how do you feel about small cars?
 

I wanted to ask here because this is a gas saving forum, many people have small cars (civic/corolla/sentra, etc). I have a 97 prizm, and before this I owned 3 other civics, and a 92 camry. I rarely drove the camry because it drinks gas.

but, I just watched a program on CNBC and it showed the volvo studio where they do the crash testings, and then i read up articles about safety. Just going from a compact to a midsize, death rates were cut in half. and the more heavier the vehicle, the more safer, up to a point (4500 pounds). also, SUV's are rated not so safe because of rollovers, and the safest vehicles are midsize/full size sedans and vans.

i have driven these small cars all my life, my friends usually have at least a mizsize car. I love the gas savings, easier parking, cheap insurance, and i never really needed that much room to haul anything, If i do need the room I just put the stuff on the roof. After watching the video, I really wanted to just get a midsize car and sell my prizm. it is a 2200 pound car, and in those crash test videos, it looked awful. Im a defensive driver, Im really careful and dont speed at all. there are some things that I do that aill avoid an accident, but there are moments where its beyond anyones control, when some other nut is doing something stupid, bad things happens, If a person is getting t boned, they are really better in a chevy suburban than a little CRX.

Re: how do you feel about small cars?
 

well I am of the opinion that the reason our cars aren't safe is because of the larger cars. even a midsize car is no match for an 18 wheeler or a dump truck. one of the worst things I ever saw was a ford ranger that got T-boned by a dump truck. it was horrendous. I don't think it would have mattered what he was driving at that point. Dumptruck wins.

all that being said, I have luckily not been in any accidents (other than hitting deer) in my life. I've been driving for about 17 years. I have had some near misses that in my opinion would have been collisions had I been driving something less nimble (larger vehicles). I think it depends on where you live and the roads you drive. I am in a very rural area and rarely get in bumper-to-bumper traffic. most of my roads are 2 lane roads with speeds of no more than 55.

I just have a hard time with the scare tactics that some of the people actually use to get people to buy bigger cars. put any car going 100mph vs a stone pillar (a big one). it will be terrible looking. it doesn't matter what car/vehicle is hitting it. small car vs big car...small car loses. it's just physics. suburban vs 18 wheeler (suburban loses)

Re: how do you feel about small cars?
 

As I get older I am willing to sacrifice gas mileage for comfort. I hate getting beat to death driving a small car for longer than 3 hrs.

Re: how do you feel about small cars?
 

I kind of want to get an accord or camry, but the prices are just too high for what it offers, i see 97 camrys and 98 accords going for 2500 with 200k miles, its just not worth it for a 15 year old car thats going to need major repairs sooner or later.


as for SUV'S, I seen a isusu rodeo or honda passport that was t boned and flipped over while driving to my friends place, the whole roof tore off and the glass was everywhere, I bet that the passengers got seriously hurt. I would bet that if that was a midsize sedan, it would just have got t boned, passengers got hurt, and no roll over.

Re: how do you feel about small cars?
 

Give me a small, nimble, efficient car for everyday driving. My wife and I each have one. Her Fit is safer now than the big Detroiters were 20 years ago. My del Sol will probably fold like a house of cards, but I will take my chances.

Re: how do you feel about small cars?
 

The way I see it, people who never go outdoors never get killed by Mountain Lions, bears, snakes, bees, or lightning. But look at what they miss in their pitiful cloistered lives.

The same thing goes for the people who drive big cars and SUVs. My dream car is a Lotus Elise, or an Ariel Atom.

Re: how do you feel about small cars?
 

I drive a F 150 because my legs are too long for cars... almost any car. My wife's old Corlla gave me a backache in about 20 minutes.

Re: how do you feel about small cars?
 

+1 that it's the larger cars making smaller cars unsafe.
+1 compact now is safer than anything 10+ years ago.
-Then again, a compact now is the same size as a mid-size 10 years ago.
-Cars are growing as fast as the american public on the outside without getting any bigger on the inside: the new taurus is within 1/2" of every interior spec as my '90 cressida (except width...that's 4" wider in every seat) while externally several miles wider and longer and 1000 lbs heavier.

That being said, my preferred cars are compact/mid-size imports of 15-30 years ago. My toyota pickup is rated pretty low in crash tests, and I drive motorcycles as much as I can.

Like I always tell my wife, just sit back, relax, and enjoy life as much as you can. you might be 100x more likely to get in a car accident than plane crash but you're still not terribly likely to be in one. I'd rather enjoy the ride than drive a modern car...that's like trying to enjoy a gourmet meal right after the dentists office and the novocain is still in full effect.

Re: how do you feel about small cars?
 

Accident avoidance. I drive a 2002 Civic Si hatchback. I pay attention to the road, no texting or phone calls, and I usually have both hands on the wheel. I believe taking an more active part in staying out of an accident is better than a big vehicle.

Re: how do you feel about small cars?
 

going with that... psychology takes part in that too. If you keep telling yourself you're going to be in an accident and need a bigger vehicle because of that, you're more likely to be careless enough to be in an accident. sort of like the whole convincing yourself you'll fail a test in school.

and from the other direction, people with big SUVs think "because I have a huge SUV I don't have to be as careful about accident avoidance because I'll come out on top"

heck I spend most of my time on motorcycles. can't get much more exposed or invisible than that.

Re: how do you feel about small cars?
 

Very true! I drive in an area with tons of SUV's and many of them drive very aggressive...

Re: how do you feel about small cars?
 

I own an SUV (Toyota 4Runner) and a 1992 Honda Civic VX. I love them both. I drive the Civic daily for its fuel efficiency. I drive the 4Runner when I need to haul a lot of stuff or take a very long drive like vacation to Florida. I feel safer in my SUV and I don't drive it any different just because it's bigger. I drive very careful in both vehicles.

I have not been in an accident in 28 years and that was when I t-boned a Chevette with a 1980 Honda Civic. The Chevette crumpled up like a piece of paper and my Civic merely had a rubber piece on the bumper that needed to be replaced ($25).

I loved my Civic then and I love my Civic now. I would not trade or sell my Civic either as I really enjoy driving a manual. I think you should consider how you drive, in what kinds of traffic conditions, and what you feel most comfortable with. Enjoy driving. I just happen to enjoy driving and get the benefits of 52 miles per gallon at the same time!!!

Re: how do you feel about small cars?
 

I own 5 small cars and 2 intermediates. I'm comfortable with driving smaller cars even though they're probably not as safe. Even in my case with having a bad back a bigger car has very little impact on my comfort during the drive or the aftermath from driving several hundred miles. I just drove about 650 miles yesterday and a total of about 1400 miles since Sunday morning in a Ford Escort, my back is pretty sore today, but I don't have much more soreness in my back than when I drive my mom's '00 Grand Marquis the same distance. I will admit the ride is better in a larger car than in a smaller car, but if it's good roads I'm travelling the gas/money savings is worth it for me.

Re: how do you feel about small cars?
 

I've found that on good roads my Civic rides just as nicely as my 4Runner. Not a drop of difference.

Re: how do you feel about small cars?
 

it wasnt scare tactics, it was a documentary on car safety with a highly repubatable channel (i forgot, it might be bbc or discovery), and it was in the volvo studio. it was not a commercial, and on the documentary they did not mention "buy volvo" so I doubt volvo paid them anything at all. the people there just did all the crashes in all the years and just going from a compact to a midsize helped people not die by 50%, up to 4500 pounds, and after 4500 pounds it becomes more dangerous.

Re: how do you feel about small cars?
 

Safety means more than safety for yourself. Small cars are safer for the other vehicle.

I was in an accident a few years back. A young, inexperience driver with two passengers ran a red light in front of me, and I T-boned him. I also had 2 passengers with me. I saw him come from my left, rolling up to the intersection a bit fast, and I thought he might not be able to stop at the line, so I changed to the right lane to be further away from him. Then instead of stopping as I expected, he accelerated, jumping out right in front of me! I was doing about 50 in a 55 mph speed zone, and might have slowed to 45 before impact. If I'd thought he might run the light, I could have been ready for it. If my foot was hovering over the brake, maybe I could have slowed enough to miss him, or maybe I could have swerved around him. But all I managed to do before impact was take my foot off the gas. My Metro was totaled. He was driving a smallish sports car, also totaled.

Had I been driving a monster SUV, I might have run him over or crushed his car. Might have pushed him into the stopped cars facing the other direction. As it was, they were not pushed clear across the median, and their worst injury was a deep cut that needed stitches. I walked away from the accident. I was bruised, the kind of deep bruising that doesn't show after a few weeks but takes 3 months to fully heal, but no more hurt than that. The worst injury was one of my passengers suffered a broken ankle.

He screwed up, and I'm glad the price was not someone's life. And that may be because I was driving a small, light car, and because I was going a little slower than the maximum legal speed.

Re: how do you feel about small cars?
 

And you might have rolled. Crash testing can't cover all possible scenarios.
How much was that a factor of weight, and how much the larger crumple zones?

wow forum is different...anywhoo i find small nimble cars are alot easier to avoid accidents if your driving and scanning the road and watching, expecting people to pull out in front of you. or make a mental escape route thru traffic or shoulder if they do. like my chevette i know its brakes are crap so im better off hitting them hard and steering out of the way (i dont know if the wheels will lock up on dry pavement...) now my s10 if i jab the brakes you better believe the fronts are locked haha.

i will agree tho it is nice to just be in a midsized lazyboy on wheels car for long trips. hence why buicks and whatnot are pretty much owned by old people. but man do they ride nice and have ridiculous power haha

Smaller cars are harder to hit, been hit four times in big cars only once only slightly in a small car ... all from behind!

I am 6f6, and i squeezy myself in to a crx.

But I like small cars because of their driving characteristics, and my new favorite reason "smaller auto, less car to hit"

The classic small car advantage.... heading south on rt95 towards the CT boarder and I move to the left lane as a tractor trailer merges from an on ramp with a line of cars behind it. Just as I approach the back end of the box the mustang right behind the box decides to change lanes to pass the TT truck and forces me to the guard rail. Because I am in a Geo Metro I fit between the mustang and guard rail and make no contact with either. Had we hit there would have been a multi car pileup from all the cars being too close to each other behind the TT truck.

i went to a kia dealer today to have my GF's car serviced...im really impressed with what small cars have become which is to say they are certainly comparable to upscale cars in regard to looks(inside and out) and extras.

im a bit of a hermit in regard to buying(or even looking) new or new used as i buy cars cash...have for a long time. obviously safety features are more abundant...but new and late models cars reflect all of these tech advances in price eek:

edit: the post was meant to include kia and other brands on the used lot.

That is pretty amazing. a lil angel was on your side, that's for sure, and the fact you had 35% less moving mass to worry about helps too.

I to agree with the "wow" factor on smaller autos. But I am guessing the economy has something to do with the size and type of demand we have for small cars w/ the same options. Packaged in a smaller box to appeal to " broke A**'es" like myself who want to get the biggest bang for the buck. ( BTW. I'm choosing to be broke, or at least act like it) it just seems appropriate for the times. :).

But I still Digg my eco commuter, over any other car we own.

I've driven cars and ridden bikes from a Honda 90 up to a Lincoln Town Car, and everything in between. I don't feel any safer in a Lincoln or an SUV than I do in my Geo...although I do like the view down the road I get in the larger vehicle, especially in the old Dodge/Plymouth mini-vans.

I much prefer the handling, ease of driving/parking, and ease of service on a smaller car.

For me since we only have the need for one car a fairly quiet comfortable light mid-sized car is nice to have driving to work and holiday trips but still small and nimble enough for the city or driving alone. It's a matter of saving ears and @$5 and the need for a second car which would be more expensive for us than a single better one.

I'm more comfortable closer to the road than boating around leaning over traffic in a taller even if smaller vehicle.

Wow can I relate to this topic. I love the idea of saving gas for a whole host of reasons. This means a small, light vehicle. My wife, however, doesn't want me to die in a fiery wreck and her brother assurers her that "bigger is better" when it comes to safety. And...that could be true. He also claims most people are idiots, most people are distracted, and if you get injured in a crash you might not ever be the same again. With all of the people texting away as they drive....well some of that stuff is true too.

For 15 months I tried to get the OK to buy the Ford Fiesta, I figured I could wear her down. But....last spring we got the F-150. 3.7L V6, 2wd, extended cab XLT package. It's been great, they really nailed it with the F-150, and I feel big, visible, and safe in it. I've got the "spare bumper" in the back too

Get this Hitch Step from SUPERBUMPER! Help Eliminate Rear End Collision Damage with Patented Compressor System that's Proven & Tested

But I have gotta admit, I still love the idea of 40mpg or more. The truck is pretty good for something that big but it's a long way from 40.

CleanMPG, - Garage An authoritative source on fuel economy and hypermiling

So how do I personally feel about small cars? I love them, they look cool and I think saving gas is good for national security as well as the environment. I'm not crazy with the idea of driving them in a sea of giant suv's and distracted drivers. For now....I'm with the half ton crowd I guess. But my heart is in an economical car :)

You need to be really careful with any statistics.
1. It is very rare to get in an accident, even more so to get in one that causes injuries
2. If you never drive intoxicated then you have cut out a whole lot of the chance for any accident
3. Many of the injury accidents are such that it wouldn't mater what you are driving.
4. Being a cautious driver and not aggressive will also eliminate a lot of bad situations.

I guess my point is that I believe that how you drive is a far larger factor in your safety then what you drive. So to get hung up on the size of a car could give you a false sense of security. You will have much better odds if you focus on the condition of your car and how you drive.

I also see that the bottom line is that insurance companies don't factor in the size of the car for setting premiums. They look very strongly at your driving history.

It's the arms race of bigger is safer that makes us all less safe in the long run (the bigger vehicles roll over, and the smaller vehicles have their windshields smashed in where their bumpers should have).

Can't argue with 1-4, those are fantastic points. And I'm with you, focusing on good driving is the most important thing. Can't believe insurance companies don't factor size in....kinda shoots my theory...I'm sure the actuaries have looked at weight vs. cost. Or maybe....maybe the driver in the little car is killed where in the big car is just horribly maimed so they are more expensive?

Joe

maybe the driver in the little car is killed where in the big car is just horribly maimed so they are more expensive?

Joe[/QUOTE]

Well at least driving the small car you don't have to worry about it :whistling: