Why are American Cars so BIG?

[brum]

State our opinion and whatever your country thinks of Americas love affair with large pick-ups etc.

[TheOne]

towing.....mostly. there's a lot of ranches here in texas, you need a big pick-up for offroading. loads of materials and other stuff.

[Karrmann]

because the us doesn't care about fuel economy

[eyebrows]

because the us doesn't care about fuel economy

thats a fair estimate in my opinion... and in respect to the other post my dad's 1990 L300 with a 2.4 4cly which does 30mpg can pull a load of 2tonnes and can carry 1 tonne on board so there goes that theory.

[Egg Nog]

One thing is that fuel is often around 1/4 the price as it is in Europe.

Also, very importantly, roads are very different, especially in cities. Many of Europe's tiny streets were built long before the automobile, with stresses put on everything being close and accessible. When car culture came into effect, they were mostly built to be accomodated along these same streets. In the states, most of the development of the country happened after the automotive revolution had taken place, and thus, opposite to what had happened in Europe, the roads were designed around cars.

[Matra et Alpine]

One thing is that fuel is often around 1/4 the price as it is in Europe.

Also, very importantly, roads are very different, especially in cities. Many of Europe's tiny streets were built long before the automobile, with stresses put on everything being close and accessible. When car culture came into effect, they were mostly built to be accomodated along these same streets. In the states, most of the development of the country happened after the automotive revolution had taken place, and thus, opposite to what had happened in Europe, the roads were designed around cars.

and not just in cities.

Most of the journeys in EUrope between cities were started over two thousand years ago with the growth of the roman empire

A lot of the major routes were 'built' in the intervening centuries, so had to follow contours - which over here means NOT straight !!

Also, lots of towns and cities in between. You don't go more than 20 miles without seeing an intersing town with restaurants, cafes, pubs and petrol - not necesarily in that preference

[Coventrysucks]

To fit Americans in.

[Karrmann]

funny

thought it seems that those cars accually that the suvs are made of fuel because of all the fuel they take, it is like the driver is drinking fuel.

[baddabang]

fuel is cheaper but how would you haul big stuff without a big truck. Just to top it off my dad has a F450 superduty with duel wheels and a turbocharged diesel engin he used at work. it has twin gas tanks and costs 120 usd to fill and a large percent of americans are overweight and we need big cars with big suspension

[MrVette83]

We(my family) have three "big" vehicles if you will but all have a purpose. We have a Ford F350 dually which we use as the tool truck for our trucking company. It has a total of 8 different compartments on it and a bed that we have the air compressor in; we also use the bed to haul tires in when changing tires. We have a Chevy 3500 flatbed that we use for various things. It has a gas powered Miller welder and torches on it. We also use it to pull our farm tractor using our gooseneck trailor. The third is my Dad's Chevy Avalanche, it's something he drives daily on and off-road with his job. He got it b/c he also hauls things with it. On a regular basis he pulls our 16ft. utility trailer with two 3,000lb. tanks.

[Alcomet]

Oh come on you guys! How about the Hummer and the enormous SUVs? Do You think they are bought mainly as a labour tool!!!! I think not ..... I remember one article I read in National Geographic Magazine were a womem talked about her Hummer H2. She pointed out that she Knew It was not the most FUEL EFICIENT car...........but she was glad to owne a car that would overcome any obstacle in the road ( a small car maybe?!) and it had the plus of her kids camping inside it for fun!!!!??????? Come on man!

What do You think about that?

[baddabang]

well when you put it that way, yes your correct. Hummers, escalades and some trucks are more of a gas hog novelity car. more of a toy. but when people think american cars they think to the classic bigger cars with powerfull motors, and they still do this often. but come on who wants to drive around in an chevy aveo with all these big suvs/trucks around

[DieterCabral]

I live in Mexico... and i have to say that since we are so close to the USA, our car culture WAS very similar to theirs... the problem is that our gas prices are closer to the European market rather than to the americans (oops)...

We used to have tons of gigantic V8 cars with no efficiency or curving capability at all. (Grand Marquis, Lincoln Towncar, any Cadillac or Chrysler)... they are comfortable... very comfortable but you get tired of having a 4 liter V8 that only puts out 215 hp !

There are some pro's to having a gigantic car... for example the space and also...mmm the space... and some space too.

the con's well... you know them (the braking capability close to having no brakes at all, crappy interiors(check out any ford or GM radio), cheap plastic parts, and overall the cars are built to be changed in a couple of years...)

If you have had your Ford Taurus for 5 years... you know that you have spent thousands of dollars in repairs and preventive maintenance. now if you've had a Bmw 528 for the same 5 years... well, you still drive it to work and have virtually no problems with it.

Its a strange thing what is happening with the automotive industry, the Americans are trying to become more european (the CTS, the lincoln LS, the Mondeo, new Ford Focus, Crossfire, etc...) the Asians are becoming either american or just weird. (Camry, Accord, Lexus (all), and the weird ones (element, atoz, matiz, etc)

Just one final thought before I stop writing... I was in Chicago last week and I saw an ad for the new Dodge Magnum which I found offensive, false and quite frankly I wanted to trash my tv set. In this ad the magnum is racing a Lotus Esprit V8... and that piece of crap (The magnum of course) wins!... the lotus is humiliated... I hope that “car” or the guy who designed the ad burns in hell… once I’ve gotten that out my system I can breathe easily.

[MrVette83]

Just one final thought before I stop writing... I was in Chicago last week and I saw an ad for the new Dodge Magnum which I found offensive, false and quite frankly I wanted to trash my tv set. In this ad the magnum is racing a Lotus Esprit V8... and that piece of crap (The magnum of course) wins!... the lotus is humiliated... I hope that “car” or the guy who designed the ad burns in hell… once I’ve gotten that out my system I can get

Well, keep in mind most of the American public are unaware of what that car is, the main point behind that commercial is to show the RT model(Hemi powered) as sporty and fun. They're not attempting to say that a Magnum can outperform an Esprit at all, the HP numbers are close(350 in the lotus, 345 in the magnum) but that's about the only thing.

[Alcomet]

Baddabang: Thank you for seeing my point! and I give You another example of mine about NOT driving Big SUV/Truck instead of another car. A friend of mine has a fisical handycap that is obvious ( some to do with meds taken during pregnancy)! so his parents spoil him as much as they can.......so he now drives a dark Dodge Ram (pretty rare here!) instead of a beautyfull Mercedes CLK Cabrio 200 Kompressor ( his previous car!) Both car were filed with every extra thing he wanted......... I dont know anyone that can understand that car change (Boy or girl) even after hearing his reasons! This is totally out of any reasonable thing.........atleast by my mind !!!!!!