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By Cherry128, January 12, 2004

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Of course, pAssing's easier and safer if your not driving a weak motored Corolla (like my '00 CE). Try it in a V8 SUV sometime. Just be sure not to inhale an econo-box Corolla into the V8's intake manifold when you step on it to pass, it can limit your fuel economy.

Actually the 0-60 time and even pAssing power of and '03 Corrola matches or betters an SUV especally when you consider than the Corolla can change lanes quicker, and is shorter. You just need to plan you pAsses to be in the correct gear in the Corolla.... but aren't you planning you pAsses anyway?

 

Even when pAssing I rarely have a need ot redline or use all the power of my Corolla. I don;t make pAsses that are that tight... because it just scres the other dirver.... and what do you think a 5000lb SUV looks like to an oncomming car. I can cut a pass closer in my little car without running people off the road.

Smaller vehicle are more socially responsible in every way.... but SUV are a direct representation of how many Americans act. F' everyone else... it's ME, ME, ME, ME.

yes, the golden rule in overtaking is 'if in doubt, don't'. when pAssing i start back enough so that i am at overtaking pace when i pass the offending vehicle.

here is another thought - how many SUV drivers do you see talk on their mobiles while adding sugar to their latte? many suv drivers i have noticed drive very poorly, like wandering all over the road, driving waaay to quick, waaay to slow, improper lanechanging. many SUVs are loungerooms on wheels and some of their drivers treat them as such. no, these sorts of people aren't even drivers, they just hold licences. my corolla gives me every ounce of feedback available thus i am more in touch with the road than someone in what is a cruise ship on wheels. thus in a way it is safer to be in small car. when in an SUV people get complacent and drive much less defensively.

now not everyone who owns an SUV is a crap driver, but SUVs allow a certain level of crappiness to encroach on even the best driver.

in today's increasingly urban lifestyle, wouldn't a smaller car make sense anyway in a parking and manouverability sense?

Guest raycastro

here is another thought - how many SUV drivers do you see talk on their mobiles while adding sugar to their latte? many suv drivers i have noticed drive very poorly, like wandering all over the road, driving waaay to quick, waaay to slow, improper lanechanging. many SUVs are loungerooms on wheels and some of their drivers treat them as such. no, these sorts of people aren't even drivers, they just hold licences. my corolla gives me every ounce of feedback available thus i am more in touch with the road than someone in what is a cruise ship on wheels. thus in a way it is safer to be in small car. when in an SUV people get complacent and drive much less defensively.

How many? The same amount who also drive Corolla's and similar rice rockets. default_smile It ain't the vehicle, my friend, it's the driver.

 

Have you ever driven a Mercedes ML320 or Acura MDX SUVs? I have, and I have to say that they feel and handle much more better than my Corolla.

  • 200 posts
does anyone know of freud's theory regarding the the size of a man's car in relation to the size of his dick?

i have a 1.8l 113hp corolla auto. i can overtake things amply. V8s in OZ are frequently bought by brain-dead neanderthals who wouldn't know a good car even if it bit them in the arse.

europeans have speed unlimited autobahns, the average car sold over ther is a mere 1.7 litres. they don't need hulking V8s. in the uk the volume seller is a 1.6l ford focus. the uk speed limit is 70 mph on motorways. in italy, the speed limit is 95mph - thier volume seller is a small fiat. in germany its a 1.6 litre golf, capable of 120 mph, they are unlimited on their motorways.

even if i DID want power, what is wrong with a passenger car V8? less weight= better economy and more acceleration as compared to an SUV of same engine.

sure, 4wd can be helpful sometimes. what is wrong with a subaru legacy? 180hp for US$20k. audi quattro? surely can't be any dearer than the US$37k needed for a suburban

most of the SUV logic is 'i'm american dammit, i have the right in my constitution to use up all the earths resources and do what i like, the rest of yous can go join osama and saddam and go to hell!!'

i know all americans are not like this, some of you are actually socially responsible.

some of you buy passenger cars when an SUV is not needed.

does anyone know of freud's theory regarding the the size of a man's car in relation to the size of his dick?

I could care less about the many lies of Freud.

i have a 1.8l 113hp corolla auto. i can overtake things amply. V8s in OZ are frequently bought by brain-dead neanderthals who wouldn't know a good car even if it bit them in the arse.

So in your mind, anyone who drives an SUV or any other V8 engine is a brain-dead neanderthal, and that the only good cars are four-bangers?

europeans have speed unlimited autobahns, the average car sold over ther is a mere 1.7 litres. they don't need hulking V8s. in the uk the volume seller is a 1.6l ford focus. the uk speed limit is 70 mph on motorways. in italy, the speed limit is 95mph - thier volume seller is a small fiat. in germany its a 1.6 litre golf, capable of 120 mph, they are unlimited on their motorways.

Nobody needs a shrimpy 4-cylinder, either. God bless Henry Ford for inventing the V8. default_biggrin

even if i DID want power, what is wrong with a passenger car V8? less weight= better economy and more acceleration as compared to an SUV of same engine.

Nothing is wrong with it, and neither is there anything wrong with an SUV. Get over it.

sure, 4wd can be helpful sometimes. what is wrong with a subaru legacy? 180hp for US$20k. audi quattro? surely can't be any dearer than the US$37k needed for a suburban

If you can afford the extra money, then you have every right to drive whatever car you want to.

most of the SUV logic is 'i'm american dammit, i have the right in my constitution to use up all the earths resources and do what i like, the rest of yous can go join osama and saddam and go to hell!!'

SUV's are hardly responsible for all the consumption of resources in this world. That is pure bullsnip and you know it, just like your asinine racism towards americans.

i know all americans are not like this, some of you are actually socially responsible. some of you buy passenger cars when an SUV is not needed.

I know not all foreigners are not tree huggers who blame all the pollution and global warming on SUV's.

http://www.pineapple-girl.com/entry/030627.htm

How many? The same amount who also drive Corolla's and similar rice rockets.  It ain't the vehicle, my friend, it's the driver.

Have you ever driven a Mercedes ML320 or Acura MDX SUVs? I have, and I have to say that they feel and handle much more better than my Corolla.

true, but bear in mind that they are dearer. true, a good luxury SUV with an efficient engine, efficient engineering, stability control etc. can be very good indeed. but, its expensive. yankee 4wds (and aussie ones for that matter) use old technology and are frequently inferior in a design and engineering sense.

I could care less about the many lies of Freud.

so you have done a doctorate in psycology and proven him wrong?

So in your mind, anyone who drives an SUV or any other V8 engine is a brain-dead neanderthal, and that the only good cars are four-bangers?

no, no. don't twist my words around. sometimes a big 'ol V8 makes a logical choice for towing or carry lotsa people. but many times it isn't. a good car can be a V8 - eg. bmw 5 series. but a good car must be coherent from a design, engineering, safety and dynamics point of view. above all, it must be good value. sorry mate, but most SUVs are dinosaurs. sure, if your lifestyle means that nothing but an SUV will do, get it. but that is like 2% of everyone i know. if there is no absolute need for an SUV why the hell get it?

Nobody needs a shrimpy 4-cylinder, either. God bless Henry Ford for inventing the V8.

ahh yes, the legendary henry ford. exploiter of his workers, benefactor to the nazis. sorry, you seemed the be confused between 'need' and 'want'. true many australians/americans/performance car lovers/SUV buffs don't 'want' a 4cyl. but in reality that is all that is 'needed'

If you can afford the extra money, then you have every right to drive whatever car you want to.

yes, and i have every right to cheat on my wife, the same right you do to buy an SUV. i have every right to become an alcoholic, to smoke myself into lung cancer. but are these things socially and morally responsible? nup.

SUV's are hardly responsible for all the consumption of resources in this world. That is pure bullsnip and you know it, just like your asinine racism towards americans.

true but SUVs do not help. i never said they caused all pollution. but there are so many more fuel efficient, socially responsible choices.

apologies if my comments were 'racist' but either its that or en mAsse penis envy for SUVs usually aren't a logical choice.

I know not all foreigners are not tree huggers who blame all the pollution and global warming on SUV's.

yes exactly, europe is very environmentally conscious in its choice for smaller, more rational vehicles. as is australia (well, not as much but we are getting there).

why is US road deaths per vheicle km travelled 50 % higher than OZ?

  • 200 posts
if there is no absolute need for an SUV why the hell get it?

Maybe someone wants one. They have the right to own one without someone demonizing them over something as trivial as choice of ride.

yes, and i have every right to cheat on my wife, the same right you do to buy an SUV. i have every right to become an alcoholic, to smoke myself into lung cancer. but are these things socially and morally responsible? nup.

Why is owning an SUV equivalent to adultery in your mind? That comparison is outrageous.

why is US road deaths per vheicle km travelled 50 % higher than OZ?

Seeing as our population is near 300,000,000 people, of course that's going to happen. Just like anywhere there are idiot drivers out there. But again, just because of that doesn't make it an SUV's fault. default_smile

Guest raycastro

why is US road deaths per vheicle km travelled 50 % higher than OZ?

I wouldn’t think it would be attributed to SUVs. default_smile Other than having more roads and vehicles in the US than Australia, drunks, punks, and poorly trained drivers traveling at high speeds is what I find is the cause of road frustrations and collisions in Southern California.

 

 

Guest Costello

most of the SUV logic is 'i'm american dammit, i have the right in my constitution to use up all the earths resources and do what i like, the rest of yous can go join osama and saddam and go to hell!!'.

The US Constitution, murderous Islamic fundamentalists or a bloody arab tyrants have nothing to do with it. Using up the earth's resources? You reveal much about your SUV/American animosity with that one.

 

I commute in a Corolla, and use my truck to work the farm and tow the boat with camping gear for fishing trips to the lake. Some families like to be able to load up everyone and their gear for a comfortable trip on occasion. If that somehow makes me an evil slob American in relation to our refined cultured European cousins, so be it.

I'm amazed at the generalizations being hurled in here. I always thought we Corolla owners were a sophisticated bunch.

Guest raycastro

I always thought we Corolla owners were a sophisticated bunch.

Actually, the truth is we just couldn't afford a better car. default_smile

 

 

  • 200 posts

You'd think Paul would be laughing at this right now. default_laugh

yes you have the right to get an SUV. but SUV's show what can happen if people have too much freedom. USA isn't the only culprit, OZ is experiencing an SUV boom here, but in the smaller variety.

I wouldn’t think it would be attributed to SUVs.  Other than having more roads and vehicles in the US than Australia, drunks, punks, and poorly trained drivers traveling at high speeds is what I find is the cause of road frustrations and collisions in Southern California.

i beleive in most states they do not have compulsory seatbelt laws, nor randomn breath testing - probably because someone would say it is violating freedom to enforce drink driving and seatbelt wearing. that same logic - i can do what i want. reason why OZ isn't overrun with SUVs is higher petrol costs and higher rego fees on heavy vehicles. and the fact that our roads have bends in them thus dynamics are required.

 

I commute in a Corolla, and use my truck to work the farm and tow the boat with camping gear for fishing trips to the lake. Some families like to be able to load up everyone and their gear for a comfortable trip on occasion.

great! that's the way they SHOULD be used. as i said if you will use the space and power and ground clearance, get it, by all means! default_tongue but if no towing or heavy load carrying is involved, what other reasons can one get an SUV? image? what? if you can provide any rational reason why you need an SUV get it.

in my comparison with adultery, i was being kind to SUVs. at least adultery doesn't kill anyone (hurt yes kill no), t-bone a normal passenger car without curtain airbag in an SUV you will probably give the passenger car occupants severe head injuries as their skulls shatter on your high bonnet. if i bit it in say a cadillac etc. their heads would fly out the window, not hit anything. injuries much less severe. and that is neglecting the additional enegy the heavy SUV will exert on the passenger car.

  • 200 posts
yes you have the right to get an SUV. but SUV's show what can happen if people have too much freedom. USA isn't the only culprit, OZ is experiencing an SUV boom here, but in the smaller variety.

I am amazed at your ability to spin things to favor your agenda. It is irresponsible driving by PEOPLE, not the vehicles themselves, that cause problems.

i beleive in most states they do not have compulsory seatbelt laws, nor randomn breath testing - probably because someone would say it is violating freedom to enforce drink driving and seatbelt wearing. that same logic - i can do what i want. reason why OZ isn't overrun with SUVs is higher petrol costs and higher rego fees on heavy vehicles. and the fact that our roads have bends in them thus dynamics are required.

Actually most states DO have laws requiring seatbelt use and random breath testing. And your use of logic is in error.

great! that's the way they SHOULD be used. as i said if you will use the space and power and ground clearance, get it, by all means!  but if no towing or heavy load carrying is involved, what other reasons can one get an SUV? image? what? if you can provide any rational reason why you need an SUV get it.

Why does someone need your approval to drive whatever vehicle they wish?

in my comparison with adultery, i was being kind to SUVs. at least adultery doesn't kill anyone (hurt yes kill no), t-bone a normal passenger car without curtain airbag in an SUV you will probably give the passenger car occupants severe head injuries as their skulls shatter on your high bonnet. if i bit it in say a cadillac etc. their heads would fly out the window, not hit anything. injuries much less severe. and that is neglecting the additional enegy the heavy SUV will exert on the passenger car.

Maybe not physically kill, but it does destroy lives. Since when has anybody filed for divorce because their other half drives an SUV? Again, a lousy comparison.

These kinds of injuries happen in ANY type of vehicle, not just an SUV. Like I just said, driver error, bad weather, and other factors cause collisions. It isn't the vehicle's fault, unless a tire blows out or some other failure. ALL vehicles encounter this, even the mighty Corolla. default_laugh

If you don't like SUV's that's perfectly OK. But when you choose to make irrational statements comparing driving an SUV to adultery, you lose credibility.

If someone is driving perfectly safe, they should not be subjected to demonization by the zealots.

Look at it this way... why is speeding illegal??? I haven't hit anyone yet... so why penalize me for driving too fast... because there is the potential to cause harm. Driivng a 5000lbs vehicle with a rigid ladder frame without a irreplaceable purpose doesn;t make sense. Maybe SUV's should be regulated like Semi's and have lower speedlimits and require CDL's ot drive them. Your rights wouldn;t be restrited ot own one, but the safety of the public driving smaller vehuicles would be preserved.

Guest CarRolla

To each his/her own but don't hate a certain type of vehicle. Who knows, the vehicle you like better also has it's cons/drawbacks about it ........TO SOME PEOPLE. State your opinion but do not claim or say certain vehicles have no use other than being a status symbol.To some people it just might be a neccessity, what?........only the owners of those types of vehicles can say.

Look at it this way... why is speeding illegal??? I haven't hit anyone yet... so why penalize me for driving too fast... because there is the potential to cause harm. Driivng a 5000lbs vehicle with a rigid ladder frame without a irreplaceable purpose doesn;t make sense. Maybe SUV's should be regulated like Semi's and have lower speedlimits and require CDL's ot drive them. Your rights wouldn;t be restrited ot own one, but the safety of the public driving smaller vehuicles would be preserved.

YES!!! a f**king brilliant idea!

i don't 'hate' SUVs or their owners, i just merely fail to see the logic and purpose behind most SUV purchases.

perhaps that comparison was unwarranted, but remember what you have a right to do by law may not be the most responsible thing to do. didn't your mummy teach you that where there is a right there is also a responsibility?

jeff, you can be driving as safe as you can be, but in an accident, a 5000lb vehicle will cause more damage to other vehicles than a 3000lb vehicle, regardless of speed, alcohol, conditions, mechanical failures etc. added to this the poor handling most SUVs have due to high centre of gravity and you have a cocktail for disaster. i am not causing this, blame sir isaac newton. at no point have i said to cease sales of SUVs. the SUV market needs to be regulated much more, or we will see the road toll rise. look at it like this - some people i know can't drive for s**t, and that is small cars. now imagine those people in a 300hp 3 tonne SUV. then perhaps add in added complacency because the may feel 'safe', add in perhaps a more aggro attitude becuase of the thinking 'i am big, outta my way'. the latter two sentences may not be widespread, but is sometimes somthing that is felt. a recipe for disaster.

now if you think the above is a desirable scenario, i will electrionically send you money to buy some logic. this is a horrid secnario that need not occur, and i feel that the less potential threat out there on the roads the better. tackling the unneccessary use of SUVs is a surefire way of lowering the road toll, even if only a bit.

cherry's suggestion would make people think twice about getting an SUV, thus reducing the potential threat. and noone's right is challenged, they have every right to buy an SUV - so long as they get advanced driving tuition and an upgraded licence. then they can decide after all that if an SUV is really an absolutely necsessary tool to tow your caravan on family trips or indeed a mere status symbol. atleast then an SUV driver is more qualified to deal with the behemoth they are driving.

  • 200 posts
i don't 'hate' SUVs or their owners, i just merely fail to see the logic and purpose behind most SUV purchases.

Not the feeling I get from your posts.

perhaps that comparison was unwarranted, but remember what you have a right to do by law may not be the most responsible thing to do. didn't your mummy teach you that where there is a right there is also a responsibility?

Of course my parents taught me that. Having driven an SUV before, I am very careful when doing so precisely because it is a bigger vehicle with more responsibility. I do not deny that. But I disagree that SUV's should be regulated the same as semis. It is still a passenger vehicle just like a Corolla.

jeff, you can be driving as safe as you can be, but in an accident, a 5000lb vehicle will cause more damage to other vehicles than a 3000lb vehicle, regardless of speed, alcohol, conditions, mechanical failures etc. added to this the poor handling most SUVs have due to high centre of gravity and you have a cocktail for disaster. i am not causing this, blame sir isaac newton. at no point have i said to cease sales of SUVs. the SUV market needs to be regulated much more, or we will see the road toll rise.

I know that an SUV will cause greater damage than a car in most accidents. The market does not need more regulation because an SUV is nowhere near the size of even a bobtail big rig.

look at it like this - some people i know can't drive for s**t, and that is small cars. now imagine those people in a 300hp 3 tonne SUV. then perhaps add in added complacency because the may feel 'safe', add in perhaps a more aggro attitude becuase of the thinking 'i am big, outta my way'. the latter two sentences may not be widespread, but is sometimes somthing that is felt. a recipe for disaster.

Thanks for proving my point in that it is the fault of the DRIVER and not the vehicle itself. If you are driving 100mph/160kmh in a Corolla and somehow blow out and hit a parked SUV, you will probably do heavy damage to that SUV. And not everyone who drives an SUV thinks like that, btw.

cherry's suggestion would make people think twice about getting an SUV, thus reducing the potential threat. and noone's right is challenged, they have every right to buy an SUV - so long as they get advanced driving tuition and an upgraded licence. then they can decide after all that if an SUV is really an absolutely necsessary tool to tow your caravan on family trips or indeed a mere status symbol. atleast then an SUV driver is more qualified to deal with the behemoth they are driving.

If you master driving a car, you are pretty much good to go in any passenger vehicle. And by the way, I don't think of myself as some bad**** because I can drive an SUV. So no status to be symbolized if I ever buy an Expedition. default_wink

take this as an example:

in an episode of 'top gear' aired in the UK last year, they put the accident prone nature of SUV's to the test. they simulated an emergency situation where a car emerged onto the road and the vehicle travelling along had to swerve around it. first, they tried a ford mondeo, a compact vehicle. it swerved and spun to a halt. then they tried a previous generation range rover (a 1993 model, i think). it swevered, and it rolled 3-4 times. without the roll cage the driver would have been killed. this test was done at 70 mph.

the driver of both cars was an accredited race car driver/stunt driver.

i dunno what status SUVs have in the states but in OZ 4wds are classed differently and taxed as such, such as trucks are. true maybe not regulated as strigently as 18 wheelers, but some concession must be made because SUVs are completly different to passenger cars. if they were the same, they wouldn't have a term of their own, they'd be people movers, or wagons. even if it is just a weekend course or something to get a permit to understand that 4wds are completely different to the way passenger vehicles handle and drive., somehting must be done.

if you put a s**t driver in a cumbersome blunderbus SUV, how would it help road saftey? the driver is ultimately responsible, but it would be better if a crap driver were in something that was far easier to handle, wouldn't it? congrats, you take special care when driving an SUV, many others don't. that is the problem.

Guest raycastro

From what I understand, the worst thing a driver can do in any vehicle is swerve. It’s especially dangerous to both vehicles when hitting poles, trees, walls… or if you’re in the Outback dodging kangaroos, ant hills. default_smile Of course from what the locals told me, they go through the little buggers, but what kind of damage is done. In deer country here in California, collisions bust up front ends of SUVs, but total smaller cars. Swerve for a deer, hit a tree, your dead. Out in open areas, the smaller car can spin out and be safe. I guess my point is, both types of vehicles have their tradeoffs in different situations.

In the USA, there is also a philosophy that values and education is more powerful than more laws and regulation. Freedom does require more responsibility, and I believe the success of the nation heavily depends on people taking responsibility.

not even the outback, in costal areas there are 'roos. true, swerving is bad, but sometimes its either that, or hit a vehicle or pedestrian for there may not be enough braking time. yes, the higher the vehicle weight the less damage sustained, but if its a pedestrian you hit, you have a much higher chance of killing them. as for a hitting a fixed object, weight is cancelled out (using consrvation of energy), hitting a large tree in an SUV is just as bad as hitting a tree in a normal car.

yes, both vehicles have their tradeoffs - i sure don't want to travel along the gunbarrel highway in South Australia in my corolla. neither would i wish to tow a boat up the coast. in the outback where emus and roos are a hazard a stronger SUV probably would make a difference. but in urban areas of mcdonalds and mini-malls SUVs are out of place and can be a liability to pedestrians, and if urab areas are all they see its a bit pointless.

Guest Costello

but in urban areas of mcdonalds and mini-malls SUVs are out of place and can be a liability to pedestrians, and if urab areas are all they see its a bit pointless.

I agree a/b the hazards of the heavy vehicles vs pedestrians and light cars. Except-

Where Force= mass x velocity, mass is the fixed component. The old saying here is that speed kills.

But- any vehicle driven recklessly is a hazard to the public. Low curb weight does not make a vehicle less a threat to the public - that's the driver's responsibility.

Where I live ( Georgia, USA) many terrible accidents are caused by young new drivers driving at very high speed (sometimes while talking on cell phones). Here a 16 year old can be turned loose in Daddy's BMW (or Grandma's Chevy Caprice, or Mom's Tahoe) to terrorize the rest of us. They often drive too fast and lose control, slamming into other people, or stationary objects with horrible results. Recently in Atlanta there was a multiple fatality wreck involving teens who were street racing. The police determined the cause to be excessive speed, and loss of control was aggravated because Dad's BMW had slick tires. They were speeding in excess of 80 mph in a 45 mph residential zone at night. Another 16 year old ran over a Mom and her small child in a subdivision. She was driving a politically acceptible minivan, and talking on the cell phone. Mom and the child were knocked out of their shoes, killing both. The youth did not stop, but drove the remaining mile home. I've seen 'modded' little hi rev rice burners blasting around congested parking lotsand through traffic many times. Had I rather be run over by one of those? Frankly - in a driver side T-bone crash in my Corolla, I doubt it would matter much.

IMHO

The answer to street safety is education, training and defensive driving with strict enforcement of traffic codes.

Also - The rollover threat of the SUV's is very real, and drivers of those vehicles should be taught about that danger. Swerving in a high center of gravity vehicle at speed will practically guarantee loss of control and rollover. No revelations here.

Another 2 cents is not needed but thought I would add to it anyway.

I own a large SUV and do not feel guilty about it one bit. It is beyond me how someone can truly hate someone else soley because of the vehicle they drive. How shallow and bigoted is that?!? There is enough hate in this world without hating people for the cars that they drive! You have no idea whether or not someone "needs" an SUV anymore than you know if they "need" a pick up or a porsche and you don't need to know, it is a personal choice. I wonder how you can justify driving a gasoline engine at all if those of you complaining about SUVs are so holier than thou in your social consciousness. Trade that Corolla in on a Prius or a motor scooter!

One thing that I don't get in this whole debate is why pick on SUVs and not their equals? Why aren't you picking on full size pick ups? I see guys in suits and brief cases driving them to their white collar jobs! Can't see around them on the highway either. What about full size vans or those humongous conversion vans? What about travel trailers? What about semi-trucks? Why is your hatred so exclusive to SUVs when these other vehicles have the same perceived problems?

I feel my SUV is more socially conscious than the Corolla - it is mass transportation when we go to lunch from work and when I carpool. It would take two or three Corollas to match the carrying capacity of my SUV.

Guest Captain_Toyota

Guest Captain_Toyota

I live in Wisconsin, and for me I dont think its an option to NOT have a 4x4. You could get snow at any time, and while we havent had a lot of snow in recent years, thats not to say that we wont get snow.

I personally dont see why people in southern California or New York City would want SUVs, other than for status. Its not like Cali gets all that much snow and NYC usually plows the same day it snows.

Out where I live, it take the plow trucks usually 1-3 days to get out and plow the road I live on. Sometimes the snowdrifts can be as tall as a foot or more.

However, I must admit that I probably wont be owning another truck. I like my truck, but I dont really use it all the often. I maybe use it for hauling firewood a couple of times a year. Other than that I just use it to get me around town and back and forth to work.

Probably when I go to replace my truck, I think I will be buying a RAV4. I was leaning towards a Tacoma, but a RAV4 will do everything I need and still give me plenty of interior people and cargo room.

If I need to haul something, I can just get a utility trailer and use that. A RAV4 is rated for towing 1500 pounds, which is plenty for me. Also, it has full-time 4-wheel-drive so it will be just fine in the snow.

The reason why big SUVs are so popular here in the states is because we Americans have the theory that "bigger is better". Now, Ive owned little vehicles and Ive owned big vehicles. I didnt have any more fun with the big ones than I did with the little ones. I would personally rathar have a RAV4 or a Matrix, pay less money to buy it and save a lot of money in gas as opposed to a 4Runner or a Sequoia and have people think Im "cool".

If you're not cool without it, you'll NEVER be cool with it

"What up ninja?"

Cap'n

Where I live ( Georgia, USA) many terrible accidents are caused by young new drivers driving at very high speed (sometimes while talking on cell phones). Here a 16 year old can be turned loose in Daddy's BMW (or Grandma's Chevy Caprice, or Mom's Tahoe) to terrorize the rest of us. They often drive too fast and lose control, slamming into other people, or stationary objects with horrible results. Recently in Atlanta there was a multiple fatality wreck involving teens who were street racing. The police determined the cause to be excessive speed, and loss of control was aggravated because Dad's BMW had slick tires. They were speeding in excess of 80 mph in a 45 mph residential zone at night. Another 16 year old ran over a Mom and her small child in a subdivision. She was driving a politically acceptible minivan, and talking on the cell phone. Mom and the child were knocked out of their shoes, killing both. The youth did not stop, but drove the remaining mile home. I've seen 'modded' little hi rev rice burners blasting around congested parking lotsand through traffic many times. Had I rather be run over by one of those? Frankly - in a driver side T-bone crash in my Corolla, I doubt it would matter much.

yes, a driver can f**k up in any car. now imagine all these incidents if they were a 300hp, 5000lb SUV. in safety, they simply do not help.

i thought full-size pickups were SUVs. full size rigs sometimes P**s me off, tho not usually. usually someone drives a small truck or big rig because they absolutely have too, in all other situations only the truly eccentrics would have it as vehicle of choice. in most cases, a normal car will do everything an SUV can do for its owner whilst increasing environmental efficiency and increasing safety on the roads.

in the world of pollution and diminished oil supplies a gas-guzzling i am not saying my corolla is socially responsible. but me unecessarily using a blunnder bus big anything is much less responsible.

so an SUV can sometimes carry double a small car, but my corolla can fit 4 people, which means you need an 8 seater. a subrban is a 9-seater and it was sold in OZ for a while, it used 2.3 times the petrol of a corolla from the same year. i would say that large carpooling is an understandable reason for an SUV purchase. thing is when its only a mum, dad and 2 kiddies that cruise around town, using an SUV is just bonkers. for carpooling, could also use a minivan, eg. chysler voyager, don't they carry 7 people?

Guest Costello

now imagine all these incidents if they were a 300hp, 5000lb SUV. in safety, they simply do not help.

OK,

 

considering the first case of the street race - I doubt the one juvenile would have chosen to street race the SUV vs a 5 litre mustang instead of dad's BMW. But supposing so, since she left the highway after losing control and struck a dirt filled concrete and brick wall - I give you the benefit of the doubt. The wall certainly would have sustained more damage from the SUV. default_unsure

The other case the where the pedestrians were killed when struck by a minivan at high speed by a driver talking on the cell phone - well -

Now that you mention it, I can see how the victims would be more dead if struck by an SUV. default_dry

I understand now.

Now that you mention it, I can see how the victims would be more dead if struck by an SUV. 

I understand now.

ok, may not have chosen the best examples but for every person killed on the roads usually there is about 300-400 injured. an accident involving an SUV will inflict more damage and injury than an accident where that SUV/s are replaced by passenger vehicles. sometimes SUVs cause injury or even death where if that SUV were replaced with a passenger vehicle the affected person/s would have walked away.

Force= mass x velocity

force=mass x acceleration, momentum = mass x velocity, energy = 1/2 x mass x velocity squared. (well, it was when i did first year university physics back in '01) in all cases for a given acceleration or speed, a vehicle that is 30% heavier will inflict 30% more damage either to itself or other things.

The wall certainly would have sustained more damage from the SUV. 

what if that wall were a pedestrian? oncoming vehicle? a house with a family sleeping inside?

true, an SUV could discourage dickheads from street racing. but, street racing is not that prevalent. there is so much more to dangerous driving than just speed. in australia, 45% of all accidents are caused by not giving way. only 18% have speed as a factor.

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