Frustrated owners try to unload their guzzlers

[katty]

more: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/05/06/frustrated_owners_try_to_unload_their_guzzlers/

By Jenn Abelson
Globe Staff / May 6, 2008
After paying $75 to fill his black Dodge Ram pickup truck for the third time in a week, Douglas Chrystall couldn't take it anymore.

Graphic Breaking the gas habit
more stories like thisFeeling pinched at the pump, and guilty as well, Chrystall, a 39-year-old father from Wellesley, is putting ads online to sell the truck, and the family's other gas-guzzler, a Jeep Grand Cherokee. He knows it will be tough to unload them because he is one of a growing number of consumers downsizing to smaller, more fuel-efficient cars.

Americans are turning away from the boxy, four-wheel-drive vehicles that have for years dominated the nation's highways. Sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks - symbols of Americans' obsession with horsepower, size, and status - are falling out of favor as consumers rich and poor encounter sticker shock at the pump, paying upward of $80 to fill gas tanks.

[phantom power]

1. GM and Ford assure me that this isn't happening.

[Journeyman]

2. Anyone who didn't see the progression to this back in 1973. . .

wasn't simply not paying attention -- they were purposely deluding themselves. And there's always a price to pay when you fool yourself. . .

[katty]

4. yup, exactly

[murielm99]

3. My husband hasn't been driving his truck.

He doesn't haul as many things since we no longer farm ourselves. But he still wants a truck for some of the things he does.

We have an old van. I think it is a 1989 van. He has been driving that, and it does well in the way in runs and in mileage. I was going to get rid of the van, since I have a very economical small car. I guess we will keep it now.

[cliss]

5. Too late.

It's too late to unload the SUV. I've read that many SUV owners are now "under water" with their payments, meaning the vehicle is worth less than the amount of the loan they're paying for it.

Too late woulda shoulda coulda.

Fact: gas prices have been rising s-l-o-w-l-y and c-o-n-s-i-s-t-e-n-t-l-y. Ain't no genius required here. We should consider ourselves lucky that we've been given this much time to prepare. For those who ignored the signs: too bad.

Now, what can you do with your SUV?

a) Use it for a boat anchor
b) Find french fry grease a LOT of grease to power your baby
c) Sell it for scrap metal to China they'll take it.
d) If all else fails, hitch a horse to it and off Ya go.

[katty]

6. or live in it, they're huge - I've never had/wanted one

[BobTheSubgenius]

7. Does anyone know of any figures available on the price decline?

I'd love to take the Canyonero that the cretin I work for prizes so highly and throw right in his face. He's PROUD of getting 13MPG.

And yes, you're right. What am I doing there?

[katty]

9. all i see in my hood is: "For Sale" on guzzlers

[Night_Nurse]

8. Good riddance...

I have always detested those oversized SUVs.

I drive a Toyota Yaris hatchback - it gets 35+ MPG. $20 gets me 3/4 tank, and I'll drive for a week on that. I got nervous about gas prices two years ago, so I traded in my van for the Toyota - and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made.