, when did Honda's and Mazda's become cool? Those little souped up rice cans are the dumbest, most useless looking things that I have ever seen. And since when do coffee can tail pipes, Stickers and whale tails give you more HP? Rant Rant Rant...

 

MG: I think you are wise in your observations. It is all about style and self perception. For example, I purchased a 1977 MGB for my wife several years back because it is her style. She loves the car and it has become part of her image around town. Unfortunately, people tend to judge us by our exterior images rather than by our interior projections. This seems to be a major problem in our culture today and is probably responsible for more confusion than we may be able to handle.