As I’ve been spending the past two weeks in Europe, I have notices many differences in automotive culture. One thing in particular stood out however. This is the way Europeans accomplish very active lifestyles, without the need of what I, as an American, consider a proper accompanying vehicle.
This became evident as I journeyed from Germany
to the ski town of Scladming, for a weekend on the mountain. During the six hour trip, as I got closer to my destination, I noticed that, like in the US, more and more of the vehicles around me were also destined for ski weekends. However, unlike in the
US, I didn’t notice a single SUV. Instead, passenger cars like my Opel were doing duty of transporting their occupant and gear through Alps. I also noticed that they were all loaded with accessories suited for such duty. Roof top ski racks and roof top cargo torpedoes were stylishly fashioned to almost every single vehicle. I also noticed that most every vehicle was fitted with appropriate snow tires.
This lifestyle of accessorization results in the ability to own a much more lean, efficient vehicle, which is better suited for daily life, with absolutely no sacrifice to flexibility to accommodate activities such as skiing. If you’re a skier like myself, you know that you don’t need a large vehicle to carry many sets of skis. In fact you prefer them to be outside, where thy won’t wet soil the interior. Also, if you’ve ever driven with snow tires, you’ll question the need for any vehicle to have all wheel drive. Snow tires provide amazing grip in the absolute worst of road conditions. I learned from interviewing several Germans that snow tires are required by law during certain months and road conditions. Everybody there switches to them for the winter season.
So you have a region of people who are probably more active than the average American, but they don’t drive vehicles that we buy for that purpose. Yet they still get along just fine traversing The Alps and other treacherous road conditions. They still carry 4 – 7 adults on these journeys and all their gear. They drive with confidence, safety and security. This leads one to ask, “Why the difference?” Well, it’s complicated, but let's say that most of it is attributable to fuel costs. Fuel in Europe is two to four times more expensive than in the US. However, there are still lessons to be learned even for those of us who don’t bear the burden of expensive fuel. If we want to lead more responsible lives, there are other options besides driving a vehicle that is way too large for daily life, in effort accommodate less frequent activities. I say, right size your vehicle, then accessorize it for living.
Besides the many functional benefits that come from the outlook of accessorizing, there are also financial benefits. On average, an SUV in any given segment carries about a $3000 premium over it’s car counterpart. That does not include all wheel drive, which is about another $1500. Then add in the extra operating expenses such as fuel, and you’re easily talking about a $6,000 premium to own and SUV in the United States. Compare that to about $800 for a top-end Yakima roof rack system (which still give you that active look) and $500 for a set of winter wheels and tires. That’s $4700 in savings and you’ll have a vehicle that is more fun to drive, better for the environment easier to maneuver and more comfortable. The choice is clear. For real life driving and living, we should learn a lesson from the Europeans and live right size, then accessorize.
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