scarce? or just weak dealers in my area?
#41
06-25-2007, 09:31 AM
Re: scarce? or just weak dealers in my area?
That's right, it was a Shelby. That tax is being phased out anyway.
While Tcampb01's post was kind of long, I am glad to see it and basically agree with the whole darn thing. The key is consumer demand. It's cultural, I think. Every time I go to Eastern Canada it cracks me up to see what kind of cars people drive. Decisions seem to be made based on real needs and common sense. It's Canada, but you don't see a lot of 4WD/AWD. I get the impression that few people buy a pick up unless they really need it. Very few Chrysler 300s but Calibers everywhere. Honda and Toyota? 20 Civics for every Accord and 20 Corolla/Matrix for every Camry.
I am optimistic that we are going through a change toward more efficiency now, due mainly to recent increases in the cost of fuel. Many believe that a Federal $1.50 per gallon gas tax would create a sea change in American society.
While Tcampb01's post was kind of long, I am glad to see it and basically agree with the whole darn thing. The key is consumer demand. It's cultural, I think. Every time I go to Eastern Canada it cracks me up to see what kind of cars people drive. Decisions seem to be made based on real needs and common sense. It's Canada, but you don't see a lot of 4WD/AWD. I get the impression that few people buy a pick up unless they really need it. Very few Chrysler 300s but Calibers everywhere. Honda and Toyota? 20 Civics for every Accord and 20 Corolla/Matrix for every Camry.
I am optimistic that we are going through a change toward more efficiency now, due mainly to recent increases in the cost of fuel. Many believe that a Federal $1.50 per gallon gas tax would create a sea change in American society.
#42
06-25-2007, 01:09 PM
Re: scarce? or just weak dealers in my area?
Hi,
We're getting off topic, but thats the way conversations go (I tend to digress a lot).
I'm sure Toyota and Honda make money around the world selling Corollas and Civics. The basic principle of business is to make something the customer wants (or spend money convincing them they want it to create the demand) and make it for less than the customer is willing to pay. In North America, we have big everything. Big malls, big cars and big houses. While the SUV was an invention of the big 3 to get around some fuel economy standards (light truck in stead of a passenger car), it was not a tough sell to the public. They chose the easy route rather than the tough route that other manufacturers in other countries had to take given their market and regulatory conditions. I guess I can't blame them since they simply worked within the environment we created for them. Now that we are toughening up the rules (like they did in Europe and Japan years ago) they are feeling the pain of having to evolve. The legacy costs just make it all the more difficult. Evolution is sometimes painful, but its evolve or die.
Roch
We're getting off topic, but thats the way conversations go (I tend to digress a lot).
I'm sure Toyota and Honda make money around the world selling Corollas and Civics. The basic principle of business is to make something the customer wants (or spend money convincing them they want it to create the demand) and make it for less than the customer is willing to pay. In North America, we have big everything. Big malls, big cars and big houses. While the SUV was an invention of the big 3 to get around some fuel economy standards (light truck in stead of a passenger car), it was not a tough sell to the public. They chose the easy route rather than the tough route that other manufacturers in other countries had to take given their market and regulatory conditions. I guess I can't blame them since they simply worked within the environment we created for them. Now that we are toughening up the rules (like they did in Europe and Japan years ago) they are feeling the pain of having to evolve. The legacy costs just make it all the more difficult. Evolution is sometimes painful, but its evolve or die.
Roch
#43
06-26-2007, 06:50 AM
Re: scarce? or just weak dealers in my area?
I have lived through 2 fuel embargos in the 70's. Americans will not start conserving fuel untill it really starts to hurt their lifestyle. Then they will panic an want the Government to do something about it. They will sell their Gas guzlers at fire sale prices and buy the most fuel effiecient cars they can find. I think Ford is poised to sell alot of FEH/MMH if there is another mideast war (I believe there is one comming) and an embargo is attempted. We as hybrid owners will be sitting pretty IF THE ECONOMY HOLDS UP. But gas at $5-6 a gallon could reck havoc with our consumer economy. I also think MOST americans dont know how much better fuel economy a hybrid can get in their real world driving because of the reversed fuel mileage stats. This is the primary reason you hear the hybrids wont pay for themselves, and the average person believes it.
#44
06-27-2007, 01:00 PM
Re: scarce? or just weak dealers in my area?
Just got a build date from my dealer...July 23rd! That will be 11 weeks from when I ordered it(May 8th). So, what, another week or two for delivery after that?
Very disappointing...
Did I make the wait longer by ordering the audiophile system, but NOT the Nav system?
Very disappointing...
Did I make the wait longer by ordering the audiophile system, but NOT the Nav system?
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