Would you buy a Tahoe?
by greenlagirl

Post BlogHer conference, we had to put $100 worth of gas in the Tahoe to get us home.

If you remember, GM was originally gonna lend BlogHer riders a much more fuel-efficient Malibu for our trip up to the conference. Unexpectedly, we got a Tahoe instead -- one that's a hybrid, but still only got 22 mpg.

In case you missed it, GM's not doing so well these days -- selling assets, laying off employees, closing a buncha plants that make big cars.

No, big cars aren't doing well. Which makes me think that -- if GM wants to sell cars -- it should be pushing its smaller, more fuel-efficient cars. But GM's still trying to push its humongo behemoths on a nation that, clearly, isn't interested.

On our way back, my carpool partner Kendra and I tried to identify types of people who might actually buy a Tahoe. We came up with two demographics:

1. People who have 8+ children.
2. People who need to tow boats.

One other demographic was people who are v. rich. However, that demographic just demonstrates potential, not desire, for Tahoe ownership -- meaning I just don't get why some rich person would buy a minivan vs. a sports car -- unless they have 8+ kids or a boat.

None of my friends have 8+ children or boats, as far as I know.

The Tahoe did its job, of course, which was to get us from LA to San Francisco and back. My point is that I think the Malibu coulda done that too....
____

BlogHer Contributing Editor Siel also blogs at greenLAgirl.com.

Submitted by greenlagirl (view blog) on Mon, 07/21/2008 - 8:41am

Comments

 

Ooh, another one...

Would another group be the people in suburbia that see a vehicle that big as a status symbol? There seems to be a lot of that around me.

 Had a great time with you as well! 

Submitted by Headless Mom on Mon, 07/21/2008 - 10:09
 

Remarkably...

Remarkably, around the bay area a number of young men are acquiring Tahoes and similar models. I have a feeling that they have no credit, and listen to sales men who tell them that they can afford to lease these vehicles. Ofcourse they then can't afford anything else.. (like insurance, gas, a life..)

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Weight for Deb

Submitted by debra roby on Thu, 07/24/2008 - 20:41
 

I'm going to differ...

Out here, there are lots of SUVs, and because our high schools are out in the middle of nowhere, lots of real, honest-to-goodness carpools.  

I drive a Prius and wouldn't trade up for it, but while I was on the road with the Tahoe I encountered many people driving standard SUVs who actually had to drive them for one reason or another, who would gladly have traded theirs for the hybrid. I was actually stunned by the interest people displayed in it. Maybe because of my Prius bias, I figured the shine had worn away on hybrids, but no.

If you've gotta drive a big car like that (think people who tow things, or need trucks for work, or yes, carpools), I'd suggest that this is better than the standard 12mpg.  We got about 24.2 mpg, slightly in excess of the EPA benchmark, but we did drive it with the intention of reducing fuel usage.

 

karoli

odd time signatures (life)
bang the drum (politics)

Submitted by Karoli on Sat, 07/26/2008 - 17:11
 

Suebob

I was going to say we only put $74 in gas in San Jose on the way north and still had gas upon arrival back in Camarillo. So we drove more than one way SF-Camarillo on less than $74 worth of gas - pretty good, I think. We did drive between 60-65 and used cruise control a lot, made slow steady stops and starts.

Submitted by suebob on Sun, 07/27/2008 - 11:42