The steadily disappearing American car

CNBC ^ | Apr 6, 2018 | Robert Ferris

[upchuck]

My 2004 vintage Chevy Silverado pickup just keeps rolling along :)

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Can’t find a small truck anymore. I have been looking at Tacomas, and these days they’re over 17 feet long, only 2 inches shorter than Tundras.

I miss the Ford Ranger. Simple, cheap and tough.

[Rummyfan]

I have a 2010 Ford Escape and am very happy with it. If I bought something new, I would probably up-size to an Explorer. The only American sedan I would consider is an SHO Taurus.

[dp0622]

I guess I should get rid of the Dodge Challenger I just bought then. On second thought nah.a

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I read Ford is bringing the Ranger back next year.
I used to put back up heavy oil fuel in at Ford’s St. Paul plant, now long gone.

[Bratch]

Wife's current ride.

I tool around in a F-150.

[Rennes Templar]

We love our SUV’s. Much easier to enter and exit than low slung autos. Cars are so ...yesterday.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Problem is it won’t be simple, cheap and tough anymore.

[Rummyfan]

I miss the Ford Ranger. Simple, cheap and tough.

I thought they were re-introducing the Ranger next model year.

[jospehm20]

I think it is the stupid CAFE standards that screwed our cars up more than anything else.

[SamAdams76]

Since I switched to all wheel SUVs, I’ve never had a problem again driving in snow. And despite the “global warming” I keep hearing about, we get a lot of snow in these parts.

[Rummyfan]

We love our SUV’s. Much easier to enter and exit than low slung autos.

My other car until recently was a late model BMW 3-Series. It was like getting down on the ground to get into that thing.

[puppypusher]

There is more profit with the sale of pickup trucks and SUV’s then in the sale of sedans.Is that good for America’s automobile industry?Only time will tell.

[Jeff Chandler]

Can’t find a small truck anymore.

Years ago I went shopping for a used vehicle for commuting, something in the 100,000 mile range. All the small trucks with that kind of mileage were completely worn out. I came upon a Crown Vic with 107,000 miles. It drove like a brand new car and its 5L V8 got 30MPG -- more than the small trucks. I put on another 150,000 miles before selling it.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

It won’t be the same. The Tacoma is no longer a small truck. The Ranger won’t be either.

[cyclotic]

We bought my wife a 2015 Chevy Equinox last week. There was a lime green Challenger on the lot. I tried. I really tried to get her in that car.

[Drew68]

I think it is the stupid CAFE standards that screwed our cars up more than anything else.

They did and EPA administrator Scott Pruitt is addressing this.

Pruitt is hitting the brakes on Obama's failed fuel economy standards

[Snickering Hound]

SUV's and Crossovers are station wagons. Just...rounder.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I quit driving cars back in 1970 when I got a truck, not my first. Have been a truck man ever since. Now had a Jeep and truck.

I never understood the desire to own something that you could not haul your goods in.

Wife liked cars. Now she likes SUVs.

[Gen.Blather]

This has to do with government regulation. The government decided that driver and front seat passengers needed to have their feet directly in front of them in the event of a side crash. Therefore car manufacturers had to build in a console to prevent people from moving their feet. The smaller the car the more confined the foot well. When I had to wear a medical boot on my foot I couldn’t drive either my Marauder or my Jetta. I had to use an old truck. This and other regulations have made the car smaller and more uncomfortable. That is why people are opting for trucks and SUV’s.