[Guest]

Hi All:

___A friend of mine purchased a VW Jetta TDI a few weeks ago and removed a 4WD ½ ton Chevy P/U from his fleet in the process. Last week, another friend replaced a Dodge full size van with a used 01 Toyota Echo w/ Auto. He has a Dodge RAM P/U coming off lease in 2 months and is considering an 04 Toyota Corolla LE as its replacement. Someone else in the parking lot now owns a brand new 04 Echo w/ a stick … I work in the land and sea of SUV’s and 4WD Trucks. I am seeing more and more Honda and Toyota car’s appearing in the last 6 + weeks and the trend appears to be continuing at an ever increasing pace. There are even guys car pooling that wouldn’t have thought of the practice as little as a year ago … One of the Station Operators I was speaking of early this morning says he will be replacing his 2000 Camry with an 05 Prius or 06 Camry Hybrid by late 2005/early 2006 as well. Another Operator who just recently purchased a V8 Passat is now interested in replacing it with the 05 Accord Hybrid. I educated him on that particular automobile a bit

___Ford, Chevy, and Dodge/Chrysler/MB are going to get hurt pretty badly in the not to distant future if what I am seeing continues … If that happens, hold onto your hat because the US economy is headed for a nasty storm to the detriment of us all

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___[email:2qxqqwyv][email protected][/email:2qxqqwyv]

 

[cakley]

Chysler/MB might due OK. The PT cruiser will be getting a MB diesel engine next year. The Jeep Liberty will be getting a small Cummins diesel. MB is returning the diesel engine into the US line.

Ford/GM had better wise up :!: All Ford would have to do is import the same cars that are designed for the EU market.

What I don't understand about the US. We can Import high end sport cars , high end lux cars, and bottom dollar cars (kia). Yet the US won't allow many of the fine EU cars that get great MPG. I don't like taxes but perhaps fuel taxes should be raised :idea:


In the past I talked a co-worker into breaking his lease on a toyota SUV and bought a new Jetta TDI. He took a bath in breaking the lease but in the end he was happy.

 

[Skypig]

Add me to that list. I am selling my RV because it is now cheaper to drive a car somewhere and stay in a 5 star hotel than it is to haul the RV to a campsite. Enough already!

I agree with you about the US automakers. They are repeating history. Remember the 70's - 80's, when the Japanese cars were becoming far more reliable and fuel efficient, not to mention affordable. The US manufacturers nearly went under. It took them a long time to recover, and that was almost exclusively because of the truck and SUV craze. We had a handle on how to make big, lumbering, inefficient monsters.

Now, with gas prices up for good, the SUV/truck rug is being pulled from under them...quick. The double whamy will be when Honda and Toyota start unleashing reliable, efficient Hybrid/Fuel Cell trucks and SUV's.

You said "hold onto your hat because the US economy is headed for a nasty storm to the detriment of us all". I agree with that statement, but take the word "economy" out. That's just my opinion. Not worth much more that a cup of coffee (not from starbucks either. I'm talkin cheap coffee.)

 

[Guest]

Hi Cakely:

___MB might have a chance but not if they are going to be charging $55K + for their latest and greatest …

___I was reading the Transportation section of the Chicago Trib today and they reviewed the E320 w/ a 200 HP TD. Great acceleration and 27/37 City/Hwy EPA estimates. That isn’t the kind of value that will save them either but lets hope Ford will bring over their Euro Focus w/ its Diesel? GM has a few Diesel’s up their sleeves as well but I wonder if the both of them need ULSD or LSD fuel for US spec emissions?

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___[email:2rxdvqw2][email protected][/email:2rxdvqw2]

 

[b1shmu63]

This weekend my cousin picked up a 5 speed 47 MPG (Imperial) Toyota Matrix, trading in his huge RWD 18 MPG Caprice Classic. He says his next car will likely be a hybrid. I think the word is getting through.

 

[kurt]

My attorney (and friend), after riding in my Insight, ordered a new Prius, which should come in just about the time his lease on his $45,000 Audi A-6 is up. However I am afraid most of the great unwashed masses will not figure out the oil crisis until it is too late. I have paid for my Insight several times over by purchasing stocks of oil companies which have large reserves.

 

[Tim Maddux]

offtopic and not appropriate for a bump to general news... locking...