Ten Reasons You Should Not Buy SUVs
Due to the rise in the number of buyers purchasing sport utility vehicles, the vehicles have prompted a wide debate on whether or not these vehicles are a wise investment. A main concern is the danger to the environment and the safety of the vehicle. The discussion that follows outlines the ten reasons that a buyer should avoid making this purchase.
Pollution is one of the most significant points that opposers would bring forth in support of the anti- sport utility vehicles concept. As a matter of fact, sport utility vehicles typically consume a larger quantity of fuel, especially when compared to standard cars. Additionally, they tend to generate comparatively higher volume of pollutants, especially carbon monoxide and carbon dioxides – two toxins that jeopardize the environment. Pollution to the environment is a major concern in contemporary society and it is important to avoid worsening the already serious problem.
Fuel economy is another significant consideration that affects the popularity of the sport utility vehicles to a great extent. This is especially true in today’s society when fuel is treated as a precious commodity. A car that consumes a great amount of fuel cannot be accepted widely and should be treated as an unnecessary option. The sport utility vehicles are within that class of vehicles, which is a comparatively less fuel-efficient option and should not be purchased by a fuel minded consumer. The Corporate average Fuel Economy (CAFÃ?Â?) was first enacted by Congress in 1975 in order to regulate and improve the fuel economy of vehicles. The US government has placed the sport utility vehicles under the category of LIGHT TRUCKS as per the strict regulatory standard of the CAFÃ?Â?.
Safety is an utmost consideration that should be made when purchasing a car. Almost all contemporary vehicles are constructed by a technical method known as “monocoque construction.” This is where the car’s steel body shell absorbs the collision, an optimum vehicle is designed to get compressed when a collision takes place, absorbing the energy. However in the case of the sports utility vehicles, the construction is stiffer with a higher center of gravity, thereby jeopardizing the life of the SUV passengers.
Rollover incidences have been found to occur more often in SUVs due to their higher center of gravity. In the last few years some of the models of the SUVs have been rejected due to their higher rollover risks.
Moreover, the probability of a SUV hitting pedestrians and killing them are almost two times more than the incident of demise due to a regular car hit. This is due to the fact that the SUVs hit pedestrians directly on the chest while a regular car will most likely strike the victim below the waist.
The high gross weight of the vehicle sometimes restricts their use in certain roads such as rural bridges and streets with weight restrictions.
High insurance rates is another reason that people should avoid buying a SUV. In some states, insurance companies have raised the cost to insure these cars as much as 5 to 15 percent while passenger car owners have received much lower insurance rates.
Taxpayers are also becoming burdened from the growth in SUV sales. Due to a loophole in the federal tax code known as the “gas guzzler tax,” SUVs are exempt. However, this tax break is not passed on to car owners, it is merely pocketed by the automobile manufacturers.
There is a limited availability of spare parts which causes mechanical work on the vehicle to be at a much higher cost than a standard automobile. This is addition to the already high cost that you will purchase the vehicle at, SUVs start at a significantly higher purchase price than standard automobiles.
Very high pick-up of these vehicles leads many owners to drive in an unsafe manner, leading to more cases of drivers that lose control and cause major accidents.
The high number of people purchasing a SUV is believed to be a transitory trend and should not last for long. As consumers become more aware of the poor effects on the environment and the higher rate of accidents that these vehicles are involved in, it is expected that they will lose their appeal. A standard automobile will not only be easier on your budget, but will also assist in keeping the world a safer and cleaner place.
