Do most expensive fuel-inefficient cars simply pamper the ego?

Question

I recently bought a new Toyota Aygo. It costs me £35 per year road tax, I get @ 60+ miles per gallon, plus the cheapest insurance group. Inside it is luxurious, roomy and can easily seat four adults, the choice of driving it manually or fully-auto - £7,800 new.

Drive along any road in the western world and there are certainly enough people who have great gas-guzzling monsters, in fact my neighbour just got a Chrysler Crossfire and he is single.

Now whilst I fully accept that not everyone is able to purchase a new vehicle and some people tow caravans or boats and need a larger engine, watch all the mothers in their 4X4 Range Rovers dropping their kids off, or the company executive in his series 7 BMW! These are ego driven fools who have no consideration for the planet or other people.

This is pure ego, a badge that says 'Look at me, sod the planet!' They could easily downgrade to a more practical and sensible driving option, but they are so desperate to maintain an image.

Answer 1

I need to make a point here.

4 X 4's are NOT safer than cars.  Just the OPPOSITE!  They have been statistically shown to be many more times likely to roll.  People also have a tendency to think they are invincible and to drive them faster then road conditions allow.  Remember that it takes just as long to stop 4X4 then it does to stop any other vehicle.  Its just easier to get started going and this gives a false sense of safety!

I drive a truck but it is only because I have horses and use it to pull a trailer.  I have just purchased a kit to change use cooking oil to diesel however and will be switching to biofuel soon after the kit arrives!

Answer 2

I think people buying hugely polluting cars think they are pampering their egos.

but analyze their actions and they are just buying into the advertisers pitch.

If it was fast glamous exciting to drive cars then the Tesla, www.teslamotors.com, is better than most, 0-60 4 secs,

or if it is a 4x4 you need the Phoenix SUT www.phoenix motors.com recharge in 10 minutes, would fit the bill, plus. refuel at home, zero emmision, £0 road tax.

but few  people respect their ego enough to investigate what they nedd, and simply do as they are told by the media and global corps.

Answer 3

I'm afraid it's too late.  WE have already run out of oil.  Hybrids are not the answer.  What becomes of the battery in a couple of years?

Answer 4

I agree with a lot of what you say.  I live out in the country and 4WD's are something of a necessity here for some people, not least of all the farmers.  But if I go into town there's just as many 4WD's there - especially on the school runs.

Sometimes it's not always the fault of the driver.  My girlfriend has a company car and has to have one to 'reflect the image' of the company she works for.  Her own car is a Renault Clio, the company car is a Saab 9-5, she wanted a smaller car but they wouldn't let her have one.

I'm sure that much of it is about image - just as younger drivers blast out loud music and 'improve' their vehicles with skirts, large tailpipes etc just to get noticed, I think the large car is making much the same statement  but is the realm of the more grown up drivers.

It's interesting that the American motor companies (most notably Ford and GM), have failed to go down the road of fuel efficiency and as such worldwide sales are in sharp decline.  This is on contrast to manufacturers such as Toyota, Honda and Citroen who are selling more vehicles than ever.

Answer 5

not really.i mean,does anyone really care.

Answer 6

Yep, The Toyota Aygo is indeed a very nice car, if you a are girl. But seriously, todays society is going to get bitten very hard on the *** in the not too distant future. I like to think the UK is trying to do more and change is afoot; althogh A LOT more could be done. Its the USA and China that need to held acountable for their current direction. I find it laughable when i see the "Celebraties" driving around in their eco cars, do they really expect us to believe that they are doing this for the environments sake and not to "promote" themslves. Ha! I ride a Vespa. My girfriend has the Toyota Aygo Black.

Answer 7

I agree that image and ego constitute a viable argument in favor of your perspective. In certain situations however, depending on a person's habitat four wheel drives are necessary and people with large or growing families are better served with a van perhaps. With more emphasis being placed on planetary issues I think we'll see the future improve as more see the advantages of being more consumer conscious in regards to their decisions. The rising costs of fossil fuels is but one example of considerations the prudent consumer must investigate.

Answer 8

Yes, of course. Any expensive car pampers the ego. It does not even matter if it is fuel inefficient, only that it is expensive.

Answer 9

Definitely, ego is why pimps drive Caddies and Lincolns. (1st thing that came to mind.) Movie stars and other celebrities are now jumping on the high mileage bandwagon as a way to become more popular and grab attention and that is a good thing.

Answer 10

Well if you are using the questions to have a go at people who drive 4X4 let me tell you that it's wrong to generalise and people will buy what they like. For example your car doesn't produce less polution just because your dealer has told you so and if you believe that then you're more a fool than I thought. I drive a 4x4 because I like travelling into Europe and because my car give me comfort, enables me to use any dirt track I want to visit and make me feel secure (my **** it's not on the floor). But I ask you in response to your question if you believe that everyone should drive around in a less poluting vehicle why don't you take it up with the manufacturers as there have been at least 3 new designs of water vapour engines with perfectly good design and practicality but the government won't admit it - because all the garages will be redundant, all the manufacturers will go bust and the economy will have to suffer so in other words - NOBODY will do a d**n thing.

Answer 11

While I agree with your general point, who are you to say "I know what is best for you and the planet, so you must do as I say"?  If you want to limit people's freedom in such a way, then you are promoting a socialist / communist state (I know Blair loves to make laws and find new ways to turn people in to criminals - that's what happens when you appoint a lawyer as PM).

Bottom line is: people need freedom to choose, and you cannot impose your value system on them.

Answer 12

If your a farmer you need a big pickup truck.  Someone who lives in the backwoods might require a rugged 4WD to get there and back.

But come on, the soccer moms with the giant SUVs, or the single guy driving a huge pickup. That's a ridiculous waste of resources to pamper the ego.

I'm a American who has always driven thrifty cars.  But I find  myself embarrassed by my countrymen who seem to think waste is their entitled right.

Answer 13

You are so true! -> everyone in my household has been saying that for ages! There is no need what so ever for the average family to require that big 4x4!!! People say that they are safer to drive with your kids in, but this is true! only at the expense of who ever you hit!!!

If you hit something solid (IE a wall) then they are often no better, or some are even worse, than a normal small car. I am referring to a landdrover in this, you hit a wall at 40mph and the whole 'cab' collapses. The whole A frame buckles!

Answer 14

Maybe they pamper the ego, but I actually enjoy the experience of driving and nothing is better than driving a beautifully crafted, powerful car (and I don't mean Range Rovers or BMW). I used to have an Audi which is pretty small change now, but the difference of that to lesser cars like Ford, Peugeot etc was significant. If I could afford it I would buy an Aston Martin. No doubt it would come with a massive fuel guzzling engine but the pleasure in driving it would be huge. I don't mind what other people think - in fact I'd be worried in case someone tried to steal it. If someone made an ugly car that was stunning to drive, that'd be good!

I don't drive far though, don't use the car for work and only do about 4000 miles a year, although that'll be no excuse to the green types. What I do have now is a very efficient diesel that does over 50mpg.

Answer 15

It is sort of like the arms race...many people feel "safer" in the SUV because it is so heavy.  I feel very conflicted, because I still drive a car which is much smaller than SUV, but feeling very scared because I drive my children around and everyone else is driving hummers and range rovers.  When they crash into me, my children can die but their huge vehicle will not have a scratch.  My car is very old, so I will need a new one.  Should I join the arms race so my children will be safer in a crash against everybody else's big car?  Or should I buy another smaller vehicle?  I am the only mom in the neighborhood who does not drive the SUV.  Nothing is really more important to me than the safety of my kids.  But yet I don't want to buy an SUV.

Answer 16

I live in LA and EVERYONE has huge SUVs...it is really quite riduculous and they are nothing but staus symbols.  When I went to purchase my hybird the dealers were telling me how I was one of the few people who actually could afford the car I chose to buy.  He said that most people come in to purchase SUVs and don't even make enough to make the payments but they just want the car to look "cool".