From: Rafal Smigrodzki (rms2g@virginia.edu)
Date: Thu Feb 06 2003 - 17:08:53 MST
BillK wrote:
>
> The Honda Civic 4cyl, 1.7 litre Lean Burn engine, manual shift 5-gear,
> is probably your best compromise - 36 mpg city, 44 mpg fway.
> The other was the Toyota Echo 4 cyl, 1.5 L, manual shift 5-gear - 35
> mpg city, 43 mpg fway.
>
> These are what a European in America would buy. Most Americans
> wouldn't give a second's thought to cars this small!
### My wife has a Honda Civic. Despite being a European in America, I avoid
using her car, and instead luxuriate in my 1995 hunter-green Camaro - cheap
to buy (I bought it for 12 000$), cheap to fix, gets 32 mpg highway,
automatic, A/C, 145 000 miles and still going strong.
The Camaro has an only slightly higher total cost of ownership, but is more
comfortable, larger, and faster. It looks better, too. Why settle for less?
Saving 200$/year in fuel costs means a distinctly less pleasant driving
experience, so there are no practical individual reasons to save. Since
there are no significant negative externalities related to gas consumption,
there are no ethical reasons to force such savings on citizens by taxation.
Rafal
PS. Dreaming of a 'Vette. Maybe once I get a grown-up job someday.
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