Cars already last longer (100,000 mile warranties ring a bell?) but people still buy them to get the latest and coolest. It'* called "Planned Obselescence". For stuff like cars and clothes it'* in the styling. But, it would be easy enough to use the light bulb theory on a car, as Dame suggested. (It is possible to make a permanent light bulb, but it is not economically feasable to sell a one time product)

umm in not talking about the way it is now. im talking about if 50% of the people in the US stoped driving that cars to go to work and put 30% less miles on it a year, they would keep it a year or two longer. and that year or two will be a lot less cars the Auto makers will be selling.

They're already experiencing that. They got the bump up in sales when FI first hit the market because your regular machanic couldn't fix it cheaply. Much easier to just get a new one. Now that people can fix FI car their sales are dropping.


But really, If people really cared about emmisions and fuel economy why do so many people modify their 3800'* to increase performance and not economy? Anybody feel that the enviromental movement is a little futile? Sure, I've moved to driving a 4 banger daily and have researched EV'* quite a Bit. I'm sure I could build one for ~$2500 with a donor. That would mean 0 POU emmisions, How many other people could build one? Why haven't they?

wow, I never thought an article that no one can prove to be true or false could start such a debate about americal culture.

Debates can be fun, and informative, as long as they don't get out of hand. Lot of info and thinking material in this one....

Yes... Lots of info in this one..









It really makes you think.










Then you start to really think...







Then....







BOOM!








But yea, Theres good thoughts going on in here. You get to see two Big diffrent sides of how people think cars should be and used.

Ok well heres the thing...I understand what the government is trying to and it all looks good on paper, but thats all it is an idea in a fat politicians head that he convinced a bunch of his other politician friends (all with their heads up their ***)...First off the cars and engines have to be designed to make these preset MPG and im sure this is very possible with all the resources nowadays...But heres the major problem, who the hell is gonna want one of these underpowered probably hidious looking vehicles when we can drive the cars we own now...how are you going to force people to buy these new vehicles and sell their old ones? And if so then what is going to be done about all these old cars with this old technology, who would actually want to buy them? I'm sorry im rambling but my feeling is that yes car makers should use their resources to make cars more fuel efficient, but theres no changing the US human nature...I'm no fortune teller but I see no good coming out of this...sorry

...car makers should not be forced to do so in as short a period which has been set...it should be more gradual not just a large shift

A lot of discussion here and some good points and thinking being done, but I believe one of the points made by Mr. Lutz has been largely overlooked.

His major point was not that the manufacturers are unwilling to change, but that they cannot force change by only offering products that will meet the new standard.

Economics is always about supply and demand. If the demand were truly there, then GM and all the other OEMs would already be offering the products. Why wouldn't they?

The demand will only come when and if domestic oil (and therefore gas) prices reach a point where people demand the changes in vehicles and are willing to pay the penalties (performance decrease, higher base cost, and possibly bland styling) required to save gas money in the long run.

Without that demand, OEMs can build all the high mileage vehicles they want and they will sit on the lots while we buy our hot cars, SUVs, and burn fuel to power our toys in the semi-trucks.

I believe Dameorder was saying some things similar to this.

While I too will mourn the loss of power and styling, the changes do need to come. Sure, Bush is pushing this on the automotive OEMs, while our taxes still subsidize the oil industry and gas prices are kept low and manipulated to garner votes. Believe it or not.

This method addresses the symptom, not the disease...

well if that was true.. that why did they stop making some of the best cars/trucks that where selling good.

IE. Ford Bronco, Chevy Caprice... and there are more.