Among all the other things mentioned, what i find annoying about them is the fact that unlike minivans who are conservatively powered, SUVs are overpowered. Sure you might need this power if you plan on towing stuff but most people don't.

Isn't BMW coming out with a 400 HP one????? People buy the V8s just for the image.

Although they have been getting more power, they havn't been getting any better at handling and braking.

Combine this with the fact that they are either in the hands of small women who cannot or do not even know how to steer them or overly aggressive men and you got trouble.

Hey we have one here, it is a 2001 Grand cherokee, i drive it once in a while, man does it encourage bad driving habits.

I think the best way i can describe it is: You point it and you go, as opposed to steering it. YOU HAVE A "GENERAL" DIRECTION IN MIND.


I feel at the very least they should be clasified as different vehicles and demand a mandatory drivers training since they are heavy and dangerous for people driving passanger cars and will not be able to stear out of the way in case they have too.

Also, at any speed over 60mph the car feels like it is partly floating, it is a very scary experience if you would have to make a sudden movement.

I have been driving sports cars for years now, i do solo racing and am and i consider myelf an above-average driver, yet i will not be able to avoid accident while driving that boat either. Imagine those people who know nothing more then apply the brakes.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sev

Quote:

Although they have been getting more power, they havn't been getting any better at handling and braking.

Sev, do you have something that you read that gives you this information? Or is it speculation?

OK, perhaps I should have prefaced my initial remarks by saying that I was referring to my War Wagon. I love my 4Runner...and I would agree with some of the posts here(although some are a little too emotional for me to swallow... ) and some class warfare going on, as well...but that's OK, no big deal. Some of these beasts are huge...I mean HUGE! My 4Runner simply doesn't fall into that category.

Thanks for your input, though...

 

I don't own an SUV, however, we are looking to trade our 99 TL in on an MDX next year. Why would I do such a terrible thing? Simple, we want the luxury offered by a nice sedan (i.e. Acura 3.2TL), the cargo space offered by a small truck, and good looks (subjective, but it is the buyers tastes that counts). We have no expectations of EVER taking it off road. However, it would be nice when I go to Home Depot or some such place, to be able to get certain things without having to get it delivered. It would be nice when my family and extended family come to town for a visit that we can put one less car on the road to and from the airport, restaurants, etc. I admit that most of the time we won't be taking advantage of the MDX's size, however, most of the time I am not taking advantage of all the S2K has to offer on my busy commute.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by gregstevens

Quote:

Originally posted by Sev

Quote:

Although they have been getting more power, they havn't been getting any better at handling and braking.

Sev, do you have something that you read that gives you this information? Or is it speculation?

OK, perhaps I should have prefaced my initial remarks by saying that I was referring to my War Wagon. I love my 4Runner...and I would agree with some of the posts here(although some are a little too emotional for me to swallow... ) and some class warfare going on, as well...but that's OK, no big deal. Some of these beasts are huge...I mean HUGE! My 4Runner simply doesn't fall into that category.

Thanks for your input, though...

Well in the early 90s most SUvs had about 180 HP they now have about 250 + And even as high as 400 on a select few yet their brake rotor sizes have remained mostly the same. In fact they have also become larger and heavier.

Think early 90s Cherokee compared to a suburban...

 

This thread is the epitome of what I've been talking about to Greg: lots of unsubstantiated blanket statements and even more ignorance, and this is just ONE TOPIC that I was referring to! I plan to buy another Xterra in the next few months (the ex got the old one), and I really couldn't care less what any of you think. The Xterra is moderately sized and actually gets EXACTLY the same gas mileage as the S2000, so to those of you who quote mileage as a problem, eat my shorts! You're probably exactly the kind of person who was grateful to see us in our Xterra with the tow strap when you put your car in a ditch! We pulled countless cars out of ditches or out of intersections when they broke down with our Xterra, and I never saw even one bitching about SUVs while we did it.

I do live alone, but I have 2 big dogs and have had countless opportunity to NEED something larger than my Accord. Ever try bringing a lawn mower home in an Accord? I literally had an entire 100 ft length of rope holding it in, because it DOESN'T FIT. I would love to take my dogs down to Big Bend National Park and go camping with some friends with a few bicycles... again, there's your offroad, there's the need for space. Even if I only use it offroad ONCE, I'm OK with that.

And just an FYI, I probably wouldn't be ambulatory at this point if not for the fortune of driving an SUV 2 years ago. The dealer loaned me a brand new Rodeo to drive while they fixed my Prelude, and a little over an hour after leaving the dealership, while I was stopped in traffic, a Grand Marquis rearended me at 60 mph. It slid underneath and picked up the rear of the Rodeo, shoving the front down into the Explorer in front of me, resulting in $7000 damage to the Rodeo. Imagine the same scenario in my Prelude? With the wedge shape of the Prelude, hit the same way, I'd have been under the truck in front of me, no doubt with my legs broken or otherwise damaged, if not other parts of me too. Gee, this sounds like a good argument against little, low-to-the-ground sports cars, doesn't it?? I thank my lucky STARS I was in that SUV rather than my own car!

Bad drivers don't all choose one vehicle to drive. I have been hit 12 times since I got my license, usually sitting at a standstill in traffic (no comments, please). I have been hit by sports cars, econoboxes, sedans, a minivan, even a motorcycle, and MOST of them have been by sports car drivers (one was even an off duty cop in his sports car, so smoke THAT).

Off the top of my head, here's what has hit me:
a Camaro, a Sentra, a small pickup, another Sentra, a motorcycle, another Camaro, a 626, a minivan, and a Grand Marquis. I'm missing a few there (must be the resulting brain damage), but would you check that out... NOT ONE SUV! I think I'm a pretty good statistical survey all on my own ... and not ONE sport utility vehicle.

Additionally, my ex was hit at least twice in the Xterra by people in sedans who simply weren't paying attention. Thanks to the trailer hitch (that actually got some use, imagine that!), we sustained no damage.

I'm just sick of the generalizations. Name a specific instance or shut up.. I'm fed up with reading this crap! And before anyone tells me to just not read it if I don't like it, read the title under my name to the left... I can't read everything, but I try to give it an effort in the name of board integrity.

 

You go girl...!

Excellent post!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sondra S2K
[B]This thread is the epitome of what I've been talking about to Greg: lots of unsubstantiated blanket statements and even more ignorance, and this is just ONE TOPIC that I was referring to!

 

Yeah, Greg... it's an excellent post because it's your viewpoint! And I agree with most of her post as well. But, Sondra and you and I are people that are sane, buy something because we'll use it and are good drivers.

I'm not trashing 'honest' SUV owners with my 'generalizations' I am trashing the scads of SUV owners that are NOT like you and Sondra. You are taking offense for no reason. Spend a little time in suburbia and you'll realize how out of control the SUV craze is.

I happen to really like the Xterra - Mack has one and I rode in it. Very comfy, 4wd, nice looking. BUT! I defy you to find me one housewife that actually needs a freaking Expedition or a Suburban. Those are vehicles of wretched excess that are polluting our environment and depleting our natural resources.

AND by saying that, I'm not saying that Expeditions and Suburbans are not nice or necessary vehicles! I'm saying that too many people are using them that don't need their size, off road capability, power or towing ability. I almost got an Expedition as a tow-vehicle for going to the races, but settled for an F-150 extended cab instead because it was much lighter and I thought it would be more efficient. And I got 4wd because I love going off road (even though I've gotten the thing so stuck twice that I needed to be towed out!)

I guess you guys aren't seeing my point.... it's not ALL SUV's and ALL SUV owners, it's MOST SUV's and MOST SUV owners that I have a problem with. Those that use them for what they were intended, and buy economical ones - then my kudos to you! The family with 2 kids who buy a freaking V-10 Excursion because their neighbor just got a Suburban - you get the finger.

 

Sev makes another interesting point about safety... While Sondra's points about being higher and safer from being hit, there is a flipside and drawback to that. A vehicle weighing 3000lb travelling 60 a staggering amount less 'energy' and momentum than a 5400lb vehicle travelling 60. Getting hit by one of the larger SUV's creates some sickening impacts while all that energy is dissipated. Also, hitting stationary objects in SUV's makes for sickening damage and certain death at higher speeds. I have seen pictures of Expeditions and Suburban/Tahoes that are ALMOST UNRECOGNIZABLE from the damage sustained at 75mph impacts with fences and trees. I'm talking about twisted hunks of metal that you can't even tell what it was... where families have died so that they take somethinng big from the store every 3 months. It just doesn't make sense. Again, this is all my .02c, and read my above post about how I feel that some SUVs are good and necessary - it's just the craze for them right now that bugs me.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sondra S2K
[B]...Bad drivers don't all choose one vehicle to drive.