Pickup Truck Sales Falling, Taking Auto Industry With Them
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06. 9.07
Perhaps that pickup should be going off a cliff instead of down a hill; it appears that pickup sales, which contribute big profits to the car manufacturers, are falling rapidly as gas prices increase. Now instead of being parked in suburban driveways, they are being bought by farmers and construction workers. According to the New York Times, Bucky Hacker has sold his Dodge Ram; he thought its macho appearance would help him attract girls. But there were drawbacks. “Gas was ridiculous,” Mr. Hacker, 24, said. “The thing got 13 miles per gallon.” His Mazda averages twice that, or 26 miles per gallon in city and highway driving.
The Times continues: Mr. Hacker touches on a reason sales have dropped: a growing sense of environmental responsibility that has flared along with gas prices. That, and an uncertain housing market, which is prompting many contractors to delay buying new trucks, have combined to cut into pickup truck sales, which are down 5 percent so far this year from a weak market last year. That is more than double the overall decline in industry sales, which are down 2 percent this year." ::New York Times
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Buying a truck to enhance one's ego just will not cut it anymore. Why use a gas guzzler when you can run a fuel efficient car? A truck is viable for contractors, farmers and workers who need it for income paying jobs but for a man to run a truck in order to make him appear macho will be no more than a drive to the poor house at the rate gas prices are going.
I find it strange that US companies are against raising mpg minimums for cars or trucks as this type of thinking is bound to get them in trouble with sales. They have been thumbing their noses at foreign company improved mpg efforts for too long and now may end up like Billy (on the cartoon series Billy, Mandy and Grim) with a thumb up the nose.
adrianakau2aol.com
It's good to see reality setting in for the people driving trucks for no reason at all, and the auto industry who continually make them with the least amount of efficiency possible. We'll see how sales do this summer as gas prices raise again.
This whole gas issue is the primary reason I'm working at becoming a municipal bus driver. I'd like to know I'm helping people conserve by using mass transit.
He thought GIRLS would like it? When I see a grossly overweight vehicle my first thought is whats IN there that needs 400 horses to push it down the freeway?
A 400 lb blob?
How did a phrase like this:
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“Gas was ridiculous,” Mr. Hacker, 24, said. “The thing got 13 miles per gallon.” His Mazda averages twice that, or 26 miles per gallon in city and highway driving, and it will be easier to fit into tight parking spaces at the University of Tennessee, where he plans to study political science this fall.
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...get translated into this:
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Mr. Hacker touches on a reason sales have dropped: a growing sense of environmental responsibility that has flared along with gas prices.
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It seems to me that he only got rid of the truck because it was costing him too much to fuel it and not necessarily anything to do with environmental responsibility.
"Bucky Hacker has sold his Dodge Ram; he thought its macho appearance would help him attract girls."
What a sad specimen Mr Hacker must be.
You Yanks! What are you like?
I sold my Dodge Ram (11 mpg) that I use for business and replaced it with a Scion xB (32+ mpg). I still need a truck about 1 day a month to restock but my business runs smooth as silk at a third of my prior fuel costs, not to mention tires and maint. and the ease of parking.
Mike
Hey guys. To be honest, in the south, where I am from, a pickup truck is almost a cultural icon. Our region has been urbanizing slower than the east and west coasts since the civil war (with the exception of TX and Atlanta)...but think about all the gulf coast states. For better or worse, we've hung on to our rural roots.
Who doesn't want fuel efficiency? The problem is that stronger legislation is needed to require enhanced efficiency. A lot of truck users use their truck... to pull their boat, to have a job in distribution, to carry tools, etc. If you're a guy and your dad had a truck your whole life, you don't even think about it, you just get a truck ...even if you go to college and major in business.
I'm not saying it's not ignorant to drive a hummer, but I like trucks, and my dream car is a 4 door hybrid Tacoma that approaches 30 mpg, but it just doesn't exist yet and I could barely afford my $1900 explorer. I do care about the environment and a lot more people down here would be less reluctant to if they didn't feel like it was shoved down their throat. Just like conservatives and being pro-war, occasionally liberals appear to be mindless followers lacking independent thought on issues like the environment (although I tend to agree with the latter).
All in all though, i appreciate your passion for the environment, we need people like you. Keep up the fight.