[mamelukesabre]

I don't care much for enviromentalist weirdos, but they do have one point about SUVs. They are stupid vehicles that have no physical or practical purpose.

SUVs came about because there was a "loophole" in the tax code for company owned commercial vehicles. A business owner discovered that he could write off depreciation faster on his company's work trucks than he could on his own cadilac. So he decided to buy a truck loaded with all the luxuries and options and use that as his personal vehicle instead of a cadilac. The business owners discovered this was cheaper in the long run than driving a cadilac even though the cadilac got better gas mileage, plus, the truck was bigger and roomier. The auto manufacturers got wind of this and began offering more and more options in trucks to cater to these clever business owners. As CAFE standards became stricter and stricter, the traditional luxury car became less and less and the "luxury truck" became more and more. So basically, we have a vehicle whose main purpose is to fit through a tax loophole. The irony is that nowdays the majority of SUV drivers own their SUV personally...it is not a company vehicle, they are not business owners, and thus they cannot take advantage of the tax loophole. So for them this vehicle has ZERO purpose. Also, most SUVs nowdays are equipped with automatic transmissions and full time 4 wheel drive and quiet highway tires. These 3 features nearly destroy all the off roading abilities that it would've had if equipped with more traditionally. It's a vehicle that can't do anything well and is designed for nothing and in some cases, is a safety hazard as well.

[MasterSamwise]

SUVs are practical vehicles. It tends to be the driver that has the issues. I owened a 1992 Jeep Cherokee for 4 years and put over 100,000 miles on it. (It already had 65,000 miles when I bought it) I found that driving it RESPONSIBLY made me much safer than most of the people around me. Also, when I had to drive in bad weather (snow, rain, etc.) I had an advantage of ground clearance and 4x4. Proof is when 20 inches of snow fell, and only 3 vehicles could get off my street: a Ford Ranger (4x4 conversion), a Jeep Grand Cherokee (full time 4x4), and my Cherokee. Everyone else (truck, car, or whatever else) watched as the three of us drove up and down the street to pack the snow. Then they shoveled out of their driveway to the packed snow. Only then could they get their cars out. SUVs are safe and practical. To assume otherwise is either ignorant or blind wishfull thinking.

P.S. If you don't like SUVs, don't buy one. Leave the rest of us alone.

[Republic of Texas]

In a FREE MARKET SOCIETY, which I sadly admit we are not anymore, the fact that SUV's serve no purpose, other than to please the people who paid for them, is IRRELEVANT.

[Minnesoootan]

UFF-DAH!

Someone in need of a little de-programming?

What is not useful to you is very useful to another,someday you will realise that.....as far as your rant,it's irrelevant!

[Phantom Lord]

I don't care much for enviromentalist weirdos, but they do have one point about SUVs. They are stupid vehicles that have no physical or practical purpose.

You obviously do not know what your talking about. Try towing a bass boat with a chevy cavalier. Try pulling a horse trailer or catering rig with a Miata. Try moving a couch with a Geo Metro.

Try getting 3 child seats, mandated to be used by the Federal Government, in the back seat of a Dodge Omni.

I am married, but do NOT have any children. Guess what. I drive a Toyota minivan! Yes, a childless male with a minivan!

Guess what, it makes hauling my golf equipment, clothes, food, drink, coolers, etc... around the country a hell of a lot easier. And i can sleep in it when need be. Not to mention that when I have to do work on home improvements it saves me from having to rent a truck to bring home the lumber. I got 198,000 miles on it and it runs like new and I will continue driving it until it dies (probably next week).

You drive what ever you want. But try to dictate what I can drive and your gonna have some problems.

[Phantom Lord]

And further, on your "reason" that SUVs came to be. You couldnt be more wrong. SUVs came to be because of the boom in Minivan sales. Minivan sales exploded in the late 80's and early 90's. But there was an untapped market. Single or childless males. They werent gonna buy a minivan (except me of course, I got one). So they started making the SUVs. They accomplish the same tasks as the vans, but men would drive them, as do their wives.

Also, SUVs are classified as "light trucks" so they escape some of the regulations that cars fall under, which makes them more affordable than they would be.

Also, just how many autoworkers are you willing to put in the unemployment lines because you dont like SUVs, though your reasons have easily been shown to be absurd.

[Phantom Lord]

Oh, I forgot. Let us not forget the SAFTEY factor that is a big part of many SUV purchases.

[wjcsux]

If you think SUV's are stupid, you don't have to buy one. No one has any business telling another person which products they are allowed to buy. Drive a Yugo if you want to. I will keep my Ford F-250 4WD truck!