Energy Saver News; WattBusters - Car Wars

What kind of vehicle do you drive? Why did you choose that particular vehicle? Answering those two simple questions may open a window into the inner workings of your mind. I was pondering my answers to the questions while stuck in the morning rush hour traffic around Detroit. As I sat, looking straight into the bumper of a 2003 Hummer, I knew Mad Max would have been proud of me.

My 1993 Tercel (i.e. Hoopty: beat up old car with a dull paint job and no hubcaps) braves the rush hour traffic and does an admirable job. It's kind of ugly and extremely small but it doesn't cost much at all to own.

I noticed that pickup trucks, SUVs, vans and Hummers seemed to be the rave on I-696. I started comparing some pros and cons between Mr. Hummer and my little Mini-Me car. One problem I see with driving something large, is that when you're not moving, your MPG turns into GPM (gallons per minute). The bigger the vehicle, generally the more GPM. I drive 70 miles a day and much of that time is spent sitting still on the congested freeway. I like the idea of minimizing how much fuel is being sucked down while I'm stationary. I picture a little syphon-hose going straight to my wallet. Being a gas-miser, the old Tercel would win a competition for fuel economy.

I know there are other factors considered when buying or leasing a vehicle. Safety is one of them. In a faceoff, a Hummer is definitely bigger, scarier and would squish me like a bug. My little airbag probably wouldn't help much. If bigger is safer, an Army surplus M1 tank might be safer than a Hummer. Toodle around town and maybe run it up to the corner store for milk and eggs... But I digress. The Hummer wins on the safety factor (his safety, not mine).

In luxury accessories, I have a seat cooler that works great from December through March. My seat warmer works whenever the sun hits it. Ok, the Hummer wins hands-down on luxury.

What about sex appeal? Personally, I've never bought into the myth that says a machine is sexy. It's metal, plastic and rubber. Unless I missed something along the road, those things don't really equate to sexy. Being a practical person, I just want my vehicle to get me from Point A to Point B. With my rust spots and missing hubcaps, I probably wouldn't want to take my car to the opera. I'd say the Hummer wins the sexy category.

What about base price and payments for the vehicles? The Hummer base price is around $52000. The Tercel price was $1100. Hummer payments for 52 months with a $22000 down payment would be around $670.51. The Tercel is paid and my insurance is really cheap too. If I'm parked next to a Hummer, I don't think a thief is going to choose my car. (See Sexy Category above...) Although ugly, my hoopty is starting to look better. In the total costs of ownership category, the winner is the Tercel!

All this directs us back to our original questions. There are a zillion reasons why we buy vehicles. All of them are valid but all of them are different. The reasons change as our needs and wants change. Age and income make a huge difference in our choices. In my case, I bought my tiny-mobile because my minivan died. I needed a vehicle right away to get me back and forth to work. I didn't want to break the bank while I saved for a 'real' car. My choice for the real car will probably be a little larger but mileage will still be a major consideration. In my mind, a large, gas-guzzling vehicle for one-person commuting is a little like killing a mosquito with a shotgun. But hey, if mosquitoes bother you, rack it up and keep humming along.