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Steve’s Auto Buying Adventure:
It Ought’o Be Easier
Getting a new car these days can be an adventure—and a chore. Especially if you are as spontaneity challenged as I am when it comes to such matters. Buying Consumer's Guide , Consumer Digest and Consumer Reports is just the beginning.
I needed a current copy of Kelly's Blue Book to know prices and there's even a magazine devoted to alternative-fueled cars and hybrids, which I felt deserved a good look. Since I hadn't really decided what kind of car I wanted, that meant also picking up the Consumer Reports magazine devoted just to wagons, trucks and SUVs.
I did start knowing a few things. I didn't really need the pickup I was driving any more. Traveling to San Diego has a greater pull for me these days and I wanted something a little better than the 16-18 miles per gallon I was getting. I wanted something more environmentally friendly and needed room to carry bundles of The Light Connection . Space for carrying plants and necessary supplies from the hardware store also pointed to something bigger than a compact, which right now basically eliminates hydrids.
With the lease on my truck expiring and gas prices going up, it was time to do something different. As much as most of us hate to think that demographic profilers have our number and know exactly who we are, it also was disappointing to discover car manufacturers don't have a handle on what I want. I talked to a number of people they don't know about, or aren't listening to.
The final preparation was reading an article in Onearth magazine, the quarterly magazine of The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). You can find the article, “Detroit Is Still Stuck in Reverse,” at www.nrdc.org/onearth/05win/.
Through the years there appears to have been a lot of research on energy-efficient cars. Forbes magazine recently reported that GM is investing $1 billion toward developing hydrogen-powered cars (in Forbes , April 25,'05 ). Forbes asked if GM was going out on a limb, but the money invested was being spent over a ten-year period. By chance, my new roommate, Joe, used to design cars for Honda and was able to put that into perspective. To develop a whole new technology, the money being spent is not that significant.
The unfortunate truth is that green cars are too often window dressing. They are good for the image and PR, but aren't as important as they need to become to make any real difference. That's if air quality, reducing our dependence on foreign oil, and eliminating the perceived need to alter the Alaskan environment is important to us/US.
Want a long-term example? In 1953 the Cadillac El Dorado got 16 miles per gallon. The average fuel efficiency of a 2005 Cadillac Escalade is 15 mpg. My Mazda pickup was normally 16. That represents over 50 years of progress.
If it's not the reality, Detroit auto manufacturers do give every appearance of going through the motions with fuel efficiency and alternative vehicles. It reminds me of the e-mail I read the other day about how the most unlikely companies find reasons to come out with Earth Day press releases in support of the environment.
Of the estimated 17 millions cars that will be sold in the US this year, 100,000 will be hydrids made by Toyota (about 1 / 2 % of 17 million). Ford will make 20,000. The Toyota Prius has a 6–9-month waiting period. There aren't a lot of options.
In contrast, I discovered that in Europe , where they are accustomed to paying $4 for a gallon for fuel, 40% of the passenger cars have clean-burning diesel engines. Depending on the car, diesel engines give you better mileage. A couple of models sold there get 95 mpg! You can't buy them here. But imagine, a diesel so clean you can put a handkerchief over the tail-pipe and later it smells only like the soap it was washed in before you put it on the exhaust pipe!
The diesel fuel sold here contains too much sulfur and nitrous oxide, called particulate matter. US diesel contains 500 parts-per-million (ppm). In Europe it's is 2 ppm. Diesel engines produce 40% less carbon monoxide. What's worse? Hard to say, neither one is good. Given the quality of US diesel, sulfur in significant quantities would make a difference in this country. Diesels, however, make up about 1% of all passenger vehicles here, so we aren't talking about significant—if we were talking about only passenger cars. School buses? That's different.
What's clear is that the Energy Bill recently passed by the House won't help. Next year, the Administration will phase out the $2,000 tax credit for buying a hybrid vehicle, which gets over 50 miles per gallon, but will leave in place the $25,000 tax write-off for a Hummer, which gets 10–12 mpg.
Given that many of the cars sold in the US (especially SUVs) cannot meet the mileage standards required for sale in many foreign countries, you again have to conclude that Administration policies are not good for American business.
The widely-held assumption that China and India , with a growing middle class that wants cars, will soon be competing with us to buy oil and polluting the atmosphere with toxic fumes, may not be true. It's again questionable if our cars will meet their standards. Without an infrastructure already in place, they could just as easily go in the direction of hydrogen-powered cars. Detroit doesn't know a lot about these nonpolluting autos. Some individuals know enough already to be selling conversion kits.
Given that US auto manufacturers have not been required to build autos that could be sold in these markets, you have to conclude that not having minimum mileage requirements are shortsighted and not good for American business.
Given that the US market is becoming one of the few markets where US automotive manufacturers can sell their inefficient, polluting vehicles, government policies are not good for the American breather either.
What remained was about six weeks of buying Auto Traders , looking, driving and doing more research, and then starting over again with a new round of magazines.
What became clear was that I didn't like many of the choices available to me. I considered the Ford Escape, their SUV hydrid, but it gets about only 20 mpg and does not get very good ratings. The hybrid Prius and other options just aren't sizes that work for me.
Because an interim car didn't work either, I decided to settle on a small wagon. Before I did, however, I wanted to look in earnest and try once more to find a diesel. It's especially difficult because don't sell new VWs either. The good news is that will be changing in 2006, or possibly 2007, when all diesel fuel will contain only 15 ppm particulate matter.
Finally I asked for help and called every VW and Mercedes dealer in the phone book to see if they had a diesel wagon. What I really wanted was a VW because compared to a Mercedes, I could afford a whole VW—and a newer one too. And then Christina Bergland found me one!
It was in Orange County and wasn't even at the dealership yet. It was on the way. That was Friday and they needed to detail it and have their mechanics certify it before it could be sold. I was there late Sunday morning. It was a beautiful deep blue 2002 VW Jetta.
I had really wanted a Passat, because it was a little longer, more elegant and sexier looking, but they aren't available. The Passat has all the upgrades the Jetta doesn't, except in this case. This Jetta had all the upgrades. And I did end up with a little better mileage than the 16 mpg I was getting—30 mpg better. It should get about 45–48 mpg. I don't know yet.
As I drive around I keep thinking I need to go buy gas. It's been a while since I filled up, but after about 300 miles I still don't need any . I have about half a tank left.
I did find a diesel station just in case. Someone was there filling up his new Ford F-350 with diesel and we talked a few minutes. The F-350 is easily recognizable. It's about the size of California king bed in back with six seats and a long, long hood in front. It's a new truck and uses diesel. Since it's a commercial vehicle it doesn't have to meet the same State regulations that passenger cars have. It gets 15 mpg. Hummm.
While it was difficult to find, I think it was worth it. In now enables me to explore another world that may become the tale of Steve's Next Great Auto Adventure—Biodiesel, which is renewable organic matter. Well, can't say too much, I'll be stepping on my next tale.
As I learn more, maybe one day I can say I still don't need any and mean, I don't need any of that petroleum any more. I'll let you know.
Have a Great Month,
Steve Hays
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