Why would you buy a car with worse gas mileage than you currently get?

[Anonymous]

It just seems so phenomenally stupid - oil is a finite resource.

[Anonymous]

People are stupid and/or maybe had a weird attraction to this certain kind of gas guzzling car.

[Anonymous]

I probably wouldn’t, but I can certainly see other people having a different set of priorities, like: buying a larger vehicle to accommodate a growing family; buying a more comfortable or more reliable car to make an exhausting commute more comfortable; buying a car with features that your current car doesn’t have; or buying the best car that you can afford at the time.

[Anonymous]

They are considering other features besides energy. Thats all.

[Anonymous]

I may have done that, but I only drive 4k miles a year, mostly in the city. I wanted more horsepower to speed up on highway for the few times I do go there.
I used to break tires on my sedan hitting curb while parking. Got a small SUV and hasn't happened yet. If this is the problem I had, why care about the gas.
My other need was for back tinted windows, wider car, higher from ground than sedan, 0% loan.
I don't commute and I won't any time soon.

[Anonymous]

I bought s BMW M vehicle which has poor fuel efficiency but very high performance. I drive it only about 3K miles/yr, so the cost of fuel is relatively trivial in the overall scheme of things, but when I do drive I have all the benefits of blindingly fast acceleration and ferocious cornering on demand. Admittedly, I don't use those characteristics much at all, but when I want them, they're there. I'm sure the same would be said by those who own exotic cars they also drive infrequently; that's the nature of that market.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It just seems so phenomenally stupid - oil is a finite resource.

What if you went from a couple to a family with kids? Traded in your two door speck for a minivan with worse gas mileage but allowed you to carry more passengers? (Then your gas consumption per passenger goes down)

Not phenomenally stupid. Just practical.

[Anonymous]

Because they prefer it as a whole. Some people are not one issue consumers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It just seems so phenomenally stupid - oil is a finite resource.

What if you went from a couple to a family with kids? Traded in your two door speck for a minivan with worse gas mileage but allowed you to carry more passengers? (Then your gas consumption per passenger goes down)

Not phenomenally stupid. Just practical.

Well you nailed it - the gas consumption is going down. Obviously we’re talking like for like.

I just got a crv hybrid and it’s so much better than a regular crv and I thought about some of the fun new suvs that are out there but they’d be a significant downgrade in mileage - there’s been a slight dip in cost lately but it’s going to be $1-3 more per gallon by the end life of the car, it just seemed dumb.

[Anonymous]

MPG is a featiure, just like leather seats or a sunroof. People have preferences and also make trade-offs.

[Anonymous]

Because I picked the one that would make me happy. I don’t drive much so it’s not a big deal. My five year old car has less than 20k miles. How much gas you use is just as important as actual mileage.

[Anonymous]

Eh. I just got a “new car” that gets worse mileage. My mom died, it’s her car. Blame her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MPG is a featiure, just like leather seats or a sunroof. People have preferences and also make trade-offs.

Yes, having rubber wheels instead if wooden ones is also a feature but we all agree that it’s better now that we have rubber tires. Your sunroof is unlikely to cost you a great deal more every time you drive by the end of the life of the car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It just seems so phenomenally stupid - oil is a finite resource.

What if you went from a couple to a family with kids? Traded in your two door speck for a minivan with worse gas mileage but allowed you to carry more passengers? (Then your gas consumption per passenger goes down)

Not phenomenally stupid. Just practical.

Well you nailed it - the gas consumption is going down. Obviously we’re talking like for like.

I just got a crv hybrid and it’s so much better than a regular crv and I thought about some of the fun new suvs that are out there but they’d be a significant downgrade in mileage - there’s been a slight dip in cost lately but it’s going to be $1-3 more per gallon by the end life of the car, it just seemed dumb.

How much extra did you pay for the difference between a regular and hybrid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MPG is a featiure, just like leather seats or a sunroof. People have preferences and also make trade-offs.

Yes, having rubber wheels instead if wooden ones is also a feature but we all agree that it’s better now that we have rubber tires. Your sunroof is unlikely to cost you a great deal more every time you drive by the end of the life of the car.

IDK, my sunroof has developed leaks at least 5 times over the life of my vehicle and it is never a cheap fix if you have to take it in. I absolutely hate them, and would never willingly buy a car with one again.