Shadow wrote:AHTOXA wrote:I think that vast majority of people who buy an appliance vehicle are concerned with fuel mileage, and appliance vehicle is your average vehicle, based on sales. Buyers of trucks, SUVs and lux entry/lux class also value higher MPG, but maybe less so. On the main auto forums, there are constant threads of "which car should I buy", and no matter the class, fuel consumption comparison withing class competitors is always present. Always.
So if Land Rover fudged their numbers and Kia fudged theirs by the same percentage, do you really think Range Rover owners would be upset about it to the degree that the Kia owners would be? Surely you're not trying to tell me that, right?
I think that if Land Rover did the same, they wouldn't have gotten away with it. Would the customers be upset to the same degree, eh, maybe, maybe not not, but it still would have been a pretty big deal, much like it is with Kia/Hyundai.
Having worked in retail for years, I know that many people in mid or upper-mid and higher economic classes really do pay attention to their spending. While they buy vehicles that aren't fuel efficient as compared to other options, fuel efficiency is still a big factor when choosing a car within the class they are looking at.
My experience has been with people that are more financially secure is this: they are more watchful of where their money goes, which is one of the reasons they have better financial security than many others. They aren't cheap, but they are frugal - there's a difference.
Some people like you don't care about fuel economy - of course - but you'd be surprised to know how many do in a similar situation. I've personally dealt with and known many such examples.
Let's take the light truck class - half tons to one ton trucks. Why do you think every commerical boasts highway fuel economy ratings? Why do you think manufacturers spend a lot of money in R&D producing tech like cylinder deactivation and other fuel-saving techniques in larger vehicles. Why do you think manufacturers like Dodge are bringing a diesel option to a half-ton truck? Ford also brought Eco-boost into their truck line a few years back.
Because truck buyers don't care about fuel economy? No, they do! Better fuel economy than the competition gets sales, and if a manufacturer's MPG claim was falsified, you bet that consumers would be very upset about it.
What is your feeling on fuel economy? I know that you've owned everything from your current fuel sipper to a Wrangler and a GTO, so does fuel economy really matter to you? I have a feeling that fuel economy has always mattered to you, but you're a car guy, so you dealt with having cars that burn through a lot of fuel, even though you wanted to be more economical. In the end, you're probably much more comfortable with a car that is great on gas, which is probably why you're driving the car you have now. For me, that would never happen because I honestly don't care about gas prices, so I'd never have any real reason to buy a car in that class.
Fuel economy hasn't always mattered to me - not in the least bit.
From 2004 until 2011 I mostly drove gas hogs. Lifted SUVs, the GTO, the Wrangler... I drove what I like and it didn't matter.
The reason for why I drive what I drive now is simple - changing priorities. I wanted to redirect the cost. Not only in fuel economy, but also maintenance cost. Replacing 33x12.5x15 tires every 20k miles costs $1200, whereas replacing my tires every 30,000 miles costs $400.
I take that money and spend it on other hobbies - specialized outdoor gear, mountain biking, guns and ammo. I'm now saving to buy a motorcycle.
I'm no longer as interested in what I drive, but more interested in other somewhat expensive hobbies, as listed above.