CARS rebate program

[Marigold2]

As to why people buy SUV's. Here in this part of Ohio they buy them for the status not for hauling wood. I can see owning a pickup in the country but in the burgs it's just silly. Some of my neighbors here have Hummers. It's the Dr and lawyer and business owner, it's the soccer mom married to the Dr who drives the big Escolade. If you come to were I work and look at the parking lot you will see either all imports, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes or you will see the Escolades, Hummers and the huge SUV. Soccer mom gets out with her cell phone and bob hair cut her designer purse ready to spend another day shopping and driving the kids to lessons or practice of some kind. They are not worried about the money or the economy or the planet.

BMW, Audi, and I believe Mercedes and Volvo have programs where you can buy a US spec car through AAFES while in Europe, pick it up at their factory, and ship it back to the US when your tour is over.

Another thing to consider is the space factor in a Cobalt or similar sized vehicle. 2 kids, adults, stuff for the kids, clothes, etc......

If you're going to travel around Europe, you should at least do it in something that's going to be remotely comfortable.

Why do people buy SUV's/pickups etc?

Find me an economy car that will haul wood, building supplies, and get up a road that is at best miserable in the winter and I'm there. Until then, however.........

[Lady's Human]

If someone wants to drive an SUV, an International pickup, whatever, I don't really think it's anyone's business but the person driving it.

A 2007 Hummer driving on the highway at 55 MPH pollutes less than a 1970's economy car does while it's sitting parked in a driveway.

A Hybrid car uses more energy in production and causes more pollution from production than will ever be saved by driving it, but somehow they're "green".

Diesels, the most efficient engines available, very popular in Europe, can't be sold in the US for the most part because they don't meet EPA standards......?

Get the politics and the knee jerk reactions out of this, let science and physics be the guides, and a lot could be fixed.

[caseysmom]

If someone wants to drive an SUV, an International pickup, whatever, I don't really think it's anyone's business but the person driving it.

A 2007 Hummer driving on the highway at 55 MPH pollutes less than a 1970's economy car does while it's sitting parked in a driveway.

A Hybrid car uses more energy in production and causes more pollution from production than will ever be saved by driving it, but somehow they're "green".

Diesels, the most efficient engines available, very popular in Europe, can't be sold in the US for the most part because they don't meet EPA standards......?

Get the politics and the knee jerk reactions out of this, let science and physics be the guides, and a lot could be fixed.

I couldn't agree more.