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Do You Agree? Study Indicates That Buying Small Cars Is Worse For The Planet
Here's a radical thought for the car-buying public. Small cars have no future. In fact, all those sub-compacts and compacts, the Hyundai Accents and the Mazda 3s, the Toyota Yarises — even the perennially popular Honda Civics — may soon be nothing but scrap.

In fact, by buying them instead of heavier, sturdier mid-size sedans or even pickup trucks, lots of well-meaning Canadians are just contributing to landfills. So says Richmond Hill, Ont., automotive analyst Dennis DesRosiers, whose most recent study on vehicle longevity tends to point out certain truisms consumers ignore.

Never mind the panic at the pumps, DesRosiers says, or the "misfocused" green movement. Small cars, even the most popular brands like Toyota, can be bad investments, both for the planet and the pocketbook.

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Do You Agree? Study Indicates That Buying Small Cars Is Worse For The Planet



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candywhitecandywhite - 10/3/2008 12:52:02 PM
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what a crock of shit.
this is the most biased "analysis" i have ever read. but then i only read the topic.

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bigmotovbigmotov - 10/3/2008 1:13:38 PM
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Pathetic! Seems like anyone can make "studies" and "analysis" these days.

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AgentOrangeAgentOrange - 10/3/2008 1:26:12 PMView My AgentSpace
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From crap to scrap? I don't think so...

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pepito66pepito66 - 10/3/2008 2:16:51 PM
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I don't think small cars is worse for the planet and if yes why???
Car size and election of models from customer depend to their money to spend and how they use the car.

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chewychewy - 10/3/2008 2:29:53 PMView My AgentSpace
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I think cars are the most recycled things on the planet. And you can drive a small car for a long time as well. A 10-15 year old compact and pickup will both likely be in poor shape, mostly depending on the miles.

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topneurotopneuro - 10/3/2008 2:47:46 PM
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A pile of trash gets publish/printed, true for literature, politics, law, research, academic, science, newspapers, etc. Just read the Bailout Bill.
The internet is no exception, autopsies has it’s share.

Ouch …


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1995e341995e34 - 10/3/2008 2:51:14 PM
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small cars are worse for the planet...than public transportation.

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1995e341995e34 - 10/3/2008 3:07:07 PM
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small cars have traditionally been cheap cars. if built to higher standards, they would last just as long as the big ones (possibly longer). if small car makers weren't fighting to get their cars under $17k usd, they would have greater longevity.



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daytonavioletdaytonaviolet - 10/3/2008 4:18:31 PM
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Apparently the author of this article has never heard of companies like Honda and Toyota.

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bluedartbluedart - 10/3/2008 4:39:08 PM
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that's one study that comes right out of one's ass

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makkystylemakkystyle - 10/3/2008 5:17:13 PM
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First, it wasn't a "study" 009, not trying to pick on you today, but really... step it up a notch.

Here was my "letter to the editor":

First, I must state that I recognize that Ms. Righton in her article references other sources for all of her data or opinion, but in a case where only one side of an argument is presented, the "journalist" is as much at fault as her sources for perpetuating the falsehoods.

I think Barbara Righton accurately depicts a problem with the North American auto purchasing consciousness in her article, but erroneously extrapolates reasons for certain trends without recognizing the true causes. The fact is this:

Traditionally, in North America small cars have not lasted because longevity is sacrificed for low-price. Think Pinto, Le Car, Colt, etc.

Unlike in Europe where it is commonplace to expect high-quality compacts from makers like Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, Citroen, Alfa Romeo, Audi and even Ford. It is only in recent years that consumer tastes in North America have recognized that you don't have to sacrifice quality for compact size and consumers are now willing to pay for it. One need only look at the resale values (in North America) of the BMW made Mini Cooper to see that small cars can indeed maintain their value over the projected lifetime of the vehicle; and if Ms. Righton thinks the projected lifetime of one of these cars is less than a "heavier, sturdier mid-size sedans or even pickup truck" she would be absolutely wrong.

The problem is not the lifespan of lighter-weight vehicles as she suggests. In fact, elementary physics would tell us that less force is exerted on lower mass cars and therefore less stress and wear, suggesting they may actually last longer. The problem has been with consumer tastes in this part of the world. 15 years ago Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi would have never released a compact car in the US (and I'm assuming Canadian market). Today things have changed. These same manufacturers are now releasing smaller and smaller models and I'm sure, should Ms. Righton care to ask them, they would attest to the build quality and longevity of their vehicles.

It is asinine to compare the residual value of a car that costs US$12,120 (Aveo) with a car that costs US$22,275 (Malibu). Of course the Aveo is worth nothing in three years, it's called DEPRECIATION. It wasn't worth much to begin with.

A true litmus test might be to compare comparable vehicles if even only comparable in price. I would gladly put the physical longevity and long-term desirability of my $22,000 Honda Civic Si up against the Chevy Malibu. Honda Civics have one of the best resale values in their class and honda engines consistently run trouble-free for hundreds-of-thousands of miles... Chevy Malibu... not so much.

I hope you will print this as a counter to the one-sided point of view presented in the original article.


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1995e341995e34 - 10/3/2008 6:36:38 PM
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well said.


S4cabriofoxoneS4cabriofoxone - 10/3/2008 11:34:48 PMView My AgentSpace
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Great letter.


E36erE36er - 10/4/2008 1:42:01 AM
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Great letter overall. The Mini retains it's value because Mini does not discount below the sticker price.


sectorsector - 10/3/2008 6:04:29 PM
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Eating lots of fat helps you lose weight! Eat all the bacon, eggs, cheeseburgers, and lobster you want! fat doesn't make you fat, carbs make you fat!

believe me? I can back it up with studies :)

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supermotosupermoto - 10/3/2008 6:46:15 PM
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It takes more energy to manufacture an entirely new car than what I would save vs. using my current car. Duh.

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GeorgemiaGeorgemia - 10/9/2008 5:55:42 PM
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I think this is more to do with the type of owner and how cars are used, just like in many safety arguments. Small cars tend to be "cheap" cars, and if they last less time, it's probably due to not being garaged as often, living in crowded cities, and having younger, more aggressive drivers. All of these will "age" a car faster.
I can't think of any intrinsic reason why a small car has to be more fragile.

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