Karl,

I couldn't disagree more.  I think the U.S. market
wants cheaper cars.  It's just that the U.S.
government
hand in hand with the auto/oil industry doesn't allow
us to have them.  Look at all the used cars out there.
They're not all being driven by people because they
don't want a new car.  It's their only choice.

The Yugo is not a good example of a cheap auto option
as it had the stigma of being manufactured in a former
Soviet bloc country.  Now build a sturdy/reliable but
basic automobile without all the glitz and leather
amenities and price it accordingly and you will have
buyers in this country.  The closest example I can
give for this argument is the VW Passat TDI.  The
TDI got great gas mileage and was/is a basic all
around
sedan that you could drive about 800 miles on a tank
of diesel.  Fairly reasonably priced and yet this
vehicle has been limited in delivery to the U.S.  Why?
 Because this is exactly the kind of vehicle that the
U.S. auto makers are scared to death of.  It's too
reliable and they don't make enough money off of it.
They only want to sell you and me fluff.  They are
doing every thing they can to convince us that we
need every kind of fluff they can offer.
Undercoating,
pinstripes and all.  And let's not forget that
extended
warranty!  You know you're going to need that!

I think you stereo-type too many Americans when you
say they all want their big expensive cars.  I just
don't believe that.  I would bet that given enough
reasonably good public transportation e.g. subways
that ran in most cities and bullet trains that cris-
crossed the country, that many people would forgo
buying a car altogether...  Many people out there
think of auts as a necessary evil and would gladly
give them up if given a reasonable choice.

I agree on your last point though.  It's not likely
to occur in the near future.  Too bad....

--- Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET> wrote:
> My son and I had a discussion about this fairly
> recently.  My position is
> that Americans do not want an affordable vehicle.
>
> In Europe, there is a large market for cheap to own
> and cheap to operate
> little tiny cars.  I don't believe they would sell
> here even if Big Brother
> wasn't watching out for our best interests.  Cars
> are status symbols to
> Americans.  We identify ourselves with what we
> drive; be it a Honda Accord
> or a Ford F-350 with dual rear wheels.The last
> vehicle that was available to
> us which fit into that category was that marvel of
> Serbo-Croatian
> engineering, the Yugo, and we all know what your
> friends and neighbors
> thought of you if you drove a Yugo!
>
> I used to drive a '59 Ford Ranch Wagon, which I
> bought from a friend's dad.
> He apologized when I was looking at it, saying that
> the only option he had
> purchased with the car was the heater.  Can you
> imagine a heater being an
> options in today's market?
>
> I, for one, would love to see more affordable, but
> well built cars on the
> road, but I really don't believe that it is
> something that's likely to
> happen, unless we go into a steep recession AND gas
> prices go through the
> roof.
>
> Karl Wolz
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Terry Kay" <CTONLINE@WEBTV.NET>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2001 9:53 AM
> Subject: Re: New Microbus Website
>
>
> > Steve,
> > Here's a question for you.
> > What do you deem affordable?
> > I really can't think of anything affordable
> lately!
> > I think, the "peoples car" is basically on the
> lower end of the scale,
> > for an reasonably priced vehicle.
> > It just eludes my mind, to even think of a
> reasonable car in today's rip
> > off market!
> > Have you heard, or does anyone know what the new
> bus is going to cost?
> >
> >   ______________
> >  |[  ] [  ] [ ]\
> >  |    |    |    |
> > ||-(())----(())-|
> >
> > Terry 85 GL
> >

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