SUV values starting fall off cliff

[geepondy]

Not this one but in one of the previous gas price spikes, not too long ago, a local TV reporter was interviewing a bigger sized car dealership in the area and the dealer said he still sold his big SUVs as soon as they came in. Said the people wanted them for whatever their reasons and were willing to pay the price of the gas. It sort of makes sense to me as a lot of the people with the income power to shell out $30-40K for a bigger SUV already figure on spending quite a weekly chunk for gas.

 

[gallagho]

Diesel is at $9 a (US)gallon here in the UK at the moment, just though I'd mention it!! :hairpull:

 

[Fallingwater]

They're loud, they smell bad, you have to idle them or constantly worry about the fuel lines freezing in the winter. Maintenance is more. I've never wanted one and I imagine I'll never own a diesel.

Diesels in cars are not the same as those in tractors. They are not much louder than gas engines, fuel lines haven't frozen in decades and they require surprisingly little maintenance.
My 1.6 litre Mazda 3 turbodiesel has always started in winter without so much as a hiccup, and it sure doesn't get more maintenance than the average.
As for the smell, well, gas engines don't exactly smell like roses either.

As for the matter of SUVs: about bloody time. Means demand is falling and people are starting to get rid of them, and the least of them I see around the happier I'll be.

 

[270winchester]

Apparently you haven't seen my neighbor's Dodge Dually. It think it's about a 2002 or newer.

Believe me, in a farming state and having been around them all my life I'm well familiar with what diesels are and aren't.

have you seen a newer small diesel car lately?

quite different from diesel powered duallies.

 

[tygger]

I think you mean the most modern ones don't.

I pulled up behind a Jetta diesel today. I could tell by the noise before I looked for the insignia. It was an older model, maybe late 1980s???

I keep hearing that the new ones are quieter, more efficient and (with a urea injector) rather clean. That sounds like good news.


Daniel

True, the new ones are very quiet. I was next to a VW Taureg (twin-turbo V10 diesel) yesterday and it was no louder than a gasser, seriously. Also, theres a company here that specializes in converting old diesel mercedes to burn bio and there's a couple of the converted one's running around the neighborhood. Having grown up riding in a smokey, loud, 300D, let me tell you, those conversions seem to cut at least half the noise. Probably because bio burns hotter and much cleaner, yes?

 

[Lee1959]

I personally do not believe that the average person has learned anything from history. Those old enough to recognize and remember it have seen this exact same thing to varying degrees several times since the 70s. As soon as the current crisis/crunch passes, people who do not need the larger vehicles will jump back to them for the status and or comfort. You will see Hummers, Suburbans, Explorers etc farrying the groceries home again where they are not needed before you know it. Not to mention the Hemi Chargers, the new Mustangs and whatever muscle cars they brng back next.

Its just human nature...

 

[NeonLights]

I don't mind seeing SUV prices fall, I would love to pick up a good 2005-06 Expedition for $6-8k (if/when they fall that low) for those few occasions when I need to tow or haul a lot of people or stuff. I definitely see a real need for some people to have large SUV's, but those people that actually have a real need for them probably number at 10% or less of the people who actually own them. Most of the people who own them now would be better served to have something more efficient like a wagon or minivan instead, or buy a small more efficient car to use when they didn't need the towing/hauling capacity and size of a big SUV. If/when I ever buy one of those behemoths, its use would probably be limited to a maximum of 3-4k miles a year.

 

[powernoodle]

As for the matter of SUVs . . . the least of them I see around the happier I'll be.

Its a shame that your happiness is dependent on the kind of vehicle that total strangers are driving.

Lee is right. The sky is not falling. Though some always seem to wish it were.

 

[BIGIRON]

One reason to own a large SUV or truck that many people don't understand is because of the towing capacity. You can't tow a large utility trailer, RV trailer or boat with a small car. Lot's of folks here (on the Gulf of Mexico) own larger vehicles just to tow their boats.

Another thing to consider about the 6 and 8 passerger SUVs or vans is the MPG per seat. An SUV with 6 passengers at 15mpg is more efficient than a 30mpg econobox with 2 passengers. I know a couple of young families that fill up their vans seats every time they go somewhere and a painter and sheetrocker that operate Suburbans just to haul their crews.

Enough hair splitting. As in everything commercial, the marketplace will ultimately decide.

Speaking of Hemi-Chargers...........there are some things worth sacrificing for.

 

[Gene]

Like BIGIRON said, there will always be a use for large vehicles. Up here in rural land, big trucks are a way of life whether you need them or not. I have an old Ford Ranger six that gets my work done.

It is true though that I'm now seeing more and more of the big trucks with "for sale" signs on them and selling for cheap.

I also noticed about two weeks ago when I went into the big city that several dealers had moved their big vehicles to the back and all the small vehicles up front.

 

[Lee1959]

Someone without a truck, might be amazed at just how much someone who does own one, loans it out even. My Sierra 2500 is the only full sized pickup in my extended family. At least once a week, sometimes more, someone in the family will either ask to borrow it, or ask me to haul something for them. My dad borrowed it just yesterday to buy latticework and sheet rock for a porch job he is doing.

Last week it was my sister wanting landscape timbers and cement.

 

[JakeGMCHD]

You need to check out the Grand Cherokee with the MB 3L diesel in it. Very quiet and gets great mileage in the city at 20mpg with all wheel drive. No smell in a closed garage and no residue on the inside of tail pipe.

 

[Fallingwater]

Its a shame that your happiness is dependent on the kind of vehicle that total strangers are driving.
Lee is right. The sky is not falling. Though some always seem to wish it were.

Oh, gimme a break, I'm not saying I'm happy if they aren't around and miserable if they are.
What I'm saying is: I personally dislike them, I think they are a risk for those who don't drive them, I think they do more than their fair share of polluting and I believe that while there certainly are some people who buy SUVs rationally, most just do because they are a status symbol, or for other similarly silly reasons.
Hence, I'm happier if the market gives less attention to them.

 

[jzmtl]

Oh, gimme a break, I'm not saying I'm happy if they aren't around and miserable if they are.
What I'm saying is: I personally dislike them, I think they are a risk for those who don't drive them, I think they do more than their fair share of polluting and I believe that while there certainly are some people who buy SUVs rationally, most just do because they are a status symbol, or for other similarly silly reasons.
Hence, I'm happier if the market gives less attention to them.

Come to Montreal and drive for a week, summer or winter, you'll pick a suv over a bike/small car.

 

[daveman]

No need to worry about the SUVs polluting the world or drinking too much fuel from the pond; gasoline prices in America will start with the number 5 within two years. A barrel of crude oil will be at $200 each before 2012 ends, IF producers will still be willing to take $ for their oil by then.

 

[tiktok 22]

I still drive my chevy Z-71...just fewer trips.

 

[Fallingwater]

Come to Montreal and drive for a week, summer or winter, you'll pick a suv over a bike/small car.

SUVs aren't the only alternative to a small car.
But why wouldn't I want to drive a small car or ride a bike?

 

[sawlight]

This has been an interesting read. I always thought deisles were a lot etter on fuel in trucks as well. A friend bought an '06 Dodge 2500 4x4 crew cab long bed. He gets 17mpg average. Realy not bad, but expensive.
The guys I work with all give me a hard time about the "big ole friggin truck" I drive, I ask what they get for milleage, it varies from 14-20mpg. I laugh and walk away.
I drive an '04 F150 etx. cab long bed. 2wd 5.4l and tow package, I haul a lot and use the trailer a lot and the wife wants a travel trailer in the future. I wanted a 3/4t, but the deal I got on this couldn't be beat and I am really happy with the choice.
I average 17mpg, I think I'll be alright.

 

[Ken_McE]

Come to Montreal and drive for a week, summer or winter, you'll pick a suv over a bike/small car.

Any particular reason why??

 

[jzmtl]

SUVs aren't the only alternative to a small car.
But why wouldn't I want to drive a small car or ride a bike?

Because in the winter you'll have to go through foot deep of snow (takes over a week to clean snow off street after major snowfalls) and in summer the cab drivers is trying to run everyone over (total maniacs, they are betting on you care about your car paint more than they do).

My TJ is 8 years old and has one dent and one scratch on door. My parents' civic is 6 months old and rear bumper was repainted and a big dent on door, none of which is their fault. That's Montreal driving for ya. :shakehead